Hi folks! Korsha Wilson here with some exciting news: We’ve updated our Washington, D.C. restaurant list!
I was born and raised in the D.M.V. — the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area — and I’ve always bristled when people talk about D.C.’s reputation as a “steakhouses for senators” town. That characterization ignores the abundance of diverse, independent restaurants that are, and have always been, part of the city’s dining scene. I can still remember my first bite of injera and tibs at an Ethiopian restaurant in Adams Morgan, or jerk chicken sandwiches at Negril in Silver Spring, or sweet-and-sour pork at a Chinese restaurant near the Gallery Place Metro station.
Those restaurants, among others, created fertile ground for the dynamic dining scene in D.C. today, which includes deeply personal cooking, like that at Pascual, where the chef Isabel Coss showcases her love for her native Mexico City in several dishes. But dining here is also fun, as evidenced by the playful baked Alaska at Providencia on the busy H Street corridor, or the Taylor Swift songs you’ll hear blasting at Moon Rabbit, or the surprising Japanese American mash-ups you’ll find at Perry’s in Adams Morgan.
Here are three dining options worth considering on your next visit to the nation’s capitol.
Where you’ll want to order one of everything
Sometime during your meal at Pascual, you will get the feeling that you’re not only eating delicious and modern takes on Mexican cooking, but also that you’re getting the chef Isabel Coss’s most beloved and personal tastes of home. All of your senses are engaged here; snapper aguachile with tart lime and heady lemongrass accents snaps the room into focus, while the char on the lamb-neck barbacoa makes you acutely aware of the open wood-fire grill. Reservations can be hard to come by, but dropping in on the early side, around 5 p.m., is always a good bet.
732 Maryland Ave NE, Capitol Hill
A restaurant where Japan meets America
Sushi restaurants can fall into two camps: the everyday neighborhood option offering reliable rolls, or the spendy special occassion spot. Perry’s manages to split the difference, offering delicious rolls alongside creative dishes like tempura-fried squash blossoms stuffed with a miso bechamel, or roasted peaches dotted with serrano chiles, served over a tofu “ricotta.” The chef Masako Morishita is having fun and wants her diners to as well. Perry’s also has one of the best brunches in the city, which is saying a lot since brunch in D.C. is an event: Every Sunday, drag performers twirl, dip and flip their way through the dining rooms, collecting tips from mimosa-sipping diners.
Finally, a pro tip: The restaurant’s bathroom hallway leads to a gorgeous rooftop patio where you can watch the sun set over Adams Morgan as evening commuters head home.
1811 Columbia Rd NW, Adams Morgan
Where to eat before it closes for good
Nine years was not enough time, Tail Up Goat! This beloved, low-key restaurant, open since 2016, will close at the end of the year, which is a shame because the chef Jon Sybert’s globally inspired, soulful cooking will truly be missed. I’ll miss the salt cod croquettes served over aioli (a perfect amuse-bouche), and the crispy eggplant that somehow manages to stand up to a pool of delicious country captain sauce. And to the lamb ribs, fat and curry-spiked, and so tender that servers will encourage you to eat them with your hands: What will I do without you? Service is fun and personable, making the impending closing feel like saying goodbye to a dear friend who is moving away. But fear not, the team will still be operating nearby, at Reveler’s Hour.
1827 Adams Mill Road NW, Adams Morgan
For your itinerary
Did you miss the annual summertime jazz performances in the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden? Worry not because the D.C. Jazz Festival kicks off on Aug. 27, and has an incredible lineup of instrumentalists and vocalists set to headline, including Branford Marsalis and Lalah Hathaway. It’s organized around the Wharf, where there are plenty of restaurants and bars to fill the time or dodge any afternoon thunderstorms. Combine it with a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, or bar hopping on the always-fun (and ever expanding) H Street corridor.
If movies are more your thing, check out a showing at AFI Silver Theater, a short walk from the Silver Spring Metro station. Through Sept. 18, the theater is highlighting VistaVision, a 1950s-era technological advancement that put the “experience” in theatrical experience. The lineup includes classics like “War and Peace,” “Funny Face” and “Vertigo.”
The post We Just Updated Our Washington, D.C. Dining Guide appeared first on New York Times.
