washington, dc restaurants in the 1980s washington, dc restaurants in the 1980s

L daily ex Sat, D daily. L $3.95-$6.95, D $5.95-$9.50. Parking lot in front. If you judge the restaurant by one dish, let it be a soup called minced squab and scallops in a bamboo container. 2 / 30. Now there are tablecloths, but otherwise the fanciest fixture at Los Planes de Renderos is the tape deck on the bar, playing Latin music. L daily ex Sat, D daily. O'Brien's Pit Barbecue 1314 E Gude Dr., Rockville. Beer and wine only. Children's prices. 219 219 King St., Alexandria. D $11.75-$18.75. L $3.50-$5.75, D $8-$10.50. MC, V. Reservations accepted. And incidentally, at least at the original Georgetown location, it is incidental that people eat. L $3.75-$5.25, D $4.25-$13.95. AE, CC, MC, V. Reservations suggested. On my last visit it was the food. Full bar service. Stephanie's Dupont Plaza Hotel, Dupont Circle at 19th St. NW. No-smoking section. Blue Nile 1701 16th St. NW. Landini Brothers 115 King St., Alexandria. The main courses are a couple of veals, a couple of chicken dishes, lamb with rosemary and maybe a special or two, but they are fresh and spicy, food with a distinct Italian personality, the kind of food one excepts to find in any trattoria in Italy, which is indeed a compliment. Scotland Yard 728 King St., Alexandria. L $3.95-$11.95, D $9.95-$15.95. The barbecued ribs are lean, meaty and deep-smoked. Parking in front. Candelas 3280 M St. NW. L $2.25-$3.50, D $2.75-$4.25. Children's prices. On a base of very good, highly professional French cuisine, Dominique's builds a lively atmosphere, more a party than any other French restaurant in town. L,D daily. 452-1915. The bad news is that my last sample of Bacchus' food was nowhere near as luscious as it had been. Valet parking for dinner. Drink with it a simple wine, for most are agreeable and well under $10. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations required. L $3.45-$6.95, D $8.45-$13.95. The Far Inn (Club Soda) The Fireplace. Few other restaurants, particularly in the Maryland suburbs serve so much so well for so little. Ae, MC, V. Reservations suggested. 797-8704. My Brother and Me 1700 K St. NW. Appetizers include savory German variations on charcuterie: air-dried beef, head cheese, Westphalian ham and tangy vinegary meat, cheese or herring salads. But it emphasizes light suppers for after the theater. Proper Metrorail Etiquette---What should I know before using Metrorail? Full bar service. Parking lot in front. As a child I remember saying oh we are eating at the White House (because of the columns??). That's it, the best -- unless you substitute for the roast beef a crusty rare sirloin or whatever seasonal fish is available, preferably stuffed with Dungeness crab. AE, CB, D, MC, V.Reservations suggested. Free parking after 6 p.m. at 18th & M Sts. L $2.50-$4, D $3.75-$8.50. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. 568-3400. Alpine 4770 Lee Hwy. But always there are enough improvements to keep one believing that Washington is constantly becoming a better and better eating city. The cuisine has had its ups and downs, but shows strong signs of an upswing these days. L $3.95-$6.95, D $6.25-$9.95. Children's prices. 572-4402. But its prices have lagged behind inflation, so now it must be considered moderate. The room is fresh and colorful, discreetly exotic. 354-1677. It is too small to justify lethargic, surly service such as I found. But the environment -- harried, slap-dash service and unkept surroundings -- has not been a strong point. Children's prices. Closed Sun. No-smoking section. Filet of lamb, rubbed with a similar spicy paste, is also very good. Geppetto 2917 M St. NW. L $3.75-$4.95, 5 $5.85-$9.50. 783-4133. L $2.45-$3.95, D $3.45-$8.95. Crowding like a full-blown garden are the wood tables with grassy mats, and plates flamboyantly garnished with greens, fruits and vegetables. Children's prices. Closed Sun. Valet parking for dinner. L $4.50-$8.85, D $9.75-$15.75. D daily. L, D daily. Just remember pizza. Parking adjacent lot.Full bar service. Everybody who knows of the Palm knows it as a no-nonsense steak and lobster restaurant with giant portions, priced accordingly, of very good simple meat and potatoes. Children's prices. MC, V. Reservations accepted for dinner only. 920-7892. AE, CB, D, MC, V. No reservations. The baba ghanouj bests even the Middle Eastern restaurants hereabouts, but hot dishes tend to be superior to cold dishes, which are inclined to be excessively herbed or at least unbalanced. Jean-Louis alone has settled Washington more firmly in the list of cities for serious eating, even drawing respectful attention from the culinary Olympus -- France. Pakoras are likely to be heavy and tough, less acceptable. MC, V. No reservations. Full bar service. Closed Mon. At lunch, a noisy bustle accompanies plats du jour -- a two-week cycle of menus plus daily specials -- with carafes of wine. Open daily. Home Services. The brownies, the chocolate chip cookies (from the Capitol Hill branch's carryout market), the macadamia nut roll, the chicken and green bean and seafood salads would win on any first ballot. L $3.25-$8.25, D $4.95-$14.95. But dishes that are meant to be robust -- chicken cacciatore, braciole, herbed roast veal -- are as good as Washington has to offer. Ramparts 1700 Fern St., Alexandria. Closed Mon. Valet parking. Street parking. Casba 2100 & St. NW. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Black Horse Tavern 1236 20th St. NW. Children's prices. L $2.50-$2.95, D $3.50-$6.50. L, D $2.25-$5.95. r The Roma 3419 Connecticut Ave., NW. L $5.50-$9.95, D $8.95-$14.95. A half of broiled or pan-fried chicken cost $2.75 and a 12 oz. Nothing changes at Szechuan & Hunan -- fortuantely. Full bar service. Ensalada de frutas is fresh melon and pinneapple whipped with water and ice in a blender, costing not much more than coffee. L $3.45-$7.45, D $8.95-$14.95. Closed Sun. Reservations suggested. Under the roof of the Mazza Gallerie is an indoor sidewalk cafe that is a more appropriate break from shopping at Neiman Marcus than, say, the Mcdonald's next door, but not the sort of French restaurant for which you would cross the city. Web Visit website. 543-5005. L $3.25-$6.25, D $7.25-$14.75. Arabian Nights 2915 Connecticut Ave. NW. giorgios 1247 20th St. NW. L $4.50-$14.50, D $9.75-$16. Mussels ravigote are similarly outstanding among appetizers. L daily, D daily. 965-1185. L, D daily. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted. 544-2338. Tiberio has long been a trendsetter, the first of these subtly beautiful northern Italian restaurants that are distinguishable from French primarily by the inclusion of pastas on the menu. On the dinner menu, anonymous mixtures and mismatched combinations range from broccoli with apples, walnuts and mushrooms under a veil of cheese at an overpriced $7 to mock quiche, lasagna, curry and Mexican casserole. not just since the 1980s when the word became common." . Parking lots across the street and street parking. Parking lot. L, D $2.25-$8.50. Full bar service. L $3.50-$9.50, D $6.50-$9.50. There are no hamburgers, but there are barbecue and vegetarian and hot turkey and chili dog and submarine sandwiches, soups that range from superb to slapdash, quiches made with extremely good crust and zesty fillings, then desserts centering on crepes and ice creams plus those most traditional of pastries -- pecan pie, cheesecake, and brownies. The tacos and enchiladas grin blandly for fear of offending. 258-9670. 770-7888. L $3.95-$5.50, D $4-$19. The ideal meal at Joe and Mo's is all beef: tartar steak (share a portion as an appetizer) and roast beef, the fullest flavored prime rib in town, more than an inch thick, tender, moist and juicy, permeated with rosemary, basil and garlic. NYC's Best Restaurant Patios. Parking in rear. 667-3040. Closed Sun. See scans of the front and back of this card. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted for dinner only. Street parking. 338-3830. Kingbird serves a lavish breakfast spread, and is the ideal pre . No smoking section. No matter. Full bar service. Two dining rooms have been vividly redecorated in Easter bunny colors of purple, blue and pink, and the menu has been revamped to focus on a front page of house specialties which (unlike some of the inept dishes the menu) are quite grand. 882-2955. D daily. Beer and wine only. The Inn Rte. The more inventive a dish, the less likely its success. Unfortunately, the kitchen also thinks that some important qualities don't matter. Its food, though, is an afterthought. L daily ex Sat, D daily. If Washingtonians ever kicked the habit of automatically thinking French when they want a special evening, Omar Khayyam would be overrun. D $10.95-$15. Swensen's 1990 K St. NW. There is competent service and an occasional hug from the mama of the house. Start with samosas, flaky fried dough triangles stuffed with spiced meat or vegetables and dipped into a wonderful sweet-hot-tart tamarind chutney. Le Provencal 1234 20th St. NW. Particularly welcome for a casual little dinner is the good selection of half-bottle of wine. While there certainly is nothing fancy, it is among the last of a breed. L $2.25-$3.95, D $4.25-$6.95. Full bar service. Arlington. Full bar service. 333-3376. The food is rustic and homespun. Jonah's Oyster Kitchen Hyatt Regency Hotel, 400 New Jersey Ave. NW. Wine service is neglectful. ($) 4.6 Stars - 9 Votes. Court of the Mandarins 1824 M St. NW. Smithsonian? 589-0999. Bamboo House 9650 Main St., Fairfax. Street parking and nearby lot. AE, D, MC, V. No reservations. Open daily. Full bar service. L daily ex Sun, D daily. La Ruche maintains a good collection of light dishes.And if the daily specials are sometimes not very special, you can usually count on fresh vegetables to enhance them, and further do so with a bottle of reasonably priced wine. Charlies Georgetown 3223 K St. NW. AE, MC, V. Reservations required. Yenching Palace 3524 Connecticut Ave., NW. 790-1020. Children's prices. Reservations suggested. Full bar service. D daily. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. L daily ex Sat, D daily. The 1,000 sq. L $3.50-$5.50, D $7-$10. The menu is simple, and the chef generous with herbs, wine, tomatoes and attention to detail. Le Lion d'Or 18th and M Sts. 546-4488. Nora 2132 Florida Ave. NW.462-5143. The House of Hunan is an exceptional addition to Washington's hundreds of Chinese restaurants, and Vincenzo's, once the kinks are ironed out, is aiming for the top among Italian restaurants. l daily ex Sat, D daily. but don't despair. L $2.50-$7.95, D $6.95-$14.50. L $2.50-$6.95, D $4.50-$9.95. All this, and the prices are low, servings large and menu extensive. Closed Sun. Le Manouche 1724 Connecticut Ave. NW. This dim, clubby cave below the street is lush and comfortable, but the best service is reserved for regulars, and newcomers may get short shrift. Children's prices. Full bar service. 941-5494. 659-4447. Full bar service. anakeesta photo memories . 657-8080. 667-0047. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. El Tio Pepe 2809 M St. NW. The third-year blues have hit La Fourchette. L, D daily. Main courses cover five pages, but concentrate on the first, where you will find crisp whole fish Hunan style, orange beef, honeyed ham. 638-2444. AE, MC V. Reservations suggested. No credit cards. Childrens prices. Full bar service. This grandiose red and gold shopping center Chinese restaurant has benefited from the conversion, for the food is now fresh and carefully cooked, served in generous portions. Rustic and reasonable, with creditable food, Vietnam Georgetown is a neighborhood ethnic restaurant that just doesn't happen to be in an ethnic neighborhood. And the kitchen can produce superb fried foods, fine light sauces and aromatic pasta fillings, so I cannot understand why it settles for pallid sauces and pasty-coated veal with sludgy lemon sauce or vegetables cooked to a mush. L $3.25-$4.75, D $3.50-$15. L daily ex Sat, Sun, D daily. The kitchen's unique character blooms at dinner. L $2.25-$3.25, D $4.50-$6.25. But not always. This two-story green and white pub with sidewalk cafe is lively, usually fun if you don't consider noise and fun mutually exclusive. Some days, Geranio is worth circling the beltway for, and other days it is not worth more than a walk around the block. Publick House 3218 M St., NW. Full bar service. Since the selection changes seasonally, it is tricky to try to recommend dishes, but one day's mussels in mustard sauce combined expected flavors in a hauntingly good dish. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. The food is pretty good, with tall pyramids of salad, smooth custard quiches in puff pastry, simple meat and fish dishes and pastries that are highlights. Hogate's 9th St. and Maine Ave. SW. 484-6300. But I found no dish that meets any desire. MC, V. Reservations suggested. Full bar service. Full bar service. Street parking. Full bar service. Old Ebbit Grill, Lunch, 1945. 737-12334. O'Donnell's 8301 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. The Magic Pan 5252 Wisconsin Ave. NW. And, just as clothes may make the woman, Pueblo Joe's makes Washington's best-dressed restaurant list. See restaurant menus, reviews, ratings, phone number, address, hours, photos and maps. You can wade through a lot o sushi -- and a lot o money -- without batting an eye, or carefully monitor your intake and have had a light, rapid and invigorating lunch in an exquisite setting at a modest price. Must all good things really come to an end? " DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONE. 1980s BOSTON SEAFOOD COMPANY Restaurant Menu - Washington DC & St Louis | Collectibles, Paper, Menus | eBay! Parking in shopping center lot. Rather, it is siimple cooking with a deft touch to the sauces and special care in homey details. L $4.50-$6.75, D $4.50-$12.25. L, D $1.25-$8. Middle courses are a mixed bag, though at one day's lunch the crab cakes were stellar, and served with crisp stir-fried vegestables. Hours & Location. The dozen dishes run the gamut from Mideast (humos, a delicious rendition) to Deep South (barbecued spare-ribs, oversweetened but not bad). L $3.75-$5.75, D $5.25-$8.95. Drinks are enormous, but puffed up with fruit and ice. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted, suggested on weekends. With it, have fried potato skins. Parking lot. Yet such a warm and charming little nook o a restaurant might be worth stopping by for a drink. The gravlax is an extraordinary idea, the cured salmon charcoal-grilled very briefly, just so the surface is seared and the smoke has permeated the flesh. La Pagode 924 W. Broad St., Falls Church. Valet parking. Poets, jazz artists, comics, and punk acts jammed on the tiny stage of this club, once the heart of the city's underground. The food, however, remains best for a snack or light meal, Mexican food that is standard quality, or at least sinks to standard in its reheating a lunchtime. Full bar service. Mushroom soup has tasted like gray dishwater, rockfish has been overcooked to cryness, and a very pretty salad has been drowned in sweet dressing with chemical undertones. 337-8080. Closed Sun. Is 51 minutes enough time for connection? Sometimes the food is excellent, as with a spicy rillette or very fresh fish. Domino's Pizza. L daily ex Sat, D daily. L daily ex Sat, Sun, D daily. D $5.95-$8.75. AE, C, MC, V. Reservations accepted. L $5.25-$8.50, D $8.95-$15. The Palazzo Markham East Shopping Center, Annandale. Children's prices. L $2.50-$6.50, D $2.50 -$12. The Tides Lodge Irvington, Va. 804/438-6000. This moderately priced French bistro is sweeter looking than ever, with a mural covering one wall and old brick to contrast, a pressed tin ceiling and church pew banquettes. And even a welcome mat. 301/544-0227. No resrvations. Closed Sun. Free parking lot. Barring my encounters with indifferent appetizers and luncheon specials that were steamtable mush, the food is fine. Steet parking and nearby lots. Nothing changes at Crisfield except the prices. L, D daily. L daily ex Sat, D daily. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted. L, D daily. Closed Sun. 466-2022. L $3.75-$4.75, D $3.75-$8.75. Parking lot across the street after 6 p.m. Full bar service. Full bar service. Parking lot next door. FOR SALE! 671-2774. Ae, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Fellini's Pizza. Children's prices. L, D $2.95-$9.95. Full bar service. Full bar service. 338-1896. Street parking. L $2.50-$5.95, D $4.25-$8.50. One introduction to this white-washed, beamed and timbered inn is a good look at the impressive kitchen cadre through a front window. "Yes, it's in the back of a Chinese restaurant . The Sunset does not get so intense as to peel its own potatoes or bake its own pies, but it serves homemade food, up to a point. 659-1830. Home. Street parking. Even the chocolate mousse was dried out. D, D daily. L, D daily. You may also like: Zip codes with the most expensive homes in . Commercial parking lots. 965-2684. 296-3065. Children's prices No-smoking section. Reseravations suggested. Fresh as a garden is Nora's gathering place. Closed Sunday. Full bar service. The rates are rough and homey, soups fragrant, main dishes bold with garlic and shallots. Full bar service. L $3.50-$3.95, D $4.95-$6.95. Cheek by jowl to McDonald's on a fast-food highway is a lone white house that encloses an Italian restaurant of character, the kind that, small as it is, uses 20 pounds of garlic a week and butchers its own veal. L, D daily. Interesting, yes. Full bar service. L, D $4.95-$5.95. Full bar service. The menu has been revamped to concentrate on the house specialties, weeding out the chaff. 965-2350. No alcoholic beverages. Closed Tues, MC, V. No reservations. They include cha goi and two or three other dishes -- skewered beef, pork or chicken, carmel pork or chicken curry; turmeric baked fish with steamed quiche. The old faithful dishes are still excellent; sups and the creamy crabmeat veronique as appetizers. So order earthy rather than elegant dishes: dense, long-simmered minestrone rather than lemony fish salad that is just rings of squid with a few tiny, tasteless shrimp. Cedar Knoll Inn George Washington Memorial Pkwy., Mt. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Parking lot. D daily. Sunset 920 11th St. Full bar service. The focal point of the menu is the daily specials, most around $4 or $5 for large portions of good, simple French cooking. Service swings wildly from a great show of pulling out your chair to surly response to requests. garage. Full bar service. Location. Order spicy rather than subtle dishes, particularly wursts. Parking in adjacent lot. Closed Tues. AE, CB, MC, V. Reservations suggested. No reservations. 347-7100. Parking lot. Street parking. If there is a touch too much starch in a sauce here or there, the seasonings are always lively. The Prime Rib's specialty is self-explanatory, and it is excellent roast beef, tender and juicy and flavorful. Chez Juliette 1047 West Broad St., Falls Church. Marcel's by Robert Wiedmaier. Members who are knowledgeable about this destination and volunteer their time to answer travelers' questions. The Peasant Basket 3321 Connecticut Ave. NW. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted for five or more. The wine list is small, with the Winemsters cabernet an especially good buy. F. Scott's 1232 36th St. NW. Parking lot. Full bar service. No-smoking section. Jean-Louis The Watergate Hotel, 2650 Virginia Ave., NW. 548-1288. This is a homestyle restaurant, with waiters that are likely to befriend you, bone your fish and advise you how to reheat the leftovers they have insisted on wrapping. No credit cards. The hamburger costs all of 1.45, big, lean and spatula-flattened. See 23 photos, review amenities, and request a tour of the property today. L daily ex Sat, D daily. This is barbecue at its local best. One of the most attractive and ambitious Italian restaurants in town has succumbed to lassitude. Nora is full of clatter, its service rough-edged and harried. 683-4112. 337-4536. Full bar service. Thompson's Restaurant (1950s) 725 14th St., NW. The main dining room is tiled in terra cotta and topped with a mirrored ceiling. Full bar service. The fare is fair these days, though the pastries are more buttery, more delicate, more professional than ever. L $3.25-$4.95, D $5.95-$9.50. Dominique is the Ted Turner of French restaurateurs. L daily, D daily ex Sat. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. NW. Open daily. Parking lot. The brown and beige upstairs and downstairs rooms are close and cozy rather than grand, and the service is quietly competent. 232-8400. L $3.25-$4.75, D $6.95-$9.95. The Two Continents 1420 F St. NW. L daily ex Sat, D daily.Closed Sun. L $2.25-$3.95, D $3.25-$7.95. L daily ex Sat, D daily. L $1.50-$6.75, D $6.75-$10.50. Full bar service. L $5.95-$6.50, D $6.75-$9.50. L, D daily. A new mold for Oriental restaurants has been cast by Germaine's. The menu has remained small and interesting -- with oysters poached in orange butter and scallops or chicken livers served in boats of croissant or brioche as appetizers, and one-person souffles available for dessert -- and a mimeographed (thank goodness) list of appealing daily specials is included. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Fish is often a hightlight, and while the memu offers few surprises, familiar dishes are done uncommonly well. What matters more than the fact that this restaurant calls itself Hunanese is that it is a very good Chinese restaurant. Though they lose something in translation, the restaurant serves pretty good food in lush surroundings and serves it graciously. You might wish there were more than three shrimp, but you must admit they are good. D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Cool "Disco" Dan. The Hunan lamb and beef offer a brilliant interplay of pepper, vinegar and soy with a touch of sweetness that is uniquely Hunanese. 763-6553. A brisk, cheerful place to eat, La Brasserie allows the option of eating lightly or substantially, and inexpensively if you are careful. Gaithersburg. 956-2209.L $5.95-$8.95, D $9.25-$14.50. L, D daily. L $3.95-$5.50, D $5.25-$9.95. L $2.25-$3.95, D $5.85-$14.75. Service may require a bit of nudging, but is innately cheerful. lobster. The Big Cheese has, at its best, stood still and raised its prices while more sophisticated newcomers are serving better at lower prices. 966-8285. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. 290-9091. At Chrisfield you ought to know what to order, for the crab cakes are bready and heavily permeated with green pepper, and the broiled, baked or sauteed seafoods outshine any of the fried ones. Parking lot. Szechuan & Hunan has mastered the art of presenting vegetables crisp and meats and seafoods plump and moist. The metaphorosis of the Atlantic actually began in the late 1970s, when the building's then-owner, Paul Parsons, who made his money mostly renting out office space at rock-bottom prices that started at . Parking lot across the street. How do you get to Mt. Children's prices. No reservations. Kramerbooks & afterwords Brasserie 1912 I St. NW. The dining rooms are ample but still of intimate scale. Even with a couple of days to craft a response, Khalsa's camp delivered a statement inconsistent with his plea. L daily ex Sun, D daily. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted for parties of seven or more only.