Fresh Flavors: These restaurants are new on the scene but already making an impression

Doraku

This stylish Korean-owned sushi spot opened earlier this year in the corner space that housed the Cafe Europa. The new place has a loungey feel with sunken booths, cool light fixtures, and DJs spinning on weekend nights.

Sushi chefs fashion specialty rolls such as the Cherry Blossom—white tuna, salmon, and avocado topped with slices of tuna and drizzled with wasabi aïoli—that are as tasty as they are attractive. Lightly pan-seared gyoza stuffed with vegetables or pork are some of the best we’ve tried. The menu skews pan-Asian with the likes of pad Thai and gal bi (Korean barbecue). The vibe is festive: In addition to candy-colored cocktails, there are more than a dozen sakes.

7820 Norfolk Ave.; 301-654-7851. Entrées $12 to $32.

Gaffney’s

The football on TV and buddies erupting into cheers might make you skeptical of the flat-iron steak with Cabernet Sauvignon–mushroom sauce—and its $19 price tag. Fear not. Fried green tomatoes were crisp and nicely seasoned, pairing surprisingly well with their sprinkling of feta. Roast chicken (a good test for any kitchen) with a mustard-thyme sauce was homey and well executed. We’ll head back to try the Italian meatball sliders next time there’s a game on.

7141 Wisconsin Ave. Dinner entrées $22 to $29.

Redwood

Restaurateurs Eli Hengst and Jared Rager—owners of Capitol Hill’s Sonoma and, until recently, Mendocino Grille in Georgetown—have specialized in unpretentious spots where the focus is on the food and wine, not a flashy setting.

Their sprawling 315-seater in the sparkly new Bethesda Lane, done up with stretches of slate and marble, artfully arranged piles of firewood, and a frosted-glass mounting of a stag’s head, turns that formula on its head.

That’s not to say you can’t get a good bite. Although chef Andrew Kitko is still finding his footing (a recent chicken-liver spread—an old standard at Sonoma—was grainy), the charcuterie and cheese plates are sure bets, and the oversize burger, made with Maryland beef, is satisfying and juicy.

7121 Bethesda La.; 301-656-5515. Dinner entrées $13 to $44.

 
Woodmont Grill

Known as “the new Houston’s,” this clubby dining room is still owned by the chain’s parent company. Not much has changed—the decor is still comfy and low-lit, and the kitchen serves most of the menu favorites for which regulars are happy to take a beeper and wait.

Along with the classics—spinach-artichoke dip, a hearty bean-and-brown-rice veggie burger, tuna sashimi salad—there is a handful of new picks, such as pan-seared scallops with white-bean ragu and crisp-skinned rotisserie chicken over a pile of raisin-studded couscous. Another welcome addition is the live jazz that sets the mood each night.

7715 Woodmont Ave.; 301-656-9755. Entrées $11 to $30.

Modern Classics: Celebrating a special occasion—or looking for a great date spot? Check out these longtime favorites.

Black’s Bar and Kitchen

Jeff and Barbara Black—the hitmakers behind the popular BlackSalt in DC’s Palisades, Addie’s in North Bethesda, and Black Market in Garrett Park—have owned this downtown Bethesda spot for more than a decade.

Two years ago, they gave it a needed makeover—gone is the rickety porch, and in its place is a shimmering reflecting pool—and spruced up the menu with American dishes that carry a whiff of trendiness.

Beet salads are on seemingly every menu these days, but the one here, reimagined as beet tartare, is a standout with finely chopped red and gold beets flanked by a small wedge of aged goat cheese. Wide ribbons of house-made pappardelle with dates, mushrooms, and cubes of pork jowl are addictive comfort food. And a seared filet of sturgeon takes a lovely autumnal turn with walnut cream and apples.

The downer is dessert, once the restaurant’s strong suit. Since the departure of pastry whiz Janelle Birdsall, the sweets have become simplified and uninspired.

7750 Woodmont Ave.; 301-652-5525. Dinner entrées $24 to $33.

Grapeseed

Eight years ago—long before the wine-bar trend exploded in DC—chef Jeff Heineman opened this California-style bistro that takes its cellar as seriously as its kitchen. He was the first in the area to offer half-glass pours and tasting flights, and he managed to build an impressive list of bottles despite Montgomery County’s restrictive wine laws.

Last year, Heineman doubled the size of the dining room, adding floor-to-ceiling windows, an attractive bar with views into the kitchen, and two private dining rooms—great for private parties.

The food is still some of the best in Bethesda, from a pot of bouchot mussels to a chocolate crémeux. Though the menu changes often, one appetizer has become something of a signature: cornmeal-crusted chicken livers served with seasonal accompaniments, recently a poblano-and-bell-pepper jelly. The livers are flawlessly fried and worth every calorie.

4865 Cordell Ave.; 301-986-9592. Dinner entrées $25 to $38.

Persimmon

The folks behind Persimmon know how to set the stage for fine dining. Rich orange walls and interesting artwork create a warm, romantic space that still feels modern.

The American bistro has a passionate following, perhaps because of the classic mussels with white wine, garlic, and lemon or the crab cakes paired with roasted-corn hash and sweet-corn sauce. The beef tenderloin is also impressive, topped with a stack of fried onion rings and flanked by sautéed spinach and mashed potatoes.

7003 Wisconsin Ave.; 301-654-9860. Dinner entrées $20 to $28.

Raku

This always-humming dining room does Asian fusion better than most. Oversize chopsticks and pop-hue parasols hang from the rafters, making the space feel like an edgy art gallery.

The menu careens from inexpensive noodle bowls (you get a choice of udon, soba, or egg noodles) like coconut red curry to pricier entrées such as wok-charred sea bass, five-spice duck breast, and a Thai-curry bouillabaisse. Raku does sushi too—tuna tartare with lemon basil sauce is an attention getter—and rolls like What a Match! with apple and mackerel. Skip dessert, which is not up to the rest of the menu.

7240 Woodmont Ave.; 301-718-8680. Entrées $8.50 to $29.95.

Rock Creek Bethesda

Lots of restaurant fare is larded with more fat, cream, and salt than you’d imagine. At this usually packed dining room, the kitchen takes pains to prove that low calorie doesn’t equal low flavor.

Most dishes have less than 600 calories, even the chocolate cake with whipped cream. We’d be fans of the slow-cooked miso salmon, the crab cakes with celery-root slaw, and the chipotle-rubbed pacu ribs even if we didn’t know they were so good for us.

4917 Elm St.; 301-907-7625. Dinner entrées $18 to $41.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

For a sure thing, head to the Bethesda outpost of this national powerhouse for a juicy T-bone or a hefty New York strip, both finished with butter and served sizzling hot. The carefully choreographed experience begins as you walk through the dining room, where all servers greet you as they pass.

The food is good, too, including a delicious rendition of a retro classic: mushrooms stuffed with crab, garlic, Romano, and parsley. The sweet-potato casserole for two—crusted with pecans and, we’re guessing, a whole mess of butter—had us dueling with our spoons. If the boss is buying, end with a crème brûlée (or another sweet-potato casserole) for dessert. Free valet parking is available on Elm Street.

7315 Wisconsin Ave., 301-652-7877. Entrées $21 to $64.

Casual and Easy on the Wallet: Places to drop by for a spur-of-the-moment meal

Mia’s Pizzas

Former Pizzeria Paradiso employee Melissa Ballinger opened her tiny, sun-yellow pizza shop two years ago, and it has quickly become known for putting out some of the tastiest pies not just in Bethesda but in the whole Washington area.

The Margherita is a thing of simple beauty, with careful applications of buffalo mozzarella, Parmesan-infused tomato sauce, and fresh basil. It’s the best way to take in the fabulous, yeasty crust.

But more offbeat creations—an Alsatian-inspired layering of Gruyère, caramelized onions, and pancetta, or a pileup of sausage, pepperoni, and mushrooms—make it tough to choose. Round out your meal with deviled eggs, abundant salads, and a confection from the cupcake tower on the bar.

4926 Cordell Ave.; 301-718-6427. Entrées and pizzas $7.95 to $16.95.

Passage to India

Tapping into the exoticism of E.M. Forster’s novel of the same name, chef/owner Sudhir Seth draws from the cuisines of North, South, East, and West in this elegant eatery done up with wood carvings, sepia photos of the days of the Raj, and even a weathered temple door or two.

Parsi-style lamb is enlivened with apricots and straw potatoes. Tender baby eggplants bob in a rich sesame-peanut gravy. More offbeat are the garlicky goat curry, a curry of lotus stems and peas, and shredded carrots in seasoned yogurt, a cool condiment to counter the fire in many of these dishes. The samplers—an array of appetizers, main courses, sides, and dessert sent out on silver platters—are generous enough for two and a bargain at around $25.

4931 Cordell Ave.; 301-656-3373. Entrées $13.95 to $21.95.

Faryab

Bethesda is packed with overcrowded, sceney spots that are as much about looks as food (sometimes more). This sparely appointed Afghan gem is a respite from all that.

That’s not to say you won’t wait for a table or that you won’t need a reservation (especially on weekends). The homey, pretention-free cooking runs from starters such as mantu—free-form, meat-filled dumplings doused with tart yogurt—and aushak, their scallion-filled cousins, to fluffy, spice-studded rice pilafs and garlic-punched vegetable stews. The weak link? Kebabs, surprisingly, which tend to be dry.

4917 Cordell Ave.; 301-951-3484. Entrées $13 to $20.

Olazzo

Downtown DC has no shortage of high-end Italian spots where you can be showered with all the Alba truffles your heart desires. But a good chicken parm? You have to come to Bethesda for that.

This dark little dining room, which doesn’t take reservations and is usually overflowing, serves mammoth portions of Sunday-at-Grandma’s cooking. There’s a crispy chicken Milanese, a lasagna Bolognese that’ll yield plenty of leftovers, and a chicken Cardinale draped with tomatoey cream sauce. You have to pay extra for garlic bread, but green-leaf salads come free.

7921 Norfolk Ave., 301-654-9496. Dinner entrées $12 to $17.

Jaleo

The Bethesda branch of celebrity chef José Andrés’s tapas restaurant is a big, loud, bilevel space with a crazy sloping ceiling (an ode to Spanish architect Antonio Gaudi) and buzzing bar scene. Fino sherries (the traditional quaff with tapas), boutique Spanish wines, and small plates both clever and classic evoke the cuisine of Spain.

Jamón Ibérico, sliced paper-thin, is worth the $12 price tag and makes a rarefied anchor for a platter of Spanish cheeses and cured meats. The Spanish potato omelet, called tortilla, is the most iconic of tapas, but the fried egg with a dollop of caviar speaks to the inventive streak in the kitchen.

Also worthwhile: pork cheeks in a tart orange sauce, cauliflower and olives with smoked paprika, salt-cod fritters to swipe in honey aïoli, and the silkiest of flans. There are bargains for early birds: a happy hour with drink specials from 5 to 7 on weekdays and a pretheater deal, three courses for $25 from 5 to 7 Tuesday through Sunday.

7271 Woodmont Ave.; 301-913-0003. Tapas $5.50 to $12, paella $30 to $42 (serves four).