Having been impressed with Chef Susur Lee’s NY restaurant, Shang, I was eagerly awaiting the opening of Zentan at the Donovan House Hotel. DC, like most other cities has its share of Asian fusion establishments, but Lee’s forward and creative style would be something I would consider to be newish to the city. Now that Zentan has been open for a few months now, there have been mixed reviews on the food and service but I think overall it’s been a success and continues to draw a lively crowd, especially on the weekends. My personal experience lands me in the food and service could use some improvement camp, but it is one of the more exciting dining spots around and will surely be back.

Cost – $$$

Service – C
The wait staff and managers were very pleasant but they clearly needed to communicate better about who was doing and responsible for what. We had multiple servers ask to take our order for drinks and food more than once which isn’t necessarily a bad thing depending on where you go, but I expected more from a place like Zentan.

Food – B
While looking over the menu, almost everything sounded very good but after the meal, I felt somewhat underwhelmed. I tasted the potential with a couple of dishes but a few items fell short including the Singapore Slaw. It’s a signature dish and people seem to love it so I am probably in the minority here. On a positive note, the cocktails were interesting and inventive.

Décor – A
The creative fare is strongly complimented by the ambiance and décor of the restaurant – dark, sleek, trendy and minimal (although some of the seating areas were spaced a bit too close together). The hanging flat metal sheet with candles in the center of the space was an especially attractive piece. The lounge and the sushi bar were also nice dining alternatives.

Feel – B
Zentan aimed to be something different and I really think it’s well on the way to achieving that. The ambiance is cool, the noise level is chatty, and diners seem to be having fun. If the service and food can rise to the décor, I wouldn’t mind coming back on a regular basis.

Zentan, located in the Dononvan House is at 1155 14th St NW. They can be reached at (202) 379-4366.

Everything on the menu at Founding Farmers sounded so good that when the waiter asked me what I would be having, I just responded with a “Yes, I will take two of each” and handed the menu back to him. I am kidding of course but the selection – albeit it all over the map: fried green tomatoes, steak and enchilada, yankee pot roast – was globally appealing to me. I had been craving for comfort food for some time so that surely had an influence, but regardless, even before I had a bite of anything I decided that Founding Farmers was my kind of place. Speaking of which, the space itself feels like a modern farmhouse which truly reinforces the restaurant’s philosophy of only using of sustainably farmed, grown and harvested American foods.

Cost – $$$

Service – A-
The caveat with my rating is that my visit was on a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend so the restaurant wasn’t very busy at all. Our particular waiter had a great sense of humor and seemed genuine and thoughtful. The food did take a little long to come out so I can imagine that the service may get a little spotty during peak hours.

Food – B
The food was actually not to the level I was expecting. Others had told me that certain dishes were to die for such as the mac and cheese, but I have easily had better. Same goes for the chicken and waffles. Looking around at what some of the other diners had ordered, I think I would have really enjoyed some of the other things on the menu like the flatbread or burgers. Some of the salads on the menu also caught my eye (even though I would never order one). I particularly liked the slow cocktail menu which was a nice surprise.

Decor – B
The eco-friendly design is sleek and at first impression, comfortable. The farmhouse theme works well and almost seems to prime you for a good traditional American meal. As some know, Founding Farmers is a LEED Gold certified, the first for a Washington, DC restaurant and for a full-service, upscale-casual restaurant in the entire nation.

Feel – B
As I alluded to earlier, Founding Farmers started out feeling very comfortable but after walking up to the second story, I started to realize that the restaurant was quite large and had a little bit of a chain feel to it. However, the place had a decent buzz and friendly atmosphere even during a holiday weekend and the slight institutional feel won’t stop me from coming back or recommending the restaurant to others.

Founding Farmers is located at 1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. They can be reached at (202) 822-8783.

What’s the Buzz:

June 20, 2009 – Sustainable Comfort: Founding Farmers (Only Here for the Food) – “Local” and “sustainability” are two of the key buzzwords in the restaurant industry right now, so it wasn’t surprising that Founding Farmers, a fairly new addition to DC’s restaurant scene, seems to live and breathe both of those practices. After reading their mission statement on their website, I was hooked, despite seeing both hit-and-miss reviews on Chowhound. Full Article…

Lauriol Plaza is one of those few places that has a very broad appeal and can be many things to many people. For example, it’s both neighborhoody as well as a destination for visitors and it can be very casual dining or a little more on the sophisticated side. I somewhat agree with most that the Tex-Mex fare here isn’t the best around but the restaurant excels in nearly every other category which is why it has remained a hot spot for over a decade….and it won’t be slowing down anytime soon. The main gripe with Lauriol Plaza is that they do not take reservations so there is a long wait during peak hours. But for some individuals like myself, it provides ample time to have a few margaritas before being seated which usually results in the food tasting that much better!

Cost – $$

Service – B
Considering how busy the place gets, the service has been consistently good in my experience but I have had to flag down wait staff on a couple of occasions. The staff on whole has always been friendly which usually makes up for any lag.

Food – B
Like I said earlier, maybe not the best Tex-Mex around but it doesn’t trail many of the other local places by much.  I think that’s due more to DC having a lack of a stellar Mexican food (outside of the more upscale restaurants). I usually get the fajitas which is better here that most other spots and you can pretty much fill up on the chips and salsa alone.

Decor – B
From the outside, Lauriol Plaza looks like a huge square building with sidewalk tables and umbrellas. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s unattractive, it’s just big and sticks out compared to all of the smaller shops and restaurants in the nearby vicinity.  The interior is actually pretty nice in my book: high ceilings, Spanish murals, white walls and a good use of wood and black metal. A good mix of modern and traditional.

Feel – A
Even with the hour wait, Lauriol is a fun place to go especially in the warmer months. The large roofdeck and sidewalk tables are some of the best for hanging out on a nice day all while sipping on margaritas. The location on 18th Street also adds a people watching element for some.

Lauriol Plaza is located at 1835 18th Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 387-0035.

What’s the Buzz:

May 29, 2008 – Lauriol Plaza (Bacon and Blue) – Lauriol Plaza is an institution in this city. Especially now that warm weather has arrived. I will admit that last week I went back to LP for the first time in about 4 or 5 years. {Gasp!} I know, I know, that’s blasphemous for any true DC resident. Full Article…