Ask Tom

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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. You can access his Postcards from Tom to read his recommendations for other cities, read his dining column, First Bite and the Dish or read transcripts of previous "Ask Tom" chats. Tom's Sunday magazine reviews, as well as his "Ask Tom" column, are available early on the Web.

The transcript follows.

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Tom Sietsema: NEWS AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR: The guessing game about who might move into the space formerly occupied by Viridian (1515 14th St. NW) in Logan Circle is over.

Paolo Sacco, the owner of the elegant Ristorante Tosca downtown, tells me he's signed a letter of intent for the location, which he plans to turn into Posto, a casual Northern Italian trattoria.

The 120-seat dining room will highlight a communal table (of course), a wood-burning oven (for pizza!)and a menu created by Tosca's chef, Massimo Fabbri. A sous chef from Tosca, yet to be named, will execute Fabbri's game plan.

Posto, says its creator, is Italian for "place" or "spot" Look for a late-summer opening.

This is great news for the neighborhood, for Studio theater-goers and for Paolo, who practically lives next door to his new project.

Ready? Set? On with your questions!

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Gaithersburg, Md.: Tom,

We had a tipping situation come up and wanted some of your wise feedback.... Dinner at one of the Great American restaurants. First two choices for entrees were out, so I settled for #3. Food runner brought hubby's entree, part of mine, and said he was going to get the rest. He never returned. The "rest" included the tortillas and all of the accompaniments for fajitas, so it was pretty critical to enjoying the entree. We waited. The meat had stopped sizzling and was looking rather sad and lonely before we even found anyone to address this with. When we finally got someone's attention, the manager came right over, reheated the meat, brought the rest of the entree, and insisted on comping the dish. Plus, the waiter came by and said he wanted to comp dessert.

All of these gestures were nice, and probably more than expected, however, we were a bit stumped on how to tip. First instinct was to tip on the full cost of the meal (including the dessert, which they printed on the bill), but the reason for the reduced bill was the poor service. We are usually 20%+ tippers, but opted for about 14% on the total.

Were they snarking about us behind our backs or was this a reasonable decision?

Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: If they were snarking, they had no reason to do so. The waiter erred. The manager (rightly) apologized. I would have tipped the way you did in this situation.

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Buenos Aires suggestions: Hi Tom, I believe someone wrote in last week regarding places to eat in BA. We spent a week there this past fall and could not recommend it enough to anyone. We followed some of your suggestions and went to Cabana Las Lilas (glad we went as it is so famous and the food was tremendous but the service was lacking), Olsen (where again, the food was wonderful, stunning space but the attitude was hard to deal with. It was the very chic and cool crowd and we were told that we were not even allowed to take a photo of the interior. But, one of the best vodka selections). And, our most favorite dining experience was lunch at Patigonia Sur. I would not go at night, and I would plan to drop some cash but it was out of this world. Everything from the intimate interior, the cushy sofas and the amazing food and wine selection. As far as other places we went, most were in the Palermo area. We stayed at Five Cool Rooms and right across the street at Honduras and Armenia is El Calden. Wonderful streaks, salads and the service was tremendous. A short walk away was La Cabrera. We went twice and had Carlos, who spoke not one lick of English, wait on us both times and everything about the food, service atmosphere was wonderful. Get reservations for sure. A great Thai place is Sudestada. If you want spicy in a chic little place and great service, this is the place. For a quick drink and a snack,

Bar 6 was fun. Also, on Honduras on the corner (maybe J. Alveres is the cross street) is a quaint little wine bar with a great selection of wines and meats and cheeses called La Cava de Rovere. The owners are so welcoming and charming and we fell in love the the petite wife. Also, if the weather is nice, pop into Home Hotel and have a glass of wine and sit out in their back pool area. Very cool. Can you tell that we did nothing but eat steak and drink wine?

We used the Wallpaper, Lonely Planet and Frommer's guides to help us. But, the people are so friendly and accommodating and even if they do not speak English, they will help you with your food choices. There are so many other places that we went for lunch and coffee but the best part of traveling is also discovering places on your own. Enjoy! We cannot wait to go back.

Tom Sietsema: Me either!

Thanks for your rich detail here. You're making me hungry. And thirsty.

washingtonpost.com: Postcard From Buenos Aires

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Washington, D.C.: Recent events have compelled me to ask: How's the dining at the Mayflower?

Tom Sietsema: When I dropped by the Lobby Court Bar last year, I found some nice wines by the glass and great people-watching. The food? Check out my report, below.

washingtonpost.com: First Bite: Lobby Court Bar

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Other News: NEWS AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR: The guessing game about who might move into the space formerly occupied by....I thought for a minute there you were going to discuss "the other" news about who was going to be occuping the space on -- Pennsylvania Avenue. Yours is much more important! LOL.

Tom Sietsema: Well, I wouldn't go THAT far!

(Thanks for the good laugh, though.)

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Arlington, Va.: Before (or after) a tryst at the Mayflower, where should I have a meal? Naturally, money is not a concern.

Tom Sietsema: And this, just as the governor from New York is expected to announce his resignation (but don't you dare leave this chat quite yet)!

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Arlington, Va.: I have two nights in Manhattan coming up, and that means two opportunities to try new places for dinner! I eat everything, so particular cuisine is not important. I'd love to get a taste of what's innovative, new and GOOD. Am considering 11 Madison Park and/or WD-50. Can you weight in on either or both? Many thanks.

Tom Sietsema: Eleven Madison is great fun and really delicious these days. WD-50 is good if you like culinary daring do.

Don't forget to check out the Postcard from Tom archives. I've been to New York twice in the past six months and have two columns from up there.

washingtonpost.com: Postcard From Tom Archives

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Washington, D.C.: Your review of Rosa Mexicana still holds true four years later. The food was overcomplicated and not that enjoyable (aside form the guacamole . . . but how hard is that to make?).

Tom Sietsema: Funny. I always tell people not to trust a review older than a year, in part because restaurants are like live theater, subject to so many changes.

RM's address across from the Verizon Center probably means it doesn't HAVE to change. It will always find bodies to fill seats.

washingtonpost.com: Review: Rosa Mexicano

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Downtown, D.C.: I am sort of surprised at how few private rooms there are in D.C. restaurants for small meetings. My old standby is the Occidental but I want to branch out a bit for the next ten-person meeting. Places I have called that advertise private rooms really only seem to be semi-private (Vidalia, Poste, etc) or those that have full private rooms aren't returning my phone calls. I am sort of at a lost right now. Type of resturant and cost is really open. Any suggestions?

Tom Sietsema: Gosh, I seem to get this question a lot lately. Anyone opening a new restaurant should really make room for private parties.

Tosca has two really beautiful spaces carved out of the main dining room. I like how you can see and be seen there, and in a relatively hushed environment.

Other places to consider: Bis, Ceiba, Charlie Palmer Steak, Equinox, Johnny's Half Shell and Marcel's.

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Washington, D.C.: Tom: I am sure it is the dream of lots of folks to invest in new and exciting restaurants in the area. Can you give us some advice on how we can go about investing in a new place? Is there a place or Web site where up-and-coming chefs look for investors?

Tom Sietsema: Great question. Perhaps someone in the industry can fill us in? I'll post what I get before the end of the hour.

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Bored palette in D.C.!?: Hi Tom:

I'm wondering if this ever happens to you. Do you ever eat out so much that you no longer are able to "taste" and "experience" dining out accurately? For example, people sometimes become de-sensitized to things when they are over-exposed to said thing.

Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: Do I feel jaded? Rarely. I still look forward to going out to eat every day and I still love my job. Now is a very exciting tme to be covering the dining scene in the nation's capital and the country in general. In my book, there's no such thing as too many restaurant reservations.

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Private Rooms: For the chatter looking for a private space, Central has a beautiful private room! I hosted a work function there and everything went well (and was delicious!)

Tom Sietsema: Of course. Thanks for reminding us.

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Washington, D.C.: Hit up PX and Eve for a special occasion recently. PX was lots of fun, we felt like we stepped back in time when the panel slid open to find out who we were. The drinks, of course, were delicious.

We were only able to get a late seating at Eve, but it didn't change anything. The service was amazing, the wonderful sommelier spoke with us before each course, and we never felt rushed despite being among the last in the tasting room. I know the goodie bag we left with was not a unique gesture, but it still was a nice touch and a great way to cap off the night.

Basically, I wanted to thank you for recommending these two fine places so often in your chats. Without that, we wouldn't have had such a great experience!

Tom Sietsema: Some readers think I'm in bed with Eve and its siblings, but that's simply not true. I just think that what the owners of the Armstrong-run enterprise do is an exceptional job of meeting and often raising high expectations.

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Capitol Hill, D.C.: Tom,

I finally made it to Tacqueria Nacionale on Monday and I wanted to get your opinion. I know you are a big fan as are many others but I was underwhelmed. The pork taco seemed overly salty and the spanish rice was bland. On the other hand I thought the fish taco was excellent and will definitely go back for those. I'm wondering if you have been back or have heard from people whether the quality has gone down.

Tom Sietsema: I have not noticed any drop in the quality of the food at the shoebox next to Johnny's Half Shell -- and I got carry-out there within the past two months.

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Guacamole!: "guacamole . . . but how hard is that to make?"

It's easy to make. The key is making it good.

Tom Sietsema: Yep! I love lots of lime juice, a whisper of salt, plenty of fresh cilantro, a dash of hot sauce ....

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Arlington, Va.: Just back from a trip to Austin. Of course we consulted your postcard before going and visited the Eastside Cafe. Based on the Web site, I didn't expect it to wow us, but it ended up being a great choice. My boyfriend said it was his favorite restaurant of the trip (and there was stiff competition)! So thank you!

Tom Sietsema: You're welcome. I'm always happy to hear that my choices stand the test of time. (That postcard from Texas is a tad old now.)

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Alexandria, Va.: Tom or chatters: Where to go for a really good hot pastrami sandwich in the District or NoVa?

Tom Sietsema: I'm thinking Deli City here in NE D.C.?

washingtonpost.com: Review: Deli City

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Another private room: Rasika also has a true private room for a small gathering.

Tom Sietsema: It certanly does.

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Ahem...: "Derring-Do"

That is all.

Tom Sietsema: "Ahem" is right. I'm under-caffeinated this morning. My apologies.

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Alexandria, Va.: Great American Restaurant: Perhaps the poster should eat at nicer restaurants and stop being picky when the dine at Chili's, Ruby Tuesday's etc.... You get what you pay for.

Tom Sietsema: Ah, but GAR has some qute respectable and moderately priced restaurants in its empire. I wouldn't lump them in the same category as the chains you mention.

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Restaurant Developer: I think you'd be surprised how many investors started out as customers. If you are a regular anywhere, discreetly ask the owner what his/her plans are. If you start intimating that you have some money to invest, believe me, someone is going to want to talk to you. I would recommend a smaller outfit as opposed to a well established company -- with a younger group, your money will go farther.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for the insight. I think it's a good sign that the owner of the late Viridian plans to be an investor in the new restaurant.

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Arlington, Va.: Acadiana has two private rooms of different sizes, which we've used for a half-dozen work events over the past three years.

No stake in the place -- just a pleased customer who shares the earlier poster's need for a private meeting space now and again.

Tom Sietsema: I'll add it to our growing list. Thanks.

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Alexandria, Va.: I am curious if the presidential candidates have favorite dining locations in the D.C. area.

Tom Sietsema: Presidental candidates don't typically have much say in where they'll be eating. I'm always surprised at how mundane or obvious their dining destinations are.

Has anyone seen a candidate from either party chowing down around town? Do tell.

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Where to sit in 1789: Have a reservation for 1789 and wanted to make a request for a sitting in a good part of the restaurant. It's to celebrate a very special occasion and I'd like for it to be on the romantic side. I know there are different sections/rooms, so any suggestions?

Tom Sietsema: Do not let the hostess take you upstairs. The best rooms are all on the ground floor. The most romantic place is probably the John Carroll (sp) Room.

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Falls Church, Va.:"Where to go for a really good hot pastrami sandwich in the District or NoVa?"

Hands down, the best sandwich place I've found is the Celebrity Delly in Falls Church. I've been a regular for years now.

Tom Sietsema: I can't argue, since I haven't been there.

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Re: Great American Restaurants: AARGH! What a SNOB the "You get what you pay for" person is! First of all, lumping Great American Restaurants in with Ruby Tuesdays is absolutely ridiculous. Secondly, there are TONS of excellent cheap restaurants! Thirdly, it's not exactly like the cost at GAR restaurants is equal to that of McDonald's. Finally...listen, buddy, not everyone can afford to eat at $40-and-up entree restaurants every night. Get over yourself.

Sorry...that post just really irritated me.

Tom Sietsema: (Silence.)

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GAR vs. other chains: There is NO WAY to compare GAR to a Chilli's or Ruby Tuesday. GAR severs sign like a two-year contract. They are usually older, and very much vested in their job. Servers at Ruby Tuesday are in high school or college and take no pride in what they do. Plus they offer paper napkins. And no ozzie rolls.

Tom Sietsema: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. Not all chain service should be lumped together. I had a great bartender at the Ruby Tuesday's in Springfield a couple months ago. (Don't ask. I just happened to drop by for a snack.)

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Private Room Dining: Willow in Ballston has a nice one.

Tom Sietsema: The list grows longer by the key stroke.

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Del Ray, Va.: Good morning and thank you for taking time to host this chat. I just wanted to weigh in on the issue of taking children to restaurants. We have two (ages 5 and 2) and while we would like to civilize them and teach them to behave properly in restaurants, we also don't think it's fair to other diners or the wait staff to participate in our exercise. It's also a lot to expect little kids to sit still for a leisurely meal -- they're not tiny John Kenneth Galbraiths. So our compromise is to take the kids out early every Friday to a casual neighborhood place (if a restaurant stocks high chairs, we figure kids are okay), and we clear out before the dates arrive. We also found that if we order our drinks and meals as soon as we sit down, we can spend as little or as long at the table as behavior permits. When the kids were younger we asked for the check when we ordered too, just in case.... This way we don't have to sweat (literally) about bothering other diners, and the kids have learned to keep their composure long enough for us to have a second round of drinks -- Yay. Hope this helpful to others with kids.

Tom Sietsema: You sound like great parents. I especially like your idea about getting the check early in the evening.

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Cathedral Heights, Washington, D.C.: Do you have any suggestions for brunch in Manhattan? I looked at your postcards and didn't see anything brunch-y. My wife and I are going up there for our anniversary next month, and we're enjoying picking out which restaurants to try.

Tom Sietsema: My fave place to wake up to in the Bg Apple: Aquavit, the coolly elegant Swedish restaurant -- conveniently located near Central Park, so you can walk off the pastries, the cheeses, the smoked salmon, the herring five ways, the ...

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Washington, D.C.: Presidential candidates --

Obama and Daschle ate at the Tosca kitchen table right before Obama announced his candidacy. The dinner was mentioned in a NY Times piece.

Tom Sietsema: I like it, I like it.

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Reston, Va.: Hi Tom -- Quick question -- who has the best basic grilled cheese, in your opinion? I am partial to the grilled cheese sandwiches at Five Guys, plus you can add all the toppings you want.

Tom Sietsema: Stoney's on P St. makes a role model (with bacon, tomato and onions in the center).

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NEWS AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR: Hi Tom; just logged on. Il Posto sounds like Bebo comes to DC (Roberto has also mentioned this). Let's hope for better service. Ciao!

Tom Sietsema: Tosca has (almost) never had service issues. I think the spin-off bodes well for Loganeers.

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Cleveland Park, Washington, D.C.: Hi Tom -- Is it shad roe season yet? How long does the season usually last, and where would you recommend sampling this seasonal delicacy? Thanks!!

Tom Sietsema: The season came EARLY this year, last month. It usually starts in March and runs a month or so, as I recall. All the better seafood places should have the local delicacy on there menus right now.

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Move along, move along, nothing to see here: Spitzer's resigned, it's over, let's eat.

Tom Sietsema: Another one bites the dust, huh?

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Arlington, Va.: Question about doggie bags. I have noticed recently that restaurants are not packing everyting on the plate in the to-go box, but generally including the main course and not the remaing sides. Is this a common practive or a oversight?

Tom Sietsema: Oversight. I always tell my server to "pack it all, everything" if that's what I truly want. That little tablespoon of creamed spinach or half-eaten galette might look like nothing to a waiter, but for some of us, it can be a tasty midnight snack.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Hi Tom,

Do you know of any reviewer who writes about restaurants that the majority of people can actually afford? It seems that every word written in all the food columns and blogs has the same restaurants and chefs over and over again. It really puts the mom-and-pop shops at a dissadvantage when it seems that you and your fellow food writers are pushing the same restaurants all the time. Just because someone learned the tricks of the trade from his mother or grandmother does not mean that he or she does not have the right to be covered as much as those that attended CIA or other culinary schools.

As an owner of a successful local restaurant I find it discouraging that many times writers are putting out articles about such things as "celebrity" chef birthdays rather than trying to find hidden affordable gems.... Just thought I would give you and your colleagues some insight since we have have to read and listen to critics' advice all the time.

Tom Sietsema: But I'd like to think I DO offer readers a variety of menus, locations, price ranges and such in my restaurant columns. Trust me, I LOVE finding good mom and pops out there. At the same time, I can't ignore a restaurant opened by a star chef, which is newsworthy. (I think you're referring to the paper's coverage of Michel Richard's glam 60th birthday, which was a big deal. He IS , after all, one of the top chefs in the country.)

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Cincinnati, Ohio: Tom,

I'm a former D.C. resident heading back to the city this weekend. We'll be staying in Foggy Bottom and we're looking for some good, but moderately priced, options around that area, Dupont Circle or Georgetown. What do you recommend?

Tom Sietsema: Try Dish in Foggy Bottom, Bistro Lepic's wine bar in Georgetown and Banana Leaves or Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle (but expect to wait in line at the last).

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Washington, D.C.: Did Moroni and Brothers close or stop serving breakfast? It was not open two Saturdays ago at 8am.

Tom Sietsema: The owner can't confirm the place was closed or open for breakfast two Saturdays ago, but he assures me it will be open THIS Saturday at 8 a.m.

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Birthdy dinner issue: Hi Tom,

I adore your chats and trust your judgment completely. That said, I need help . . . asap. I need to find a place for dinner that's trendy/modern in decor with awesome food. Anywhere in D.C. is okay. One catch -- the birthday girl isn't a fan of cheese and seafood but loves chicken, pork and tirmisu. Any suggestions? Gracias!

Tom Sietsema: Mio fits most of your wishes. I don't see tiramisu on its current dessert list, but there are some nice, chocolate-y conclusions, including profiteroles and chocolate-banana cake.

washingtonpost.com: Review: Mio

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Bethesda, Md.: Tom -- Any idea when Rock Creek in Bethesda will reopen? The sign on the door says it's closed for renovations because of a flood.

washingtonpost.com: Tom's Dish on Rock Creek Bethesda

Tom Sietsema: There's your answer!

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Rockville, Md.: What are the differences between drawn butter, clarified butter and butter that I just melt in a pan or a microwave? Why would I care which one into which I dipped lobster or other shellfish?

Tom Sietsema: (Channeling Betty Crocker for a moment)

Drawn and clarified butter are the same thing: Gently melted butter that's been skimmed of its foam (on the surface) and separated from its milk solids (which sink to the bottom of the pan). The clear golden butter that remains is prized for its color, flavor and high smoking point.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi, Tom. I've loved your chats for a long time now, but this is my first time submitting a question. I'm trying to plan a reunion gathering for a group of university students who traveled together to Greece -- and who ate very well while they were there! Can you think of any affordable places in the area that would evoke happy memories of taverna food? Personally, I love Zaytinya for myself, but the noise level and expense might both be too high for this group; cost might also be an issue at Mourayo (another favorite of mine). There's Zorba's in Dupont and Mykonos in Rockville (but no Metro nearby), but other than those I'm out of ideas. Help!

Tom Sietsema: What's your budget? Mourayo in Dupont Circle would be my first choice; I love the intimacy, the look, the hospitality and the Greek flavors of the tiny restaurant.

washingtonpost.com: Review: Mourayo

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Clifton, Va.: Many of D.C.'s alleged top restaurants and chefs could learn a lot from GAR about service and running the front of house. Roberto Donna are listening. I take a GAR worst wait person over any of his best any day!

Tom Sietsema: And on that inconclusive note, I wish you all a happy Hump Day. See you next week, gang.

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washingtonpost.com: Food fans, thanks for reading! If you're also fans of the Bravo show, Top Chef, you can continue to keep the work day at bay by checking out our live discussion with season three winner Hung Huynh and judge Gail Simmons. It starts right now.

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