Lapis

Souk-chic decor, smart cocktails, and heaping plates of soulful Afghan cuisine make this intimate Adams Morgan dining room one of the most sought-after date spots in town. Flatbreads with vegetable and meat fillings go well with sips such as a cardamom-scented gin cocktail with frothy egg whites. Vegetable dishes are stellar, whether melty eggplant with tomato demiglace or a half-moon of pumpkin with garlic sour cream. There are delicate meat, shrimp, or leek dumplings drizzled with yogurt; thick lamb chops crusted with herbs; and qabili palow, a gently spiced pile of basmati, shredded carrots, and currants. House-pickled torshi and cucumber yogurt elevate every dish.