As is the tradition at Eater, our closeout of the year is a survey of friends, industry types, bloggers, and readers. This year, we asked the group eight questions; all will be answered by the time we turn off the lights at the end of the week. You've already heard them discuss such categories as Best Restaurant Newcomer. Now, they sum up 2013 in One Word. Responses are related in no particular order; all are cut and pasted herein.
Daikaya [Photo: R. Lopez]
Svetlana Legetic, co-founder and publisher, Brightest Young Things: SUPERHYPED
Jenna Golden, EatMore DrinkMore: Gluttonous
Russell Warnick, food writer: Restaurant-explosion!
Nevin Martell, freelance food writer (@NevinMartell): Mania. So many restaurant openings, a few sad goodbyes, and more than a little drama.
Tim Carman, Washington Post food writer and "The $20 Diner" columnist: 14th Street. (Sorry, I can never write short. Just ask Joe Yonan.)
Sara Pepitone, food writer: Evolution
Prince of Petworth Dan Silverman, founder of PoPville: Options
Stefanie Gans, Northern Virginia Magazine dining editor and critic: Craft
Jessica Sidman, Young and Hungry columnist: Frenzied. After all, there was a single week in May when four restaurants opened on 14th Street. And Casa Luca, Kapnos, and Bearnaise all opened on the same day (July 3).
Michael Martinez, producer, The Kojo Nnamdi Show and The Politics Hour, WAMU 88.5: Umami – mostly because it's a ridiculously fun word to say.
Eun Yang, NBC4 anchor and Emmy award-winning host of Foodies DC. Prolific
Jennifer Nycz-Conner, editor, Washington Business Journal: Craft beer. OK, two words, but sort of one.
Tom Sietsema, food critic, The Washington Post: Varied
Warren Rojas, Heard on the Hill: Frenetic
Mary Kong-Devito, Girl Meets Food: Overload
Michael Birchenall, Editor and Publisher, FoodService Monthly: Noodles. From Ramen to Pho to anything umami-centric, I never saw so many of my writer peers post their lusting fotos of steamy bowls … food porn, filling, comforting once again.
· All Previous Year in Eater Coverage [-EDC-]