100 Very Best 2017You won’t find California rolls at this tranquil, bamboo-toned restaurant in Kalorama. Second-generation sushi chef Minoru Ogawa practices traditional Edo-style sushi with fish from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market. Reserve one of eight seats for the chef’s $100 omakase—worth the splurge for a tasting from the master, who slices seasonal fish such as young snapper and dry-aged toro, shapes toothsome beds of rice, and brushes nigiri with soy sauce. A classic menu of tempura and artful nigiri and sashimi is served in the intimate dining room. Thrill seekers once traveled to sister restaurant Sushi Capitol for delicacies from Ogawa’s hands, and while it remains a great neighborhood spot—especially for maki fans— expats and Japanophiles have a new home here. Expensive to very expensive.
Also great: Miso soup with shrimp heads; toro-scallion hand roll; ume or matsu selection of sashimi or nigiri.
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.
Kristen Hinman has been editing Washingtonian’s features since 2014. She joined the magazine after editing politics & policy coverage for Bloomberg Businessweek and working as a staff writer for Voice Media Group/Riverfront Times.
