About Komi
Tasting menus often feel like cocktail parties—entertaining but ultimately filled with unmemorable tidbits (and a craving for pasta after). Komi is the antithesis, down to chef Johnny Monis’s house-made noodles that arrive after a series of ethereal Mediterranean snacks. Few chefs can maintain this caliber of prix fixe for more than a decade, quietly surpassing the growing competition. A visit to the tranquil rowhouse almost always involves a 12-course meal at Monis’s hands, though table visits are rare. Instead, servers are kitchen ambassadors, introducing dishes with such earnest enthusiasm that it seems they’ve been to the Greek island of Chios, birthplace of both the lavraki crudo and Monis’s grandparents. Savories culminate in a deeply satisfying portion of whole fish or roasted meats such as suckling pig or dry-aged lamb neck, rounded out with warm pita, tzatziki, and relishes for slathering. More wine? Sommeliers Kyle Wilson and Meghan McNamara tag-team with surprises—Greek sparkling wine, sherry, cider—for an engaging pairing. Of all the restaurants that claim to offer the professional equivalent of a dinner party, Komi is the consummate host. Very expensive.
Also great: Taramasalata tartlet; pasta with rabbit; foie gras with blueberries; sweet-corn gelato.
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.
