College Student Dinner

[Tom Clifford]

I'm a college student in DC for the semester, and we have some student funds from our school that we can use and have decided to go out for a nice dinner together. Budget is $100 per person. I'm the most into food, and I wanted to try something on the more adventurous side, but I think the rest of the group really wants more of the type of place where you can get a nice big piece of meat cooked very well. Can people help me with some recommendations?

I appreciate the help.

[Waitman]

I'm a college student in DC for the semester, and we have some student funds from our school that we can use and have decided to go out for a nice dinner together. Budget is $100 per person. I'm the most into food, and I wanted to try something on the more adventurous side, but I think the rest of the group really wants more of the type of place where you can get a nice big piece of meat cooked very well. Can people help me with some recommendations?

I appreciate the help.

Not wildly adventurous but a decent compromise (and enough icky-good French stuff to expand a few horizons): the Park cafe, at the Willard, two blocks from the White House. Reserve the tables outside. For $100 you should be able to eat well and even quaff some of their reasonably-priced wine.

For big chunks of meat: the metro-accessible Ray's the Classics in Silver Spring.

[turbogrrl]

I'm a college student in DC for the semester, and we have some student funds from our school that we can use and have decided to go out for a nice dinner together. Budget is $100 per person.

You haven't said if you are of wine-quaffing age yet. ;-) Wine or cocktails can add a significant bit to a bill- figure ~30$ per person, and so that's going to cut into what you can get and where you can go. If you're not drinking alcohol, then you have more flexibility.

Personally, I'd recommend Dino- the steak-eaters can get a lovely hangar steak, if they so choose, and the more adventurous can order from nicely varied menu. Also, it's on the red line in Cleveland Park, so it's easy to get to, and the advantage is that I generally have to work hard to break $100 per person.

The bistro at Restaurant Eve in Alexandria would be a fine choice as well if you can stick within your budget. (It's also a bit harder to get to, as its a decent walk from the King Street Metro.)

Have fun, whatever you do!

[DonRocks]

I'm a college student in DC for the semester, and we have some student funds from our school that we can use and have decided to go out for a nice dinner together. Budget is $100 per person.

You must go to GWU!

[mdt]

You must go to GWU!

No sh*t! College student funds are usually $10 per person for dinner.

[turbogrrl]

No sh*t! College student funds are usually $10 per person for dinner.

See, I figured that they'd just been saving their pennies and had funds left over. Naive me.

[Tom Clifford]

Haha, actually we go to Claremont McKenna College, in Southern California. We're on our school's DC program this semester.

As far as age, three of the group (11 total) are of age to imbibe. Thanks for the recommendations so far, and I look forward to hearing anyone else's recommendation. I'll be forwarding this discussion to the rest.

[DonRocks]

Haha, actually we go to Claremont McKenna College, in Southern California. We're on our school's DC program this semester.

As far as age, three of the group (11 total) are of age to imbibe. Thanks for the recommendations so far, and I look forward to hearing anyone else's recommendation. I'll be forwarding this discussion to the rest.

If you're really on a $100 budget per person, aren't spending a lot on alcohol, and some of your group is looking for a "nice big piece of meat, cooked very well," I'd head to BLT Steak for a medium-rare ribeye. In terms of being experimental, the steak itself comes with a really good piece of roasted bone marrow, and before the meal you get nuclear-sized gougères and some of the best chicken-liver mousse in town, free of charge. You'll want to order a side dish or two (which are large enough to share), and maybe a carrot cake for dessert, but if you watch the incidentals, you can dine very well here and still come in under budget. Unless you guys are on the football team, you'll have leftovers for lunch, too.

Cheers,

Rocks.

[laniloa]

No sh*t! College student funds are usually $10 per person for dinner.

I'll be lucky if I can swing even that much once I head back to school in July!

[FunnyJohn]

Or, if you want the quintessential Washington, DC power dinner (so you can brag to your classmates back in SoCal) why not the Palm -- not a gastronomic must-do, but certainly a locale that will afford you both large pieces of meat and a view of the movers and shakers (or at least some diners who believe they are) if you go on a week night. You'll have to make your reservation well in advance though if you want to be seated at prime time.