(Photos, clockwise from top left: Bar Pilar, Little Serow courtesy of The Washingtonian, Le Diplomate, Rose's Luxury)
Here's something we've been meaning to do for years (literally years) on this blog: share our favorite places to eat in Washington, D.C.
Our Nation's Capital is flooded with deliciousness these days. Over the years we've gladly answered readers' questions about where they should eat when they visit D.C. Right now, despite the chill in the air, Cherry Blossom season is upon us. We've gotten a few more of these questions than usual, so we're publishing this list.
(Our list of favorite places to eat in D.C. is very District-centric. Other lists you'll read from local publications will include lots of restaurants out in the 'burbs. We don't have a car, so we rarely make it out of the city for dinner.)
Come visit the District -- we promise you won't leave hungry! To help you plan your meals while you're here, here's a list of our favorite DC restaurants, followed by other places we love:
Little Serow (Dupont Circle). It's probably our favorite restaurant in D.C. right now. It's Northern Thai food and very spicy. Absolutely delicious. Fixed menu, no substitutions, $45/person. No reservations. You'll need to be in line by 5:00 at the latest (especially on a weekend) if you want to get a table that evening. Basically you can go there, get in line, put your name in, go have a drink (or two) elsewhere, and then they'll call you when your table's ready. It's a process, but it's worth it. (Oh, also, there's no sign or anything -- it's underneath a restaurant called Komi, on 17th btw P and Q. Believe me, you'll know the line when you see it.)
Bar Pilar (14th Street). We've loved this place for years. It's a bar with excellent food, but in the past few years they've completed a major expansion so they now have a dining room. We're never disappointed by their menu. It's always comforting, wonderful new American food.
Brasserie Beck (Downtown). We went here the night we got engaged, and the night before we got married, and a dozen other times, too. It's Belgian food and spectacular. Supposedly this place had the East Coast's first beer sommelier. So now you know that's a thing.
Rasika (West End or Chinatown). This is the best Indian food in the city. It also happens to be high-end Indian. For years we've been going an ordering the black cod and the crispy spinach. We're in an ordering rut, but it's a delicious rut. (Reservations are a must.)