Washingtonpost.com: Live Online

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.

Gaithersburg, Md.: Good morning, Tom. Tonight is the first night of Passover, and I do not have a seder to attend with my two children. Do you know if any restaurants in the area are serving a traditional Passover dinner?

Tom Sietsema: In addition to Felix in Adams Morgan, which I mentioned in last week’s chat, Melrose in the Park-Hyatt Hotel in Washington is offering seder tonight.

The five-course menu is $65 per adult, half that for children under 10 years of age. The menu sounds delicious: rockfish gefilte fish, roulade of duck with sage and morel mushrooms, and red wine-braised beef brisket with a vegetable flan are among the dishes.

Good morning, everyone.

Washington, DC: Help! My cousin just called me at the office saying he is in town with his wife and 3 children (ages 6-11). They will be in the Mall area this afternoon and want to meet for dinner. I am thinking something simple, like American or Italian. No Indian or Asian food.

Tom Sietsema: Downtown, there's Luigino's for Italian on 19th St. and Old Ebbitt Grill for American fare.

Crabby, Va.: Got a question for you, Tom and chatters: a friend from the West Coast is coming into town next week and her deepest desire is to eat hard-shell blue crabs at a brown paper-and-pitcher-of-beer type of place. NOW, before you tell me that "it's not crab season, why don't you eat this instead," let me tell you that she's not going to be dissuaded. I know it's not a good time to be eating hard-shells but it's more about the experience for her. So, can anyone come up with any suggestions as to the best place I can take her this time of year? Doesn't have to be local: Annapolis or MD shore or Southern Maryland would be fine! Much thanks!

Tom Sietsema: Two of my favorite places to get down ‘n’ dirty with some hard-shells and brewskies are Jimmy Cantler’s Riverside Inn in Annapolis and Harris Crab House in Grasonville, Md, on the Eastern Shore.

Washington, DC: Hi Tom. Does anything about a restaurant, be it the chef, menu, service, etc, give you any clue that it might be floundering?

Tom Sietsema: Two-for-the-price-of-one entrees inevitably seem to precede the demise of a kitchen.

I work in Chinatown: Tom, I know you've said many times that you don't care for most of the Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. I got a job here two week's ago and you've got me afraid to eat lunch in my own neighborhood. Can you recommend one or two Chinese restaurants here that are clean and the food is tasty - if not gourmet.

Tom Sietsema: Sure. Try Wok & Roll (which also boasts a sushi bar) at 604 H St. or Full Kee at 509 H St.

Can you explain, please?: Had a great dinner at the Capital Grille the other night...can you tell me the story behind the little cages in the front entrance with plaques bearing people's or company names?

Tom Sietsema: Those are probably bins holding wine bottles from the reserves of regular customers.

Huh?: Two Quail offers two-fer-ones all the time and they're still doing great business.

Tom Sietsema: To every rule, there's an exception.

Have you been lately? The cooking ain't great.

Dirty Kitchen: All right Tom, surely you have some war stories about things you've seen in restaurant kitchens that, well, shouldn't be there. Can you give us one?

Tom Sietsema: Um, like the cat-size rat that I spotted crawling along the walls of one of our favorite restaurants in Adams Morgan? Or the leftovers from my table being served anew to unknowing guests?

Annandale, VA: Can you recommend a restaurant for really good German food? We have found Cafe Berlin good, but not great, and weren't overly impressed with the much-hyped Bavarian Inn in W. VA. We are willing to travel.

Tom Sietsema: Old Europe in Glover Park can be fun, and I bet they are celebrating spring, as they have in years past, with an asparagus festival. Then there's Wurzburg Haus and live accordian music in Rockville to consider, too. Reviews for both are online.

HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS YOUR LEFTOVERS?: EW! GROSS., you have to explain that one!

Tom Sietsema: Because there was a window in the kitchen, and I personally WATCHED the remains from my plate being transferred to a serving plate. Gross is not the word for it.

Sushi Dilemma:: Kaz, Spices, or Perry's?

Tom Sietsema: Kaz, hands down.

Washington, DC: If a restaurant is temporarily closed by Health Department, how long after that should one steer clear of it? Is it ever safe to go back?

Tom Sietsema: Actually, the day it reopens is probably the best time to visit. But ... would you even want to?

Rockville, MD: Just tried to make Saturday evening reservations at Mannequin Pis and was told to call back later because they do not begin accepting reservations until after 2:30 p.m. each day. I have not encountered this before--is it common practice?

Tom Sietsema: Yes, particularly in small establishments. I bet you caught a cook in the middle of some prep work.

Crystal City, Arlington, Va.: Hi, Tom. Do you know if there are any Certified Master Chefs in the DC area? What's your opinion of the CMC test?

Tom Sietsema: I've never seen the test, so I can't comment.

I HAVE, on the other hand, tasted a lot of food from graduates of the CIA (that's the Culinary Institute of America) that tastes like mass production. Some of these big schools are just cranking out chefs like widgets in a factory.

I really believe the best schooling comes from small regional establishments, like our very own and much-admired L'Academie de Cuisine.

Arlington, Va.: Looking for a wine bar: can you recommend places in D.C. or Northern Virgina that serve flights of wine, or at the least, a bar that has a great selection of wine by the glass? Thanks.

Tom Sietsema: The obvious choice is Bardeo in Cleveland Park, at 3309 Conecticut Ave. NW. I haven’t been in awhile, but Grapeseed at 4865 Cordell Ave in Bethesda also pours from an extensive wine list.

Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.: Tom: You didn't name names about the restaurant with the rat in the kitchen. Are there times when the Post has you remove something from a review for fear of legal action from a restaurant? I expect these would be mostly suggestions of unsafe hygeine, but maybe other areas. Tell what you can tell.

Tom Sietsema: I have never been asked to pull any punches in my reviews, inasfar as that has been concerned.

Washington, D.C.: Tom, why do you spend so much column space describing the decor of a restaurant instead of devoting that space to the restaurant's food? I think you go overboard on this and it makes me reluctant to read your reviews.

Tom Sietsema: Fair warning: you are going to HATE this Sunday’s review in particular. I don’t get to the menu until the sixth paragraph (!), but that’s simply due to the fact I’m trying to make a point about style over substance (you’ll see).

In brief, I think setting and service mean a lot to people, judging from my mail. But if you look at the range of my work, I don’t think I write about design at the sacrifice of food.

Be patient: in weeks to come, interiors are barely mentioned in my reviews. And if you don’t care about what a place looks like, well, just skip over that information.

Health dept. question: Oh, find out WHY they were temporarily shut down. A clean restaurant can have a pipe break, for instance, and be shut down until it's repaired, it's not always rat infestation or other creepy crawly things run amok. It's not always the worst case scenario.

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for raising a valid point.

Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, D.C.: Tom - First, I'd like to say that I'm a huge fan of yours. I look forward to your chats each week. Now for my question... my boyfriend and I are making dinner plans for the weekend. We've been traveling for the past month, so we're looking forward to taking it easy at home in DC this weekend. If you had to choose between B. Smiths, Bombay Club, and Teaism, which would you prefer? We're up for any kind of food, as you can see. Thanks, and keep up the good work!

Tom Sietsema: Right this moment, I prefer the Raj-regal setting and sophisticated Indian cooking at Bombay Club, which has the added advantage of outdoor dining these lovely days.

La Colline: Please tell me if I am wrong: Is La Colline's only redeeming value it's proximity to Capitol Hill?

Tom Sietsema: As far as I'm concerned, "oui."

Arlington, Va.: Hi Tom! These chats are so fabulous. My family is coming for Easter, and they'd like to eat somewhere in Annapolis. I made a reservation at O'Leary's. Is this a good choice, or do you have any other suggestions? We want something nice, but not incredibly expensive. Thanks!

Tom Sietsema: O’Learys is one of the most inviting restaurants in Annapolis. I haven’t been there for Easter, but I know the seafood dishes to be well-executed.

My Thanks: A couple of weeks ago you recommended Tusca for a business meeting, and I wanted to let you know what a excellent experience we had there. The service was attentive and the food was wonderful. The vegetarians were pleased and so was I. Thanks again.

Tom Sietsema: Pleased to hear that, but I think you are referring to Ristorante TOSCA, on F St., right?

Fairfax, VA (You should pick me, I'm about to compliment you): Hey Tom!
I have new appreciation for you, buddy. Thanks for reviewing a wide variety of restaurants (high end, budget, chain restaurants, different ethnicities and neighborhoods, etc.) and for treating all restaurants (and diners' tastes) with respect. This weekend, I read an article in the Post Magazine (not by you), "Eating the Movies," with quite the opposite tone. Notably, it accused faithful Olive Garden Diners of waiting "in the foyer with the patient look of cattle. It's worth it to them."
OUCH. He just compared us to patient, idiotic cows waiting for our fodder.
Thanks for treating all of us with respect, Tom, even if we prefer dining on a budget and at chains.

Tom Sietsema: For the record: I have nothing against chains per se. Some of them, including the Melting Pot and Big Bowl, do a fine job of entertaining the masses AND feeding them well. And as any regular chatter can tell you, I’ve been known to dash into Popeye’s for a spicy chicken fix on occasion.

Washington, D.C.: OK, Tom. In all seriousness, which strip club has the best food?

Tom Sietsema: I have yet to research that one.

Washington, D.C.: I have recently dined at Tratoria Liliana and requested that red pepper be omitted from my order because I am very allergic to it. I was told NO Substitutions by Maurice. My friend requested olive oil for his bread again he was told NO by the waiter. I requested butter again NO. Another man came to the table and told me to put my bread in my food. I can't imagine calling this "pampering". This is unreasonable rigidity and a sure way to lose customers.

Tom Sietsema: I didn't observe that during my visits, and it does sound inhospitable.

Pittsburgh, Pa.: In two weeks, my wife and I are bringing our kids to Washington, D.C. for a day before we travel to Baltimore for a family wedding. We are staying near DuPont Circle but will have a car (or will take the metro). My wife and I enjoy trying new and different restaurants and try to stay away from the chain restaurants; but our two boys (ages 7 and 4) are finicky (they like only the basics e.g., hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries etc.) Do you have any suggestions for dinner that will satisfy everyone?

Tom Sietsema: You are staying in a delicious neighborhood. Definitely squeeze in lunch at Johnny’s Half Shell (regional seafood dishes PLUS a top-notch hot dog with hand-cut fries) and Pizzeria Paradiso for the obvious (the earlier the better at night, by the way).

Washington, D.C.: What is the most overrated eatery in the area?

Tom Sietsema: Hint: It has eight letters in its name.

Shirlington, Va.: Hi Tom. I have an etiquette question for you. How do you handle diners who don't vacate their table even after they've paid, when there is clearly a long wait behind them? I stood, buzzer in hand, waiting for an outdoor table at a restaurant in Shirlington the other night. One group of people had clearly paid, they clearly saw the line out the door, and continued to linger for at least an additional 20 minutes when there was no food in front of them! Short of shooting menacing looks and offering to serenade their table with a personal operetta, is it rude to bring this situation to the attention of a hostess?

Tom Sietsema: Not at all. That’s part of a manager’s job, after all, to keep things flowing and comfortable for everyone.

One trick that seems to work to everyone’s benefit is for the host to offer said lingerers a free drink or some such at the bar in exchange for their table.

Alexandria, Va.: Tom, thanks so much for your chats. I'm going to post my question again this week, hoping that you'll get to it. I'm looking for a place in the district that makes a nice ahi tuna sandwhich. It's one of my comfort foods, and I'm dying to find a good restaurant that serves them. Do you know of any? How about places that just have an excellent ahi dish? Thanks very much!

Tom Sietsema: I hate to scoop myself, but next Wednesday in the Food section I’ll be writing about a lovely newcomer in Foggy Bottom, Nectar on New Hampshire Ave., where I recently enjoyed a superlative tuna burger.

Alexandria,VA: Considering going to the Greenbrier for a few days. Know this might be more of a travel question - but do you know is it really worth the price for the food ($600+ per night per couple). This includes breakfast and dinner. I've heard wonderful things, but wanted to hear from a true expert.

Tom Sietsema: I'm not a big fan of the resort. The place is decorated within an inch of its life (there I go again!) and the food is pretty middling. Every time I go there, I expect to see Mamie Eisenhower walk around the corner. It's kind of dated and very (oh, how should I say it?) homogeneous.

Overrated Eatery: Does it begin with a K and end in an 'S? Or does it begin with a G and end in an O?

Tom Sietsema: Hmmmmmmmm.

Place with the re-used food: I am disgusted and horrified. Did you call the health department? Did you tell the manager? Please tell us what restaurant did this so I can avoid it! (BEGGING)

Tom Sietsema: Relax, relax. It happened to me over the weekend --- in Amsterdam, at one of those rice tables.

RE: Reviewing interiors: I actually thank you for adding reviews of interiors. I think it adds as least much as service does to the EXPERIENCE. I think you posted here before that good decor won't make the food better, but it can make it worse. Loud places, crappy chairs, tippy tables, bad flooring, I notice all of these things and when all of this lines up with excellent food then its a "must do" place. Great food alone isn't enough for me to go and spend my hard earned money on. Overall its the experience of a great dinner/lunch/breakfast. Keep up the great work.

Tom Sietsema: One vote for, and one against, "interiors."

Washington, D.C.: Tom, What few restaurants here would you consider on par with some of New York's finest, in terms of cuisine and ambience? Thanks.

Tom Sietsema: Manhattan counts about five restaurants with four stars, the highest rating, from the New York Times.

Locally, I think Maestro in Tysons Corner, and the Laboratorio at Galileo and Michel Richard Citronelle, both in Washington, come closest to that ideal.

Dupont Circle in search of red meat...: Hi Tom, frequent lurker but rare poster here....What's the best steakhouse in DC that isn't too pricey? (Mortons and Caucus Room prices are probably a bit high) My new love interest wants to take me out so he can admire my non-vegetarian status, but I don't want to break his bank. Do you have any suggestions that are reasonably priced and not too frilly? Chophouse? Les Halles? It doesn't have to be in DC, but the closer, the better.

Tom Sietsema: How about trying a hanger steak (or onglet) at some Gallic restaurant?

I sliced into a fine one not long ago at Bistrot du Coin in Dupont Circle, and I think the new Bistro d’Oc on 10th St. NW offers one, too. They are thin but flavorful pieces of beef and an affordable staple on many bistro menus.

Restaurants in the Twin Cities: Tom, someone told me you are from Minnesota? Is this true? I'm heading to St. Paul on business and was wondering where I should go for dinner. It can be expensive, but not too pricey -- maybe $20 an entree? Food type is not a problem. I'll eat anything!

Tom Sietsema: Yer darn tootin', and if you saw the movie "Fargo" you witnessed my childhood.

Good choices in Minneapolis include Alma (new American in a Zenlike space) and Aquavit (a spinoff of the celebrated Swedish restaurant of the same name in New York, and maybe even better than the original).

Tysons Corner, Va.: Could you recommend any nice spots for outdoor dining in the Tysons Corner/Falls Church/Vienna area? I've found a place or two that puts a few tables up against a parking lot, but no place that is really particularly nice. I’m not really looking for something expensive, just someplace that I can hang out for a decent dinner after a day spent working inside. Thanks so much.

Tom Sietsema: Clyde's? Sweet Water?

Logan Circle, Washington, D.C.: Ok, since I love my 14th St. Popeye's, Tom, I'll bite. The spicy chicken's great, but what side dishes should accompany the Popeye's experience? Mashed potatoes in Cajun sauce?

Tom Sietsema: I'm partial to the cole slaw and red beans and rice myself.

In defense of Sunday's zine piece: I believe Stephen Hunter's tone in his story about chain restaurants was tongue-in-cheek. A very very funny piece. Moooo.

Tom Sietsema: I agree. And the timing couldn't have been better: Stephen just won a Pulitzer for film criticism.

Ahi Tuna Sandwich: HI Tom. Citronelle serves a great Tuna Croque Monsieur on brioche with gruyere cheese in the bar and on the outdoor terrace. Its awesome!

Tom Sietsema: Thanks for the reminder. I've had it before, and loved it.

Washington, DC: Tom, what do you think about this? I was in Bistro du Coin the other night and tried to order the onglet a l'echalotte medium. My server informed me that they will no longer serve it more cooked than medium rare. I know, I know, why eat a good piece of meat if you're going to overcook it, but I prefer my meat more brown than pink. What's up with this? Another restaurant a la Greenwood that is more committed to their "art" than their customers?

Tom Sietsema: I hear you, I hear you. But honestly, you'll probably end up with a pretty tough piece of beef there.

Alexandria, Va.: For the poster wanting to know about wine bars with wine flights. In the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, there is the No. 9 wine bar which has wine flights. It is upstairs from the Majestic Lounge and is attached to the Evening Star Cafe.

Tom Sietsema: You are so right.

Abuja, Nigeria: Tom, we will be visiting Seattle in early May. I thought you had done a Postcard from that city, but I couldn't find it on the Post website. Can you or your editor refer me?

Tom Sietsema: Funny, I've done several Postcards from Seattle. But here's a cheat sheet: Lampreia (modern American), Elliot's Oyster House (great views!), Le Pichet (cute French spot) and Monsoon (Vietnamese)

washingtonpost.com: BTW, there's a link to all Tom's Postcards at top right.

Lingering...: I don't know why - but the person who complained about people taking their time at a restaurant really upset me! I linger - I'm at dinner - usually with friends, we are talking - our main concern isn't the people waiting - you don't want to wait, get their early! If I wanted to eat and run, I would go to McDonalds!

Tom Sietsema: I really thing it depends on what kind of a restaurant you're in. I mean, no way do you want to rush through a "fine dining" experience. But if a place doesn't have many tables, for instance, I think diners should be sympathetic to lines forming. I could go on, but I'm running out of time today.

Washington, DC: It is the night before your execution and the warden tells you that you can eat anything from anywhere in the Washington, DC metro area. Price is not a object. What do you eat?

Tom Sietsema: Lock me in the wine cellar at Citronelle.

Thanks for another hour of food chat, everyone. See you here next Wednesday.