Capitol Hill?

[blissfood]

I'm working more and more down in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. What do folks like down there for lunch or dinner?

[vengroff]

I'm working more and more down in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. What do folks like down there for lunch or dinner?

Mostly we just wish we lived/worked somewhere else....

[John W.]

Get out your wallet and go to Charlie Palmer Steak. Not cheap, but the quality is certainly worth the price.

[hillvalley]

Market Lunch in Eastern Market is a great place for a very casual meal. The crab cakes and fried oysters are delicious, and brunch is great. The greens are as good as it gets and the french fries beat anything else on the Hill.

The Mexican place across the street has amazing tamales.

If you need a nicer meal Monmatre down the street is as good as it gets on the Hill, which is good, but not great. It's a very hit and miss French restaurant.

Considering how well the rest of DC eats it is a little surprising how mediocre most of the food on the Hill is. But if your expectations aren't as high as they would be elsewhere in the city, you will do okay.

[John W.]

Right. Monmarte. Thanks for the reminder that I need to get over there. And soon.

[Tweaked]

I'd hardly call Montemartre very hit or miss...true some of the apps are a miss but every entree I've tried has been great.

start with the mussels or the frisee salad with gizzards

move onto the hanger steak, which is awesome, also note worthy is the scallops, if rabbit is your thing go for it. The tuna dish and the salmon dish are both good.

I also had drinks and a nice cheese plate at Bistro Bis last night (on the Senate side).

Also check out Mr. Henry's for a quality burger and the El Salvadorean places along Penn Ave are all solid and inexpensive. Eastern Market is great, check out the sandwiches at Canali's Deli and his Tortilla Cafe across the street for more inexpensive El Salvadorean take out (esp. the papusa platter). There is also a Firehook for your pastries and bread. Aatish can also prepare noteworthy if a bit expensive Indian food, go with the chicken tikka makani.

otherwise, the rest is fairly mediocre.

[vengroff]

Murky Coffee has good coffee.

[8Track]

Monmartre is a very solid bistro, but is fairly pricey for what you get.

I am partial to Bistro Bis, which is not only chic, but has excellent food. Also excellent, is La Colline.

I had what I would call a terrible experience at Charlie Palmers. The food was fine enough, but the service was disjointed at best. We sat at a table across from the bar and the waitress brought two champagnes, one of which she promptly tipped over, spilling the drink all over my pants. She then proceeded to disappear, only to resurface at the maitre d' stand a couple of minutes later. No new champagne. No rag to dry myself off! I had to go up to the bar to get a bar towel, and to warn them that someone might slip and kill themlseves on the wet floor. I really couldn't believe it! Then, to add insult to injury, we waited a good 45 minutes past our reservation for a table, even though the place wasn't very full. I haven't been back in the last 4 months. Hopefully they have ironed out the major kinks there.

The restaurant options are expanding on the Hill, with the renovation of 8th street nearing completion, we now have a new Tandoori place, a sonn-to-open irish restaurant, and another work-in-progress family place called Marty's.

[smayman]

I'd hardly call Montemartre very hit or miss...true some of the apps are a miss but every entree I've tried has been great.

I have to agree - I live on the hill and Montemartre is one of the only places we feel like we'll consistently get good food. I love the mussels, and the liver, if you're into bivalves and organ meat.

[smayman]

Oh, also Pacific Cafe on Pennsylvania Ave (near Fragers) is okay. I've had pho and spring rolls which were good (for the hill).

[hillvalley]

I'd hardly call Montemartre very hit or miss...true some of the apps are a miss but every entree I've tried has been great.

I have to agree - I live on the hill and Montemartre is one of the only places we feel like we'll consistently get good food. I love the mussels, and the liver, if you're into bivalves and organ meat.

I have dined there a few different times in the last year, at both brunch and dinner, and found very inconsistent results.

On my first visit the mussels were out of this world. On another the mussels were mushy and without the spectacular flavor. Other times the meat was not cooked to order. My last visit was this summer and I remember being disappointed compared to other visits.

For the Hill, it is good food, but compared to other French restaurants in DC I think there is room to improve.

[blissfood]

Oh, also Pacific Cafe on Pennsylvania Ave (near Fragers) is okay. I've had pho and spring rolls which were good (for the hill).

I decided to try Pacific Cafe last night when I was down on the Hill. Definitely better than some Vietnamese I have had in DC -- One of the people I was with had the Tofu in Tomato sauce and was very pleased with it. My frilled shrimp over vermicelli was sweet and crispy as well. Overall, definitely a good place to go. I am waiting for some knock my socks off Vietnamese though.