Tyler Cowen's Restaurant Week Strategies
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D.C. Restaurant Week runs through Sunday, and it's the biggest yet, with more than 170 restaurants participating. Lynne Breaux, president of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, says the prix-fixe menus ($20.07 at lunch and $30.07 at dinner) are a unique opportunity for diners and for "restaurants that understand the value of wooing new customers."
But Cowen is not a fan: "Restaurant Week is a horror. It's outreach to the uninformed, so it's obviously going to be dumbed down."
For those determined to take part, Cowen offered strategies along with his own top five selections.
- Choose an expensive restaurant. "They have a reputation to protect, and they don't want to disappoint people."
- Pick a restaurant with a formula. "At a Brazilian churrascaria, all they do is meat on skewers, and they're not going to change that for Restaurant Week. Steakhouses also fit the bill."
His picks:
- Bombay Club: "They have a new chef, and they're eager to shed their reputation as boring and passe. My dark-horse pick." 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202-659-3727.
- Ceviche: "It's in the suburbs, and Restaurant Week is a chance for it to outshine the city competition." 921-J Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring, 301-608-0081.
- DC Coast: "Against all odds, this place has stayed good for a long time. So chances are it will violate the Restaurant Week odds, too." 1401 K St. NW, 202-216-5988.
- Fogo de Chao: "A churrascaria. They can't reinvent their food in a crummy way for Restaurant Week." 1101 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-347-4668.
- PS7's: "Why does no one talk about this place? It's still undervalued, so my bet is they will put on their best face to rise a notch in the public's eye." 777 I St. NW, 202-742-8550.
-- Jane Black
