Author Archives: Don

Rumors, Downtown

Posted on January 9, 2011 by Don

I remember going to Rumors about five years ago, and before that the previous twenty visits were probably back in the 1980s. I’d just left Public Bar, where I’d made it my goal to find something good on the menu; … Continue reading →

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Public Bar, Dupont Circle

Posted on January 8, 2011 by Don

Imagine 40 flat-screen TVs in one bar. Public Bar is cavernous, with two floors plus a rooftop deck, almost 8,000 square feet of space (including the deck), and forty (40!) flat-screen TVs, about 30 of them on the main floor. … Continue reading →

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Casa Nonna, Dupont Circle

Posted on January 6, 2011 by Don

The first thing I noticed the other evening when I opened the menu at Casa Nonna made my jaw drop: a $28 plate of Spaghetti Pomodoro staring me in the face. That would be $28 for a platter of dried … Continue reading →

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Dino, Cleveland Park

Posted on January 4, 2011 by Don

When you hear the term “overrated,” the first thing you should ask yourself is: “Overrated by whom?” In this 2009 chat, Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema says “I really, really, really want to like Dino as much as its … Continue reading →

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Hong Kong Palace, Seven Corners, VA

Posted on January 3, 2011 by Don

You just never know what you’re going to get when you order laconically named dishes at competently run Szechuan restaurants. Chengdu Spicy Cold Noodle ($5.95) was seemingly homemade, spaghetti-like noodles, lightly dressed in soy sauce, chili paste, and scallion. This … Continue reading →

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Ray’s The Steaks, Courthouse, VA

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Don

Well, so much for ending the year with honor. I nabbed a chance to have New Year’s Eve dinner with my favorite young dining companion, but was caught without a reservation, so I went ahead and called in a chit. … Continue reading →

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Haandi, Falls Church, VA

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Don

Pupatella was deluged, so Haandi it was. Except for the previous time (when it was just awful), I’ve always enjoyed Haandi’s Palak Paneer ($11.95) – not because it’s great, but because it’s been consistently good over the years. Plus, it … Continue reading →

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Northside Social, Clarendon, VA

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Don

I’ve been to Northside Social now three times, once for a business meeting with wine, once for a business lunch with a sandwich, and now for an eighth-grade civics project with coffee. The long shadow of Murky Coffee made itself … Continue reading →

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EatBar, Clarendon, VA

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Don

EatBar was so good when it first opened. And it was good for a long time, too. But despite a ridiculous amount of talent in the kitchen, the restaurant has been in a corporate-induced tailspin for quite a while now. … Continue reading →

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Jackie’s, Silver Spring, MD

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Don

I’ve been to Jackie’s several times under the relatively new tenure of Diana Dávila-Boldin (it’s a coincidence that I went to her previous restaurant, Ardeo + Bardeo, the night before). I believe (based on my early visits) that Diana got … Continue reading →

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