Tuesday, September 18 at 11 AM

Where can you get a three-star experience at one-star prices? Which hot new
restaurant merits the scorching hype? The answer to all these questions
and more can be found Tuesdays at 11 AM on Kliman Online.

From scoping out scruffy holes in the wall to weighing the merits of
four-star wanna-bes, from scouring the ‘burbs and exurbs to hitting the
city’s streets, Todd Kliman covers a lot of territory. Winner of a James
Beard Foundation Award in 2005 for the country’s best newspaper column
about food, Kliman is food and wine editor and restaurant critic for The Washingtonian. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper’s, The Oxford American, The Daily Beast and Men’s Health, among others, and he has been selected four times for inclusion in the Best Food Writing anthologies. He is the author of The Wild Vine,
a literary exploration of two entwined mysteries: an obscure grape that
rose to prominence, only to disappear, and its present-day evangelist, a
foul-mouthed transgendered multi-millionaire vintner on an obsessive
quest to restore the legend of an antebellum southern doctor.

Can’t wait a week to talk to Todd? Follow him on Twitter for dining reports, tips, and breaking news from the culinary world.

W H E R E   I ‘ M   E A T I N G   N O W   .  .  .

H and Pizza, DC
DIY,
conveyor-belt, personal-pan pizza sounds like one of those slick,
market-tested concepts that’s more about novelty than deliciousness. But
this cramped, often-thronged H St. newcomer is a surprise—it’s novel
and delicious (and cheap and fun). The oblong crusts (there’s a choice
of three doughs, including multi-grain and whole wheat) are thin and
crunchy, and if you opt for the tomato sauce (options there, too) you’ll
be reminded of the sweet zestiness of a by-the-slice New York pie. I’d
urge you to sublimate your need to DIY (not the easiest thing when the
pie assemblers behind the counter are willing to pile on as many
toppings as you want) and stick to their preset combinations — a simple
meatball and cheese, say, or a veggie-heavy version loaded up with
eggplant, mushrooms, peppers and a cracked egg. The dessert
pizza—nutella, strawberries, dollops of mascarpone and a sprinkling of
almonds—is superior to nearly every attempt of this kind I’ve had.

Cavo’s Cantina, Rockville
Tex-Mex
is among the cuisines this area has never really done very well, and
the recent spate of restaurants devoted to pumping out authentic
regional Mexican cooking is only likely to make it more of an
afterthought. What this low-lit, L-shaped cantina reminds us, is that
done well, few meals are as festive or as satisfying. Cavo’s won’t wow
you, but, aside from some service lapses, it gets almost all of the
important things right—thin, crispy chips and homemade salsa; strong
margaritas; a tasty tortilla soup; good fajitas; excellent chicken
enchiladas. There are even a number of desserts, including the
creamy-crispy cajeta, that are much better than they need to be.

Izakaya Seki, DC
Arguably
the most exciting restaurant to debut this year. Hiroshi Seki and his
daughter, Cizuka Seki, have fashioned a spare, intimate izakaya from a
former barber shop on V St. It’s a no-frills setting that suggests a
gallery and serves as an ideal backdrop for beautifully simple dishes
that all but command you to slow down and focus. Hop a seat at the
wraparound counter that consumes the entirety of downstairs to watch
Seki, a sushi master with 50 years experience, work with grace, speed,
economy and calm as he executes his repertoire with a small team of
cooks: thick slices of veal-tender beef tongue with a painting of
mustard-miso sauce; succulent filets of grilled mero, the Japanese term
for Chilean sea bass; springy soba noodles with flakes of nori and
tempura; and some of the most exquisite cuts of aji (horse mackerel) and
yellowtail you’ll find.
 

Vin 909 Winecafe, Annapolis
I
feasted on a couple of superlative pizzas not long ago, and they didn’t
come from 2 Amys, Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza, Pupatella, Moroni &
Brother’s, Comet, Orso, Haven Pizzeria, Graffiato or Menomale. They
came from the kitchen at this always-swarmed, no-reservations wine bar,
housed in a restored craftsman bungalow just over the bridge from
Annapolis in tiny Eastport. The key players are Alex Manfredonia, who
works the front of the (tiny) house, and Justin Moore; the pair met
working at a restaurant in San  Francisco, and headed east to take over
the space previously occupied by Wild Orchid Cafe. Moore and his team
produce a crust that’s close to perfect—thin, marvelously hillocked,
chewy where it needs to be and crispy everywhere else, and hit with just
enough salt. The Margherita is more heavily dressed than is usual, but
it’s excellent, and so is an unlikely concoction of baked beans,
Tillamook cheese, fontina and coleslaw. Don’t miss the spin on a lobster
roll, with creamy, chive-flecked crab salad tucked between two griddled
squares of bread; there’s a cup of seafood bisque for dunking.

Blue Duck Tavern, DC
On
my Twitter feed last week, I teased the news that made a “massive and
exciting leap,” then sat back and watched the guesses pour in. No one
came up with the right place, and to be honest, if I hadn’t been there
to enjoy it, I would never have guessed, either. Sebastien Archambault
is a major talent, and without overhauling the menu or concept has given
a restaurant that had slid dangerously close to irrelevance in the past
year or so the kiss of life.

El Chucho Cocina Superior, DC 
When
it’s on, an exhilarating tour through the intricate, layered flavors of
regional Mexican cooking, backed by a long list of cocktails,
margaritas, sipping tequilas and mezcals. Early hits: a smoky grilled
corn cob impaled on a skewer, spritzed with lime, rolled in grated
cheese and dusted with queso fresco; the tongue-shaped chips known as
huaraches, topped with crumbled queso fresco and pickled onions and
served with a sublime dark mole; a torta, or sub, that impersonates a
Manwich and a Chicago beef sandwich all at once—chopped adobo pork
dredged in a spicy Arbol chili sauce, garnished with black beans,
onions, avocado and chihuahua cheese and then submerged in that same
sauce again before serving (forgo the accompanying plastic gloves and
give in to the sloppy lusciousness). 

Menomale, DC 
Of
the crop of Neapolitan-style pizzerias that made their debut sometime in
the past year, I’m most partial to this tiny Brookland operation, a
joint venture of hophead Leland Estes and pizzaiolo Ettore Rusciano.
Rusciano is a passionate craftsman, with an eye for balance (the best of
these pies are chewy where they need to be and crispy where they need
to be), a respect for proportionality, and an understanding of the
importance of salt. That same great dough is used for the tasty calzones
and sandwiches. You can even sample it in the must-order starter, the
affetata, an attractive selection of meats and cheeses. 

Green Pig Bistro, Arlington
One
of the best and most intriguing of the current crop of Hipster
Farmhouse restaurants (dishtowel napkins, bluegrass in the air,
repurposed wood and yard-sale tchochkes throughout). The chef, Scot
Harlan, an alumnus of the kitchen at Inox, cooks with precision and
clarity, making light of a plate of crispy pig tacos (the pig, here, is
salty, crunchy matchsticks of julienned ears) and even a country-style
pate. There’s a fantastic drinks menu, and a not-bad selection of
Virginia wines, including a  Michael Shaps Cab Franc that sells for $5 a
glass; it’s a perfect match for the rich, porky treats.  

Moa, Rockville 
You’d
never find it if you weren’t looking for it. Situated in the
fascinating industrial sector of Rockville, amid a slew of old
warehouses and specialty supply stores, this cozy Korean mom ‘n’ pop is
about as hidden as hidden gems get. The cooking is vivid and
punchy—great bibimbap, served several ways, along with a parade of
soups, noodle dishes and stir frys. Order a soju to wash it all down;
the mango and watermelon are fresh and gently sweet, a good counterpart
to the garlicky intensity of the food.

Maple Avenue, Vienna
Some
diners might be skeptical of splurging for $20 + entrees in a tiny,
repurposed diner where the 8 tables are wedged together so closely the
room can feel like one big dinner party when the drinks are flowing.
Others might be skeptical of the menu, which bends in a dozen different
directions, implying a kitchen with a scattered,
be-everything-to-everyone vision— which is to say, no vision at all. But
this is a surprisingly focused restaurant —and a surprisingly rewarding
one, too, a place that feels like a personal statement, backed by an
amiable staff that clearly aims to send you away smiling. The chef and
owner, Tim Ma, does his part, too. He makes a mean shrimp and grits, and
his beef cheek sandwich with beer battered fries is one of the best
simple plates around. Don’t miss the bread pudding.

Fiola, DC
Fabio
Trabocchi’s edge-of-Penn Quarter restaurant has put its tentative
beginnings behind it. The dishes emerging from the brick-framed,
herb-potted kitchen find the prodigiously talented chef moving further
and further from the controlled elegance of his work at the late
Maestro. They also find him cooking with a renewed confidence and
conviction. The best of these plates—an astonishingly flavorful ragu of
wild hare with thick bands of papardelle, a double-cut,
prosciutto-wrapped veal chop with toasted hazelnuts that accent the
sweetness and nuttiness of the meat, a bowl of tender meatballs in a
tomato sauce that frankly puts most Italian grandmothers to shame—marry
rusticity with refinement. Desserts—including a fabulous cone of
sugar-dusted bomboloni, with pots of apple marmalade and cinnamon
gelato—remain a rousing finish.

Mintwood Place, DC
Perry’s
owner Saied Azali was lucky to land Cedric Maupillier, formerly the   
chef at Central and before that the chef de cuisine at Citronelle, for
his rusticky new bistro. The Toulon native is doing typically great
work—cranking out lovingly faithful renditions of such bistro classics
as cassoulet (see if you can finish it without two glasses of wine) and
steak tartare (the tiny, crunchy tater tots on top are a clever allusion
to his old boss, Michel Richard) as well as offering up some sly, smart
takes on tradition (frogs’ legs with black walnut romesco, a lamb
tongue moussaka). There’s a whole boneless dorade with picholine olives
and braised fennel that’s a knockout—beautifully conceived, perfectly
executed.

East Pearl, Rockville
A
superlative addition to the unofficial Chinatown of northern Rockville,
this cheery, subtly modish restaurant is turning out uncommonly
clean-tasting versions of standard Hong Kong-style fare, including
shrimp dumpling soup, shrimp with walnuts, and soyed chicken—all
spectacular. And don’t miss a Shanghai-style noodle dish that brings
together angel hair, roast pork, shrimp, green onions and a generous
spoonful of yellow curry powder into a light, greaseless and remarkably
vivid whole.

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Van Ness:

One more: the hip-stare.

“I asked about our table and s/he gave me the hip-stare”

Todd Kliman

I like it …

Always room for one more. Just like there’s always room for jello.

Incidentally, who grew up hearing that—that there’s “always room for jello?” I was talking to someone recently, can’t remember who, and she had never heard that expression.

Producer’s note: See the contest from last week’s chat if you don’t know what Van Ness is referring to.

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DC:

With two little ones under the age of 3 at home, my husband and I rarely (if ever!) make it out to dinner, so we’ve decided to try to do a nice lunch date once a month or so.

We both work downtown near the White House. I’ve just returned from my summer maternity leave – anything new open up that we should consider? We love all kinds of food —at the top of my list now is the new Rasika.

Where else should we go?

Todd Kliman

It’s not new, but the chef at Blue Duck Tavern—Sebastien Archambault—is new-ish.

And he’s given that place a much-needed IV. I had a terrific meal there not long ago, best I’ve had at Blue Duck since shortly after it opened. In fact, to be perfectly honest, that recent meal was the best meal I’ve ever had in that restaurant.

I think it’d be a good choice for you two. There’s something about having a leisurely, pampering lunch that feels special — more special, somehow, than the same experience at dinner.

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Woodley Park:

Hi Todd,

Big fan. Longtime follower of the chats. Back in January, you suggested Level in Annapolis. We went, it was delicious. In fact, we went again for my birthday in August. Very tasty tuna tartare and interesting lamb dish, too.

Every Fall, I head to Midland, VA with my wife to a farm for pumpkins and the most delicious homemade ice cream ever made. Any suggestions for a tasty lunch while we are out there? I looked at the menu for nearby Poplar Springs Inn— but that seemed too fancy for a casual afternoon when we had just eaten our dessert first, on a farm.

Thanks for your great tips!

Todd Kliman

Thank you!

I’ve got something that’s almost at the exact opposite end, which might not be what you’re looking for, either. But there’s a good taqueria off 28, Taqueria Jasmine, that I’ve been to a couple of times. Can’t go wrong there.

Anybody else have any recs for out that way?

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Best Italian Restaurants:

Todd,

Besides Villa Mozart what Italian restaurants can you recommend in NOVA, especially in North Arlington, McLean, Vienna, and Falls Church?

Thanks.

Todd Kliman

Well, there’s Capri and Assagi in McLean, both of which I sort-of, kind-of recommend.

There’s Bonaroti in Vienna, which is very decent, if expensive.

Tutto Bene in Arlington I kind of like …

Are you picking up on my great and unbounded enthusiasm—? : )

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Arlington, VA:

Hi Todd,

Love your chats—your recommendations never steer me wrong! The hubby and I are headed to Charlottesville for a wedding on the 22nd and planning to make a long weekend of it. We’ll have time for a few wineries, plus a couple of lunches and one dinner out. On the list so far we have Barboursville and Veritas (and Keswick? DelFosse?), Feast (lunch), and Peter Chang’s China Grill (dinner).

What do you think—any mistakes on that list? Omissions? Would really appreciate your feedback, especially on whether China Grill would still make the top of your list…

Todd Kliman

No mistakes that I see.

I’d try to hit Keswick and Delfosse, if you have a chance. And maybe Blenheim is your fifth.

I will say that if I were going to Peter Chang’s China Grill, I would want to know that Peter Chang was in the kitchen that day.

I would think hard about Tavola, for Italian, and I would add — for a quick fuel-up before heading north — either Bodo’s Bagels (seriously; a great bagel place) or Revolutionary Soup, or both.

Thanks for the nice words, by the way …

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Oakton, VA:

We just moved to the area for Minneapolis where our Friday night ritual was dinner at a local fast-casual Italian chain, D’Amicos. We loved the family friendly atmosphere, the food was wonderful, there was rarely a wait, and you just couldn’t beat their bottomless glass of wine. I was hoping you could direct me to something similar out here? We’ve discovered Fairfax Corner, and have found the dining options there to be only so-so. Our preference is something fast-casual, local and family friendly.

Thanks!
Laura

Todd Kliman

Welcome to the area, and I’m glad to know you’ve already discovered the chat …

That’s a tough one to hit me with right out of the box—finding a place that will deliver something of the experience you describe.

Bottomless glass of wine—wow. Can’t have been great wines, but still—just the idea of that …

You’re close to Merrifield—do you like Vietnamese? It’s not fast-casual and not a chain, but Four Sisters is very family-accommodating, the space is warm and inviting, and the cooking’s varied and good.

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West End:

Hi Todd,

I’ll be traveling in Zurich and Munich next week. Do you or any of the readers out there have recommendations for restaurants, bars, bakeries, chocolate shops, anything that shouldn’t be missed? In Munich, we’ll be spending most of our time at the Oktoberfest tents, so suggestions for Zurich would be particularly great.

Thanks for the chats! They’re always a pleasure to read.

Todd Kliman

Chatters—?

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Logan Circle, DC:

Hi Todd

Looking for a good brunch place for Saturday to take a friend from out of town….trying to think of something new or creative. Good food is a must, drinks are of less importance as I think we will have big plans for the rest of the day. El Chucho’s new brunch was my first thought but as they don’t start until 11:30 we’d be getting a late start on the day. Thoughts? Thanks!

Todd Kliman

Estadio?

Birch & Barley?

Seasons in the Four Seasons—though it’s quite steep: $80 per. (Fantastic from-scratch ceviche station, though, plus limitless Jonah crab claws, raw oysters, pastry, desserts, etc.)

Would you be willing to cross the river into Virginia? There’s Maple Avenue in Vienna and Vermilion in Old Town.

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Van Ness:

Hey Todd,

My best bite over the past several weeks: the Spanish white anchovies on grilled bread at Bar Pilar. A thick slab of grilled bread (who doesn’t like grilled bread?), topped with five or six anchovies, not those shriveled brown things you find on bad pizza, but plump and briney, popping with flavor. So simple, yet so good. Made one wish for a sun-dappled terrace over looking the Mediterranean.

Todd Kliman

That’s one of my favorite things to get there.

Another favorite, which I haven’t seen in a while — a slab of grilled bread topped with a soft cooked egg and garnished with ikura, aka salmon roe. Egg on egg, and you don’t need any salt. Kind of brilliant.

I’d love to have that again.

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Naeem:

Toosso, Pakistani Kitchen: Located in sterling in the Regal Cineman shopping center. they make fresh roti rolls, which contain either chicken, beef (reshimi kabob) or vegetables (Channa Masala) inside the roti. They are inexpensive ($4 a roll) and an individual could easily eat two-three by themselves.

The roti themselves are fresh, light and tasty. Some of the better roti being made in the DMV.

The decor is nice as well. Not like your average kabob restaurant. I like say that these new kabob/desi restaurants that are opening fall under what I call “kabob 2.0.” Growing up in this area the first kabob restaurants to open did not really care for design and decor. They were primarily focused on serving good food without any thought to decor. Today, when you go to some of the newer and more recent “kabob” (I am lumping them into one category of course you can seperate them out furthere and distinguish them) restaurants these new breed of restaurant owners have taken the time to incorporate thought into the design as well. which is good in my opinion. To me it shows the evolultion and progress that these “kabob” restaurants are hoping to making in hopes of attracting a wide range of people to their restaurants.

Toosso accomplishes this by using old steel milk jugs as bar stools that are used in Pakistan and India. These containers are used by the milk man to deliver milk to people’s homes. They pull up on their bicycle or cart and someone from the house gives them their own milk jug and the milk man’s fills theirs up. Toosso also imported many different types of bottle caps from the different types of sodas that are sold in Pakistan and placed them on their wall to create a unique design, which catches the diner’s eye.

I hope people who live in the Aterling area get a chance to go over to Toosso and see for themselves if they like it as much as I did.

As always, love the weekly chat!

Todd Kliman

Can’t wait to get out there and give it a try.

Thanks, Naeem.

(I guess you decided to give the place a boost and broadcast that wonderful tip you sent me this weekend ; )

Did you ever make it to Punjabi by Nature, the fast food outlet in the Lotte Plaza in Chantilly?

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Brunch in NoVa:

just had a fabulous brunch at Lyon Hall – pulled pork poached eggs and heirloom tomatoes with fresh ricotta. They open at 10am on Saturdays and Sundays.

Todd Kliman

Sounds good.

Thanks for chiming in …

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Naeem:

Have not had a chance to go to Punjabi by Nature yet. Ferheen and I were out on Sunday placing business cards and placecards promoting her new immigration law practice (work on matters ranging from asylum to citizenship) and the best places to hit up are ethnic grocery stores and restaurants. So if anyone needs immigration work or knows of people needing immigration work please email lawoffices.siddiqui@gmail.com

We spent the day targeting the Herndon/Sterling/Reston area (that is why we stopped and ate lunch at Toosso). The previous week we went around Annandale, Alexandria, and Springfield. his weekend we hope to hit up Chantilly, Centerville, and Manassas, which will then allow us to stop for lunch at Punjabi by Nature. Of course we have to make it back in time for me to catch my football games. It is the arrangement we worked out 😉

This weekend I have be back home before 7pm (Oklahoma plays Kansas state, and BOOMER SOONER!!)

But I will definitely let you know what I think of Punjabi by Nature!

Todd Kliman

A man who is passionate about both OK football and kati rolls. I love it.

Thanks for checking in this week, Naeem …

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Foggy Bottom:

I really liked the Zeughauskeller in Zurich near the Paradeplatz when I was last there–very Bavarian both in atmopshere and food. I also liked that the majority of the people there seemed to be locals out to enjoying the hardy food and copious beer in the company of friends.

Todd Kliman

Nice!

Thanks for helping out a fellow chatter …

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Naeem:

Another note about Toosso.

Their mirchi fries are really really spicy (good way for an adult but maybe not so much for a child). So if anyone decides to take their children there be sure to try out the fries yourself before giving them to a young child. They cleared my sinuses but at the same time I could not stop eating them either.

Todd Kliman

I love when spicy’s like that.

Not all the time, but some of the time definitely …

You eat almost compulsively, heedless of what it’s doing to you, to your mouth, to your insides.

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Arlington:

Speaking of anchovies, what place offers the best “real” Caesar salad around here?

Todd Kliman

I’d say The Majestic, in Old Town Alexandria.

They prepare it tableside, and it’s magnificent.

You can really taste the anchovy, and the garlic, and the egg. It’s not just some sort of generic zesty dressing.

Gotta run, everybody … Second day of Rosh Hashanah, and I am bad for having even done this much today—but I had a great time—thank you—and I hope you all did, too …

Be well and eat well, and let’s do it again next Tuesday at 11 …

[missing you, TEK … ]