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…

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…

Leftbank is one of the few ultra-modern establishments in Adam Morgan and is known to have a few faces, depending on when one visits. On one hand it is a French bistro that also serves brunch and sushi, on another, it is a lounge complete with with a dance floor and DJ playing a wide range of music from hip hop to international. One of the cool things about this place is that during the warmer months, they open up the front doors which gives the place an open feel. When I first came to DC almost three years ago, Leftbank was consistently packed on weekend nights but for the past few months it seems to be slowing down a bit. However, it looks to be doing just fine as as a restaurant and special events venue.

Cost - $$

Service - B
From talking to others, comments from service range from being good to mediocre. I know the owner and manager so my experience has always been excellent.

Food - B
The food used to be sometimes inconsistent but a few months back, a new chef was hired and the food seems to be improved. The back sushi bar is pretty good and some of the sushi chefs really know how to make it fun for diners.

Decor - B
I really like the airy and open feel of the space which is complemented by a simple long three-sided bar. The orange banquettes and pieces of art add nice splashes of color to the minimalist decor. A good setting for brunch in colorful Adams Morgan.

Feel - C+
As of late, it’s been hit or miss as a night time destination but with a few tweaks, I think the place can pick it up because the space itself is actually pretty cool. For those seeking out an international crowd with international beats in Adams Morgan, Leftbank could be a decent choice. It also could work for those who want to dance and don’t care to be bumped into.

Leftbank is located at 2424 18th St. NW. They can be reached at (202) 464-2100.

Geisha Lounge is a sushi bar and lounge located in the lower level of an office building very close to the White House. By day and early evening, Geisha Lounge is a hipper than average restaurant but on certain nights, it plays host to various crowds ranging from Latin to Hip Hop depending on the day of the week. From time to time, I think they have naked sushi parties where one can eat sushi off of nude models.

Cost - $$

Service - B
The times I have been there, both as a restaurant and club, it hasn’t been too crowded so the service was good.

Food - B-
The sushi was average compared to other DC establishments but some of the other offerings on the menu were pretty good. I think part of my favorable disposition is due to the fact that I live close to here and appreciate being able to get udon and katsu within walking distance.

Decor - B
Geisha lounge is trendy and stylish and I liked the abundant use of red in the decor. I especially like the mural on the lighted wall in the dining room and the atypical Japanese art.

Feel - B-
Last time there, it was a Friday night and I felt like I was at an underground hip hop club in LA or NY. The breakdancers and b-boys were doing their thing in the middle of the dance floor and the other patrons were on the fringes watching and moving to the music. I never would have expected to find such a scene in the middle of downtown DC which was kind of cool. On the restaurant side, the dim lighting and private booths make for an intimate setting. The crowd has been light the times I have been but with a full restaurant, I can imagine this place being pretty cool.

Geisha Lounge is at 727 15th St, NW Washington DC 20005. They can be reached at (202) 347-3887.

Service - B
The service is fine. It is nothing special really but they are generally prompt, error-free, and fairly polite.

Food - B
Personally, I like the food there. The sushi is definitely edible and I’ve tried some of the Chinese dishes and they didn’t make me feel bad. I mean, the place isn’t really somewhere you go for a great culinary experience but it is good in a pinch.

Decor - B
Nothing special but definitely nothing to laugh about.

Feel - C
I live in the Van Ness / Tenleytown area so it makes some sense for me to go to Bambu. It is only a ten-minute drive from my house and I never have to worry about parking or waiting for a table. On a weekday night if you happen to be craving sushi in the Palisades area then go to Ivy Sushi Carryout. If you happen to be craving sushi and some egg rolls then go to Bambu.

Cost - $$

Service - A-
I have always found the service to be pretty good at Sake Club. The hostess is always courteous and friendly and the wait staff are quite good as well.

Food - B+
I have heard some mixed things about Sake Club but I’ve always really enjoyed the sushi when I’ve eaten there and I’m pretty picky when it comes to sushi. There aren’t a lot of places in DC that strike me as having fundamentally superior sushi. Maybe Sushi-Ko.

Decor - A-
There is a lot to like about the decor in Sake Club. The lighting is quite good as is the general decor of the place. Even the small details that only matter to a small percentage of people - the tabletop fixtures, dining ware, etc. - are cared for. The only criticism I would have on the place is that the sense of privacy isn’t always there. Sometimes you feel like your neighbors can hear every single bit of your conversation and vice-versa.

Feel - B
I like Sake Club, so I can’t quite understand why it isn’t more popular amongst DC’s younger denizens. I get the feeling that it is mostly inhabited by the Woodley Park / upper Dupont Circle middle-aged crowd.

Maté is a club / sushi bar located in Georgetown on 3101 K Street.  As with the majority of Latin Concepts venues in the area Maté has a slick, sophisticated vibe, good food and good music.

Cost - $$$

Service - B+
Maté does a good job hiring attractive girls to work as servers and bartenders. The doormen are sometimes a pain in the ass. Especially if there are no gals in your group.

Food - C-
I’ve heard people say that the food at Maté is good. I think that is bullshit. The menu is interesting but doesn’t deliver. The sushi is sub-par.

Decor - C
This may surprise some loyal Maté patrons but I think the place is sort of gross in the evening, when all you have to focus on is the food and general shabbiness of the furniture and fixtures in the place. I guess as long as it is dark and you are a bit buzzed it is fine.

Feel - A
Maté attracts some of the more attractive people in DC. It is a hot-spot for a lot of Persians living in the area and that translates into attractive women.

What’s the Buzz:

November 25, 2007 - Mate (DC Eats) - Sunday night with a taste for sushi and some tasty drinks, a friend suggested Mates. Mates (pronounced Mah-tay’s) is apart of the Latin Concepts chain of restaurants. As soon as I walked in I had a strong feeling I wouldn’t be disappointed. Full Article…

Cost - $$

Service - C
They have some attractive waitresses, which is good I suppose. The doormen are normally dicks and that is inexplicable at this point because Saki has lost a lot of its momentum.

Food - B-
I don’t think people go to Saki to eat the sushi but it is actually not that bad.

Decor - B
It is okay I guess. The lounge has ample space to sit and relax, but also a small dance floor. Upstairs is a bit narrow but well furnished.

Feel - C
About three years ago, Saki was pretty hot. It has really lost a lot of its appeal in the past couple years and is definitely on the decline.

What’s the Buzz:

February 25, 2005 - Saki (Drift Reality) - Saki is the only sushi joint I’ve ever been to numerous times where I’ve never actually tried the food. It’s a pretty trendy venue located at 2477 18th St. in Adams Morgan and unlike so many venues that attempt to imitate a Manhattanesque ambience but fail miserably (see section on San Diego nightlife), Saki actually succeeds. Full Article…