Sigh of relief: Petworth’s hot-test dining room has finally started taking reservations, so you no longer have to wait hours to land one of its 24 seats and a taste of Kevin Tien’s often brilliant pseudo-Japanese menu. What brings that subtle sweetness to the bigeye-tuna tartare? The tiny cubes of beet hiding in the mix. Its other accessories—fermented-chili aïoli, puffed rice—make the bowl taste like the spicy tuna roll of our dreams. This is a place to order widely—rich shrimp toast, charred octopus with black-bean mole, Japanese-style fried chicken—and share everything. Don’t forget the fanciful drinks conjured up by co-owner Carlie Steiner. Expensive.
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.
