In a city loaded with diverse restaurants, from New American chic and upscale Italian to sandwich shops and burritos on the run, finding the best places to eat can be a real puzzle. Where's the best restaurant for a first date or an anniversary? Father's Day? What's the best burger joint? Who has the best service?
Ask Tom. Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post's food critic, is on hand Wednesdays at 11 a.m. ET to answer your questions, listen to your suggestions and even entertain your complaints about Washington dining. Sietsema, a veteran food writer, has sampled the wares and worked as a critic in Washington, Seattle, San Francisco and Milwaukee, and can talk restaurants with the best of 'em. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web.
The transcript follows.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
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Tom Sietsema: Tis the season for ... restaurant closings, or so it seems these days. Yanyu in Cleveland Park, Terrazza in Chevy Chase and Saveur in Glover Park have all served their last meals. I'm especially bummed about Yanyu, which served some really amazing Asian food (and a respectable wine list) in its brief life.
Good morning, all.
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Washington, D.C.:
Hi Tom - Ever tried Danube in NYC? I haven't seen it on a Postcard, but by far the best food (it's Austrian) I've had on the east coast. Great wine list and service too; the sommelier knew what we were having before he even approached the table. I've been to most of the 'fine dining' restaurants in DC and none compare. Of course, I side with the camp that thinks DC restaurants should be much better than they really are.
Tom Sietsema: I love Danube, and have suggested it in chats past. Just as worthy of your time in New York is Wallse, by the way.
There's plenty of fine dining in Washington: Komi, CityZen, Citronelle, Sushi-ko, Palena, Obelisk, Maestro, Makoto, Equinox .... the list goes on and on.
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Washington, D.C.: new restaurant:
Have you ever heard of, or been to, Black Salt? Owned by the people who run Black's in Bethesda. Thanks
washingtonpost.com:
Tom's review of Black Salt, (2-20-05).
Tom Sietsema: There you go.
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Springfield, VA:
Tom, I saw your review of Tallula. My wife and I dined there a couple of weeks ago and had a bad experience. Our waitress was very good and we thought the food was pretty good too (I had the gnocci and my wife had salmon). The problem was that, in our opinion, the portions were too small. After three courses we were still hungry and we are not big eaters. To make matters worse, we asked to see the manager and when the manager finally came after several minutes he was indifferent, rude and somewhat bizarre. We complimented him on the food and the service, but we told him that the portions were too small. He curtly responded that "we are new and working out the kinks, although we won't be able to use that excuse much longer." He then said "I hope you come back and give us another try." We then asked "Well, why would we come back?" to which he said "I should just leave now" and walked away. We were not looking for any sort of compensation, just a showing that he cared about our concerns.
Tom Sietsema: Interesting.
I found the portions to be adequate myself.
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Washington, DC:
For my husband's birthday this weekend, we are going to have drinks at Shelly's backroom on F Street downtown. I would like to take him to dinner prior to the cigar bar. What moderate-priced restaurants would be walking distance for us that you would recommend? Thanks!;!;
Tom Sietsema: I'd probably stick with something in Penn Quarter: Zaytinya, Jaleo, Andale or Poste come to mind.
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Something Creative:
Tom, I'm looking for the creativity of a Citronelle but not the "jackets required" policy.. if you know what I mean. Price isn't the issue as is comfort.
Tom Sietsema: The chef's tasting room at Eve in Alexandria is certainly worth investigating. As is Frank Ruta's Palena.
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Yanyu:
You have praised Yanyu in the past, but I never could understand your love of the place. The food was wildly overpriced, the portions miniscule. Having been burned by the place on Restaurant Week (and having friends report identical problems on subsequent Restaurant Weeks) I had never gone back.
Tom Sietsema: Honestly, I don't think I'd judge a restaurant based on Restaurant Week. It's a little like evaluating a place on Mother's Day or New Year's Eve -- not its usual self (in many cases). There are exceptions to that rule, but I think you get my point.
I believe there's a certain prejudice against spending money in Asian restaurants. People who think nothing about dropping $100 on a perfectly ordinary steakhouse balk at spending much less than that per person in a place like Yanyu, where great thought went into the service, the decor and the ingredients. hen it was open, no one served a finer Peking duck, among other things.
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Palookaville:
Tom,
One meal.
Tonight.
Comfort Food.
Where?
Love, Hungry
Tom Sietsema: If I wasn't heading to the deep burbs tonight, I'd love to find myself slicing into a steak at Buck's, chicken at Little Fountain Cafe, whatever Gillian Clark was making at Colorado Kitchen or a bowl of French onion soup at Bistro Francais.
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Tallula Couple:
Hi Tom - I think it would also be helpful if diners gave managers or waiters an "out". Stating your concerns is a good thing and as the manager said, they are working out the kinks. Maybe the couple just wanted a simple "i'm sorry you were disappointed" (which could go a long way) but I think enough restaurant goers do expect something in return that restaurant managers might be jaded. I mean, did they want a second helping? Seriously, what was the desired outcome? (I've never worked in a restaurant so just commenting)
Tom Sietsema: Is our earlier poster around to respond?
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Washington, DC:
Who do you think is going to win Iron chef on Sunday night? Donna or Morimotot?
Tom Sietsema: I'm rooting for the home boy talent!
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Alexandria, VA:
What's the word on "Old Europe?" I'm looking for a good German restaurant in the DC area and was wondering what your pick would be?
Tom Sietsema: Old Europe is as cozy as ever. Not great, but it's the best in the area.
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Washington DC:
Tom, I don't understand your high rating of Equinox. My wife and I went there and told them in advance that it was for a special occasion. Nevertheless, that sat us in the patio area on a very cold night. Asking for a change of table did not work, until I pointed out that I was very cold (I was sitting on my hands to keep warm), at which time they did accede to our request. Needless to say, this did not make for a good beginning. About the meal: the best part was a lovely Rhone wine. The food was pretty, but not very tasty, and there wasn't much of it. The cheese course was almost an insult (a thin slice of one cheese). Needless to say, we won't be back there.
Tom Sietsema: One diner's view. Thanks for sharing.
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No Jacket Required?:
Why can't people show the courtesy to wear a jacket (and horrors, a tie!;) when dining is a fine establishment like Citronelle? If you want casual, try the drive-thru.
Tom Sietsema: I believe the chatter was looking for interesting food in a place that didn't require dressing up. That's all.
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Arlington, Va.:
Very disappointed with your review of Tallula. I can't believe it got 2 stars. My two experiences have been 1 star at max. Also, do you include in your rating the EXTENSIVE wait required on Friday/Saturday night when most people will go there?
Tom Sietsema: Did you actually read the review? I mention the wait in the fourth paragraph.
What, specifically, didn't you like about the place, aside from not being able to get a table on the weekend?
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Washington, D.C.:
Hey Tom - Posting earlier as I'm usually not around for your chats. I'm new to the area, and have family coming in shortly. We're all big fans of the Mexican dish mole. Any places in the District that have mole you would recommend?
Tom Sietsema: Actually, you're better off going to Arlington for mole (it's just a short drive/Metro ride away). Try either Guajillo, with its rustic setting, or the new Oyamel, for more glam.
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cleo777 dc:
We are going to the mexican restaurant Cabanas in Gtown this Saturday. Has anyone eaten there recently and if so how was the food?
Tom Sietsema: Curious why you chose that particular dining room?
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Washington, D.C.:
Tom -- Yanyu was owned by the same folks who operate SPICES in the same block. Do you suppose we can get that great Peking Duck there now?
Tom Sietsema: Let's start a petition!
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RE: Dinner before Shelley's:
I'd recommend Ceiba - it's less than 2 blocks from Shelley's and is one of my favorite restaurants in the city.
Tom Sietsema: A good choice.
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McLean, VA:
Hi!;
A few weeks ago, I wrote in and told you that my boss was giving me a dinner out, any place I wanted, on the company credit card. You agreed with my thoughts…try CityZen.
Well, I did, and I am so sad about it!; It was such a disappointment. We asked the wine guy (I don't believe he is an actual sommelier) for a recommendation…something light, austere, not fruity. The words were barely out when he said he had the perfect thing. Well, it wasn't so perfect, it was flat and boring and not at all what we wanted. He never even checked back with us!; And, we noticed as the evening went on, every other table around us had the same bottle!; Seems like he was trying to get rid of something.
We did the tasting menu. We waited a minimum of 45 minutes between each course. We mentioned this to one of our many servers, and I think he thought we were kidding because he just laughed!; Nothing sped up after that. The food was great, though it was often a little on the cool side. And we had, I am not kidding, 7 different servers. I hate when you cannot establish a relationship with one server…especially if it is going to be a 4 hour meal!;
I think it has the potential to be a really great restaurant, but I was just so unlucky to catch them on an off night!; I am so sad because I completely wasted my big night out. I wish I had a do-over. Thank you for the recommendation though. I am glad I tried to hottest new place in DC, though I cannot say I would recommend it myself.
Tom Sietsema: Wow, that experience is SO unlike my three dinners there, I can't believe we ate in the same restaurant. But thanks for the (unfortunate) memories.
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Washington, D.C.:
Egads - Please stop recommending Colorado Kitchen. The food is great, but it's just not worth the stress. My husband, 4-year old, and I visited this past Saturday after a 2-year hiatus caused by very very rude service. We were excited to go back, but were really stressed the whole time because, despite the excellent behavior of our child, the chef's rules (printed and put on the table) made clear that only perfect children are welcome. Moreover, the rules state that the restaurant does not provide crayons or paper, leading us to conclude that if we pulled out our own (which we always carry in case our son needs to be entertained) we might be ejected from the establishment for improper dining behavior. Then the statement about people who want their meat well done (might as well act like a woodchuck or something like that) on the list of rules really had as uncomfortable (although we do not like our meat well done). Ms. Clark has no apparent sense of humor or regard for her customers. I know you've heard this before, as has she, but I can't fathom why people reward her inhospitable attitude.
Tom Sietsema: I agree, it would be nice if Colorado Kitchen took itself a little less seriously. The chef's email missives make it always sound so utterly comforting, but the reality can be a bit chilly. I do like Gillian's food, though!
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Washington, DC :
For Mole, how about Mixtec in Adams Morgan? Is that still open?
Tom Sietsema: I used to like the place but the food was kind of ho-hum on my last visit.
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Tallula:
Our experience there was not good either. The portions were so small, that we went elsewhere after to eat. And we aren't big eaters as well. Also, indifference is a good way to describe the service. For a new restaurant, it would be nice to have some 'hi thanks for trying us' type welcomes. But the server was a mess, someone cleared our table (in a suit, don't know if it was the manager) but didn't even so much as say 'hi' or 'how was everything'
Just an overall unpleasant and unwelcoming experience and the food being mediocre at best.
Tom Sietsema: That certainly didn't mirror my experience there, but I know the place has been crazy-busy for months.
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Washington DC:
Tom - I have some friends coming in from out of town this weekend, and they would like to have some traditional Salvadorean cuisine. Can you recommend any places that are more on the "high end" so I can impress? Thanks.
Tom Sietsema: "High end" Salvadoran? The cooking, and the space it tends to be served in, leans to the simple and homey. I continue to be a big fan of the very good Samantha's in Silver Spring, though, which also offers Mexican dishes on its menu.
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Washington DC:
Hey Tom,
Steve from KAZ here. We have the Torafugu coming in about a week!; Last year there were only 20 restaurants licensed in the USA to serve it...I think only 11 participated.
We've been the only restaurant in DC to serve it that I know of, and there's a few places in NYC. We make a 5-course meal for $150 a person. There's just a few dates left.
Now that that commercial is over, I'd like to thank the lady at table 28 who got down on one knee and picked up the food her little one threw overboard during his meal. The last time that happened was a lady named "June' and it was in June...June of 1992.
Thanks Tom, Steve at KAZ
Tom Sietsema: There you go, fugu fans!
Let's hope Conscientious Mom sees this, too.
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Falls Church, Va.:
I am looking for a restaurant supply warehouse to buy a few things for my home kitchen. Any suggestions?
Tom Sietsema: Anyone care to share their suggestions?
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Arlington, Va.:
Tom,
At the risk of opening up a small Pandora's Box, I'd like to get your input as well as the chatters out there...
There has been a lot of discussion about wait times and reservations in this forum - most of which we have taken into consideration. There is some merit to reservations to reduce the extensive wait time, but I'm wondering if your chatters have any suggestions or ideas about what to do about lingerers.
"Lingerers" - as the name suggests - are those tables that finish their meals in an appropriate amount of time without being rushed, have paid their bills, and then proceed to remain at the table for another 20 minutes to an hour longer. These patrons are no longer eating or drinking, but are simply conversing with each other (which they are more than welcome to continue doing in one of our two adjoining lounge areas).
One of the most difficult tasks I have to perform is asking a table to vacate for the next guest. We appreciate that going out to eat with friends and family is often an experience you would like to savor. Asking a party of lingerers who have been at the table for 2 hours or more to give up their table so others may dine isn't done out of spite or greed. In order to accommodate the people waiting for tables, we must be able to keep a steady rotation throughout the evening.
Even with reservations, the wait would still exist thanks to lingerers. If an early reservation lingers, it becomes difficult to seat later reservations whose tables are occupied.
Suffice it to say, I'm certainly not complaining about my guests. I appreciate all of the business we have gotten thus far and hope this continues to be my problem. The reverse problem (not having enough guests to fill the restaurant) would be MUCH worse.
Thanks for opening this discussion up further. Lingerers have been a major contributing factor to long wait times at Tallula and I certainly look forward to hearing from diners about how they'd handle this issue.
P.S. I actually had a guest (an older man) that was waiting for table on Friday night actually go into the dining room and ask a table of two ladies (20-somethings) to leave so his party could sit down! When I asked the man why he thought he had the right to do what he did, he replied to me that "They were just a couple of chicks that were going to stay there and gab all night."
I let him know how absolutely unacceptable his actions were and told him if he ever encountered this problem again to contact the manager at whatever restaurant he was in to handle the situation.
Nice guy, huh?
Mine is not only a job, it's an adventure!
Dave Pressley
General Manager, Tallula
www.tallularestaurant.com
Tom Sietsema: Thanks for weighing in. It's useful to get a perspective from someone in the industry.
Okay, chatters, here's your chance to offer some remedies to a frequent problem. How would YOU handle lingerers?
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Re: Tallula:
RE: portion sizes at Tallula - at first I thought the same thing as the original poster, but then I realized that my hunger after the meal was due to the fact that we waited 90 minutes in a crowded bar on a Wednesday night before getting a table!;!; Needless to say, we were famished when we sat down. Yes, we could have gotten an app at the bar, but realistically I could barely find a place to stand let alone try to eat something. I realize this comes with the territory when visiting a new hot restaurant but unlike locations downtown or in Clarendon, Bethesda, etc. Tallula is not in walking distance of another similar restaurant, so once you are there you are pretty much committed. I think they may want to rethink the reservations idea.
Tom Sietsema: Ah, the price of popularity!
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Where to eat in NY with an 8 year old:
Hey Tom,
I love your chats.
Do you have a fun place where my husband and I can take my 8 year old, sophisticated, well-behaved child for dinner/lunch?
Tom Sietsema: Try Blue Smoke, the jazzy barbecue joint on East 27th, or The Prime Burger, a throwback of a diner on East 51st.
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Arlington, VA:
Tom - when you retire (which I hope isn't any time soon!;) will you regale us with some of your best and worst stories? I would imagine you don't bother to write a review if it is a totally horrible experience at a restaurant (since in so doing they get free publicity), but I think it would be funny to read about later. Same for the serendipitous stories that can't be replicated by other diners, like a wedding party that asked you to join them or something like that...
Tom Sietsema: Funny, I DO keep notes for a future whatever. Ah, the stuff I DON'T print!
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Tenleytown, Washington, D.C.:
Tom: You often have people asking you about dining in Baltimore, and the only place on your list is Charleston, which we weren't able to get into. We spent an extended weekend in Baltimore this weekend, with generally good results.
Saffron is a fusion restaurant, with Indian and French thrown into the mix. We had an excellent lunch there - wonderful scallops; good lamb vindaloo; a sublime shrimp in lobster bisque - the bisque operated as a sauce and was delicious.
BaBaLu Grill serves Cuban food. THEIR MOJITOS STINK. Virtually no mint in them except as a garnish. Food was okay - excellent ham croquettes & ceviche. Ropa viejo was well cooked but dull & timid in seasoning.
Za Mean Bean - specializes in Eastern European food. Their halupkis - cabbage rolls - would have brought a tear to my grandmother's eye. Also an interesting wine list.
Two doors down from Za Mean Bean is the Krakus Deli. Real Polish deli. We took dinner home with us. We bought some kielbasa - they have 5 different types, who knew? Also about a dozen other types of sausages, all made in house. The lean kielbasa was very flavorful. Also wonderful peirogis - the potato & onion were sublime. Also carry wonderful imported salads - 5 types of mushroom salads alone.
True - an organic restaurant located in the Admiral Fell Inn, specializing in local produce, & meat from local farms. We had an excellent meal. They have wonderful duck & duck foie gras - and the chef actually kept the sweetness in the accompanying sauces to a minimum. The beef tournedos was top notch as well - lot of flavor. If you stay at the hotel, you get a complimentary breakfast - and it was great. The bacon & sausage from the local farm were perhaps the best we have ever had.
We had a fun weekend - there is actually a lot to do there - and some good eating choices.
Hope this is helpful to other readers.
Tom Sietsema: Actually, I've praised Black Olive and other places in the past, too. Stay tuned: I'll be writing about an exciting newcomer in the next month or so.
Thanks for your list. Saffron is more beautiful than delicious, in my opinion, however.
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Adams Morgan, Washington, D.C.:
Any word on the fire at Felix early this morning? It looked like the Spy Lounge is completely gone.
Tom Sietsema: Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that.
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Re: perfect children:
I suspect Colorado Kitchen must have had one too many brushes with whiny, loud children or screaming babies. As have I. Colorado Kitchen just made my must-visit list on their child policies alone.
Tom Sietsema: One poster's rant is another poster's rave.
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Fairfax, VA:
Tom, I was wondering how you determine which restaurants to visit and what kind of window you give from the day they open until the day you patron them?
Tom Sietsema: I like to go to new places early on and write about them for the Weekly Dish in the Food section. Those snapshots are meant to give readers a sense of the restaurant rather than a blow-by-blow account of what's good or bad. Then, I wait a full month before beginning the process of reviewing a newcomer for the Magazine, which involves three or more dining experiences.
I prefer to offer a mix of restaurants -- old, new, near, far, fancy, plain -- each month.
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Re Lingerers:
I've found that my best understanding of lingering and its ill effects has come from my friends in the business who explain to me how things work with reservations etc. - as well as this forum. I'm very conscious of being in a crowded restaurant and understanding that others are waiting for my table. What does NOT work are dirty looks from other diners and/or the host/ess. That just makes me dig in my heels. A host that politely asks us to move to the lounge/bar (no comp drink required) explaining that they need the table for the next party (provided we've been given the standard time for our party) goes miles and miles toward my cooperating.
Tom Sietsema: Thanks. I was just at a restaurant in London where I was told I had exactly 90 minutes to occupy my table. As I was waiting for my check, 92 minutes into my stay, a host came over and basically told my guests and I our time was up.
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Arlington, VA:
FYI: to poster who claimed Talulla's is not within walking distance to any other similar restaurants; I understand that the Clarendon area may be very suburban for some posters, but it's actually a very walkable area. In fact, I've lived about two blocks from Tallula's for the past five years and DO NOT OWN A CAR. Within one mile of Tallula's are several nice restaurants including Harry's Taproom, the Boulevard Wood Grill, Delhi Club, Facia Luna . . . the list goes on and on. So, if the wait is too long for you (and, hello . . . if you're going anywhere on a Fri/Sat in the city worth its money, you're going to encounter at least a 45 minute wait), walk on.
Tom Sietsema: You go, girl (or guy)!
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Springfield, VA:
I was the original Tallulas poster and I find it very interesting that General Manager of Tallula's did not respond to our concern. Like I said. They are indifferent.
Tom Sietsema: He posted that message earlier this morning and may not be online right now.
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Moorea:
Hey Tom.
Do you know anything about Oya set to open in Chinatown?
Tom Sietsema: Its opening has been postponed and postponed and postponed. The latest news: March 24.
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Arlington, VA:
Why NOT write about some of your bad experiences? They may be as helpful (or more so) than the positive ones.
Tom Sietsema: Because they are backstage stories that don't affect customers. Like the chefs at a well-known restaurant who have sex in a walk-in cooler -- THAT kind of thing.
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Your London post:
Are you sure you weren't at Ray's in London?
Tom Sietsema: Ray's the Steaks seems to be ticking off more and more folks these days with its 90 dining policy.
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Re perfect children::
I know this debate continues, but I can't pass up that most recent post. I don't stay in a restaurant if my child screams, yells, or runs around. I pay the check and take him home (which has only happened twice). The incredibly rude thing about Colorado Kitchen is that they CLAIM to be family friendly and CLAIM to welcome kids --but apparently only kids who are on prozac and abide by the numerous rules.
Tom Sietsema: Aha.
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Arlington, Va.:
Response from Tallula Post-
Tom, as a local restaurant manager I have been reading posts lately from disgruntled customers and their reactions to 'managers' who don't respond to their needs as they see fit. Every situation is different so a manager must handle those situations differently from small portions, bad service, loud atmosphere, and so on. But when a customer says in such conversations " I am never coming back" when complaining, how do they expect a manager to react. This is where customers may learn from how they handle a managers response as well. Why should I as a manager doing anything after hearing those comments.
Tom Sietsema: And on that inconclusive note, I have to bid you farewell. See you next Wednesday, and thanks for your comments and questions.
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Rockville, MD:
For the person looking for a restaurant supply warehouse - Superior Products (aka Next Day Gourmet) at www.superprod.com has a decent online store. They used to have some (physical) stores in the area too, but I think those are all gone.
Tom Sietsema: There you go!
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