| Address | 700 Water St., Washington, DC 20024 |
|---|---|
| Phone | (202) 554-9100 |
| Fax | (202) 554-9103 |
Most people come to Zanzibar's to dance. Which explains why, on a drizzly Friday night, the restaurant at Zanzibar's is quiet and almost empty, while in the nightclub upstairs, hip hop and reggae are blasting and it is packed.
The restaurant is located right on the water, between H20 and Pier 7 restaurant, at 7th & Water Streets. Inside is bright, with orange and azure blue walls and enormous windows looking out on the Potomac. It is a well-kept secret: a delicious meal, a perfect view, and the 2nd best mojitos in town.
This is gourmet Caribbean, but with a twist. The twist is that Zanzibar's is one of the few "gourmet" restaurants that stays fairly true to its roots. Traditional is what Zanzibar's does best. The spiciness of their jerk chicken, for example, did not get diluted on its trip to the States. And the Mixed Grill, which is filet mignon, salmon and jerk chicken over a bed of rice and peas, is extremely flavorful and very spicy. But definitely the best thing we tasted was the Jambalaya-- the sausage alone was so orgasmically tasty--it is just something that cannot be described, only experienced.
The portions are a good-sized; enough that we only ordered entrees and did not want dessert. Be prepared to wait about 30 minutes for your entree, so if you are hungry, order the appetizer.
And the drinks? I've tried plenty of mojitos in this town, but these mojitos (made by Winnie, the Ethiopian bartender downstairs) were on POINT. There is only one restaurant that makes them slightly better -- Cafe Atlantico's -- but the competition is tough. Drinks are on the steep side -- about $8-10 -- but if you skip the booze, look to spend about $20-25 per person on food.
And if you're wondering which is better for food, Cafe Atlantico or Zanzibar's? It's Zanzibar's. Zanzibar's or Ortanique? Ortanique ... by a nose.
