100 Very Best 2018
100 Very Best 2019This stark-white storefront with just 20 seats isn’t big on atmospherics. What it lacks in ambience, though, it makes up for with its excellent value. Each night, chef/owner Yuh Shimomura proffers a single five-course tasting menu—no choices or substitutions—for $48. Shimomura trained both in Tokyo and at DC’s Kaz Sushi Bistro, and his sashimi plate, a constant for the second course, is a work of art. Dinners move on to an inventive fish or meat course—say, fried lobster draped in uni sauce—and a scoop of house-made ice cream sends you into the night. Moderate.
Also great: The menu changes by the day but typically includes a pot of soup, such as a peppery broth packed with oxtail bones, green onion, and noodles.
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.
