Food

100 Best Restaurants 2012: Sushiko I

From soulful bistros to high-gloss steakhouses, there's lots of good eating in DC, Maryland, and Virginia

_

Washington’s oldest sushi bar–the location in DC’s Glover Park debuted in 1976, when raw fish over vinegared rice seemed exotic–has been eclipsed in recent years by its ambitious competition. But we prize the original for the warmth of its welcome and the food’s restorative simplicity.

The winding, soaring space in Chevy Chase is dazzlingly modish, but we prefer the original, a tiny two-story dining room that’s an exercise in cool minimalism. The air of serenity is a perfect match for the beautifully composed plates that pass from chef Koji Terano’s deft hands.

What to get: Pan-fried dumplings stuffed with chicken and shiso; salmon ceviche with ikura (salmon roe) and yuzu vinaigrette; vegetable and shrimp tempura; fried soft-shell crabs (in season) with ponzu dipping sauce; jo sashimi moriawase (a selection of the day’s freshest fish) or jo chirashi, the same served over rice; nigiri or sashimi of yellowtail, fatty tuna, salmon, and mackerel; espresso panna cotta with toasted almonds.

DC location open Saturday through Monday for dinner, Tuesday through Friday for lunch. Chevy Chase location open Monday through Friday for lunch and dinner, Saturday and Sunday for brunch and dinner. Moderate to expensive.

Ann Limpert
Executive Food Editor/Critic

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.