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The Washington Post's dining guide: a list for the rest of us
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One of the most respected forks in town is that of Tom Sietsema, the Washington Post food critic who seems to have a fair pen and a discerning -- without being overly snobbish -- palate. So when he comes out with his annual dining guide -- his tenth (remembering when he only had one chin, he joked) -- it's certainly worth a look. And a quick perusal shows that even those of us without the wallet for the four star places, there are several in our price range that are worth salivating over:
1) Bamian, Falls Church. Tom writes: "Those kebabs -- chicken rubbed with turmeric...are equally succulent by the way...I'd be just as happy to go without meat here." Entree prices: Lunch, $9.95 to $14.95, dinner $10.95 to $18.95.
2) Comet Ping Pong. Connecticut Ave. "No other pizza parlor in town packs in as much jollity as this retro retreat." Entree prices: $7.95 to $17.
3) Cuba de Ayer. Burtonsville. "And as much I dig the breaded steak, which tastes like schnitzel by way of Havana...the chopped roast pork sweetened with soft onions proves stiff competition." Entree prices: $8 to $15.
4) Michael's Noodles. Rockville. "Unlike so much of the competition, they cook with a light touch." Entree prices: $7 to $10.
5) Oyamel. Penn Quarter. "Everything at this upscale Mexican restaurant works to make your day better than when you walked in." Small plates: $3.50 to $11.
6) Ray's the Steaks. Arlington. "Think of it as a poor man's Morton's." Entree prices: $14.95 to $33.95.
7) Two Amy's. Macomb Street, NW. "One of the hallmarks of great pizza is a crust so compelling you could eat it by itself." Entree prices: $7.95 to $13.95.
8) Zaytinya. Ninth Street, NW. "Zaytinya remains one of the loudest restaurants in the city. But my last meal there was worth the aural assault...The dips and salads, seafood and meats are reliably luscious." Entree prices: $6.95 to $11.95.
Sietsema distills 10 years of dining wisdom:
"Plenty on the dining scene has also changed, so much of it for the better. Just look in your wine (or beer) glass, likely to be filled with something special. Or examine your plate, probably dressed with something local or sustainable. At the turn of the decade, it would have been difficult to predict so many female sommeliers, farmers being hailed as heroes, destination suburban restaurants and celebrity chefs lured to Washington because Washington is a top food city. A four-star Indian eatery? Improbable, at least until Vikram Sunderam jetted in from London four years ago and turned on the tandoor at Rasika."
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