Are you ever dying for a great meal, but don't know where to go? Grant (my husband) and I love to dine out. However, choosing a restaurant is often a laborious process. We always want to eat someplace "great," but finding reviews from credible sources is often problematic. I love Tom Sietsema's reviews, but often they aren't as current as I'd like. I sometimes check Yelp, as I just need to see what the consensus is on a place. However, I can't really trust Yelp as I don't know who the reviewers are...I mean what kind of restaurants do they typically eat at? Do they have the same standards as I do? Then there's the Washingtonian. I use that just to find out about new places, but I'm often not a fan of their reviews. I like eater.com, but sometimes there's so little written about a restaurant that it's not enough to go on. So, if you're like me and want to find restaurants that have been "reviewed" by someone credible (hopefully me), then perhaps this can be a place for you to get the skinny on restaurants, and all things food, around town.
We love good food. Who doesn't, right? It doesn't have to be fancy, but it has to be good...what I mean by that is just well-thought out and well-executed. If it's a burger, I'm looking for top quality, (hopefully) locally sourced meats and cheeses, and a fantastic bun. I like chefs who truly think about not just what they want to produce, but how they will present it and how each element in the dish will taste. I don't need to eat a meal full of molecular gastronomy if there's not point to it. If it's a modern take on an old dish, make sure it still has some connection to its roots. I love modern, edgy food, but I also like homey, rustic food as well. When going out...the bottom line is that we all want an enjoyable experience. I'm not unrealistic, most places aren't perfection from amuse bouche to dessert...but I want a meal that's pretty darn good...if it's someplace I plan to return.
In addition to food tasting good, we like to go to restaurants that have a nice ambiance and a "buzz" about them. You know, when you walk into a place that's half empty and it's so quiet you can hear a pin drop? Yeah, not happy about ending up there either. Some places, small and large, just have a buzz about them, even when they aren't full. You can tell the staff is happy to be there, the diners are feeling it too by engaging with each other and their surroundings. I hope you like that, cuz I do. Sure, are there times when it's necessary to go to a hole-in-the-wall to get the best of something? Absolutely! But it's good to be forewarned.
Grant and I have certainly eaten our way around the US and abroad...especially enjoying over 2 dozen Michelin-starred restaurants. We also love to cook as well. We try to stay on top of new restaurants, up and coming chefs, as well as food trends. As food lovers, we're extremely discerning when it comes to our dining experiences and think you should be too. I believe all of this gives us a wee bit of credibility on the matter of DC restaurants, but you can decide for yourself.
Stay tuned....
