About Makoto
Consider Makoto’s foyer—where diners swap shoes for a pair of
slippers—the portal to a tranquil, rarefied universe of light woods and
buttery track lighting. Perching on boxy stools in the narrow Palisades
dining room, guests tuck into an eight-course, omakase-style
feast that culminates in shabu shabu—a bubbling hot pot featuring
strips of tender rib-eye steak. Sushi, included in the set menu but also
available à la carte, is among the freshest and most precisely cut in
town.
Makoto’s request that guests go easy on cologne can come off as
fussy. Trust us, though: one strong-smelling person in the tiny room
dramatically alters the experience. Perfume yourself judiciously.
Don’t miss: The menu is set each night, but recent
highlights have included steamed salmon and tofu with salmon roe; wild
mushrooms in soy sauce; persimmon with tofu sauce; daikon-wrapped shrimp;
fatty-tuna and flounder sashimi with fresh wasabi; Chilean sea bass with
sweet soy-sauce glaze. Open: Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and
dinner, Sunday for dinner. Very Expensive.
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.
