46. Rasika
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 637-1222
Address: 633 D Street NW
Description: Rasika is the latest venture for restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, who earned a place in the hearts and stomachs of D.C. diners with restaurants like the Bombay Club and the Oval Room. Taking its name from the Sanskrit word for spices, Rasika follows in the same tradition. In fact, it was named the city’s top new restaurant in 2006 by Zagat. On the menu you’ll find delightful fare like a salad crafted with warm bananas and avocados; fried baby spinach with yogurt and chutney; mango shrimp with fruit, garlic and coriander accents; and, in an unusual twist, duck served with a cashew and saffron sauce.
47. The White Tiger
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 546-5900
Address: 301 Massachusetts Avenue NE
Description: The White Tiger is affordable and charming, tucked into a row of Capitol Hill shops and eateries. You’ll find a lot of northern Indian fare on the menu. They offer the usual spread of biryanis and tandoori dishes and an ample spread of vegetarian selections, but each dish is presented with its own unique blend of delicate seasonings. The cozy restaurant aims for an aura of elegance, presenting its entrees on regal gold platters and serving water in goblets. It’s particularly pleasing in summer, when the outdoor patio beckons diners with gentle white lights and terrific people-watching opportunities.
48. I Ricchi
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 835-0459
Address: 1220 19th Street NW
Description: Why go to Florence when you can taste the fortunes of her cuisine right here in the District? This bright, airy restaurant takes pride in serving an authentic taste of Tuscany. The setting is inviting country-casual with some luxurious touches: pink tablecloths, flowers, wooden chairs with rush seats, and lots of copper and plants. As for food, it’s tough to go wrong here, especially if you try the cheeses, the pasta, the olive oil, the quail, veal, rabbit, and the pork. Especially popular, though, is the fish cooked on a wood-burning grill. i Ricchi has taken Tuscan cuisine in a classy setting to new heights. i Ricchi is open for lunch weekdays, dinner Monday through Saturday, and closed Sunday.
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Address: 2029 P Street NW
50. Mama Ayesha’S
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 232-5431
Address: 1967 Calvert Street NW
Description: There’s nothing fancy or formal about this folksy Middle Eastern restaurant perched on the edge of the Adams Morgan neighborhood. In fact, it’s easy to feel right at home. If you find the menu overwhelming, settle on the combination platter (shish kebab, couscous, stuffed grape leaves, and the house specialty, the kifta kebab) or the mixed grill (shish kebab, kifta kebab, and shish taouk, served with grilled vegetables and rice). If the food doesn’t win you over, we bet you’ll fall for the spacious outdoor patio.
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Address: 617 New York Avenue NW
52. Zaytinya
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 638-0800
Address: 701 9th Street NW
Description: This eye-catching restaurant, named for a Turkish word for olive oil, is perched on a busy downtown corner. Stop by during the day for a light lunch, or check out its pulsing bar scene after hours. On the menu you’ll find an overwhelming spread of Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese mezze, or small portions begging to be shared among friends. You’ll find a lot of things to come back for. Baskets of steaming bread arrive at the table; the olive oil brought out for dipping is splashed with pomegranate puree. We recommend that you don’t stop there, however, but order the hummus or roasted red peppers with feta cheese for dipping as well. We’re also partial to the manti, tiny puffs of beef pasta bathed in a yogurt and garlic sauce, and the shrimp, prepared with a hint of dill.
53. Taberna Del Alabardero
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (202) 429-2200
Address: 1776 I Street NW
Description: Taberna del Alabardero, in the minds of many critics and everyday patrons alike, is considered a serious candidate for the title of nation’s finest Spanish restaurant. It has a 20-year history here in D.C., and although traditional cuisine from Spain may be a new dining experience for some, the growing popularity of tapas bars is making Spanish fare more commonplace. Recipes are from the Iberian peninsula, which means fresh sardines, roasted duck, whole suckling pig, rabbit, and several kinds of paella. The setting is as upscale as any French restaurant, and the service is top drawer. Lunch is served weekdays, dinner is served Monday through Saturday, and it’s closed Sunday. The restaurant enforces a business casual dress code.
54. J. R.’S Stockyards Inn
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (703) 893-3390
Address: 8130 Watson Street
Description: There’s Morton’s of Chicago across the street and then there’s J. R.’s, the budget alternative. At this casual, kid-friendly restaurant, the beef is fresh from the family-owned packing plant, and it’s aged and cut in-house. Try their fresh seafood, chicken, lamb chops, barbecue, or gourmet salads. Nothing fancy here, just good food and lots of it. It’s open for lunch weekdays and dinner nightly.
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Address: 8075 Leesburg Pike
56. 2941 Restaurant
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (703) 270-1500
Address: 2941 Fairview Park Drive
Description: This excellent, modern American and French restaurant is located in the basement of a Virginia office building. But don’t let its address scare you off. Built on a hillside, glass walls on three sides overlook a lovely lake and waterfall. It’s pricey for the suburbs, but the fresh, intriguingly combined ingredients may be worth it for a special dinner or business lunch. Open weekdays for lunch and nightly for dinner.
57. Duangrat’S
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Telephone: (703) 820-5775
Address: 5878 Leesburg Pike
Description: New Thai restaurants spring up all the time in Metro Washington, but Duangrat’s continues to shine. Maybe it’s the gracious, almost formal decor, with its rosy tablecloths, flowers, and generously upholstered chairs; then again, it’s probably the food as much as anything. There are always interesting daily specials—try the spicy soft-shell crab if it’s available—and the menu is as long and varied as in any Thai restaurant, with a few extra soups and stews thrown in. Compare the standard Thai dishes here with those in other restaurants, and you’ll see why Duangrat’s is so popular. Batters are always light and fresh, peanut sauce is never cloying, and the crab-stuffed chicken wings are head and shoulders above anyone’s in town. Duangrat’s serves lunch and dinner daily.
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Address: 332 Springvale Road
City: Washington, DC
Category: Restaurants
Address: 5441 Wisconsin Avenue