I can't write with the culinary eloquence of my peers -- so I'll keep this at the simple level. If one is exiled to HQ, one is within walking distance of many fine museums, most of which have dining: a few comments on which to try (Note: prices all tend to be at the high end of the scale for a particular choice, but not outrageous -- the museums clearly see food as a profit center, not just as a service for patrons). All are within per diem -- but for some, it will be the meal of the day....
Smithsonian: Air and Space -- McDonalds and similar chain food -- Not recommended except for those with a death wish. L'Enfant Plaza Metro.
Smithsonian: Castle -- reasonable atmosphere in the main atrium of the original Smitsonian building. Most food seems prepared on site. Heavy toward sandwiches and panini. Generally reasonably good -- although leafy ingredients whether lettuce, arugola, or spinich tends to wilt. Most made up in advance, so best if you get there early to make sure they are still fresh. Recommended. Smitsonian Metro.
Smithsonian: Natural History. During the day, cafeteria is visually unusual and food is good cafeteria: but all winter long at 6:30 PM the Smithsonian Jazz Cafe plays. Cover is $12 (tickets available on line). Music is jazz of all genera -- usually with folks at the top of the jazz profession (although names may not be known to non afficiandos). Lights are dimmed and cafeteria matches many jazz clubs in ambiance. Meals far above cafeteria quality (In 2006 meals were excellent, a new contractor in 2008 has not met previous standards). All food made on site: One or two full course dinners, but also stations for pizza, tacos, salad, deserts. None gourmet, but all good. Wine and beer served, although not much variety. Somewhat pricey for the quality, but not outrageous. Food alone is recommended but when combined with the music, Strongly Recommended. Archives Metro.
National Portrait Gallery / Museum of American Art. At Gallery Place Metro. Set up is very similar to the Smithsonian Castle, but with a broader menu. Variety of sandwiches, panini, salads, etc., all prepared on site. Staff tries imaginative meals -- but with not as great success as hoped, largely due to the same problem as at the Castle: material is prepared in fairly large batches. If you get there right after, the quality is very good -- but deteriorates over time. Beer and wine served, but pricey. Seating is unique. The central courtyard has just (2008) been glassed in so you eat in comfort in a large, sunny patio. Unusual to the patio is a fountain/sculpture consisting of 5 large floor panels in a line about 10 x 20 feet each that look exactly like the slate floor if the water is off. However, when on, about 1/8 inch of water flows from one side to the other (no barriers, all down with slope and grooves). Kids are invited to splash in it -- and just about every adult does so as well. More people spend more time at this extremely simple but effective work of art than at any other in the museum -- and dining right next to the display raises the overall quality of the experience. Thus, while the food is at most recommended, the entire dining experiences is strongly recommended. Note: during the warmer months an outdoor patio restaurant above the portico is open. Food is the same, but with a great view and a great al fresco feeling.
Spy Musuem. Right across the street from the National Portrait Gallery. Great museum to visit, but not for the food. Standard musuem/cafeteria. Not recommended, but this is a neighborhood transformed in the last 20 years -- there are scads of restaurants for all tastes and per diems within easy walking distance.
American Indian Museum. Federal Center West Metro. While dining is true cafeteria style, it is unusually in that there are four different cuisines served based on four different Native American Regions in the country. Not knowing enough about the nature of Native American cuisine I cannot tell how accurate the four menus are -- but they are tasty and as about as far from the McDonald's atmosphere next door at Air and Space as you can get. Strongly recommended for the unusual nature of the food despite the bland atmosphere and cafeteria approach.
National Gallery of Art -- West Building. Garden Cafe (right below the rotunda on the floor below) is clearly the best of the bunch -- with prices to match. The cafe is actually a restaurant -- and surely has a chef rather than cooks. I can't give a full description of the meals since they often are keyed to a major exhibit in the Gallery. For example, in the spring of 2008, to support the exhibition on "Forests of Fountainbleau" the entire menu was French with a wonderful 18.95 buffet which was outstanding. Among dishes was a Ratatouille which despite being a simple stew was exquisite. Buffet was truly French in feel and taste -- ending with a variety of cheeses (and excellent bread) and pears cooked in port. Better selection of wine than in any of the other museums. I'll rate the Cafe at the high end of the strongly recommended level since much will depend on the exhibition being supported -- but over the years it has been consistently excellent. Prices are steep but not outrageous. Archives stop on Metro.
National Gallery of Art -- East Building. Archives station on Metro. A small restaurant is on the third floor (hard to tell exactly which in this unusual building) currently only open weekends, but formerly open year round. If you can sit on the patio the view of the Mall is wonderful, making for a fine meal. Limited menu, but well prepared, includes wine and beer. Prices high but within reason. Recommended.
National Gallery of Art -- Dining Hall between East and West Buildings. Underground with a highpoint of a waterfall from street level covering almost a full wall. The menu here is ambitious with stations for all sorts of different foods, all prepared on site and many prepared to order. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the food here, although it suffers from the same faults as some of the Smithsonian food if you don't get it right after it has been cooked. The down side is that it really is a very large cafeteria with cafeteria type tables. The space is so large that with hundreds of tourists and school kids, it is more a refueling site than a dining site. Still, quality of food merits a recommended rating.
National Gallery Sculpture Garden (between Natural History Museum and West Building of the National Gallery). Archives Metro. A wonderful cafeteria style cafe both in winter when the main fountain is converted into a skating rink and in the summer on Friday nights when there is a free jazz concert by the edge of the fountain. Probably the best of the "cafeteria" style museum restaurants with a good variety of different foods. Made to order meals are the best and the Tuscan Pizza is excellent. Wine and beer available. Seating inside and, in warm weather, outside, perfect for listening to the jazz. The only negative comment is that being centrally located and quite popular, especially when something is going on (concerts or skating) the lines tend to be a bit long for my taste. Food is up at the strongly recommended level but overall experience a bit degraded by the wait (and on occasion shortage of tables when there is a concert).
Museums Sans Chow: Freer Gallery (Including African and Islamic museums), Hirshorn Gallery (Serves outside during the summer from cards, not really a restaurant experience). Holocaust Museum has dining, but I have not had an opportunity to try it. American History Museum is closed for renovations through September, 2008.
Marine Corps Musuem, Quantico. Mentioned here even though it is 40 miles south of Washington down the hellacious I-95, its restaurant/pub Tuns Tavern is available. Mentioned largely as a musuem that every American should visit. Nothing more to say. The tavern itself, unfortunately, is more schlock than based on the historical Tuns Tavern. Nothing wrong with the food and a good selection of beers -- but doesn't rise above the culinary desert of the Quantico / Stafford, Virginia Area. Only Recommended, but you have to visit the museum!
Showing posts with label Washington DC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington DC. Show all posts
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Kinkead's
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington DC
202-296-7700
http://www.kinkead.com/kinkead/kinkead.htm
Map
Highly Recommended
Located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of DC, close to Washington Circle, Kinkead’s shares a food court with 8 or so other establishments collectively called “The Restaurants at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave”.
There are three distinct personalities to Kinkead’s. The first is the white collar, après work bar scene which is crowded and loud without much room to move. With that said I was not left thirsty by the very attentive and observant bartenders who were not too busy to quickly get me my beer of choice (poured into a closely examined glass) with a dish of mixed nuts. The second is the first flood dining experience. Tables are available just a few feet away from the bar but situated in such away that, although you can still hear and see the activity, you have a comfortable feeling of separation and it is quiet enough to carry on dinner conversation. The third personality is located upstairs. I did not have the opportunity to do up and look around but I am told it is a more upscale dining experience using the same menu as downstairs.
We did not have a reservation but there was no problem seating 5 of us at 7:00 on a Wednesday evening. Bread, butter and wine were served quickly and efficiently. The menu had many choices that were appealing, though I won’t go into specifics; the menu changes nightly. The menu is heavily focused on seafood. From the appetizer menu, notables were the variety of oysters from the raw bar (sadly none from my home town of Wellfleet MA, though they did feature Wellfleet Littlenecks), butter poached lobster and tuna tartar. There were also butternut raviolis and other non-fish selections. I choose the grilled squid with creamy polenta, tomato fondue and pesto. This was an amazing dish! The grilled squid was an 8 inch piece of solid squid tentacle (I assume) cooked perfectly, with a crisp exterior and tender, solid inside. The tomato and pesto added just enough herb and acid to brighten the squid without overwhelming the subtle flavor. I wish I had asked about what kind of squid they used; it was truly a unique experience for me.
The entrée menu again focused on seafood, ranging from simply grilled fish to pan roasted scallops, seared tuna and crispy black flounder. From the meat side of the menu I honestly only remember my entrée which was the braised short rib. This entrée was as close to perfection as one could reasonably expect. A large, meaty, succulent, unctuous short rib set on a bed of whipped sweet potato and sided with roasted baby parsnips. The dish was sauced with a mildly sweet reduction that performed admirably highlighting the entrée without clawing my pallet. I was in heaven! The only negative I could come up with is that the sweet potatoes had been salted a bit too aggressively. Aside from that minor transgression all I can say is “WOW”!
I passed on dessert but my friends had no such will power. I saw the Trio of Crèmes Brulees and the Molten Bittersweet Chocolate Cake. Both looked beautiful and my friends assured me they were delicious.
The downturn of the evening is when it was time to leave. We had enjoyed a wonderful meal and were anxious to return to our respective hotels but our server was no where to be found. After a 15 minute wait, looking around the restaurant for our waiter like a table of Meerkats we saw him go out the front door with his coat on. We flagged down the Maitre d’ to get our bill. The server who delivered our bill apologized saying “We thought you had already paid…” Unfortunately it took us about 40 minutes just to settle the bill.
Kinkead’s is not inexpensive. Dinner ran us about $80 each (not including wine which was provided by a generous friend at the table) but it was worth every penny. The minor issues with a bit too much salt and a server who probably had to pick a kid up at the baby sitter’s did not detract from the evening or the value at all. $80 for dinner is not a high price to pay for the high quality and innovative menu and fun atmosphere. You can easily pay that price and receive much less.
Washington DC
202-296-7700
http://www.kinkead.com/kinkead/kinkead.htm
Map
Highly Recommended
Located in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of DC, close to Washington Circle, Kinkead’s shares a food court with 8 or so other establishments collectively called “The Restaurants at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave”.
There are three distinct personalities to Kinkead’s. The first is the white collar, après work bar scene which is crowded and loud without much room to move. With that said I was not left thirsty by the very attentive and observant bartenders who were not too busy to quickly get me my beer of choice (poured into a closely examined glass) with a dish of mixed nuts. The second is the first flood dining experience. Tables are available just a few feet away from the bar but situated in such away that, although you can still hear and see the activity, you have a comfortable feeling of separation and it is quiet enough to carry on dinner conversation. The third personality is located upstairs. I did not have the opportunity to do up and look around but I am told it is a more upscale dining experience using the same menu as downstairs.
We did not have a reservation but there was no problem seating 5 of us at 7:00 on a Wednesday evening. Bread, butter and wine were served quickly and efficiently. The menu had many choices that were appealing, though I won’t go into specifics; the menu changes nightly. The menu is heavily focused on seafood. From the appetizer menu, notables were the variety of oysters from the raw bar (sadly none from my home town of Wellfleet MA, though they did feature Wellfleet Littlenecks), butter poached lobster and tuna tartar. There were also butternut raviolis and other non-fish selections. I choose the grilled squid with creamy polenta, tomato fondue and pesto. This was an amazing dish! The grilled squid was an 8 inch piece of solid squid tentacle (I assume) cooked perfectly, with a crisp exterior and tender, solid inside. The tomato and pesto added just enough herb and acid to brighten the squid without overwhelming the subtle flavor. I wish I had asked about what kind of squid they used; it was truly a unique experience for me.
The entrée menu again focused on seafood, ranging from simply grilled fish to pan roasted scallops, seared tuna and crispy black flounder. From the meat side of the menu I honestly only remember my entrée which was the braised short rib. This entrée was as close to perfection as one could reasonably expect. A large, meaty, succulent, unctuous short rib set on a bed of whipped sweet potato and sided with roasted baby parsnips. The dish was sauced with a mildly sweet reduction that performed admirably highlighting the entrée without clawing my pallet. I was in heaven! The only negative I could come up with is that the sweet potatoes had been salted a bit too aggressively. Aside from that minor transgression all I can say is “WOW”!
I passed on dessert but my friends had no such will power. I saw the Trio of Crèmes Brulees and the Molten Bittersweet Chocolate Cake. Both looked beautiful and my friends assured me they were delicious.
The downturn of the evening is when it was time to leave. We had enjoyed a wonderful meal and were anxious to return to our respective hotels but our server was no where to be found. After a 15 minute wait, looking around the restaurant for our waiter like a table of Meerkats we saw him go out the front door with his coat on. We flagged down the Maitre d’ to get our bill. The server who delivered our bill apologized saying “We thought you had already paid…” Unfortunately it took us about 40 minutes just to settle the bill.
Kinkead’s is not inexpensive. Dinner ran us about $80 each (not including wine which was provided by a generous friend at the table) but it was worth every penny. The minor issues with a bit too much salt and a server who probably had to pick a kid up at the baby sitter’s did not detract from the evening or the value at all. $80 for dinner is not a high price to pay for the high quality and innovative menu and fun atmosphere. You can easily pay that price and receive much less.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Market Inn
Market Inn
200 E St SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 554-2100
200 E St SW
Washington, DC 20024
(202) 554-2100
Recommended
The Market Inn is an interesting throwback to restaurants from an earlier time. The whole experience somehow reminded me of a restaurant I used to go to with my parents in the early 1970s. The exterior looks like a dive bar and the interior is a bit dark and oppressive with tables a bit too close for my comfort. The servers all seem to be professional waiters. No one here is expecting to grow up to be something else.
Dinner began with a bread basket; dinner rolls and little packages of crackers and a side plate with a 1 ounce ice cream scoop of some kind of whipped cheese (maybe cheddar) sitting on it. I would recommend leaving the cheese alone. The dinner menu is extensive, with a focus on seafood. I chose to go with the "Before Theater Complete Dinner Menu" which is available from 4:00 - 6:30 nightly for $25.00. It came with choices of soup, entree and dessert. I ordered the She-Crab soup; a slightly sweet thick and rich cream based soup with lots of crab and dollop of sour cream. It was excellent! For my entree is ordered the Captain's Seafood Sampler . The selection of fish was fine: Jumbo Shrimp, Crab Cake, & Fillet of Fish...Served Broiled or Deep Fried, I ordered mine broiled. The crab cake was very good, the shrimp a little less so and the fish was boring and bland. However, I was not disappointed. For dessert I got the Key Lime Pie. Please do not make this mistake. I have eaten lots of Key Lime Pie and this was the strangest (and the worst) I have ever eaten. The flavorless (and unnecessary) graham cracker crust was stuck onto a gelatinous sort of confection that reminded me of citrus flavored petroleum jelly topped with marshmallow that had gone horribly wrong. Be safe and go for the ice cream.
Appetizers run from 8 to 18 dollars, soups 6 to 10, salads and cold seafood platters 4 to 25. Entrees will cost you from 19 dollars (fish and chips) to about 35 dollars (Steak and Seafood Combination platter).
Despite some of the shortcomings, I would not steer you away from the Market Inn. It is charming (the walls covered with paintings of topless women ensure that) and the food isn't bad. There is entertainment nightly. The evening I was there featured a piano player singing all my favorites from before I was born. There are much better choices in the city but not in the area. If you are staying at the Marriott Residence Inn you should go if for no other reason than it is just a couple of blocks away.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Capitol City Brewing Company
Capitol City Brewing Company
Downtown, DC 1100 New York Ave,
NW (202) 628-2222
or
Capitol Hill, DC 2 Massachusetts Ave,
NE(202) 842-BEER
or
Arlington, VA 2700 S. Quincy St
(703) 578-3888
http://www.capcitybrew.com/
Recommended
Not a bad choice for beer in the DC area. A decent selection of brews makes the Capitol City Brewing Company a good destination.
There are 4 signature beers on tap: Amber Ale, Porter, Kolsch, and Pale Ale. I tasted them all and found the Pale Ale to be the most interesting. It is nicely hopped with a decent, controlled, bitter finish.
The food menu is CCBC's weakness. It is the standard pub menu with burgers and such. There are steaks and pastas etc. on the entree menu but it is safe to say you shouldn't be deciding to go here for good eats. Watch out for the on-line menus. The prices listed online are lower than you are going to find when you walk in.
There are 3 locations in the DC area. The one I visited the downtown DC location. The brew pub is a large, industrial style space with 20 foot ceilings, suspended scaffolding and lighting. It is a very loud space, with no feeling of privacy or intimacy at all. Sitting at the bar I was unfortunately able to hear every work coming from the group in a booth 20 or so feet away. It is a great place to meet friends after work for a few pops but I would not bring a date or business associate there.
Downtown, DC 1100 New York Ave,
NW (202) 628-2222
or
Capitol Hill, DC 2 Massachusetts Ave,
NE(202) 842-BEER
or
Arlington, VA 2700 S. Quincy St
(703) 578-3888
http://www.capcitybrew.com/
Recommended
Not a bad choice for beer in the DC area. A decent selection of brews makes the Capitol City Brewing Company a good destination.
There are 4 signature beers on tap: Amber Ale, Porter, Kolsch, and Pale Ale. I tasted them all and found the Pale Ale to be the most interesting. It is nicely hopped with a decent, controlled, bitter finish.
The food menu is CCBC's weakness. It is the standard pub menu with burgers and such. There are steaks and pastas etc. on the entree menu but it is safe to say you shouldn't be deciding to go here for good eats. Watch out for the on-line menus. The prices listed online are lower than you are going to find when you walk in.
There are 3 locations in the DC area. The one I visited the downtown DC location. The brew pub is a large, industrial style space with 20 foot ceilings, suspended scaffolding and lighting. It is a very loud space, with no feeling of privacy or intimacy at all. Sitting at the bar I was unfortunately able to hear every work coming from the group in a booth 20 or so feet away. It is a great place to meet friends after work for a few pops but I would not bring a date or business associate there.
Wok and Roll
Wok and Roll
604 H Street, NW
Washington, DC
phone: 202-347-4656 or 347-7688
fax: 202-783-2941
http://www.woknrolldc.com/
Map
I tried the tuna tartar which was prepared to order and topped with black tobiko. The fish had a soft, rich texture that was accentuated by the crisp fish eggs. I also tried the Sakura roll. A tear shaped maki roll of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with tobiko and avocado wrapped in pink "bean seaweed". This maki roll was excellent with just enough rice to hold all of the ingredients together. The chef also gave me a sample of the chu-toro (cut slightly to the rear of the tuna and is less fatty, therefore less expensive than O-toro, the premium tuna belly) which was excellent, served slightly seared to accentuate the fattiness of the fish.
The prices for the sushi at Wok and Roll are reasonable, ranging from 3 - 7 dollars for nigiri sushi and 3 - 10 dollars for maki rolls. The also have a full entree menu for folks not comfortable with the raw fish scene. Happy hour runs from 4 to 8 Monday through Friday...a must...seriously.
The website has their menu and specials and delivery is available for free (on orders over $15).
I have been back several times since my first visit and the chef still remembers me. Another plus for a tired traveler.
604 H Street, NW
Washington, DC
phone: 202-347-4656 or 347-7688
fax: 202-783-2941
http://www.woknrolldc.com/
Map
Highly Recommended
Don't let appearances be deceiving. This unassuming little Chinese/Japanese restaurant is dishing out one of the best sushi experiences I have had in a long time. I see this place as sushi the way it is meant to be. A casual dining experience made more enjoyable by interaction with knowledgeable chefs and servers.
I sat down at the sushi bar to be greeted warmly by the chefs standing in from of me. Despite the crowded restaurant (I didn't know it was "sushi happy hour" at the time) the chef gave me his full attention. I ordered my usual starters of tomago (egg omelet) and hamachi (yellowtail) and a large hot sake. The four nigiri style sushi (oblong mound of sushi rice that is pressed between the palms of the hands, with a speck of wasabi and a slice of topping called neta draped over it) arrived quickly along with a free sample of the sweet shrimp special of the evening. My sake also arrived at this time. The large sake carafe was filled to the brim and delivered in a hot water bath, a very nice touch. The chef also told me that it was sushi happy hour, with a generous selection of sushi for $1.00 a piece. I took advantage of the offer and worked my way through a good portion of the happy hour menu. All of the neta (sushi toppings) were excellent quality, served artistically and none were "happy hour" sized.I tried the tuna tartar which was prepared to order and topped with black tobiko. The fish had a soft, rich texture that was accentuated by the crisp fish eggs. I also tried the Sakura roll. A tear shaped maki roll of tuna, salmon and yellowtail with tobiko and avocado wrapped in pink "bean seaweed". This maki roll was excellent with just enough rice to hold all of the ingredients together. The chef also gave me a sample of the chu-toro (cut slightly to the rear of the tuna and is less fatty, therefore less expensive than O-toro, the premium tuna belly) which was excellent, served slightly seared to accentuate the fattiness of the fish.
The prices for the sushi at Wok and Roll are reasonable, ranging from 3 - 7 dollars for nigiri sushi and 3 - 10 dollars for maki rolls. The also have a full entree menu for folks not comfortable with the raw fish scene. Happy hour runs from 4 to 8 Monday through Friday...a must...seriously.
The website has their menu and specials and delivery is available for free (on orders over $15).
I have been back several times since my first visit and the chef still remembers me. Another plus for a tired traveler.
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