I tend to think of myself as a pretty well-rounded eater (commentary on my waistline aside), but somehow Afghan cooking hadn’t yet made it into my repertoire. That changed a few Sundays ago, when I stopped by Bamian Restaurant in Falls Church.
Expecting a casual atmosphere, my guest and I were surprised to open the door of the stark, unassuming-looking restaurant on Leesburg Pike and be greeted by the sight of waiters in tuxedos, white tablecloths and a live musician. We actually headed right back out the door, feeling underdressed and underfunded, but a kind, cajoling host convinced us to give the place a try.
Good thing we took his advice – we were lead to an intimate table that was almost a room in itself; it reminded me of the more private alcoves in places like The Melting Pot, without giving off the kind of forced romantic vibe the chain can create. A friendly waiter gave us a few helpful suggestions, and our food was on its way within moments.
It can be challenging finding the combination of classy atmosphere, affordable prices and delicious cuisine, but I wasn’t disappointed with any element at Bamian. Mantu, a dumpling of sorts with spiced meat, yogurt and mint, was a savory way to start the meal. I was impressed with my guest’s order of Chef Carrayee, an assertively-flavored chicken dish that tasted vaguely of cilantro. But the night’s crowning achievement was the Quabili Palau, which I ordered. Whether it be the perfectly cooked rice, the rich meat sauce on the side, the impossibly tender pieces of lamb, or the heaping, sweet addition of carrots and raisins, it was a wonderful combination of flavors I’d never experienced before. The Afghan nan (very similar to the Indian bread) was also first rate.
Bamian’s prices seem almost shockingly reasonable when taking into account the food and setting – for two entrees, two (non-alcoholic) beverages and an appetizer, the bill totaled around $40. I’d almost like to keep the place a secret, but considering I opened my Washingtonian this month and saw it mentioned in the lead of the Cheap Eats article, I doubt it will remain empty for long. For a first taste of Afghan cuisine, I couldn’t have hoped for a better initiation.
Bamian Restaurant
5634 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, Virginia 22041
703/820-7880

When my boyfriend and I met friends of ours for dinner at Piola before catching a show at Rosslyn Spectrum the other night, I had no idea we were hitting the restaurant on its most special evening of the month…gnocchi night!
On the 29th of each month, the Rosslyn-based branch of the European chain offers All You Can Eat Gnocchi for something around $10 a plate.
The question is…how much gnocchi can a person actually eat?
The answer? Probably more than one should. Piola lets you choose from any of its menu’s varieties (the night I went, it was tomato basil, four cheese, and ham/eggplant marinara – friends have raved about the pumpkin variety on other evenings), as well as mix and match when it comes time for a refill. It’s impossible not to leave the place bursting.
The gnocchi itself is decent, if not a revelation. The pasta is heavy but homey – the marinara-laced varieties definitely benefit from a little Parmesan cheese, while the four cheese is almost overwhelmingly rich, though the gorgonzola adds a much-needed bite. My favorite of the three definitely was the ham and eggplant, which were both delicious accents to the doughy pasta.
I’ve had Piola’s pizza before, and liked it without being blown away; the place boasts tasty salads and fun treats like Bellinis as well. Whether the restaurant is a destination spot, either on the 29th or otherwise, can be debated, but they sure are generous with their gnocchi.
Piola
1550 Wilson blvd.
Arlington, VA 22209
P: 703-528.1502

The California cuisine and intimate but unpretentious atmosphere drew my group to Mendocino Grille to kick off Restaurant Week on Monday. Though Restaurant Week isn’t always the best time for a place to show off its charms (particularly in the service arena), we still had a fine enough experience for us to gravitate towards the restaurant again…that is, when we all get raises.
Mendocino’s menu is already on the small side, so when they limit the Restaurant Week options by tacking on $5 and $7 upcharges to the majority of the appetizers and
entrees (even on some desserts), the selections which allow you to stay in the $30 range become pretty limited. Still, all six of us managed to enjoy our meals while avoiding the upcharges (yeah, we’re those customers the management loves this week; at least we ordered alcohol), though not all were wowed with every selection.
I started with the duck confit appetizer. I’m not a huge fan of sweet dishes, so I was pleased that Mendocino’s offering stayed squarely in the “savory” category; not necessarily a guarantee when you’re having duck. This one sat on a bed of meaty white beans, and the skin was nice and crispy. I was pleased with my entree, thinly-sliced hanger steak on a bed of pureed potatoes and broccoli rabe, accented with a peppercorn sauce. The dish was slightly marred by the omnipresent whole peppercorns, but delicious overall. The biggest surprise for me was dessert – there are few around that suit my tastes, but the goat cheese cheesecake with citrus sorbet had a just-right combination of tartness and creaminess for me. Overall, the portions are measured, if not generous.
Friends raved about the beet salad and striped bass, but were underwhelmed by mushroom consumme and house cavatelli (which should be noted was the only vegetarian choice of entree). No dessert, whether it be banana ice cream or chocolate pot de creme, was consumed without praise.
Mendocino’s charms that might go unnoticed during a Restaurant Week excursion include an extensive wine list with many by-the-glass options (I had no qualms with the tart “J” Pinot Gris I chose) and a wonderful cheese selection; it has much in common with its trendy sister restaurant Sonoma on the Hill. Service wasn’t impeccable – it was rather slow and two parties’ credit cards were wrongly charged – but was polite and gracious throughout the meal. While my budget will likely put me back at Sonoma than have me returning to Mendocino, the food convinced me that the restaurants’ purveyors deserve my patronage in either context.
Mendocino Grille
2917 M Street
Washington, DC
20007
202-333-2912

I love Ethiopian food, and often have found some of the best of it at Dukem. The place does a particularly nice job with combination platters – usually for around $11, you can try out anywhere between three and seven dishes to see whether you like them.
My friends and I picked up 2 combo platters and another dish Friday evening. I can say that I enjoyed every dish I sampled. As a rule, you can’t go wrong with tibs – beef or lamb marinated in various sauces. We tried the goden tibs, short ribs in a light marinade. While not the most convenient of dishes to eat sans utensils, the steak-like little bites were delicious, slightly crispy and flavorful. We also tried a combo platter with lamb wot, a spicy stew, as well as minchet and regular tibs. Outstanding, though the wot’s later impression wasn’t as favorable as the first few bites.
Particularly high praise should go to the vegetarian combos that Dukem offers. I tend to shy away from vegetarian dishes at many places just because I’m not sure they’ll be assertive enough for me. Here, the variety of flavors and choices left me more than satisfied. I’d recommend the veggie combo #3 – it’s one of the only ways you can sample Dukem’s delicious chickpeas in spicy sauce, which I’ll take over hummus any day.
All the dishes come with Dukem’s injera, which is fluffy with just the right touch of sourness. The honey wine is a bit sweeter than other varieties I’ve had, and I’d probably order a less cloying beverage on my next visit.
If only our service had matched the efforts from the kitchen. Flagging down a waitress was a constant problem, and there was a particularly long delay for drinks and between drinks and our main course. In addition, a friend’s mixed drink was served in a broken glass with mysterious black flecks floating inside. My restaurant standards are usually food-driven rather than service-driven, so it wasn’t enough to put me off the place, but a friend was definitely less than impressed. You’ve got a wonderful product here, Dukem. Sell it like it deserves to be sold.
Dukem
U St and 12 St NW
Washington DC
202-667-8735

Yes, Eamonn’s lives up to the hype. The tiny (20 seats!) little restaurant in Old Town Alexandria, brought to us from the Restaurant Eve folks, was highly anticipated by the area food community. Greasy comfort food with an excellent pedigree that those of us who don’t earn tasting menu salaries could actually afford? It seemed almost too good to be true.
And while Eamonn’s isn’t a perfect entrant into the new restaurant market, it certainly has plenty of charms. The menu is limited – a couple types of fried fish, served regular or large, two sizes of chips, a handful of other items such as battered burgers, a variety of dipping sauces, and their guilty-pleasure desserts, including fried dough, fried Snickers bars, fried Milky Ways…if you’re on a diet, there is no reason to step foot into the tiny restaurant.
The atmosphere is casual – even more so than I expected. Your seating options are a handful of tables with benches, and a couple bar stools. This is an in-and-out kind of place, rather than somewhere you linger (though the $5 Guinesses may cause you to extend your stay a little longer, and are the best beverage bet, as lesser bottled beers also run $5).
The portions here are not gigantic by any stretch of the imagination, but do you really need to clog your arteries with large quantities of fried food? The large piece of cod runs about $6.50, which seems a little much for just a piece of fish, but then you actually taste the thing. The meat is delicate and flavorful – the batter is hearty and delcious. Chips are twice fried, and even better when accented with malt vinegar or a bit of one of the sauces.
It is in the sauces that Eamonn’s shows a bit of its high-end restaurant roots – would you have thought that curry sauce would make an excellent accompaniment to fish? My friend and I found it incredible, though we still enjoyed the “Fronch” mustard sauce as well (though it was creamier than I usually like my dijon) – you can choose one sauce out of about 6, or pick a couple for 50 cents each.
I’m not a chocolate fan, but I think those out there will be more than willing to sample the fried candybars for themselves. My friend and I shared a $2.50 order of fried dough balls, which were heartier than I expected, and addictive -they’re coated in sugar and cinammon, and they made a convert out of me, when I tend to usually skip dessert. Even if you think you’ve had your fill of the fried by meal’s end, don’t miss these.
While you’ll ultimately walk out of Eamon’s paying a little more than you’d expect for a low-key, easily-inhaled meal of fish and chips, the quality of the ingredients will have you reassured that it was money well-spent.
Eamonn’s
728 King St.
Alexandria, Va 22314
703/299-8384

Choosing which establishment to patronize during Restaurant Week is always a challenge – who will offer full (or nearly-full) menu selections? Who will have a reservation free? Who will feature servers that roll their eyes at you when you say you’re there for the RW menu?
Take all those challenges and add a pair of semi-picky parents (though really no different than any other set who don’t consider special tibs one of the four food groups), and you had my dilemma for RW lunch selection. Figuring seafood would be a safe bet (neither parent likes Indian or non-Chinese Asian; Dad doesn’t care for Italian), I settled on DC Coast.
The Tunks restaurants really do a nice job of making you feel special during restaurant week. Though they slightly limit your dessert and appetizer selections, for lunch, we had our pick of the DC Coast entree choices. The service was attentive, and prompt without feeling rushed.
Our selections:
Yellow Tomato Soup: My dad raved. I was expecting something along the lines of Ceiba’s yellow tomato gazpacho, but this was warm, and a much richer offering. It was garnished with a sundried tomato mousse; yum!
Scallops appetizer: Two scallops, perfectly cooked, and accented with a spinach/bacon mixture and a pineapple sauce. Sweeter than my usual tastes, but the flavors all blended well.
Cold cucumber soup: Flecks of crabmeat make this one a winner.
Trio of sliders: I’m not partial to BBQ (sue me) but my father ordered this – a selection of chicken, pulled pork and beef brisket mini-sandwiches, and was more than satisfied. We could have done without the accompanying cole slaw.
Roast chicken with pomegranate sauce: This was delectably juicy, and the sauce was a nice touch. Accompanying vegetables were a bit overcooked, but were a colorful selection and candied pecans added a special kind of sweet something to the plate.
Blackened Tilapia: This was the meal’s gem – the fish was spectacular, and the paprika hollandaise that topped the asparagus was some of the best I’ve had.
I’m not a dessert fan, but the selections were good, and not too large to overwhelm at the end of the meal. I’d particularly recommend the lemon/blueberry creme brulee for something unique and delicious.
DC Coast is a safe bet for Restaurant Week: All the elements are in place to make it a treat of an experience for those trying to sample somewhere new at an affordable price.