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1801 18th St. NW
(202) 387-0035
Hours of Operation and Prices
Open: M-Th 11:30-11, F-Sat 11:30-midnight, Sun. 3-11
Entrees: $6-$16
Brunch: Sun 11-3, $5-$9
Other Information
• Credit Cards: All major
• Dress: Casual
• Parking: Validated
• Reservations: Recommended M-Th; accepted until 7 pm F-Sat
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Success definitely has spoiled Lauriol Plaza, but I still love to sit outside in the L-shaped sidewalk cafe. Its site remains one of the most lively urban corners in the city. And the ultra-thin, crisp chips with a tart margarita or pisco sour are enough to warrant
an evening of people watching.
The once-Spanish menu has gone Tex-Mex, with fajitas upstaging the Spanish dishes. Those fajitas are actually very good. Amend that: The fajita meat is excellent, smoky and rare. But the guacamole is bland,
the pico de gallo more so. And the formerly wonderful chile relleno,
as well as ordinary tacos, haven't the zest they once had.
What does that leave? Masitas de puerco are still pungent, the chunks of tender meat permeated with bitter orange. And I retain hope for the other Spanish dishes. While most of the crowd tucks into enchiladas, tacos and fajitas, I'm more interested in duck with tart orange sauce or garlicky chicken. As long as the weather allows, all of us would rather line up for an outdoor table than dine indoors here.
© Copyright 1998 The Washington Post Company
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