Tee

I should have known there would be tough questions. . . His office is in Century City, so I would assume he lives somewhat nearby (again, my lack of familiarity with the area is shining through). Then again, people in DC think nothing of an hour commute! Does that help at all?

First of all, let me confess that I am an east-coaster who knows NOTHING about the dining scene in LA--which is why I desperately need your help! Two friends of mine recently got married, and though I was unable to attend their wedding, I'd love to send them a gift certificate to a restaurant in LA. Only problem is that I don't think I know a single one! My budget is $150. The couple has fairly hippie tastes (despite the fact he's a lawyer, I promise), so I'm thinking something funky, small, romantic, and maybe even organic? (Though that is not a pre-req). Any and all ideas would be much appreciated! Many thanks.

I wouldn't think you would need reservations, except for possibly a Friday night (and even then, reserving a day or two in advance would work). Its winter/spring, not a high holiday time. (The other exception i can think of is for Tango shows, you may want to reserve a day or two ahead of time--in addition to Club del Vino, I also enjoyed the classic atmosphere of a show at Cafe Tortoni--although food is marginal). Enjoy!

I just returned from 10 days in BA (and Colonia, and a side trip to the estancia El Ombu). . .and the following are my jet lagged recollections. As Jonathon mentioned, Sucre is wonderful. Also worthwhile is its sister restaurant, Gran Bar Danzon (located in Barrio Norte/Recolata neighborhood)--although it notably lacks the suckling pig. Had a lovely starter of "spring rolls" with pulled pork, and a memorable lovely dessert of dulce de leche creme brulee. (to be completely honest, the main escapes me...I assume I had steak!!). Also, a lovely malbec--Anubis 2002. Cabana Las Lilas was good, although I'm not much of a fan of Puerto Madero--seems to lack a lot of charm. Nevertheless, the starter "snack" was a favorite there. For cheap eats (kind of a joke, since the exchange rate for americans is so good), Pizzeria Guerrin was great. Excellent empanadas, good pizza, great tortilla. Has stand up service in the front, table service in the back. We ate twice at La Biela, a cafe near our hotel (Plaza Francia Hotel...very helpful staff, clean decent rooms), near the Recolata. Its apparently the big cafe in BA, but we found that one should stick to drinks, not the foods. The same is true of its neighbor, the slightly less popular Cafe Paix. We ate mainly in Palermo, as that seems to be the "more happening" restaurant scene. Club de Vino was a fun place--combination wine museum, theater and restaurant all housed in the same facility. Had some excellent rabbit there. Something called "Cabernet" (also in Palermo) was a lovely, romantic spot. Food was charming. And Oveido was a favorite early on--very old school service, and the clientele was definitely older. Not a hip spot, is my guess, but a classic one. But by far, our best meal was at the estancia--el ombu. What a wonderful time--a wood burning stove in each room, riding horses (well, walking them in my case since I'm a novice) during the day, and building up an appetite for lunch...good thing. Lunch is a mult-course affair, with each course consisting of wonderful free range argentinean beef from the estancia. It was like a joke--each time a server entered the room, they had another platter filled with cuts of beef. (Its an interesting platter, I don't know the name, but it contains charcoal briquets underneath which continue to cook the food as served). And no lie, there were 6 or seven "courses" of beef. Even though I was full, the carne empandas were the best I've ever had--so soft they fell apart in your mouth. If you are planning a side jaunt to Colonia, the sights, not the food should be your focus. There is an excellent parilla (I don't know spanish--the translation seems to be "restaurant that only serves beef") near the water--its very colorful (red and blue and yellow, and stands out in this small town. Be warned that ordering the "mixed grill" will not get you a platter of beef, chicken and veggies...it means "mixed parts of the cow." Lovers of offal will enjoy. Hope this is helpful. I'm sure you will have an amazing time.

SoHo, a coffeehouse at P and 22 (walking distance from Dupont metro) has wireless access. And it has the added bonus of not being Starbucks.

So it is a restaurant/club--I don't think I've seen a good restaurant/club in DC (unless you count David Greggory--but I'm still not clear on what a "restaulounge" is. . .) that's too bad.

Does anyone know anything about Cocoa, a new place on P St (around 20th St)? At first, I thought it was some sort of lounge/club, but when I walked by yesterday they had a menu posted, with entrees in the $16-25 range. Thanks!

Even though its not the most upscale of places, I always enjoy Mimi's (on P Street, west side of the circle). They've had their outside tables set up for a while now, I believe. Lively atmosphere, both inside and outside the restaurant. (Just don't order their ravioli)

Thanks--good suggestion on the trees. I've also been keeping Ashby Inn in the back of my mind as a good place to send my parents this summer for dinner and a night at the Inn for their anniversary. Does anyone know how Ashby would compare to dinner and and overnight stay at Inn at Little Washington? (Or any other similar combinations). I'm looking to budget around $450. My feeling is that while Inn at Little Washington may be of higher caliber, its likely more expensive. Am I right? Many thanks.

Now that spring is (finally) around the corner, I've been thinking about making a trip to Ashby Inn, admittedly for both the view and the food. I live in the city, and don't like driving to restaurants unless the place is really worth it--so what do you think? My thought was that its nice to see a little nature with your food every once in a while. Thanks!