Co Co. Sala is one of the latest restaurants to follow the trend of chocolate themed dining. Self-proclaimed as “DC’s premier Chocolate Lounge & Boutique,” this recent addition to Penn Quarter specializes in espresso, chocolate-based drinks, artisanal chocolates, and pastries. Born from a creative partnership between Nisha Sidhu, founder of The Sugar Gallery and Bharet Malhotra of Cvent, Co Co. Sala is a great change of pace to the DC scene.

Cost - $$$

Service - A
The wait staff here was well trained and knew the menu inside and out which I am sure is a requirement considering the offerings.

Food - B
Being someone with a healthy appetite, I found the portions to be on the light side. That said, each dish was savory and complex and rather than feeling teased I was surpisingly satisfied. The core part of the menu consists of four Monde du Chocolat prix-fixe selections which are inspired by flavors of India, Italy, America and South America. Additionally or as an alternative, you can order small plates or “Coco Bites” which are more traditional items: mac and cheese, crabcakes, sliders and salads. There is a selection of recommended cocktails for the prix-fixe and small plate choices.

Decor - A-
Co Co. Sala’s decor is a luxurious mix of interesting details: walls and ceilings created to emulate flowing chocolate, plush mocha couches and chairs, chocolate sculptures, blue lit bar with flat screens, both fiber optic and slender overhead lighting, and open flame accents throughout the restaurant. All this makes for an attractive, different and unique setting.

Feel - B+
As I referenced above, Co Co. Sala’s is a great change of pace. The ambiance created by the dim lights, house music, rich decor and attentive staff really met the goal of being an intimate sophisticated lounge.

Co Co. Sala is located at 929 F St. NW. They can be reached at (202) 347-4265.

What’s the Buzz:

July 2, 2008 - New Heaven for Chocoholics (Washington Times) - Stepping into Co Co. Sala is a bit like falling into a box of chocolates. The new Penn Quarter restaurant is dedicated to chocolate. Obsessed, you might say. It is the place to go to die by chocolate: chocolate cocktails, five-course chocolate desserts and splendid chocolate candies.  Full article…

June 2, 2008 - Co Co. Sala (District Culturati) - Co Co. Sala is a self-described “chocolate lounge and boutique”, nestled on F Street in the Penn Quarter. I am, by no means, a Trendy Wendy. When making my nightlife choices, you’ll find me erring on the side of dive bars and undiscovered urban nooks. So color me a bit skeptical when we rush to make our reservation from our late showing of Sex and the City and arrive at Co Co. Sala’s chic exterior.  Full article…

The chain of Alero Tex-Mex restaurants gets comments from diners that all over the map. On one hand, the food is terrible and on the other, it’s the best Mexican food in DC. I have eaten at all three locations and will get into my opinion on the food below, but the one I will focus more on in this review is the U Street locale.

Cost - $$

Service - A
As with most neighborhoody latin restaurants, service is consistently very good. Wait staff is almost always hustling and eager to please.

Food - B-
As I stated above, there is a wide range of opinions on the food. Like with most things, I think the main reason for the differences has to do with the broad spectrum of expectations. Being from California, I have a fundamental problem paying $9.95 for a burrito which I used to get for $5.50 so initially I agreed with those who were disappointed in DC Mexican cuisine. However, I have learned to not be so harsh by staying away from ordering overpriced tacos and chimichangas and sticking to the best value on the menu - steak fajitas! Also of note are the chips and salsa which I think are the best around.

Decor - B
As background, the Dupont and Cleveland Park locations are traditional in decor while the U Street one is modern with a much larger bar area and lounge. The U Street location gets the B while the other two would get C’s. I like the modern scheme much better and most of the art reflects the jazz scene roots of the area. I sometimes find it cool that the latin and jazz art come together so well.

Feel - B+
With the large outdoor patio, it’s hard to top Alero on a warm weekday night or weekend afternoon. Alero has some pretty good happy hour specials but the crowd can be a bit much for me at times. There are also three sets of couches which do it as a lounge for some but I can’t say I really feel it. That all said, the primary reason I frequent Alero is because of the two large screen TVs at the bar. I won’t watch an important game here but I will spend time on a Sunday afternoon watching golf or baseball while reading the paper and sucking down margaritas.

Alero is located at 1301 U Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 462-2322.

What’s the Buzz:

September 27, 2007 - Alero Dupont (Washingtonian) - You’ll find all the hallmarks of a standard, guac-laden Tex-Mex menu–big platters holding burritos, chimichangas, fajitas and enchiladas–plus carne asada and pollo primavera (grilled chicken breast piled with zucchini, onions and tomatoes). On the seafood front, shrimp and scallops adorn most dishes. Full article…

Before watching the new M Night Shyamalan film down in Georgetown I decided to go and grab a quick bite to eat on the waterfront. I had tried just about every restaurant down in the waterfront area except for Cabanas so I figured it would be a good place. I got there at around 7PM or so and was seated immediately on the front patio, which afforded a nice view of the waterfront fountain. A cool breeze was coming in off the Potomac, moderating what would have otherwise been a somewhat warm Friday evening.

Cost - $$$
I normally don’t go into depth discussing price but you are really paying for the location at this restaurant (as is the case with all the restaurants on the waterfront I suppose). I was fully expecting entrées to be between $20 - $30 but was a little surprised that the moderately-sized margaritas were upwards of $11. Okay - enough whining.

Service - C
I guess they were somewhat slammed but our server didn’t bring us any water and we didn’t really see him from the time he took our initial order to the time he came to leave the check. He was relatively polite but I could tell he was slammed. I think they could staff-up a bit to make sure that every customer has more than two touch-points during the meal.

Food - B+
I had the free range chicken with yucca fries and was not disappointed. Again, 25% of the cost of the entrées is for the location of the venue so I’m not sure the quality matches the pricing exactly (I’m sure there are loads of restaurants to get more authentic and tastier Latin dishes) - but overall the food was definitely solid. Even though I whined earlier about the price of the margaritas I have to admit they packed a nice little punch. I was actually going to give the place a ‘B’ but due to the fact that they had my favorite hot sauce (made with habañeros) gives them a slight boost.

Decor - B+
Cabanas has a nice upscale Mexican venue feel to it. For some peculiar reason the word “willowy” springs to mind when describing the interior.

Feel - B+
After the week I had, sitting on the Cabanas patio with a margarita in-hand was precisely the cure I needed to relax. I enjoyed my experience there and probably would rate Cabanas as one of the better dining experiences on the waterfront. They have a salsa night as well that I can imagine would be a blast.

Cabanas is down at the waterfront at 3050 K Street. They can be reached at (202) 944-4242.

What’s the Buzz:

November 27, 2007 - Cabanas Restaurant Review (Washingtonian) - Owned by the group that runs waterfront restaurants Tony & Joe’s and Nick’s Riverside Grill, this bar and restaurant offers a nuevo Latino menu that’s a mishmash of Spanish and South and Central American influences. On the Tex-Mex side are enchiladas, nachos loaded with guacamole, plus fajitas and chimichangas. Full article…

Cost - $$

Service - D+
The one negative about Aditi is the service.  I’m not sure why, but the servers either seem like they are annoyed at customers or apathetic.  The first time I was there the server actually came and just grabbed food off the table before I was finished.  The second time around the server was slightly less rude, opting to simply come to my table every five minutes and ask if I was finished eating.

Food - A-
The only reason to really go to Aditi is the food.  It has been consistently good both times I visited.  The first time around I had my favorite dish, the chicken vindaloo, and it was on par with any other place in the DC area other than Rasika.  This last time around I tried the chicken korma and it was also pretty solid.

Decor - B+
The management put a decent amount of effort into the decor at Aditi and it clearly has a more contemporary feel than some of its peers in the DC-area.  It doesn’t exactly have high-end decor but it is good enough.

Feel - B-
I love the location and the food at Aditi.  I think if they were to simply put their wait staff on paxil or at least give them some customer service training the place would probably grade out at a B+ or even an A-.  Until then, I would simply say that it is a good place if you have a hankering for Indian food and are in the Georgetown area but there are better options in the DC-area as a whole.

Aditi Indian Cuisine is located at 3299 M St NW, Washington DC.  They can be reached at (202) 625-6825.

Cost - $$

Service - B
I visited while they were still getting their ducks in a row so the service seemed a bit excited but very professional. Our hostess was friendly and I even spent a few minutes chatting with the manager, Adam, who seemed on his game. The service at the bar was also quite solid.

Food - A-
They don’t serve main courses but they do have an extensive appetizer menu that includes cheeses, meants, flatbreads, and some of the most delicious chocolate in the city. The wine list (as one would expect from a wine bar) is also pretty impressive and I thoroughly enjoyed a glass of the hermann wiemer riesling. Enology structures the menu in a manner conducive to sampling an array of plates and wines.

Decor - A-
I liked Zebra Lounge but it sort of felt a bit euro-trashy - decorated like a cheesy bar on Mykonos. Enology on the other hand has a very contemporary and sophisticated design that should endear it to an older, more professional crowd.

Feel - A
I’m always excited when a venue with some class opens up within walking distance of my house. Enology has the potential to quickly become my neighborhood hang-out because of their high degree of professionalism and aesthetic appeal. The only question I have is whether or not they will be able to draw the right type of clientele from the Upper-Georgetown / Cathedral Heights area but the neighborhood has clearly been waiting for a place like this to pop-up.

Enology is located at 3238 Wisconsin Ave. They can be reached at 202.362.0362.

What’s the Buzz:

June 22, 2008 - Enology Wine Bar (The President Wears Prada) - Does anyone not love wine? Quite possible, but I haven’t met the person, actually I knew one girl in college who didn’t like wine, but she also didn’t like shopping so we won’t count her as a human. It’s really surprising to me that until recently DC didn’t have many wine bars, so I was very excited to try the newest one.  Full article…

Oya sometimes gets left out of the discussion of recommended restaurants in Penn Quarter but it shouldn’t. I think a lot of that has to do with Oya’s relatively subtle entrance and location on 9th Street which isn’t as noticeable as other nearby neighbors such as Zaytinya or Rosa Mexicana which are on street corners and get a steadier stream of foot traffic. That said, once inside you are quickly impressed with the presentation of the French-Asian cuisine and chic decor which in my opinion is one of the best renditions of modern simplicity in the city. Whether you are a cost conscious diner or not, the nightly three course dinner prix fixe menu for $30 is one of the best values around.

Cost - $$$

Service - B
I have had excellent service here and of the times it has been less than that, it has still been good. Waiters are attentive and accessible and usually quick to please.

Food - B
During my first visit to Oya, I thought the place was so aesthetically pleasing that the food would be a disappointment. It wasn’t that time but since then it has been good but a little inconsistent. Some longtime DC’ers tell me that the place has been improving over the past year and half or so. However, the one thing Oya is very consistent and good at is presentation.

Decor - A
The sleek white decor, high ceilings and fireplace lit walls make Oya one of the most eye-pleasing restaurants around. It manages to be both modern and warm especially with the 12 foot long fireplace in the main dining area.

Feel - B+
When I am looking for fun and hip but a little more on the quiet side, Oya makes the short list. I had visitors in town on my last visit and they fell in love with the cherry blossom decor used by the interior designers. Rather than feel like we were in another hip restaurant somewhere in a major city in the US, they knew they were in DC which is the way I like it.

Oya is located at 777 9th Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 393-1400.

What’s the Buzz:

January 22, 2008 - Oya (The Baltimore Snacker) - I finally caught up with my Washington Restaurant Week excursion, and as I said earlier I had to visit a place that carried the deal out through January. That place was Oya. This was such a fabulous restaurant, and I think i am going to visit this place again soon. Full article…

August 8, 2007 - Restaurant Week at Oya (Culture Me, DC) - As promised, here’s the full rundown on my Restaurant Week dinner at Oya last night.A note before I begin: RW has to be hard on chefs and servers, so I don’t always expect that I’ll see the absolute best of what a restaurant has to offer when I eat there during one of the busiest weeks of the year. On the other hand, though, these places should be showcasing the top dishes because that’s what’s going to make me come back, even when the deals are over and I have to pay full price. Full article…

November 3, 2006 - Oh Yeah!….OYA (Chowhound) - As I entered the restaurant I nearly forgot to assemble my “I’m somebody” face but the 3,000 lb. chain link curtain was the perfect reminder that I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. My unfashionably punctual buddys were seated and kind enough to have left my name and likeness with the maitre d’(helped me get in character). Moving through joint I was struck by the absence of kitchen aroma I have come to expect and love when gathering my appetite for a new menu. Full article…

Ownership of most of the hot spots in DC is consolidated by a handful of club owners. One of those is Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, whose company Latin Concepts is responsible for some of the top clubs and restaurants in DC including Chi-Cha, Mate, and Gazuza. As with the other Latin Concepts venues, Guarapo offers a trendy, sophisticated combination of food, music, and atmosphere and is one of the top venues in the Clarendon / Arlington area (and the only one I have been to in the area in the past several years).

Cost - $$

Service - A-
The general manager is Sevem Al-Hendi and he has done a good job staffing Guarapo with a combination of attractive, friendly bartenders and wait staff. I have always had a positive experience when interacting with the staff at Guarapo.

Food - B+
Ismael Otarola, the executive chef, is responsible for the menu that features a variety of Latin-infused tapas.

Decor - A-
I like the look and feel of Guarapo quite a bit. It offers a little bit of everything including an outdoor patio, upstairs bar, dance floor and dining/lounge area. It is also a versatile space - I have been there for dinner, happy hour and even a variety of events including fashion shows.

Feel - A-
Guarapo offers a sexy, laid-back ambiance that is conducive to socializing as well as a more secluded, romantic dining experience. I don’t venture into Virginia much on the weekends but if I did, it would definitely be to visit a handful of places and one of them would definitely be Guarapo.

Guarapo is located at 2039 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA. They can be reached at (703) 528-6500.

Asia Nine is the latest endeavor by Boonrod Yotmanee and Nuthinepan Tantivejakul, the couple that runs Rice and Spice Thai Cuisine in Alexandria. As a person who spends most of their life in Penn Quarter, I was looking forward to the opening of a convenient restaurant with a selection of Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Thai cuisines. I had read that Asia Nine was going to be mid-priced and casual so on my first visit with Jiyan, I was a little surprised on how expansive and well put together the place was. Truth be told, the hooks for me here are the flat screen televisions at the bar, sushi and the extensive sake list.

Cost - $$

Service - B+
I have eaten here a number of times since the doors opened in March and the service has been consistently good. Like most new establishments, there are kinks that will have to be worked out but the attentive and friendly attitude of the staff as a whole makes up for it. Expect the grade for service to improve once the sushi chefs start taking sake bombs with me.

Food - C+
The drawback of restaurants, especially Asian ones, with menus that span a variety of cuisines (fusion aside). Although the food in general can be good, the offerings tend to be the more popular safe dishes. Asia Nine fits into that mold and the dishes and sushi range from pretty good to average. Some may find the number of salads on the menu a plus.

Decor - B
As I alluded to above, I have come to expect most casual Asian restaurants to be a little thrown together including decor that falls along those lines but Asia Nine differs here. The space is open with high ceilings but the use of red, gold and orange color palette helps maintain a comfortable feel. Overall, I would say it’s a stylish restaurant.

Feel - B
I recently had dinner on a weekend and the place was full with a good buzz. It was nice to see a diverse crowd of people that seem to range from people on a date to casual diners to those who looked like they were warming up for a night on the town. A consistent solid experience be it happy hour or a Saturday night dinner.

Asia Nine is located at 915 E Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 629-4355.

What’s the Buzz:

March 26, 2008 - Asia Nine (Washington Post) - “I haven’t seen cocktails in these colors since spring break!” A buddy makes a nostalgic, and accurate, point as three of us ease into dinner at the sweeping Asia Nine Bar and Lounge in Penn Quarter: Our spirit-laced drinks form a Day-Glo rainbow of pink, yellow and blue on the tabletop, which is all but hidden by multiple menus that have been distributed to each of us. Full article…

March 18, 2008 - Asia Nine (DCfabulous) - Penn Quarter location. Check. Sushi menu. Check. Looks of what can be a trendy place to have sushi. Check. Tables full of children and tourists…ummmmm. I have been waiting for Asia Nine to open for a long time. And I was excited when I stopped by last Wednesday for the soft opening. Full article…

Rasika is part of the new-wave of Indian fusion that seems to be emerging in major US cities. Despite having an unbelievably irritating Web site that made me want to forego eating there (before realizing this would be a ridiculous reason to not visit a restaurant) the restaurant offers some pretty unique flavors in a stylist upscale environment.

Cost - $$$

Service - B-
I visited on a Friday night when they were probably slammed but for an upscale establishment, I felt like the staff was a bit frantic and frazzled. When I called at about 6PM I was told the earliest I could get a table in the main dining area was at about 10PM but I was told that I could get seating in the main bar area in about 30-40 minutes. I checked in with the hostess shortly after we got there and headed to the bar to get a drink. Strangely enough, I found it more difficult to get a drink at Rasika than most of the clubs I’ve been to on a Friday night and decided to forego the drink all together. I was then seated by one waiter before being told by the hostess and the manager that the table was already committed to another couple. After going back to the bar and failing to get the bartender’s attention I then decided to go sit and eat dinner at the bar towards the back of the restaurant. Again - not really bad service (in fact everyone was extremely polite and friendly) - it just seemed a little disorganized.

Food - A-
I dug the food at Rasika. The chef, Vikram Sunderam, has a reputation for practicing aggressive spicing and it was evident in the calamari. The tandoori chicken was actually a bit scaled back (as far as spice is concerned) but absolutely delicious. The presentation was pretty solid as well.

Decor - B
Solid but unspectacular. After reading the review of Rasika in USA Today I was expecting a bit more style and sexiness in the venue. In fact, I didn’t really notice much distinctive about the place although there is certainly nothing wrong with the decor.

Feel - B
I enjoyed my experience at Rasika but it didn’t live up to its hype in my opinion. The food was the best part of the experience for me and that shouldn’t be the case with a high-end restaurant like Rasika because quite frankly, there are loads of places to go if you are simply looking for good Indian food. Another factor I feel inclined to mention is the issue with eating at an Indian restaurant before going out. Much like with Korean barbecue, you are going to end up stinky inside and out. The scent of a place is often a neglected characteristic in most reviews but I’m going to factor it in. I have eaten at other Indian places that smelled a less pungent than Rasika. Overall it was a solid establishment and well worth a visit.

Cafe Japone is located at 633 D Street NW. They can be reached at (202) 637-1222.

What’s the Buzz:

December 20, 2005 - Rasika (DC Foodies) - I had a chance to stop by Rasika last Saturday. I love Indian food, and as soon as I heard that a new restaurant was opening, I had to go and see what it was like. I was also curious what Sebastian, the former wine and service director at Komi, was doing at an Indian restaurant of all places. It was only the second week that Rasika had been open, so I’ll try not to be too judgmental. Full article…

Cafe Japone has been a favorite of mine for a while now so this review is long overdue. The venue is a bit of a hidden gem in DC - a two-story establishment it really is somewhat of the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of sushi places in the DC area. The top floor offers a fairly laid-back sushi restaurant and bar complete with a karaoke stage. Walking into the downstairs bar however is sort of like entering a strange post-modern planetarium / lounge replete with billowy curtains, plush couches and a DJ booth.

Cost - $$

Service - B-
Cafe Japone doesn’t stake their claim on service. Actually their service can seem downright apathetic at times, as if to say, “This place is so cool we don’t even have to try very hard.” It is pretty cool though so I guess they don’t have to try that hard.

Food - B+
The sushi is pretty good. The sushi chefs are actually Japanese (as is the ownership) so they are really forced to represent appropriately. Actually in Dupont proper, I think the sushi is as good as it gets although it isn’t enough of a draw to bring people from all over the city in and of itself.

Decor - A-
As I mentioned in the preface to this review, Cafe Japone is a pretty funkified venue. Upstairs and downstairs are like night and day. The upstairs portion is not much different than any other sushi bar in the city - the downstairs portion is completely unique. I think the ownership decided to make the upstairs area the cash cow while making the downstairs portion more of a vanity project.

Feel - A-
It is one of my favorite venues in the Dupont Circle area. It is a good place for dinner or happy hour on weekdays, and a bit of a tucked-away gem for a weekend evening with friends. The lounge isn’t really so much of a social venue but offers intimacy and privacy for groups or couples.

Cafe Japone is located at 2032 P Street, NW. They can be reached at 202-223-1573.

What’s the Buzz:

May 6, 2007 - Cafe Japone (Clubhouse Lawyer) - I just have a few more weeks in DC, so I’m trying to do as much as I can as time permits. One of my co-workers is also leaving DC soon and this past Friday was her last day in the office. We had a sort of going away at Cafe Japone Saturday night. Full article…