Technically, I guess this is more like Appetizer of the Week, but the sardine antipasto ($12) at Bibiana packs so many humble pleasures on one plate that I couldn't resist plugging a starter instead of an entree. Chef Nicholas Stefanelli buys his fresh whole sardines twice a week from Portugal, debones them in house, and [...]
Masala Art owner Atul Bhola had told me he would offer some unusual dishes at his new Tenleytown restaurant, and I have to admit the gaulati kebab plate ($12.95) sitting before me is so different, I'm not even sure how to eat it. The plate arrives with three lamb patties in the middle, surrounded by [...]
French cooking, whether haute or country, feels about as trendy as parachute pants. Italian, Spanish, Indian, and Chinese cuisines all generate much more buzz with contemporary diners, who seem to view the Gallic, butter-intensive approach to cooking as barbaric as Hummers in Berkeley. It's a sorry state of affairs for French food, which has been [...]
The charm of this sandwich, part of the brunch menu at Black Market Bistro in Garrett Park, lies almost exclusively with the ciabatta bread, which is among the best I've sampled (perhaps because it wasn't squashed to death in a press). Its extremely crackly crust gives way to an airy crumb, creating the perfect toothsome [...]
Don't be turned off by this crappy photo. It's a snap of the leftovers of the smoked duck that I ordered this weekend at Sichuan Pavilion in Rockville. The real presentation at the restaurant was impressive enough — or at least aromatic enough — to entice the buzz-cut gentleman from the next booth over to [...]
