Shaho

We were there last September. I'd echo the posts above that good food is everywhere, and tabelog and Google are good resources. Lunch is great value for higher-end restaurants. Here are some of the places we enjoyed that weren't too hard to get into, in case you are nearby:

Shoraian, Arashiyama, Kyoto - tofu-based omakase, beautiful riverside location, not the broadest range of flavors but good value and quality. We reserved this through AmEx concierge, it seemed popular but not overly so, so your hotel might be able to help you once you get there.

Sanga Ono, Kyoto - breakfast restaurant in our hotel at Kyoto. Lots of variety.

Bakuro Ichidai Ginza, Tokyo - excellent sukiyaki and hida beef (alternative to wagyu/kobe).

Hitsumabushi Bincho, Tokyo - chain of Nagoya-style eel rice restaurants, which lets you try the eel in 3 different ways.

Bento boxes that you buy at the train station are a fun way to enjoy a Shinkansen ride too!

Thanks for the review! Chef Danielle was on a David Chang-produced cooking competition, Secret Chef, on Hulu, so I've been thinking of checking this place out. I have fond memories of some of the previous tenants of this location (Crane & Turtle, Himitsu), and it sounds like Almeda might continue that trend.

Lotus of Siam, Raku, and Chengdu Taste are our go-tos for authentic Asian food off-strip. Lotus of Siam still has their chef's meal which is something like a "best hits" tasting menu as of a few months ago. Just a note that some of their dishes with higher-end ingredients and higher price tags, such as their Garlic Prawns and Crispy Duck Khao Soi are on that menu (not that they aren't worthwhile, but just a warning in case you're looking for something more moderately priced).

13 minutes ago, ICD said:

I think the strength of the restaurant is eating in and enjoying the all you can eat salad experience that can be included with the entrees.  We've enjoyed this couple times, especially at lunch. 

Some older reports here: 

I've been and enjoyed it as well (pre-COVID), including the all you can eat salad.

Enjoyed the outdoor cabanas even though it was a chilly day (our original dinner reservation was canceled due to expected cold, so we moved it up to lunch). The heaters don't quite warm up the entire room in that sort of weather, but we saw several parties bring in their own blankets, which should have been enough to get cozy.

The lunch menu was small but delightful, as was the service. Our order of parsnip soup was split into 2 bowls without our asking, always a nice touch. The brussels sprouts were one of the best versions I've had, perfectly charred and crispy without even a hint of being burned. The loaded potatoes were not at all subtle, but deliciously decadent and made perfect leftovers later that night.

We had the smash burger, olive oil poached cauliflower, and pork bolognese from the larger plates menu. Again, nothing surprising about the burger, just a delicious patty in a potato roll. The bolognese was another rich dish that hit the spot in the cold, with excellent ricotta and garlic toast to accentuate the classic pasta. The cauliflower had nice texture and flavor, though it worked better to balance the meal than it would have as an individual "main," as its placement on the menu somewhat suggests.

I'd highly recommend the cabanas to anyone with even a bit of COVID trepidation, especially in the in-between season before full outdoor dining opens back up.

On 11/18/2021 at 11:41 AM, Bob Wells said:

Finally getting back to 2941 for a 25th anniversary celebration. Anyone been recently? From what I can tell they are still firing on all cylinders.

We were there for a celebration event this summer. Service and ambiance were excellent. We had the Chef's Tasting Menu, which was 5 courses with a selection of 2 options per course. Food ranged from beautifully plated and uniquely balanced (a yellowtail tartare with peach, Rosé foam, and crispy lotus root) to a little more by the numbers. Overall I would say most dishes were above average with only a few standouts, but paired with the ambiance it was still a wonderful experience and exactly what we were looking for. The dining room was fairly busy on a weeknight evening.

Tacqueria Los Primos in north Laurel is legit, and I second the vote for Mango's. I believe the chef at Amber Spice is the former chef from Curry Leaf as well? That was my go-to back in the day. I still dream about the pound cake at the Dutch Market... 

Although very rare, there were nights when I saw another chef manning the kitchen or helping out. I would guess that the restaurant passed over to them when the Lis retired, although recent Yelp reviews indicate that the menu has indeed changed "somewhat."

Won't be at the game, but made this for good luck. Let's go Nats!

1 hour ago, curiouskitkatt said:

When I saw Laura Hayes say “ Why did I not know of this?” I shreaked. @Shaho posted about this last yr. Thank you for posting on Twitter. We all know we as a forum bring value , and sharing our discoveries online and linking it back to this platform is a way to spread the importance of Donrockwell.com. Tell your friends about us. Its free to join, and you never know where it may lead. I have made great friendships & have learned so much not only about food & beverage , but so much more. Thank you to everyone who contributes ! I am grateful. I can honestly say Don is grateful as well. If one or any of our posts has helped, we all have done well. 

Grateful,

kat

Thank my girlfriend for the tip!

With the lottery odds flattening out starting this year, rebuilding by trading away your best players and tanking for high draft picks is even more of a crapshoot than it has been in the past. The Wizards actually stand to benefit from this change, as even with a mediocre team and the 6th worst record overall, they have a 38% chance for a top 4 pick this year. Their best bet is to draft a good player this year, hold Wall out next year and remain mediocre enough to get another good pick, and build around the still young core of Beal, Troy Brown Jr, Thomas Bryant, and 2 high draft picks. If Wall can come back to at least 80% effectiveness, we still have a slim possibility of becoming a contender despite our salary cap limitations. The move to essentially give away Otto Porter hurts from a talent perspective, but frees up enough financial flexibility to work around even 2 supermax deals with draft picks and value free agency signings like Jeff Green.

This year's draft lottery will be critical, as obviously a game changing talent like Zion could change the trajectory of this franchise completely. Even if we don't land him, Ja Morant, Bol Bol, Darius Garland, and R.J. Barrett (my preferences in order) have All Star-level upside. I'll be watching the draft lottery, draft, and new GM selection with great interest. Replacing Ernie Grunfeld with a forward-thinking GM who understands scouting, team-building, and has a long term vision for real success could be the turning point the Wizards have long needed. 

"Chef Tim Ma Is Closing Kyirisan in Shaw" by Anna Spiegel, Washingtonian.

Closing April 18th. Tim Ma will be focusing on his other restaurants, American Son and Wild Days at the Eaton Workshop hotel.

1 minute ago, DonRocks said:

It was literally right next to the front door - walk in, make a U-turn, and sit directly against the window ... the only two seats available in the entire restaurant.

Left or right U-turn? I was against the window in the bar area to the left, although I might have sat at the opposite end to you because I don't recall the tree or gold pattern as vividly.

I think I sat at almost the same spot last month! 

Chloe?

On 2/2/2019 at 9:25 AM, naxos said:

Has anyone had success with making online same day reservations at Rose's Luxury? I have been trying for weeks @ exactly 9:00am and have not been able to get a table at any time on a Saturday, despite the fact that the website indicates that Saturday same day res are a possibility .

I was able to get a same day reservation on a Thursday evening a few weeks ago. I think their system is either a bit buggy and/or demand is very high on certain days. When I first clicked the link at 9:00 am, it gave me an incorrect message about their original same day reservation system (reservations open at 5:30 etc.), then when I hit refresh, it allowed me to make the reservation. I checked the reservation page in advance to see how popular it was; on a Monday, there were seats available as late as 9:50am, while on a Tuesday, all of the seats were taken almost immediately.

Thought people might be interested to hear about Chef Guo, a new restaurant featuring Chef Guo Wenjun's take on Chinese banquets. This is probably the closest the DC area has had to Chinese fine dining, and I'm interested to see how it fares. The chef serves a selection of two tasting menus, the Banquet of Eternal Bliss Hot Pot ($68 lunch, $98 dinner), and the Banquet of Peace and Prosperity ($158 dinner only), both of which feature 10+ courses in the style of imperial cuisine. Scroll through the website to see the full menus, pictures of the dishes, and a press release detailing the overall concept.

So far there hasn't been much buzz about this place outside of the Chinese community, but some friends who have gone reported it to be luxurious, visually and conceptually unique, and a lot of (too much?) food, mostly very good to excellent. There seems to be a mix of traditional cuisine and modern/Western techniques. If I understand correctly, the dinner they attended was a special event combining dishes from both menus, with all of the guests at a shared table and Chef Guo himself coming out between each course to explain the concept behind the dish (in Chinese); it's not clear to me how different the experience will be once the restaurant gets settled in, but from their website it seems like they are definitely interested in catering to non-Chinese clientele as well. 

Spoons, Blue Moon Too, and SoBo Cafe would all be good options for brunch within walking distance (SoBo for dinner as well), although they'll all be packed. I'll second the recommendations for Rye Street Tavern, Hersch's, and Ida B's, and add Shoyou Sushi and Abbey Burger Bistro as reliable neighborhood restaurants.

Grano Emporio closed on June 30, 2018. Grano Pasta Bar in Hampden remains open.

I haven't been to the original Grano Pasta Bar, but for a time there was a second location in Federal Hill, which was pretty good if not spectacular. You chose a sauce and pasta shape, and the chefs heated the pre-made sauce and tossed with pasta in front of you. Good flavors, but the portions sizes were somewhat small for the price, and the tiny space made it unappealing for anything but the occasional takeout order. Glad that the original location still seems to be going strong.

Nick's Inner Harbor Seafood to Close at Cross Street Market by Kevin Lynch on southbmore.com

After ongoing disputes with Caves Valley Partners, the firm redeveloping Cross Street Market, during which time Nick's has mostly remained open, it looks like they will finally be closing on January 7, 2019, after a judge ruled that their current lease is invalid. The owners are considering whether to relocate the restaurant.

At this point, nearly all of the original tenants of Cross Street Market will have permanently relocated or closed by the time renovations are complete. Increased lease rates and the plan to keep half of the market open while construction occurs in the other half haven't helped, as it was always awkward to try and go eat in what was essentially a construction zone. Like JDawg said, the market was long overdue for renovation, but it seems like it will be losing a great deal of what made it unique in the process.

"Highlandtown's Gnocco tweaks its name after copyright dispute" by Carley Milligan, Baltimore Business Journal.

Gnocco recently changed its name to Gnocchetto to avoid confusion with a New York restaurant of the same name. The restaurant was also listed as for sale in September, but remains open. 

"Ludlow Market Closes in Locust Point" by Kevin Lynch on southbmore.com

After a brief re-branding as Ludlow Market, the dining room, bar, and Bottle Shop have all closed as of November 19, 2018.

"Four Seasons' Wit & Wisdom to close; Atlas Restaurant Group taking over space"  by Joanna Sullivan, Baltimore Business Journal

Closing on January 1, 2019. Atlas Restaurant Group operates 8 restaurants in Harbor East, including Azumi, Ouzo Bay, and Tagliata.

Hersh's and Thames St Oyster House are sure things. I've heard good things about the pastas at Tagliata. Ekiben, Kippo Ramen, and Tortilleria Sinaloa for cheap eats around Fells, Pop Tacos in Fed Hill. Chez Hugo and Puerto 511 are good bets downtown.

Chef Monnier comes from the late Arômes, and his latest venture brings his take on seasonal French bistro fare to the heart of Baltimore. I'm mostly a skeptic of Restaurant Week, but the dinner I had here last week was a tantalizing taste of what Chez Hugo offers.

I started with a refreshing tomato gazpacho which was the right balance of sweet and tart, and paired nicely with a very good order of gougères. Next was a lamb murguez sausage, which was fantastic - tender, juicy, and spicy, with that unmistakable lamb flavor. This came on a bed of couscous with parsley, golden raisins, and a harissa yogurt sauce, unadventurous but a good complement to the sausage. Dessert was a poached peach on a sweet biscuit with vanilla ice cream which was just OK. 

Tastes of my companions dishes were mixed as well. The escargot appetizer and monkfish entree were very fresh, but a little too clean-tasting and could have used more aggressive seasoning. The steak frites and accompanying green peppercorn sauce were perfect, however. Overall, for a Restaurant Week meal I thought Chez Hugo did a good job of balancing a creative and affordable menu, and there were enough strong components that I'd like to come back to try them at their best.