Last last Friday (March 21, 2008), we made the colossal mistake of trying to dine out in Dupont Circle without a reservation.  A group of our friends, Dan, and I decided that Friday would be the night to watch Godfather I and Godfather II.  We had ambitious plans.  We needed to fortify ourselves with vast quantities of food, and we were prepared to sacrifice our svelte figures for the sake of watching these masterpieces of cinema.  Alas, we did not account for the mass hysteria awaiting us at the restaurants.   Fabulously dressed people were wrestling each other in almost every restaurant, scratching, biting and kicking to attain elusive seats.  We wandered from restaurant to restaurant, not daring to jump into the vicious mob, but hunger finally pushed us to overcome our fears, and we settled at Sette Osteria at the promise of a table within a mere 60 minutes.

Atmosphere:  Sette Osteria is sophisticated and sleek.  Us young folks would probably call it “hip,” and on Friday night it was hippity hoppin’.  Outdoor seating is available when the weather gets warmer, and it’s a great spot to do people watching when you’re in Dupont.  Believe me, there’s some quality people watching to do there.

Service:  We sat patiently for 60 minutes, then another 15 minutes (after sustaining ourselves with a most excellent Molasses cookie from Starbucks across the street), until we could wait no more.  Thanks to Dan, I’ve watched almost every wrestling episode featuring the Rock, and I can do a pretty good People’s Elbow.  I almost had to pull out this illustrious move, but the staff, cowed by the impressively menacing aura emanating from our French History Professor friend, finally gave us a table (and a very nice one at that).  Dear readers, if you ever have to go to Dupont Circle for dinner on a Friday night without a reservation, I highly recommend asking me about our French History Professor friend.  One glance from her was really all it took.  Once we finally got a table, we had no complaints about the service.

Food:  Needless to say, after all that waiting and watching people eating, we were all ravenous.  The item that caught our attention instantly was the Affettati Tipici Italian Specialty Meats plate.  We started drooling.  This gigantic platter of meat contains Prosciutto di Parma, Soppressata, Mortadella and Coppa slices with Italian bread and marinated olives.  How could we possibly resist?  We ordered the platter without further ado, and immediately started gorging ourselves on the salted meats.  Dan, being Russian, is much more of a salted cured meats specialist than I am.  I’m really not that much of a meat eater, but even I stuffed slice after slice in my mouth and thoroughly loved it.   If you’re out with a group of 6 or more friends, this is a delightful appetizer to satisfy the wild beasts within you all.

For the entree, I ordered the Prosciutto e rucola pizza (fresh mozzarella, prosciutto di parma, arugula and shaved grana).  You can add garlic, chili pepper, basil and a couple of other items for free here, so I went ahead and added garlic and chili pepper.  You can really never have enough garlic.  The Prosciutto e rucolo pizza is a particular favorite of mine.  It’s a unique Sette Osteria specialty, and the combination of salty prosciutto to the the slightly bitter and fresh arugula is pure pizza brilliance.  The thin crust is crusty on the outside and perfectly soft on the inside, and aside from Vace pizza (at Cleveland Park), this may be my favorite pizza crust in the DC area.

I hear that the pastas here are pretty good, but the other fancier entrees have never really impressed me.  I would stick to the pizzas here.

Summary:  Sette Osteria has delicious pizza crust and imaginative topping combinations.  A hidden treasure may be the Italian Specialty Meats plate.  I wouldn’t really get other types of entrees here, and I’d be prepared to wait a long while to get a table if you go there on a Friday night.  It’s a fun place to go with a group of friends, and I’d definitely go again.  I’d just make sure I had some snacks in my pockets, just in case the wait is long.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.setteosteria.com/
• Address: 1666 Connecticut Ave, Washington DC 20009
• Phone: 202-483-3070
• Price Range: Appetizers range from $8 - $12; Pizzas range from $10 - $14; Entrees range from $16 - $20.

The adventures of Dan and Jungdae continued this weekend with a frenzied search for a new house in Old Town Alexandria / Del Ray. Yes, we are looking to make the jump and become home-owners. And yes, the whole day was exciting and yet terribly nerve-wracking, and we ended up feeling like wrung-out children just off of a killer sugar-high from an overdose of Halloween candies. We needed a little boost after a day of house shopping, and decided to go for an exuberant meal of Greek.

Atmosphere: We wandered into Taverna Cretekou, a Greek haven in the middle of Old Town Alexandria. You are welcomed into a room filled with murals of strapping Greek men and the beautiful Greek countryside. The restaurant transports you to a village in Greece, with its decor and the waiters all dressed in Greek costumes. The whole effect could have been cheesy, but they are able to pull off a charming and fun atmosphere, putting me right in the mood for good wine and good times. I’m told that there is live music on Thursday nights, and the garden patio is open in the summer. On special occasions, they even roast a whole lamb on a spit, and if you’re a lucky carnivore and come early, you can get a slice of your choice part.

Service: The service was best described as exuberant and fun. The waiter obviously loves the food at the restaurant, and eagerly shared his insight as to what is the best thing to order from the menu. We ended up ordering everything that was recommended and had a wonderful time. When our dishes came out, another waiter stopped by to congratulate us on our selection, affirming that we are tasting the very best of Greek food. The service, like the food, was lusty and enjoyable.

Food: We ordered two combination appetizer plates and the special entree of the day. The Satyrikon (an appetizer plate for two), is highly recommended and contains large portions of a variety of Greek specialties. Ours included Taramosalata (red caviar, olive oil and lemon), Melitzanosalata (mousse of egglant, garlic, olive oil and lemon), Tzatziki (yogurt, cucumber and garlic), Fava (fava beans mixed with olive oil and lemon), Dolmadakia (grape leaves), and Spanakotiropita (Spinach and Feta pastry). The portions are really pretty large, and Dan and I were able to completely indulge and still not finish. We’ve had this type of combination appetizer at other Greek restaurants like Mourayo (in Dupont Circle), and they have not been as good (nor have they had as much quantity). The other combination appetizer we got was the Saganakime Garides, which is shrimp and feta cheese sauteed until crusty served on a hot plate. If you’ve never tried this Greek specialty, or even if you have, you must get this. The salty dish is hot and tasty and is fabulous with some Greek wine.

As the entree, we got the special of the day, which was Lamb shank, cooked to perfection such that the meat just fell right off the bone, served with some vegetables and potatoes cooked with lemon. By the end of the meal, I felt as if I had been to a village celebration where I gorged on local delicacies and somehow danced all night (although I was sitting at the table the entire time). This is definitely the place to go for good times and good foods.

The entire meal was deliciously complimented by a bottle of Greek wine. The restaurant has an extensive wine list from Greece, so I highly recommend getting some to go with your meal.

Summary: This is the best Greek restaurant I’ve been to in the DC area. Great atmosphere, fun service, and fabulous food. To be honest, I was a bit giddy from the food and drink by the end of the night. This is a great place to go for a fun time.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.tavernacretekou.com
• Address: 818 King Street, Alexandria VA 22314
• Phone: 703-548-8688
• Price Range: Appetizers range from $7 - $15; Entrees average around $20. If you get a bottle of wine, you can expect to spend from $80 - $100 for two people.

Dan and I were on a jaunt in the Gaithersburg area doing I-don’t-remember-what, but I got hungry (which is the important thing), and Dan gave me the option to eat Indian, Thai or Filipino. Since I have never tried Filipino, I decided to be adventurous and try it. Boy, what an adventure!

Atmosphere: The restaurant has a bit of a cafeteria style feel to it, with a large buffet counter where you choose your food, and some tables facing a large television showing Filipino programs. We were lucky to catch a Filipino program where lots and lots of beautiful Filipino ladies danced around the screen while a grinning Filipino man commented on their performance. The clientele was almost entirely Filipino, so if you want to get immersed in a new culture, this place is perfect. It’s cozy and unassuming and is great for a casual meal.

Service: Dan and I were talking to each other excitedly, pointing at every interesting-looking item in the buffet and speculating as to their contents, obviously looking like folks who have never tried Filipino food before. The staff and a couple of customers all joined in to tell us the best things to get and gave us encouraging smiles and pats on the back for being adventurous and trying their food. So, don’t be intimidated and head out there! Everyone will jump in to help you out.

Food: The food here is simply an explosion of exotic flavors. We tried “ukyo,” a lightly fried concoction of shredded green papaya and shrimp, that we dipped in an onion vinegar sauce. The “ukyo” is a sure hit for anyone. It’s a delicious fried pancake with just a hint of the unknown with its green papaya. So if you’re scared of trying something new, this is the item to get. It’s familiar in it’s fried goodness, and yet different enough that you can boast to yourself and your friends that you are a culinary risk taker. We also got adobo squid (perfectly tender) and tamarind fish soup (a slightly sour yet sweet soup). I was grinning from ear-to-ear at having gotten such a magnificent feast for such a small amount of money. I am such a sucker for fabulous bargains.

Summary: Cafe Pampanguena is a delicious restaurant filled with friendly staff and customers who are all eager to share their native food with you. At the low prices of the food, you can try one of everything, and you probably should. This is a place I would definitely go to again. I just wish they were located next to my work, so I could go more often.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: none.
• Address:16041 Frederick Road, Gaithersburg, MD
• Phone: 240-631-2210
• Price Range: $6.50 for 2 general buffet items and rice, or $5 - $15 for specialty buffet items.

It was another Thursday, and Jungdae and I and a couple of other folks were craving sushi. This generally means Thai Chef in Dupont and many Zombies, and while the Zombies are fantastic, the last time we were at Thai Chef I found the sushi quality underwhelming. So I suggested Uni, a few blocks away at 22nd and P. I’ve been to Uni a few times and always enjoyed it.

Atmosphere: Uni is on the second floor of a brownstone in Dupont Circle. The space is unassuming, and sadly (if conveniently for us), it’s always been uncrowded when we’ve gone there before, with only four or five other tables occupied. It’s a shame, because I think the sushi here is quite good. As you come in, you are welcomed with the traditional “Irashaimase” greeting. It may seem insignificant, but I find it really adds to the atmosphere and sets the real Japanese restaurants apart from the fusion-type places that just happen to serve sushi.

Service: There’s really not much to say one way or the other. The one knock is that they don’t have the piece of paper on which you can mark your choices. Otherwise - they bring the sushi, they take your money, everybody’s happy.

Food: The specialties of the house are two nigiri pieces; both are fantastic and unique, and any visit should include getting them. The first is chai smoked tuna. The piece has an incredible smoky aroma - it’s almost intoxicating. The smokiness accentuates the tuna flavor very nicely, and gives it a slightly firmer than usual consistency.

The other nigiri piece of note is seared salmon with mint. The sushi chef actually uses a blowtorch to sear the outside of the salmon while leaving the side that sits on top of the rice raw. When done right, the combination is a great study in contrasts - the rich, fatty inside set against the firm, slightly charred outside. However, this piece can be uneven:  Sometimes the salmon is overcooked by the searing, and you end up with just baked salmon on a piece of rice, which is not quite so exciting.

Besides the two specialty nigiri pieces, Uni has a variety of creative and tasty maki rolls. These are more exciting and different than the specialty maki rolls at other places, which mostly consist of combining two or three different fishes with a “special sauce” that is more often than not 95% mayo. Some highlights here are a crunchy crawfish roll, the Picante Escolar roll ( white tuna with jalapeno and chili flakes, slightly seared), and the mango salmon roll. Not all the experiments work - the spicy oyster roll, with breaded oysters and cabbage, falls flat, as the tiny sliver of oyster is overwhelmed by the breading and the rice.

While the specialty rolls and pieces are always fun to sample, ultimately sushi is all about the quality of the fish and the rice, and Uni does well on both counts. Its standard nigiri pieces and rolls are very good, albeit on the small side, especially if you are used to the jumbo maki rolls of Thai Chef. The rice is nicely sticky and vinegary.

There is also a whole non-sushi section to the menu, but I’ve never sampled it, as the words “pork cutlet” always lose out to “chai smoked tuna”.  Dessert is basically the typical green tea and red bean ice cream and mochi - no better or worse than every other sushi place. There is a quite extensive (at least for DC area) selection of sakes, but I am no sake connoisseur (or for that matter even fan), so having noted the existence and extensiveness of the sake selection, I have no further insights to provide.

Summary: Uni is my favorite sushi spot in Dupont. The two specialty nigiri pieces are terrific, the specialty rolls are truly creative, and the basic rolls and nigiri are well executed. It is on the pricier side, especially considering the size of the pieces, but well worth it.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: none. You can see the menu at http://www.zagat.com/verticals/Menu.aspx?VID=8&R=74427&HID=500003757
• Address: 2122 P St NW, Washington, DC 20037, USA
• Phone: 202-833-8038
• Price Range: $3-5 per nigiri piece, $6-10 per roll. Expect to spend about $60 for 2 after tip & tax (sans drinks).

Jungdae and I went to Minerva for dinner on our way back from Shenandoah. We were hungry from a long day of hiking and some tasty Indian was sounding good. Minerva was a find (one of many) from Tyler Cowens’ excellent site. We had been there twice before, once for dinner and once for a lunch buffet.

Atmosphere: Minerva is located in a strip mall on Route 50 in Fairfax, a couple of blocks away from the Super H Mart. The decor is unpretentious - a large and airy space, with a flatscreen TV playing Indian music videos on one wall and the buffet tables towards the far corner. Each time we’ve been here it’s always been bustling and most of the customers were Indian - some large families, as well as groups of young people. The smells of tasty food rising from each table add to the anticipation of getting your own.

Service: This is not a fine dining establishment, so my only real expectations for a place like this are that someone comes to take my order fairly quickly, and that my water gets refilled regularly - the latter a particular must at an Indian place where the spicy things I am sure to order will require frequent dousing of the palate. Minerva delivered on both counts.

Food: What originally drew us to this place is that Minerva is so far as I know the only Indian restaurant in the DC area that serves northern Indian food (the usual stuff like lamb vindaloo and chicken tikka masala) but also has Iddly Sambar - a southern specialty that is Jungdae’s favorite Indian dish. Typically you have to go the vegetarian southern Indian places to get Iddly Sambar. Since I am a carnivore, this always presented us with a dilemma if we wanted to do Indian - so when I found Minerva, I was psyched.

I was not disappointed - in our three trips it has become our favorite Indian restaurant around DC and well worth the half an hour drive from the city. Every dish is just more spicy, more flavorful, more interesting than elsewhere. This time was no different.

There are two ways to go with dinner entrees here - you can either get it a la carte (with rice and Naan), or for just $3 more, you can get it as a set meal, which comes with an array of side dishes - a soup, dal makhani, another vegetarian curry, and a dessert. The first time we were here we went the a la carte route, but this time we opted for the set meal option, and it was well worth it. The dal makhani was superb - more tangy than usual and the best I’ve ever had. The vegetarian curry was chana masala - a dish I’ve had many times before, but the first mouthful I took made me realize that those other times I was eating a pale imitation of the real thing. I would have gladly eaten a full-entree portion of either. The dessert was Gulab Jamoon - a sort of deep fried dough ball dipped in condensed milk. Neither of us generally like Indian deserts, so we only ate this because it came with the meal (an attitude that is not helpful to our efforts in keeping a healthful and trim appearance).

The main entree I got this time was Minerva special mutton. I followed a suggestion from the signal vs. noise blog of all places to pick the dish which has the restaurant’s name in it. It was very good, but actually slightly disappointing simply because it was not a curry and so I had nothing to mix with the rice - and I’m not a fan of just eating plain rice. So I think I’ll stick with curry entrees from now on. But that’s no knock on the dish itself - the lamb was perfectly cooked. As a side note, the previous time here I had gotten Hyderabadi Kheema Mutter, which I had never seen at a restaurant before and which was spectacular.

Jungdae only got an order of Iddly Sambar. The portions here, as at many Indian places, are quite large so this together with the set meal was plenty for both of us. The Iddly Sambar is very good here - Jungdae still likes the version at Amma’s in Georgetown the best, but this is very close.

I need to also quickly mention of the lunch buffet, which we had on a previous trip - it’s awesome. It’s large (there’s maybe 15-20 different things, with vegetarian options, chicken and lamb dishes, the aforementioned iddly sambar. and even a couple of chinese-indian dishes, which were surprisingly tasty), the quality is on par with what you get at dinner, and it’s only $12/person.

Summary: This is quite simply the best Indian food in the area. And it’s cheap! I think our meal was only $25 after tip and tax. I do like the upscale fancy new Indian places that have been springing up in DC in the last couple years (Passage to India, Indique Heights, have yet to try Rasika). But if I had to pick a place where I would want to eat 3 times a week, regardless of cost, this would be it.

Restaurant Information

• Website: http://www.minervacuisine.com/
• Address: 10364 Lee Hwy, Fairfax VA (I think there are other locations as well)
• Phone: 1-877-2 MINERVA
• Price Range: Appetizers $4-8, Entrees $10-12 (plus $3 for the set meal option). You can definitely have a full meal for two for $30 or less, tip and tax included

On February 8, 2008, Dan and I went to the L’Auberge Provencal Bed and Breakfast Restaurant in Virginia.

Atmosphere: L’Auberge Provencal, nestled in the breathtaking Shenandoah Valley, exudes the warmth and charm of a cozy French country cottage. We dined in the Peach Room, a small circular dining area with floor-to-ceiling windows, beautifully decorated in peach wallpaper and color-coordinated curtains, replete with copper pots of various sizes hanging from the walls alongside plates and pictures of proud (no doubt French) roosters. If you’re looking for a little splash of romantic magic, you’ll find it here. In fact, Dan romanced me in this very room, and I am delighted to say that he is now my fiance!

Service: The service was immaculate. The host himself was extremely polite and dignified, lending an air of exclusivity to the restaurant, whereas our waiter was a bit more friendly, cracking a smile here and there, providing warmth and making us feel more comfortable in our surroundings. The waiter described each dish (preparation and ingredients) as he brought it out, which I think adds so much to the dining experience. The waiter also had excellent timing and knew when to interact with us and when to leave us to our romantic tete-a-tete.

Food: Ahhh the food. This was truly a dining experience to remember. Your only option is to order the Prix Fixe menu for a 5-course meal, but you have so many delightful choices from which to select! The 5-course meal is also a bit of a misnomer as the chef seems to mischievously add a dainty morsel here and there of his wild creations to keep your senses alert and engaged.

Our meal started with an “amuse bouche” of lamb with mint cream. The lamb itself was so flavorful and tender, I could have actually done without the mint cream. Then you have your choice of two appetizers. I had a perfectly balanced leek soup, where the fresh taste of leeks merged with a hint of cream and a surprising burst of sweetness from caramelized pear bits hidden within the depths. My second choice were scallops, cooked to perfection with a crispy exterior and soft interior, topped with fish roe to add an unexpected dash of salty goodness. Dan ordered the exotic “Venaisan Asiatique,” venison tenderloin sashimi with spicy hoisin glaze, mango and mint salad, sweet pea leaf and chiogga beet puree. This venison sashimi was pure heaven, and most definitely the highlight of the evening. If this is on the menu when you visit L’Auberge Provencale, it is not to be missed. The venison simply melts in the mouth, and accompanied by the beet puree and sweet pea leaf, it was a culinary adventure I wished would never end. Dan and I usually split our dishes in half, so we each get to try as many items on the menu as possible. I noticed that Dan was surreptitiously gazing at the last piece of venison on my plate, and it was an act of true love on my part to give him that last piece, all the while telling him that I was getting full. Dan’s second choice was grilled quail with pomegranate and a touch of spice served with sweet potato shoestrings and micro greens. I’m not sure how the chef managed this, but the quail tasted like a wild thing, as if I had gone out hunting in the wild and cooked a fresh quail on a campfire.

After gorging on these culinary delights, it was time for an intermission. We couldn’t possibly go on without a break. And the break came in the form of a gin and tonic sorbet. The refreshing sorbet was bathing in a shallow pool of liquor in a tasteful tipsy looking martini glass. The sorbet was just the thing to cool and cleanse my palate, and the untraditional addition of liquor made the intermission feel just a tad naughty, preparing me emotionally for the adventures to follow.

We were now brought our choice of entree. I had the lobster in butter sauce with risotto, and Dan had sauteed wild baramundi with olive oil poached baby potatoes, white asparagus and a blood orange and ginger emulsion. I have to say that the lobster, although delicious, was a bit disappointing. By this point, I was so accustomed to the chef’s unorthodox and thoroughly intoxicating creations, that the simple lobster in butter sauce was underwhelming. Lobster always seems to be paired with butter, and there was no deviation from the usual recipe: A solid performance, but not one to be remembered throughout the ages. With the wild baramundi, however, the chef struck gold again. The fish was cooked to perfection with crispy skin and flaky soft flesh. The fish itself tasted fresh and slightly sweet, and unexpectedly coupled with the blood orange and ginger emulsion, my palates danced another jig of happiness.

Of course, no meal can be complete without dessert. I opted for the pecan pie, and Dan got the basil chocolate tower and ice cream with pine nuts. The pecan pie also put in a solid performance: Sweet, warm and gooey, everything a pecan pie should be. The imagination prize, however, went to the basil chocolate tower. Whoever thought basil and chocolate, and for that matter, ice cream and pine nuts, would work so well together? Our chef, of course, couldn’t stop there where everyone would expect him to stop. He had to throw in one more surprise. We were presented with a bowl of doughnut holes with raspberry coulis. Hot and fresh from the kitchen, the doughnuts found their way into my mouth and were gone in the blink of an eye. Yumm…

Summary: L’Auberge Provencale’s chef has created a menu that is bold and daring in its imagination and exquisite in execution. The beautiful and romantic setting complimented and enhanced the dining experience. The meal is pricey, but if you’re looking to go somewhere for a special occasion, I highly recommend this enchanting restaurant.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.laubergeprovencale.com/restaurant.html
• Address: 13630 Lord Fairfax Hwy, Boyce, VA 22620
• Phone: 800.638.1702
• Price Range:
  • $80-$100 Prix Fixe Menu for a 5-course meal

On February 3rd, 2008, Dan and I went to The Black Olive for Baltimore Restaurant Week 2008.

Atmosphere: This cozy little restaurant is located on charming Bonds Street in Fells Point. The interior is lit with a soft light, and the setting is one of a refined yet warm and welcoming cottage.

Service: Although our reservation was for 7:45PM, it took them about 20 minutes to get us seated, and when I sat down, I noticed that there was a generous portion of breadcrumbs sprinkled on my seat from the previous patron. Once we were seated (and aside from the fact that they were not in the habit of making sure the chairs are properly cleaned), the service was flawless. The waiter was courteous and helpful without being obtrusive.

Food: For the appetizer, I got the a plate of four traditional Greek spreads: tarama, tzatziki, melitzanasalata and hummus, and Dan got a Grilled Octopus Salad (pounded, marinated, grilled octopus tossed with fresh red onions and capers). When I first saw the appetizers, I was a bit disappointed, as the food was presented poorly. The appetizers were served on small plates with barely any breathing room for the food, making the appetizers appear cramped and under-appreciated by the chef. Surely, if the appetizers were anything to be proud of, they would have been presented with more panache? As it was, the four spreads hugged each other on a small plate, separated by four meager cucumber slices. The octopus salad looked like it had been carelessly tossed onto the plate without any effort or thought put into how it would look. Consider my surprise when I sampled the spreads, and the flavors burst on my tongue. The spreads were a delightful combination of fresh ingredients and judiciously chosen spices mixed by a masterful hand. The real winner, though, was the octopus salad. It is so easy to over-grill octopus so that the taste of char overwhelms everything else and the octopus itself acquires a tough chewy texture. The octopus salad at The Black Olive, however, was perfection. The octopus was fresh, tender, and had just a hint of smokiness and was accompanied by a light sauce that served to enhance the flavor of the octopus. It was the best octopus salad I’ve had in the DC metro area at a Greek restaurant.

For entrees, I got a Kleftiko (traditional slow-cooked lamb dish marinated in lemon juice and garlic), and Dan got the Dorade Royale whole fish with the chef’s side of the day. My dish came in a beautiful paper wrapping with a side of couscous. I opened the paper to find delicious looking pieces of lamb. Despite the attractive presentation, the dish itself was not that special. The lamb was well-seasoned but a bit tough, and the couscous plain and unimaginative. While I was wallowing in disappointment, Dan was digging into his fabulous dish with gusto. The waiter filleted the Dorade Royale at the table and served it with a side of mashed potatoes (a mix of white potatoes and sweet potatoes). The fish fillet was then drizzled with a house sauce consisting of lemon juice, olive oil and some spices. The fish was a delight to the taste buds. I felt myself being transported to a Greek fisherman’s wharf, eating a freshly caught fish right on the beach - with no more culinary magic needed than a simple lemon juice and olive oil to bring out the natural flavors of the fish.
I noticed that the same side was offered for all the fish dishes, and was a bit underwhelmed by the lack of creativity - surely it would have been better to pair each fish with an accompaniment that would truly suit the flavor.

I got chocolate pudding for dessert, and Dan got vanilla ice cream. These were quite disappointing. Like the appetizers, the dessert was served on small plates without much consideration to presentation - a solitary scoop of vanilla ice cream and a forlorn block of chocolate goo. Sadly, ice cream is too often a copout desert offered on the limited menus some places offer for Restaurant Week - but surely, at the very least a more exciting flavor than vanilla is called for. If we go to this restaurant again on a non-Restaurant Week night, I would skip dessert.

Summary: The restaurant has very fresh, high-quality ingredients, and choosing dishes by reviewing which would benefit most from the quality of the ingredients is recommended. Fish and seafood items are the way to go here, and the octopus salad is especially recommended. This restaurant, however, is not somewhere we would go to again. At this price range, there are other restaurants that are more creative and satisfying.

Restaurant Information:

• Website: http://www.theblackolive.com/
• Address: 814 S Bond Street, Baltimore MD 21231
• Phone: 410.276.7141
• Price Range:
  • $10-$15 appetizers
  • $25-$40 entrees

This is our blog about eating in and around DC. The good, the bad, and the distasteful will all be showcased here.