Image: Francesc Català-Roca, “Churrera on the street in Toledo.” (1953).
This week there were several positive signs that the restaurant world is finding its footing, but there were also signs that long-standing problems still need to be addressed. Which means that it is now time for our weekly round-up of activity on this site and other news of D.C. dining. We start with additions to our dining guide.
Updates to the Recommended Restaurant List
Added:
Lutèce – Cafe Bonaparte got a makeover and it works. Upgraded food makes you wish this was your neighborhood spot.
Yellow the Cafe -Albi’s day cafe is really good at baked goods and pitas packed with flavor.
Closed:
Today, ANXO shuts down in Truxton, still open in Brightwood.
Updates to Status:
Maydan opens up some more.
Obelisk shuts down for summer (we hope only for summer).
Sovereign comes back on July 21st.
Bar Pilar dining room re-opens.
Other News
Laura Hayes continues to be one of the few journalists on the food beat who seems to realize (or at least write about) the fundamental issues facing the industry. This week she wrote about what it is like for workers who came back.
The Line Hotel has a mixed reputation for its business practices, but in the last year or so the reputation has collapsed. The most recent indicators of subpar character are bringing back a chef who may not be the best supervisor and putting him in charge of the flagship restaurant, and then this week that same restaurant appeared to appropriate the work by a local artist that was done for the previous occupant without acknowledgement (as best we can understand the charge). We first spotted Kevin Tien calling them out on it (link no longer available). The Line responded by turning off comments on the post – as opposed to just taking it down or addressing the problem. There are now two hotels that we will not patronize in D.C.
Eater DC did a dining guide for Dupont, but left off the 18th Street places like Anju, Pupatella and Bar Charley. Maybe they don’t think that is Dupont? Maybe it is an editing mistake? We can’t believe they left them off for not making the cut. But they also left off Pizzeria Paradiso. That we can’t explain away. Also, Little Sesame is not in Dupont, though they used to be!
A little while back NY restaurateur Keith McNally hinted that he was bringing a version of Minetta Tavern to D.C. We are skeptical that it will translate as well as he thinks. We would also note that Danny Meyer, Alain Ducasse, and Daniel Boloud all came to town throwing their big names around and made only minor splashes at best. This weekend the Times did a piece on McNally that tried to burnish his image after some recent controversy. The response was not positive.
There was one more thing, but I keep drawing a blanc.
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That’s it for now. Enjoy the respite from the heat for a couple days. Then when you start to plot your next meal out, give us a look-over. We like to think of ourselves as the best way to find a great place to eat in Washington, D.C. Our dining guide as 300+ recommended restaurants that you can sort by cuisine, neighborhood, and current operating status (dine-in and/or take-out, etc.) in either LIST or MAP format.
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