Need DC Restaurant Recs

[hjshorter]

You're in luck then, as Palena is within spitting distance of the Cleveland Park metro station on the red line.

You could probably get a couple of us together to join you for a meal sometime next week, but I am unsure of the current procedures for doing so.

Edited August 22, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[gfron1]

For anyone interested, just PM me and I'll connect the dots. If you don't already know why I need to go to Palena...click HERE.

[Busboy]

Don't know what your travel schedule is but if you're going to be in town by 2PM Eastern Daylight Time you can always drop by for crab cakes. if you're getting in a little later on Sunday you might try one of the many bistro-type joints that are springing up, including Michel Richard Central, Brasserie Beck (excellent Belgian Beer selection), Cafe du Parc (?) in the Willard Hotel (outside dining -- it's supposed to be nice this Sunday), any of which I'd eat at in a moment. On the Hill -- though likely far from your hotel, there is also Montmartre which is quite as good as their cross-town competitors (and has outdoor seating, as well). Probably should call ahead for any of these, even if only to see if there's a seat at the bar.

As for ethnic, our top two ethnics is Salvadoran, which may be too related to your home-state eating to be that interesting, and there's Ethiopian, which is not like New Mexican at all -- save that you can get it spicy. I'm sending you a PM regarding that that.

Otherwise, do you have a budget more specific preferences?

[gfron1]

Thanks for the recs. The taxpayer is footing this bill, so I'm limited only to what America is willing to let me have (and my willingness to pay beyond my per diem). I normally do one nice meal (over $75) and then keep it reasonable (under $25ish for the rest) but that's never a limiting factor for me since I live in the middle of nowhere and don't get out much. And I love Ethiopian; have never had Salvadoran - we only get standard Mexican fare; and the darker and dingier, the better! Really, if it doesn't have a tagline that says, "America's Favorite Chain Restaurant" then I'm going to love it.

And I won't be in in time for crabcakes - which is too bad since I don't know that I've ever had a good one - all are heavily breaded, overly processed and fried to taste like french fries.

[Busboy]

Thanks for the recs.  The taxpayer is footing this bill, so I'm limited only to what America is willing to let me have (and my willingness to pay beyond my per diem).  I normally do one nice meal (over $75) and then keep it reasonable (under $25ish for the rest) but that's never a limiting factor for me since I live in the middle of nowhere and don't get out much.  And I love Ethiopian; have never had Salvadoran - we only get standard Mexican fare; and the darker and dingier, the better!  Really, if it doesn't have a tagline that says, "America's Favorite Chain Restaurant" then I'm going to love it.

And I won't be in in time for crabcakes - which is too bad since I don't know that I've ever had a good one - all are heavily breaded, overly processed and fried to taste like french fries.

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Just FYI the hotel location you gave in the PM is not nearly in Capitol Hill, regardless of what they decided to name the place. On the plus side, you're kind of in the golden triangle for the neo-bistro trifecta. I'm thinking Brasserie Beck, for a lively bar if you're eating on your own and an appetizer and entree which, while trickling over the $25 mark (before tax and tip) will leave you quite filled -- as an entree and a good half-liter of Belgian beer also will.

For your splurge, you might consider Rasika, an uber-hip Indian spot that -- despite its total coolness -- serves up excellent food, as well.

[monavano]

How about the bar at Kinkead's or Corduroy? Both places will get you fantastic food at prices that will give you a good bang for your buck.

http://www.kinkead.com/kinkead/kinkead.htm

http://www.corduroydc.com/

[gfron1]

Great suggestions and plans are made. But for the icing on the cake...where can I get the icing and the cake? Any good pastry shops? I have a very tight schedule, so it can't be way out in the burbs. Thanks.

[Busboy]

Great suggestions and plans are made.  But for the icing on the cake...where can I get the icing and the cake?  Any good pastry shops?  I have a very tight schedule, so it can't be way out in the burbs.  Thanks.

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Funny you should ask. Since it appears that you are going to be spending a little time on 9th Street, you might want to poke your head into Chez Hareg, a French pastry shop run by an Ethiopian woman -- Hareg -- who learned her craft at the Ritz-Carlton hotel here. Very tasty stuff, to this non-expert.

1915 Ninth St., NW

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 202-332-6000

Nearby Metro Stops: Shaw-Howard University

U St./African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo

[gfron1]

Two thoughts...

1. An eGullet member without a camera is like a dog catcher without a leash (you can get the job done, but its not quite as safe).

2. If you live in the dry southwest and go anywhere else - its going to be humid - and that means you're going to sweat for the first time in years.

I decided to do the mile plus walk to Chez Hareg. As was mentioned in some online reviews, the pastry shop is hardly noticable. I walked right past it since the address seemed to be missing, and the only sign was a taped newspaper article on the door. I was also a bit surprised by the low-endedness of the interior. I scanned the cases - overlooking the cookies and ice cream, and focused on the pastries. There were 8 options. All were good looking but not as professionally presented as a French pastry deserves. I asked if there was anywhere to sit, and they directed me upstairs. I'm glad they did.

While not a sidewalk cafe seat in Paris, the upstairs was a clean, bright, modern space more fitting the moment. This is not a high dollar, corporate shindig, but it was more than adequate. Sitting for a moment waiting for my desserts to arrive, I realized I was the only one speaking English. I heard Ethiopian, French and some language that I took for Welsh - and this was at 3 in the afternoon. The music was Will Smith's Gettin' Jiggy With It, which was odd but seemed to fit with the whole experience.

I ordered two desserts the Napoleon (because I felt like I should) and the Tropical (because it was the prettiest). I started with the Tropical. The top was a classic buttercream which I didn't wait for it to warm and soften. It was very smooth and nice. The 6 layers below that, however, were more than nice. The bottom was a rum soaked genoise that was as saturated as it could be without becoming sloppy. There were two layers of a flavored buttercream that I couldn't discern, but I think rum and/or banana. Then there was a pineapple layer, a fruity layer (mango/passionfruit?), and the edges were surrounded by toasted coconut. This was a very nice dessert.

The Napoleon was just okay. Lot's of crispy pastry layers crackled under my fork. The pastry cream was skimpy, and there was no other filling. This ended up being beautiful but dry and unappealing. I didn't spit it out and storm out (I ate every last flake and tipped big), but nothing I would order again.

The dessert I wanted (but I wasn't up for eating 3 in one sitting) was the Italian Cream Cake which looked beautiful.

Overall, I found the visit well worth the hot walk. The experience was traditional and I would like to have seen more of herself in the pastries - why not infuse an Ethiopian flair into a classic dessert!?

The cafe is open 10-8 daily and is just to the right of the ugly lime green restaurant.

[monavano]

Great report! Thank you.

[gfron1]

If you liked that report...tonight at a friend's recommendation (not an eGullet member) we went to La Tasca tapas bar just off of Chinatown. Two words. It sucked! So, does every restaurant think that small plates with high prices automatically become tapas!?

The table oil was absolutely tasteless. The fare was inauthentic based on the countless other tapas bars I have been to. We had 15 different tapas and only 2 were decent. I thought I would get what they called their "premium" wine, and for $9 a glass I had the garbage I get from my grocery store.

In case you can't tell, I was disappointed, felt like part of my life was wasted, and threw my money away. Good thing I had friends there who appreciated it.

For the record, I know about the other nice tapas bar downtown which I've been to and have had a good experience. This is not the place.

[Busboy]

Really, if it doesn't have a tagline that says, "America's Favorite Chain Restaurant" then I'm going to love it.

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If you liked that report...tonight at a friend's recommendation (not an eGullet member) we went to La Tasca tapas bar just off of Chinatown.  Two words.  It sucked!  So, does every restaurant think that small plates with high prices automatically become tapas!?

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I think you shot yourself in the foot here, and that, while not "America's favorite," La Tasca is indeed that chain restaurant you were striving to avoid.

Sadly, from Hooters to Legal Seafood, a loathsome percentage of the restaurants in or near Chinatown are soulless chains.

On the other hand, if you're in town for a 3-day conference and you're only dragged to one place that sucks, you're beating the odds. I could tell you stories...

[gfron1]

And it looked so harmless

[hjshorter]

For the record, I know about the other nice tapas bar downtown which I've been to and have had a good experience.  This is not the place.

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That would be Jaleo, and it's only two blocks away from La Tasca. You would have had a much better meal for about the same price. In that neighborhood it's a good idea to simply avoid anything within a block of the MCI center.

Right around the corner from La Tasca at 9th & G Sts. is Zaytinya, another outpost in the Jose Andres empire. Mezze, and a great selection of Greek wines.

Edited August 28, 2007 by hjshorter (log)

[gfron1]

Heather and Charles will have to fill in the food name details, but a slew of eGullet members and friends and family ended up at Queen Makeda right next to the pastry shop mentioned above - in fact its the ugly lime green restaurant that I mentioned above

Poor color picking aside, this was a great choice. First, my cabbie said it is pronouned mah-keh-duh (said very fast). We let the locals do the picking since I'll eat any ethiopian and my friends had never had it before. We ended up with pretty much the whole menu including some special requests. Everything was as good as any good Ethiopian food I've had. A few highlights were the tripe which tasted great, but the texture is not my favorite; the raw ground beef - after much language negotiating we thought the raw dish was ordered, but the mom/cook brought the cooked version thinking us Americans would prefer it that way - it was shooshed back to the kitchen for a bowl of the raw; the hot sauces were very nice. The green sauce was pureed jalepenos - so hot, but a great flavor, and the heat didn't linger. I didn't care for my iced spiced tea which is normally a favorite for me. But, that was made up by them running down the street to get us some Ethiopian beer since they were out - now that's service. At the end of the meal the mom (who spoke virtually no English) brought a tray of freshly roasted coffee beans out and clattered them around our table either to entice us for coffee or to bless us on our way. We all walked out stuffed with plenty of food remaining, including tip, for $20 - so the typical Ethiopian value that you would expect. The renovated dining space is very nice and colorful, and we all wanted to take Ethiopian dance lessons after watching Ethiopian MTV all night.

Thanks to the DC hosts for a great night and great suggestions.

[Busboy]

I think Makeda may be my new favorite restaurant and I have a little more to say about it in this topic. And Rob and his band of wild New Mexicans were a blast to hang out with. And cheap! Just about the best Monday night in forever,

[hjshorter]

And Rob and his band of wild New Mexicans were a blast to hang out with.  And cheap!

Agreed, dinner was great fun, Rob is delightful, and I was especially glad to introduce some n00bs to Ethiopian food.

Just about the best Monday night in forever,

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Except it was Tuesday. Edited August 31, 2007 by hjshorter (log)