I chose Bastille in Alexandria for DC’s restaurant week purely because it was walkable from Braddock Rd Metro and it had 4 “$” signs. If only all shots in the dark were this much of a success! I would go back any day of the year, Restaurant Week or no. If that’s not high praise, I don’t know what is.
Appetizers
These beignets make for an upscale snack!
Last restaurant week, my husband and I ate a little too much. I know that doesn’t mean much, coming from a food blogger, but it’s true. We went to Capital Grille for lunch exactly 6 hours before going to Rasika. For the most part, our food was delicious, but after Cap Grille’s steak and crab & lobster burger for lunch, we had to take most of our Rasika meal home. On the plus side, I can vouch for it being excellent the next day, naan included!
Appetizers
Delicious texture but a little salty.
We are looking for a steak house we love more than the ones we went to back in Chicago. We chose Capital Grille for restaurant week lunch this year. We wanted dinner, but they only offered lunch. It’s located on a corner in Penn Quarter. You’ll recognize it from the ferocious lions guarding the door and the window into the aging meat locker. Yummy. Review after the bump.
There are 2 lions at the front door, guarding the delicious foods within.
I first went to 1789 when my now husband proposed. It was a magical evening. The fireplace was roaring in the main room. Love was in the air. The food was *amazing*. You can imagine why we decided to come back.
It’s a cozy restaurant that’s good for birthdays and other celebrations. As adventurous as we are most of the time, we’ve been three times and gotten the same entree three times. Both of us. Normally, I’d say, “BOOOORRRRING.” But their lamb is that good.
We went to 1789 for their “sizzling summer special,” a $40, 3-course dinner (lamb and steak are an extra $8). We invited another couple to join us, and of course they were sharers. Nothing is worse than going to a good restaurant and people won’t share. We even got a small taste of another dinner! One of them ordered something different.
After we ordered, we got an amuse bouche. Delicious! The bite had a sort of a ceviche of rockfish with herbs on a mini tomato on a slice of French bread.
The right amount of citrus and oil in the amuse bouche make a tasty snack.
A while ago, my partner and I ate at Café Atlántico. Actually, we ate there twice – once during restaurant week (with very bad cell phone photos that will not be displayed here other than the drinks) and once before a play at the Shakespeare Theater (pictures after the bump). During restaurant week we got 2 appetizers, 2 mains, and 2 desserts. During non-restaurant week, we got guacamole, 2 mains, and 1 dessert. The guac is mighty – I’d recommend skipping an appetizer unless you’re sharing among many. Without further ado, Café Atlántico‘s spectacular eats:
Restaurant week Winter 09:
Drinks
Salt and Lime Air Margarita – It has a salt and lime “foam” on top. It was hard to drink because the 
foam sloshed around on top. It was tasty, but I wouldn’t get it again.
El Presidente – a blood orange drink with bitters and some other stuff. My partner wasn’t expecting it to look as girly as it did. I didn’t like it much, but he did.
matzo&rice
Matzo
Lynda
matzo&rice 