Crispy Brussels sprouts
Tasty, yes, but does every chef really need to put their spin on them?
Deviled eggs
Also known as a vehicle for finely chopped leftover ingredients.
Deconstructed desserts
Seriously, we’re still getting torn bits of cake dabbed with gel?
Poultry claws sticking up from plates
It’s aliiiiiiive.
Crudités
Pretty, but they often feel like a rip-off.
Dots of sauce
They’re starting to seem like the zigzags of the ’90s.
’90s cocktails
We want to leave cosmos behind with our scrunchies and The Macarena.
House-made jerky
Are we on a road trip or dinner?
Lines
Still waiting for this trend to be over.
Octopus
Like calamari, it’s everywhere. Unlike calamari, it’s a lot trickier to do well.
One cocktail menu per table
Why one food menu per person, but one drink menu per table?
Avocado toast
Uni toast > smashed green blah.
Midsize plates
Making menus harder to navigate since 2014.
Travel-“inspired” menus
Why are there Belgian, Vietnamese, and Oaxacan dishes side by side? Ah, summer break 2010…
Citrus-free bar programs
House-made “catsup”
Pass the Heinz!
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.
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.
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.
