I decided to venture out to Cleveland Park on a particularly dull night to see if I could uncover a tasty establishment to lift my spirits. Although I arrived close to 10, the restaurant was still packed with hungry customers and with more coming through the door.  Seeing the guests pile in was what sold me to try Indique.

Cost – $$

Service – B
The service was very basic; order, deliver, and fill the glass. It did take them some time to come get my order and they never asked if I wanted a second drink from the bar.

Food – C
The appetizers were quite delicious. The mini dosa were adorably rolled out along with a display of chutneys to accompany it. The aloo tikki, although wasn’t pan fried enough for my taste, was still wonderfully flavorful and served with deliciously stewed chick peas.

The entrees were disappointing in comparison to the appetizers. The kebab Indique had a gingery taste that did not work well with the combination of the lamb and chicken. It was definitely my least favorite of the entrees. The chicken tikka makhani, although the meat was succulent, was too sweet for my palette. The naan was not light and fluffy and it seemed as though it was pre made and reheated. The chicken biryani was not the flavorful rice dish I was hoping for. It lacked the spiciness of traditional biryanis and had little to no raisins, which is my favorite part of biryanis.

Looking at the dessert menu I was upset to see that my beloved gulab jamun was soaked in an orange syrup, as well as most of the desserts. Completely turned off, I decided on a mango kulfi and the kheer. Thankfully I was wise enough to get the “orange syrup” on the side for the kulfi or else it would have ruined this creamy frozen dessert. The kulfi was just the right amount of sweetness and you could see the mango pieces sticking out of the icy dessert. The kheer was probably the best one I’ve had to date. The rice pudding was sweeter than what I’m use to but made the dish surprisingly delectable compared to the entrees. The condensed milk added to it gave the pudding a rich and velvety texture, and the rice was not at all hard or grainy.

Decor – B
Indique’s simplicity of its exterior makes it an easy miss when walking through Cleveland Park. Upon walking through the doors can you only notice the spaciousness of this dual-floored restaurant. The stark white walls and railings with the ceiling fans is reminiscent of British colonial India. The surprising minimalism of its décor makes the restaurant seem unpretentious compared to other Indian establishments, making you feel like a guest in a home.

Feel – B
Because you feel like you are in someone’s home, conversation is easily made and in turn, Indique draws in groups of people at a time. Bottles of wine, wine glasses, and lowball glassware litter across tables around the restaurant contributing to the relaxed environment. In depth and intense conversations are scattered through out the restaurant. Although the environment is a great place to sit and reminisce with old friends, the substandard entrees are what will keep me from coming back.

Indique is located at 3512 -14 Connecticut Ave. NW.  They can be reached at (202) 244-6600.

What’s the Buzz:

December 2, 2007 – Indique (DC Eats) – Indique is a really nice little restaurant, the decor is upscale and gives you the feel of fine dining. The employees are nice. I was a little perturbed because they didn’t have any really spicy curry. I love my curry spicy and was expecting tha they would have some. Unfortunately to my dismay they didn’t have any.  Full Article…

Cost – $$

Service – A-
Sabores has pretty good service. Actually the people who work there are downright friendly. They are mostly Latin and as much as I hate to stereotype (actually I don’t hate to stereotype at all) I find that Latin people who work in restaurants tend to be friendlier than other ethnicities. At any rate, the service is quite good.

Food – B
The food is quite good. You can choose from a decent array of Spanish Tapas and the quality is much better than some of the other Tapas places in the DC area (like Jaleo for instance, which always leaves me feeling slightly nauseated).

Decor – A-
I arrived at Sabores about ten minutes before the rest of my group and leaned up against the bar and enjoyed a mojito. With its open walls, it has a very tropical feel and in the warm DC night if I shut my eyes I honestly felt for a moment that I was transported to the Caribbean. Now, that may be lunatic tendencies of a man who hasn’t felt much warm weather in the past five months but there is something very perfect about the way that Sabores is designed.

Feel – B+
Much like with the decor, if I closed my eyes for a few moments in the warm DC night I could almost imagine being in a trendy upscale lounge in Miami surrounded by all sorts of beautiful people. Then I opened my eyes and realized I was in a restaurant in Cleveland Park. That being said, it is not a bad place to start your evening and if you are lucky enough to have a significant other then I would highly recommend Sabores as a venue to take them out on a warm Summer evening.

Sabores is located at 3433 Connecticut Ave. They can be reached at (202) 244-7196.

What’s the Buzz:

January 18, 2008 – The Full Flavors of Sabores (The Washington Post) – Sabores resembles a double-wide add-on solarium. The room is a long rectangle with a marble-topped bar and a row of banquettes along the rear wall. Full Article…

Cost - $

Service – B
Most of the places in Cleveland Park cater to a neighborhood crowd and subsequently tend to have pretty friendly people working behind the bar and on the floor. Atomic Billiards is no exception, having friendly bartenders.

Food – ?
To be honest, I don’t even know if Atomic Billiards serves food. I imagine they do, and I imagine it is nothing you would want to eat.

Decor – C
Nothing really special about Atomic Billiards. It is sort of like walking into that guy’s basement who you are sort of friends with but not really, who is still drinking beer and getting stoned even though he is like 35-years old.

Feel – B
I’m admittedly a snob so pool halls simply aren’t my thing. That being said, I’ve spent several nights at Atomic Billiards and always managed to have at least a little bit of fun. Much like watching a Jerry Bruckheimer film, you are probably better off if you don’t expect much. That leaves you little room to be disappointed.

What’s the Buzz:

Atomic Billiards (Washington Post) – Owned and operated by the same people who run Bedrock Billiards in Adams Morgan, Atomic Billiards is another small, reasonably priced pool hall. Located in the basement of a Connecticut Avenue strip mall, Atomic’s decor makes for a unique evening of shooting pool. The hall has a ’50s sci-fi feel, complete with futuristic art deco furniture and a large mural depicting a moon-base. Full Article…

Cost - $$

Service – B+
They have extremely friendly bartenders and wait staff.  I may be a little biased because I’ve been going there for a while but I’ve never had an unpleasant experience with the service at Yanni’s.

Food – B
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not an expert in Greek cuisine but at the same time I know good food when I taste it and the food is pretty good here.  They use good, fresh ingredients and it shows in the final product.

Decor – B
It is strange because the restaurant and bar offer two completely different experiences.  The restaurant is more formally decorated and you’ll often see an older crowd dining there.  The bar is designed to look like the inside of a cave.

Feel – B+
I really like this place. I live near Cleveland Park and as I mentioned earlier, this is one of the few places in the area where you can go and enjoy a late-night drink without having a lot of drunk people getting on your nerves.   I would also recommend it as a good place to go for a weekday evening dinner – maybe not as a first date spot (it isn’t really a knock-out venue) but definitely viable for couple who have been together and just want to enjoy a pleasant dining experience in the area.

What’s the Buzz:

December 18, 2007 – Yanni’s Greek Taverna (Chowbaby.com) – If you’re on a tight budget but have somebody to charm, I’d try Yanni’s. Romance for me is in the ambiance—Greek bouzouki music in the background, a lovely mural along one wall, adorable Greek (I assume) waiters, and a compact little bar in the back of the room. Full Article…

January 28, 2004 – Restaurant review: Yanni’s Greek Taverna (The Eagle) -If you’re grabbing a bite with friends or impressing that special someone, Yanni’s Greek Taverna in Cleveland Park offers authentic flavor at a reasonable price. Yanni’s is across from the Cleveland Park Metro, on a corner facing busy Connecticut Avenue and a host of other ethnic eateries. Full Article…

Cost – $$

Service – B
Ireland’s Four Provinces, also referred to as the ‘4 P’s’, is a neighborhood place that has pretty friendly servers and bartenders. If memory serves, they have doormen that work on the weekends who are also pretty friendly.

Food – C
It is an Irish pub so intrinsically, the food is not going to be very good. It is edible however.

Decor – C
It is a bit dirty and dank but again, it is an Irish bar so what can you possibly expect?

Feel – C+
The 4 P’s actually has a pretty friendly, warm vibe. The 4 P’s draws a good mixture of locals, young professionals, and University kids all looking for a good place to enjoy a few laughs and some relatively inexpensive beer. It is definitely not a very snooty place.

What’s the Buzz:

April 21, 2004 – Ireland’s Four Provinces (Drift Reality) - Ireland’s Four Provinces was one of my favorite venues outside of Georgetown when I was in school. Unlike a lot of Georgetown bars, the place attracts a diverse group of ages and has a friendly, vivacious atmosphere. Also, you don’t have to wear a plaid shirt to go there, which is nice. Full Article…

Cost - $

Service – C
It isn’t really a restaurant but I guess the people working at the counter do a decent job.  If only they could wipe the angry look off their faces.  Maybe people should start tipping them more.

Food – A
I like the pizza here better than the pizza at 2 Amys or Pizzeria Paradiso. It is that good.  Actually I have traveled through Italy and also spend copious amounts of time in New York and Chicago and I think pizza from Vace can go toe-to-toe with pizza from anywhere else in the world.  As a matter of fact there sandwiches are also delicious.

Decor – NA
Well it is sort of a small supermarket / takeout place so let’s just say it is a couple of steps below the Mandarin Oriental.

Feel – C
I sort of wish they handled customers more efficiently.  I’ve sat in line for 20 minutes before – and that was with 2 people in front of me.  At any rate, the pizza is good enough that they can take their sweet ass time but let me recommend calling in ahead of time for your order so it is ready when you get there.

What’s the Buzz:

December 2, 2004 – Vace (Drift Reality) – Vace, located at 3315 Connecticut Ave in Cleveland Park, has the best pizza for miles. The ingredients are extremely fresh and the slices are a perfect size. Compared to the crap that you get in Adams Morgan, Vace’s slices are on another level. Granted, you probably couldn’t wrap Vace’s slices around you like a cape in case you were cold like you could with slices from Adams Morgan, but who the hell would do something disgusting like that anyway? Full Article…

Cost – $$

Service – B
Aroma is a neighborhood place that doesn’t get ridiculous so you don’t have to deal with cranky bar tenders. At the same time it can sometimes be a struggle to get a drink. Particularly on a Friday or Saturday night.

Food – ?
As a matter of fact, I’ve never eaten at Aroma Company. I don’t even think they have a kitchen.

Decor – B+
Aroma Company is a neighborhood establishment but has a sort of hip design. There is a lounge in the back that is never crowded and allows you to have a bit more of an intimate experience.

Feel – C
Don’t go expecting DC’s finest (if such a thing is even possible). After all, it is Cleveland Park. At the same time, there is always an interesting mix of locals and transients hanging out.

What’s the Buzz:

October 16, 2007 – Aroma Lights Up the Night (Going Out Gurus) - A friend and I went to Aroma last night to say goodbye to longtime bartender Krishna Ramsundar, and as we walked in, we took in the aroma. It wasn’t because we were caught up in the moment — it was because we smelled the fragrant odor of burning tobacco. Ashtrays were scattered across the bar, a guy lit up a celebratory cigar and, later, one man wandered in while puffing away on a pipe. Full Article…

May 18, 2003 – Aroma Company (Drift Reality) – The other night I went to the Aroma Company, located at 3417 Connecticut Avenue, NW. It’s a narrowly structured little joint with a lounge in back and a stage up front, where a jazz/funk band plays on Friday nights. Full Article…

Cost – $$

Service – C
I used to have great experience with the service at the Cleveland Park location but it seems to have dropped off in the past year or so.  Now when I go there is rarely a word muttered by the server and they seem surly the whole time.  I can’t quite figure it out.

Food – B+
I’ve only ever ordered the pho at Nam-Viet and that is sufficient for me. Actually, while I’m writing this I’m sort of getting hungry for Pho. The stuff is addictive.

Decor – D
There are certain rules to Vietnamese pho places: good service/good pho/no investment whatsoever in decor.

Feel – C-
If you go here it is only for the pho. Definitely not a great ambiance, just really good food.

What’s the Buzz:

April 13, 2007 – Nam-Viet (Drift Reality) – Nam-Viet is a great Vietnamese place in Cleveland Park with really tasty pho (if anyone knows the accurate pronunciation of this word please let me know), good prices, and friendly service. I ordered a beef dish once and regretted it when it came drenched in a slimy glaze that reminded me of cheap Chinese food. I often go with a friend who lives in Cleveland Park and she normally orders the grilled shrimp and scallops on skewers and although I have never tried them, they look pretty delicious. Full Article…