Washington Post restaurant critic Tom Sietsema’s tenth annual dining guide is online—for real this time. Close watchers got a glimpse of the guide when it was inadvertently posted on the Post’s Web site at least four days early. “Since I never saw what went live, I’m not sure if that was my final FINAL list,” Sietsema told the Washington City Paper’s Tim Carman. Indeed, newcomer Eventide wound up with two and a half stars, not the early version’s three. The biggest surprise: Rasika, the Penn Quarter Indian hot spot, garnered four stars, putting it in the same ranks as CityZen, Komi, the Inn at Little Washington, and the tasting room at Restaurant Eve. Citronelle, which was downgraded to three and a half stars last year, was given the same rating this year.
Chef Sam Adkins is leaving Jackie’s after more than five years at the funky Silver Spring restaurant. And not by choice, he tells Tom Sietsema. Owner Jackie Greenbaum says that although Adkins is one of her “dearest” friends, “I think we reached the limitations of expression with one another.” No word yet on where Adkins will turn up next.
Lots of openings this week:
• The second branch of Taylor Gourmet opens today in the CityVista apartment complex in DC’s Mount Vernon Triangle.
• Kellari, a Greek import from New York, debuts on K Street in downtown DC, and Masa 14, a Latin/Asian collaboration (with tequila bar) between Richard Sandoval and Kaz Okuchi debuts on 14th Street, Northwest, near U Street.
• In Georgetown, you’ll find the new J. Chocolatier, which specializes in caramels and truffles. There’s a free tasting tonight from 6:30 to 9.
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, who owns seven DC restaurants including Rasika, Bibiana, and the Oval Room, made it onto GQ’s list of the 50 most powerful people in DC. The magazine calls him the “maestro of downtown power dining” and cites his boldface list of customers, from Rahm Emanuel to Karl Rove.
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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.
