Why go: Vintage maps and photos of Hemingway—the place is named for a character in For Whom the Bell Tolls—give the place charm, but it also has substance: The cleverly conceived small plates are of the moment—and wonderful.
What to get: The menu changes daily, but recent winners have been delicate pea shoots with fennel and a tangerine vinaigrette; a Spanish tortilla with goat cheese; an earthy stew of chicken braised with bacon and garlic; seared scallops with maple/balsamic-glazed beets and Meyer lemon; grilled banana bread with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of toffee.
Best for: Diners as culinarily adventurous as they are fiscally cautious.
Insider tip: Every Tuesday, general manager Adam Bernbach holds “cocktail sessions” during which he creates five offbeat cocktails.
See all Cheap Eats 2008 restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
