Delight of delights, Restaurant Week has finally come back to the DC metro area! From the old-world charm of Baltimore to the sophisticated polish of Bethesda and the vibrant streets of DC, Dan and I have explored and will continue to explore the native vegetation of restaurants to unearth the delectable gems of fine cuisine. We kicked off our Restaurant Week extravaganza in Bethesda. A little black dress, a couple of good friends, many bellies full of expectation and a small quantity of well-concealed drool, and voila, the scene is set! Entrez, mesdames et monsieurs!

Atmosphere: With their walls painted in hues of spicy mustard and richly aged ketchup, the restaurant is a warm and welcoming traditional space with hints of sophistication.

Food: The entire menu was available for Restaurant Week, a rare but much appreciated gesture. Excitedly, we carefully read through the entire menu to make sure we chose just the right things. The dishes that arrived at our table, however, were wildly inconsistent. A smoked trout spring roll, while intriguing on the menu, was completely boring on the plate. The taste of smoked trout was nowhere to be found, and all that was left was some chewy texture and nagging regret at having used part of my daily calorie intake on this bland disappointment. The sauteed calamari with nicoise tomatoes, pumpkin seed pesto, and rosemary polenta was delicious and well-executed, but the balsamic vinegar overpowered the pumpkin seed pesto and made it difficult to taste the pumpkin flavor. Dan’s entree, the Pecan Crusted Barbecued Rack of Lamb, was a solid performer but failed to stand out of the crowd of lamb dishes devoured by us through the ages; and my entree, the Atlantic Bouillabaisse with Saffron and Red Pepper Aioli, consisted of fresh, high quality seafood, but the flavor was less memorable than the bouillabaisse at Bistro Francais in Georgetown despite the obviously more expensive ingredients in the dish.

Service: The service was friendly and polished. Even though we lingered at the restaurant after the last customers had already left, the staff remained solicitous and kind.

Summary: Persimmon is a solid restaurant with well-prepared albeit a tad unimaginative dishes.

Restaurant information:

• Address: 7003 Wisconsin Avenue, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
• Phone: 301-654-9860
• Fax: 301-654-9272
• Website: http://www.persimmonrestaurant.com
• Email: goodfood@persimmonrestaurant.com

• Price Range: Appetizers between $9 - $14, Entrees between $20 - $28.