|
|
 |
Woodner Apartments
3636 16th St. NW
(202) 667-3040
Hours of Operation and Prices
Dinner: T-Sun 5-10:45; Entrees: $5.50-$13
Closed: Mon.
Other Information
• All major credit cards
• Reservations accepted for 7 or more
• Dress: casual
• Free garage parking
• Handicapped accessible
|
This has to be the most hidden restaurant in Washington. With no sign on the street, it's tucked way back from the Woodner's vast apartment-building lobby. And this odd restaurant has room to waste, which it does with a jukebox in the empty lounge and various furnishings that look dropped off on their way to the attic.
So the decor is slapdash. That fits. The service is as homey as if you'd dropped in on friends unexpectedly, and the wine list is priced hardly above soft drinks. The menu seems far too long for a restaurant that's often near-empty, and it is. So the specials are the dishes to order. Further advice: Concentrate on the appetizers. The list of specials is fascinating. Who else serves chick peas with chestnuts? And when this chef makes fettuccine with smoked salmon and cream sauce, the sauce is light, the pasta is thin and supple and the smoked salmon is luscious, slightly crusty but not cooked so long that it turns strong.
With entrees, though, the highlight is often the side dish - the peppers and mushrooms. Swordfish might be beautifully complemented by lemon, capers, wine and sauteed onions, but the fish is overcooked. Lamb shank is meltingly tender but needs seasoning. Saltimbocca tastes of ham and cheese but not of veal. Yet the prices are so stunningly low that it seems churlish to complain. And if you're still hungry afterwards, all the better. It would be a shame to not have room for blackberry granita.
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
Back to the top |
