ILLUSTRATIONS BY EDWIN FOTHERINGHAM
Mediterranean Cuisine FREE BOTTLE OF WINE
Portuguese &
to worry about putting off fellow diners. Not trying to be a party pooper, but … Tom: Going to Minibar and expecting to focus on your Main Squeeze is like going to Cirque du Soleil for a heart- to-heart. I’m not saying you should reconsider your reservation, but to fully enjoy a meal at Minibar, you gotta listen to the chefs and pay attention to the plates. Minibar follow-up: I completely understand that we won’t be able to gaze into each other’s eyes all night long (joking, of course), and I look forward to engaging with the chefs, as that’s part of the experience that we’re excited about. My chief “concern” is the other diners, whom I’d rather not waste my time with, for lack of a nicer term, when I want to enjoy the experience and my SO on our anniversary. Tom: I don’t think you should worry. I’ve been six times now, and I’ve never been hijacked by a stranger sitting next to me. Plus, you can create a zone of privacy by turning toward your date.
Puzzled by stars: I reread your review of Cosmopolitan Grill (Magazine, March 28) three times trying to figure out the justification for a 1.5-star meal (a rare occurrence for a restaurant to merit anything less than 2, it seems). So what gives? Where did they go wrong? Tom: You were not the only reader to question that rating. One-and-a-half stars means a place is “satisfactory
to good.” And I thought that was fair for a modest mom-and-pop establishment that does some things well (Cosmopolitan’s burek is excellent) but isn’t notable for everything. Its fish was overwhelmed by garlic, and the seasonings were pretty much the same from dish to dish. I didn’t mention dessert, but those I tried (baklava, apple pie) were lackluster. One guest of mine was a native Bosnian with no ties to the restaurant, and she felt the food was fine but not great. Finally, I’d rather be conservative and have readers walk away from a place happier than they would expect after my review, than have them go with lofty expectations and be disappointed by what’s “satisfactory to good.”
Dining alone: You’ve often commented that when dining alone at a restaurant, you enjoy sitting at the bar and ordering from the bar menu. Can you recommend a few places (D.C. or close-in Maryland) that provide a good setting for that? Tom: Palena in Cleveland Park, but you have to get there early to snare a seat. Buck’s Fishing & Camping in upper Northwest for winning American fare. Rasika in Penn Quarter for lusty Indian (in part because it’s so hard to book a table there). PS 7’s near Chinatown (dig those cocktails!). CityZen, helmed by star chef Eric Zeibold (such a handsome space, and you feel very much a part of the formal dining room in the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Southwest).
Menu print: This is a plea to restaurant owners to please make your menus easier to read, or print a couple of large-font menus to provide if people ask for them. It’s such a simple thing that would set a restaurant apart, and my young, visually impaired spouse who loves to eat out would really appreciate the chance to read a menu instead of having it read to her. Tom: Here’s your plea. Let’s hope restaurants pay attention.
The regular Dining column will return next week.
5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW Washington, DC 20016 202.237.2300
Chevy Chase Bank Bldg., 8401 Connecticut Ave. Chevy Chase, MD • (301) 652-8684
2250-B Crystal Drive Arlington, VA 22202
571.431.7090
www.korarestaurant.com
Free Parking M-F After 4. Sat & Sun All Day
“It was an amazing package of fl avors and textures. Minh’s is an all-purpose pleaser”. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post
Open Daily 11am - 10pm • Fri & Sat 11am - 11pm Authentic Vietnamese Cuisine
2500 Wilson Blvd. • Arlington, VA 703-525-2828
728 Pine Street Historic Herndon 703-318-7000
A historic Herndon landmark for 16 years. Serving fine Italian Cuisine in a romantic, relaxed, elegant atmosphere.
Best Veal Chop in Town!
www.zeffirelliristorante.com
THAI FARM RE ST AU RA NT Daily Specials & Traditional Thai Favorites
800 King Farm Blvd., Rockville, MD 20850 (Located at the west end of King Farm Blvd)
301-258-8829 • Fax: 301-208-2318
www.thaifarmrestaurant.com
ONLY FRENCH RESTAURANT OPEN SO LATE
’TIL 4 A.M. WEEKENDS All Major Credit Cards Accepted 3124-28 M STREET (202) 338-3830 GEORGETOWN
food aren’t from trips to Brussels but from journeys to this gem in Palisades.”
- Tom Sietsema, Oct. ‘09, The Washington Post
www.etvoiladc.com
“Some of my fondest memories of Belgian
’TIL 3 A.M. WEEKDAYS
European and Portuguese Cuisine in a Cozy Atmosphere
NovaEuropaRestaurant.com
1311 Lamberton Drive Kemp Mill Shopping Center Silver Spring
301.649.6690 FREE PARKING
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