Bethesda Row, a glitzy block of shops and restaurants, is putting on its own Restaurant Week promotion. From April 26 through May 2, eight restaurants—including Assaggi, Jaleo, and Redwood—are offering $15 lunch menus and $30 dinner menus. We have all the details on who’s participating and what they’re serving.
Assaggi
The plates here are rustic, regional, and evocative of the trattorias of Italy.
Lunch ($12) includes an entrée and dessert.
Lunch main courses: Ravioli—stuffed with spinach and ricotta—in a butter-sage sauce; blue bass with garbanzo-bean cream and sautéed broccoli rabe; panino with Sicilian tuna, fennel, and olive-and-tarragon salsa.
Lunch dessert: Gelato with house-made cantucci (biscotti); carrot cake with lemon-cream sauce.
Dinner ($15$30) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Dinner appetizers: Grilled calamari stuffed with spelt, Swiss chard, and squid-ink sauce; crispy hearts of Romaine with bagna cauda dressing and grissini; ravioli—stuffed with spinach and ricotta—with butter-sage sauce.
Dinner main courses: Blue bass with braised lentil and red-wine reduction; risotto with mushrooms and sliced veal roast; Muscovy duck leg stuffed with Swiss chard, marsala-wine sauce, cinnamon potatoes, and carrots.
Dinner dessert: Ricotta cheesecake; yogurt mousse with fresh berry purée.
Jaleo
This tapas house from chef José Andrés shows off Spanish delicacies.
Lunch ($15) includes one item from each of the three sections.
Lunch sopas y ensaladas: Classic gazpacho; caramelized-onion-and-thyme soup with a poached egg and Idiazábal cheese; endive with goat cheese, oranges, and almonds; mixed greens with Idiazábal cheese, anchovies, and garlic-anchovy dressing; a salad with red beets, citrus, Picón cheese, pistachios, and sherry dressing; a salad with tuna, fingerling potatoes, green beans, tomatoes, and hard-boiled eggs.
Lunch frituras: Chicken croquetas; fried fingerling potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aïoli; mildly spicy chorizo wrapped in crispy potato; mushrooms sautéed with garlic and herbs; fried dates wrapped in bacon; sliced apples and fennel with Manchego cheese, walnuts, and Sherry dressing; shrimp sautéed with garlic and guindilla pepper.
Lunch pescados y carnes: Seared trout wrapped in Serrano ham; fried squid served with aïoli; seared scallops with butternut-squash purée, clementines, and pumpkin seeds; pork loin with roasted onion and Cabrales sauce; grilled pork sausage with sautéed white beans; grilled chicken with parsley purée and garlic sauce.
Dinner ($30) includes one item from each of the five sections.
Dinner sopas y ensaladas: Classic gazpacho; caramelized-onion-and-thyme soup with a poached egg and Idiazábal cheese; endive with goat cheese, oranges, and almonds; mixed greens with Idiazábal cheese, anchovies, and garlic-anchovy dressing; a salad with red beets, citrus, Picón cheese, pistachios, and sherry dressing; toasted bread brushed with fresh tomatoes and Manchego cheese.
Dinner verduras: Roasted sweet onions, pine nuts, and Valdeón cheese; sautéed spinach, pine nuts, raisins, and apples; seared piquillo peppers filled with goat cheese; Moorish stew of garbanzos and spinach; wild-mushroom rice with Idiazábal cheese; grilled asparagus with romesco sauce.
Dinner frituras: Chicken croquetas; fried fingerling potatoes with spicy tomato sauce and aïoli; mildly spicy chorizo wrapped in crispy potato; mushrooms sautéed with garlic and herbs; fried dates wrapped in bacon; Spanish omelet with potatoes and onions; shrimp sautéed with garlic and guindilla pepper.
Dinner pescados y carnes: Seared salmon with cauliflower purée and pomegranate; fried squid served with aïoli; seared scallops with butternut-squash purée, clementines, and pumpkin seeds; pork loin with roasted onion and Cabrales sauce; grilled pork sausage with sautéed white beans; grilled chicken with parsley purée and garlic sauce.
Dinner postres: Spanish custard with Catalan cream and oranges; chocolate/hazelnut mousse torte; a selection of homemade ice cream or sorbets with traditional Catalan crisp.
Lebanese Taverna
This Middle Eastern eatery is serving an array of lunchtime mezze platters.
Lunch ($15) includes an entrée, dessert, and iced tea or soda.
Lunch main courses: Choice of mezze platter—traditional (tabouleh, falafel, m’saka—eggplant and chickpeas); vegetarian (m’saka, baba ghannouge, hommos); Mediterranean (meat pastries, roasted eggplant, fattoush).
Lunch dessert: Baklava.
Dinner ($30) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Dinner appetizer: House salad.
Dinner main courses: Rack of lamb marinated with garlic and rosemary and served with cherry-Cabernet reduction, whole-wheat burghul pilaf, fava beans, and grape tomatoes.
Dinner dessert: Lebanese doughnuts with honey-saffron syrup and yogurt-milk pudding.
Le Pain Quotidien
The Bethesda outpost of this organic international cafe/boulangerie is meant for lingering and grazing.
Lunch ($15) includes an appetizer and entrée.
Lunch appetizers: Soup of the day; shrimp with mango-and-avocado crème; mixed-greens salad.
Lunch main courses: Turkey club sandwich; tuna niçoise salad.
Mon Ami Gabi
This French-bistro chain throws in a profiterole for a sweet ending at lunch.
Lunch ($15) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Lunch appetizers: Soup of the day; mixed-greens salad with olive vinaigrette; chicken-liver-mousse pâté with red-wine mustard and toast.
Lunch main courses: Ham-and-cheese crêpe; whole-wheat/chive crêpe with Dijon and frisée salad; cheeseburger with pommes frites; short-rib sandwich with pommes frites; and a grilled chees
e sandwich—made with blue, Brie, Gruyère, and cheddar—served with pommes frites.
Lunch desserts: Single profiterole.
For dinner ($30), you may choose an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Dinner appetizers: Soup of the day; mixed-greens salad with olive vinaigrette; chicken-liver mousse pâté with red-wine mustard and toast; a cheese board with warm Brie, black-pepper honey, hazelnuts, and crostini.
Dinner main courses: Steak frites with your choice of preparation (classic, au poivre, Bordelaise, Roquefort, Béarnaise, or Dijon); lemon-chicken paillard with French green beans and lemon butter; seared salmon with melted fennel, diced celery root, and lemon crème fraîche.
Dinner desserts: Flourless chocolate cake served warm; chocolate mousse; sorbet du jour.
Parker’s Classic American
When it comes to lunch entrées, the choices here are nearly unlimited.
Lunch ($15) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Lunch appetizers: Salad (house, wedge, or Caesar); soup of the day; roasted-tomato/lager soup.
Lunch main courses: Choose any burger, sandwich, or entrée salad from the regular menu.
Lunch desserts: Single-scoop ice-cream sundae; Key-lime pie.
Dinner ($30) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Dinner appetizers: Salad (house, wedge, or Caesar); soup of the day; roasted-tomato/lager soup; calamari with cherry peppers.
Dinner main courses: Fresh fish of the day; filet mignon served over mashed red potatoes; grilled chicken kebabs with zucchini, red onions, and honey-soy ginger sauce.
Dinner dessert: Choose any dessert from the regular menu.
Raku
The dinner choices at this shoebox-size place span the pan-Asian menu.
Lunch ($15) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Lunch appetizers: Mesclun salad; ginger-and-pumpkin soup.
Lunch main courses: Japanese hamburger steak; Korean-grilled spicy chicken; assorted sushi.
Lunch dessert: Croissant pudding or chocolate cake.
For dinner ($30), Raku is offering its entire menu. You may choose from three of the following groups: soup/salad, appetizer, entrée, dessert.
Redwood
Farm-to-table principles drive this California-mod spot.
Lunch ($15) includes an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Lunch appetizers: Soup of the day; house salad.
Lunch main courses: Duck bánh mì sandwich; tortellini with spring-vegetable pistou.
Lunch dessert: Ice-cream sandwich.
For dinner ($30), you may choose an appetizer, entrée, and dessert.
Dinner appetizers: Soup of the day; house salad.
Dinner main courses: Market fish with spring-vegetable tart, English-pea pesto, and shaved Parmesan; rotisserie Amish chicken with truffled macaroni and cheese and grilled asparagus.
Dinner dessert: Ice-cream sandwich.
Subscribe to Washingtonian
Follow Washingtonian on Twitter
Follow the Best Bites Bloggers on Twitter at twitter.com/bestbitesblog
More>> Best Bites Blog | Food & Dining | Restaurant Finder
