Image: Série “Momentos de Artur Pastor”. Braga (1950s).

Lots of activity this week on our site, plus lots of news from the D.C. dining scene.  We added two places, reviewed two places and talked wine.  Here’s the recap:

Added to the Recommended Restaurant List:

Nama – It took several times for Michael Schlow to find a concept that worked for this spot.  With Nama, it looks like he has found something that works.  It is a good neighborhood sushi spot doing good work.

Hanumanh – Chef Seng Luangrath is leading a #LaoFoodMovement and Hamumanh is the most recent addition. She is also behind the successfully and beloved Thip Khao.

Reviews:

Reverie – Johnny Spero’s New American spot down the alley in Georgetown manages to be comforting and cutting edge.  Though Sietsema started tepid on this place, even he is coming along.

Jaleo – The Spanish stalwart maintains its level of excellence.

Wine:

In our survey of great D.C. wine shops, we checked in on Wardman Wines in Brookland.  The location is of recent vintage, but it already has a sense of place.

News:

Amy Brandwein of Centrolina opened a cafe across the pathway in City Center called Piccolina.  It looks cute and sunny.  Based on her reputation alone, I would recommend trying it out.

Tom Sietsema is back to his old ways.  This week he knee-capped a restaurant with great promise that had been open less than a month.  Shilling Canning Company is captained by Chef Reid Schilling, who most recently worked at The Dabney.  Considering how many things are going right for this place, it is difficult to justify calling out early kitchen inconsistency when it has only been open three weeks.  My recent meal there was good from start to finish.

Maison Kayser is closing up its two shops in D.C.  The sunny spots with serious breads opened in the District early last year.  In a variation on a theme, Sietsema took an early swipe.  It looks like it is cutting its losses.

Woodward Table, the only decent spot in a strange dead area, is closing as well.

Two places recently hit by fire are up and running again as of this week:  Osteria Morini and Seven Reasons.  At Seven Reasons, Chef Limardo used the time off to develop new dishes.