Excitement and newness are coupled in the food world, especially amid a restaurant boom like DC’s. So how does this 14-year-old fine-dining room stay so strong? Dedication. Chef Johnny Monis cooks every night—the place closes when he’s away—and the evening feels more personal than reverential. A dish of lavraki (branzino)crudo is drizzled with olive oil made by family friends on the island of Chios. After a parade of tasting portions, family-style finales such as a glorious house-aged beef rib with pitas make you feel like a houseguest instead of a diner. Splurge-worthy beverage pairings from Kyle Wilson and Meghan McNamara always come with stories—we’d like to follow in their footsteps to Catalonia to discover more vintage Cava. Their style of service is intimate and enthusiastic and, like an evening at Komi, never gets old. Very expensive.
Also great: Foie gras with pickled squash; green-harissa-and-truffle “toast”; spaghetti with cockles; Meyer-lemon frozen yogurt.
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.
