DC Restaurant Help

Old Aug 9th, 2007, 08:19 AM
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DC Restaurant Help

First of all, thanks to everyone that has helped me so far. Flight booked, hotel reserved....now it's time to move on to restaurants.

I have complied a list of restaurants that were suggested on this site at various times. We are looking to keep most meals in a moderate price range except for our anniversary dinner which we be on Sunday the 9th.

As far as that dinner on the 9th, I am totally perplexed. We want a special meal, steak or seafood, but do not want to break the bank, I am thinking $40-$50/per including drinks. I would also like it to be something specific to DC.

B'fast will be grabbed on the go....mostly for me, DH not a b'fast person.

So, here is the list (so far)...below I will give a rough itinerary so you can help me choose when it might be convenient to try some of these places. Here goes.

Pizza Paradiso (DuPont, I think we're going to the G'town beer garden for drinks one night)
Hank's
Famous Luigi's
Five Brothers
Listrani's
San Marco
Lauriol Plaza

I was also pondering the idea of grabbing some picnic stuff from Dean & Deluca or someplace else (suggestions welcomed!) and eating in a park or something.

OK, VERY rough itinerary:
Friday Sept 7th -
Arlington in AM then Mall monuments (Lincoln, Jefferson, etc) in PM

Saturday Sept 8th -
Smithsonian museums, Air & Space, nat'l History Museum, American Art Museum, Hirshorn Sculpture Garden. After that perhaps the Postal Museum, Union Station, Spy Museum.....suggestions?

Sunday Sept 9th -
Thiking of heading out to Mt Vernon this day.....then walking neighborhoods later on. Special dinner this evening.

Monday Sept 10th -
Flight is out of Reagan at noon. What can we do in the AM??

Thanks again for all of your help!

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Old Aug 9th, 2007, 04:20 PM
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ttt for all you DC experts!
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Old Aug 9th, 2007, 11:14 PM
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Just a few comments:

I love Dean & Deluca so I think that is a wise choice

Sat. Sept. 8th seems too packed. I would suggest selecting a few. Can I suggest the Air & Space Museum in Chantilly VA? I just think it's grand over the one on the DC Mall. I believe a shuttle runs from the Vienna Metro (last I heard) If you drive and park, the museum is free however parking is I believe $12/vehicle.

Mt. Vernon is beautiful.

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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 03:48 AM
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Sorry, I should have clarified that we aren't intending on hitting all of hose museums.....those are just the ones that I am preliminarily interested in.

Thanks for the tip on the Air & Space in Chantilly, will look into that.

Any thoughts on the restaurants on my list? I really like the idea of a picnic so we'll be doing the D&D thing, probably on Friday.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 04:46 AM
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"Something unique to DC"...good question

DC Coast?

Georgia Brown's?
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 04:49 AM
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My daughter and I just had brunch on top of the Kennedy Center this past weekend. Food was great, service impeccable, cost reasonable...and we commented how gorgeous the view would be at night.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 05:03 AM
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Old Ebbitt's Grill is pretty unique to DC, but if you really want unique, hit Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, though not the place for an anniversary dinner!

I heard that the Kennedy Center restaurant had improved, but I dunno. It is not really a place Washingtonians go for a special dinner.

L'Auberge Chez Francois would be my top choice, but it is not moderate and you need a car.

What is really unique to DC is the diversity of restaurants. I don't know where you live, but going to one of the really fine but casual Ethiopian restaurants might be a fun anniversary dinner.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 05:15 AM
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Here are some of the Ethiopian restaurants (descriptions are not mine. I think they are from Washington Post's dining section).

Meskerem Ethiopian Restaurant
2434 18th St. NW, Washington, DC
202-462-4100
Among the best of Washington's many Ethiopian restaurants, it dishes out lively, not greasy, stewed meats and vegetables.

Dukem Ethiopian Market
1114-1118 U St. NW, Washington, DC
202-667-8735
Here, pointing and enlisting the help of native Ethiopian customers, who seem to treat this as a community center as much as a place to eat, can land you some pleasant memories to take back home.

Madjet --
1102 U St. NW, Washington, DC
202-265-1952
The specialty is Titanic Tibs -- sauteed beef for two -- at this intimate, mahogany-paneled bistro.

Etete
1942 Ninth St. NW, Washington, DC
202-232-7600
Small and sleek Etete raises the standard for vegetarian dishes, but offers plenty of meat options.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 05:19 AM
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If you like great Italian food try La Famiglia Giorgio's on Newbury street.Paul
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 05:21 AM
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I plan on hitting Ben's for a late night snack after the bar on Fri or Sat! ;-)

I looked into the Old Ebbitt Grill as well as Kinkeads's & to be honest, their menus weren't really intriguing to me. I guess I don't really know what I am looking for. What about the Caucus Room?

Anyone have a preference about the Italian places I was thinking about? Listrani's, San Marco or Famous Luigi's? Would love to try Palermo or Galileo (although I understand that Galileo is closed?) but the budget isn't high for that meal......

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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 05:26 AM
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Last weekend we had a great meal here:
Zaytinya
corner of 9th and G Streets, NW ....
turkish, greek, lebanese...plan to share multiple small plates.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 06:07 AM
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Assume you are talking about Listrani's on MacArthur Blvd. You can take the bus, but a car would be more convenient. We really like it, but I can't compare with the other options. I will say that Listrani's is better, in my opinion if you go at an off-hour like mid afternoon or late in the evening because it does attract families with kids. It is not a family restaurant, though.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 08:31 AM
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Have you considered the Tabard Inn for your special dinner?
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 08:48 AM
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I had not! I will look into it.....I am in the Washington Post website right now playing around! It's fun! I like how you can pick a speciality & a region from DC & it'll populate with restaurants.....
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 09:03 AM
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Some great ideas so far...

Yes, the number of Ethiopian restaurants in the greater DC area (about a hundred or so) is rivaled only by Addis Ababa (the capitol of Ethiopia). The U St. area ones mentioned above are good options. I think Dukem would be a great choice - it's "nicer" than some of the hole-in-the-walls, has excellent food, is well priced and is literally steps from the U st. Metro stop - http://www.dukemrestaurant.com/

I noticed you are staying at the Westin City Center at 15th & M. For picnic supplies, the Whole Foods on P st. between 14th & 15th is MUCH closer than Dean & Deluca (a few blocks from your hotel). There are also some great restaurants on the same block as Whole Foods.

I am also a huge fan of the Tabard Inn - an excellent idea for the "special meal". It is on N st. between 17th & 18th - also an easy walk from your hotel. The sample menus here are just that - the menu changes daily.
http://www.tabardinn.com/rest.htm

I would pick Luigi's simply because it is such a value - not every meal needs to be $$$. It's a fine, basic, checked tablecloth joint. http://www.famousluigis.com/

There are many neighborhoods to choose from for your Sunday afternoon "neighborhoods" walk. You might consider Capitol Hill and include the Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Eastern Market, Barracks Row, Folger Shakespeare Library, and most of all the residential areas surrounding all of these. Just stay off Penn. Ave. its just a commercial main road. Take alternate routes through the neighborhoods instead.

You might just want to walk around the Logan Circle neighborhood close to your hotel early Monday (maybe even heading west toward Dupont if time allows). You won't have time for much else. Museums, etc. don't open until 10am which is when you'll want to be en route to the airport anyway.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 09:11 AM
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Italian?

Filomena in Georgetwon!
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 09:39 AM
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Filomena looks *fabulous*, but a tad out of the price range for us!

Bardo1, you are a treasure! Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! I think we will go to the Tabard Inn on Sunday. What is the dress there? Also, should I make a reservation now?
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 10:13 AM
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Hi, Cassidy1974 -
I hope you enjoy the Tabard as much as I do! In my experience, dress varies from relatively casual to dressy (but not overly so). You might aim for upscale casual, if that makes sense. And I'd go ahead and make the reservation - they are sometimes needed.
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Old Aug 10th, 2007, 11:29 AM
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Thanks kja,

Makes perfect sense! I am so excited for this trip!
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