100 Very Best 2015This Fabio and Maria Trabocchi production is still the hangout of choice when the mega-famous come through town. (Yep, that was Barack and Michelle sharing a table with Meryl in December.) Although the menu is heavier on proven hits than innovations these days, few restaurants in Washington serve seafood of this caliber. It’s best sampled on the shellfish platter, one of the most lavish in town, or on a mixed grill with lobster, langoustines, and calamari sided with salsa verde. Throw in grade-A service and a sparkling river view and you’ve got the makings of a starry night, no matter who else is in the room. Very expensive.
Also great: Chestnut soup with lobster; hamachi crudo; lobster ravioli; bucatini with sea urchin and prawns; spaghetti with clams.
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.
