The Early Word on Doi Moi

It's been just over two weeks since Mark Kuller and Haidar Karoum's Doi Moi came on the scene. Expectations were high for the Asian restaurant from the Proof and Estadio teams, not to mention its buzzy 2 Birds 1 Stone bar downstairs. What are the first comments about Doi Moi? Here's what Yelpers, bloggers and others are saying about the first weeks of business.

The Professional Verdict: Tom Sietsema's out of the gate early with a First Bite of Doi Moi. His friend christens the restaurant "Little Serow without the line." He says, "Back at my seat, I'm catching his drift. The blast of heat from Doi Moi's chili-packed ground duck salad certainly smacks of the fire I've encountered at Little Serow. Similarly, the younger restaurant's Issan-style pork sausage comes with the pleasantly sour notes and cool herb and cabbage garnishes I've lapped up at the competition." The restaurant is praised for its "vivid cooking" and its soft-serve ice cream. [WaPo]

The Make-A-Face News: Doi Moi is currently earning 4 stars on Yelp with 21 reviews in. Andrea M. says, "The food here was so good I made faces." [Yelp]

The Unconventional Cocktails News: Yelper Gregg M. was impressed with Doi Moi's cocktails. "I had the Salt-cured Key Lime Soda and Gin while Carol had the Tamarind Soda & Peanut-infused Bourbon. Both drinks were not for the narrow-minded as they both possessed flavor combinations that were true to its SE Asian inspiration and challenged conventional, Western cocktail conventions. My drink was salty with only a hint of sweetness, yet interestingly refreshing." [Yelp]

The Excellent Seasoning News: Yelper Cameron H. says, "This is the single most important and rewarding part of the entire meal at Doi Moi.  Each dish was perfectly seasoned, allowed its simple ingredients to shine, and forced me not to lick each plate clean. As someone who lives in the neighborhood and has seen and tasted the rapid and enjoyable expansion of 14th Street NW as the new Washington DC it zone for food, I welcome Doi Moi with open arms. There wasn't a single unenjoyable moment throughout my first meal here and they've left me searching my calendar for the next free evening I can book my next reservation (if I can get in by then)." [Yelp]

The Overhyped News: Here's Yelper David G.'s assessment. "All and all, though, I feel similar to this place as I do to Estadio. It's solid, but don't necessarily believe all the hype." [Yelp]

The Twitter Rave: User @NT_DC says "Dear @doimoidc, I'm in love with you. Welcome to 14th street!" [Twitter]

The Flavorful News: Serious Eats does an early preview. "Dishes like the traditionally Laotian Laab Ped ($11); a ground duck and duck liver salad with shallots, toasted rice powder, ground chilies, saw leaf herb, kaffir lime, and cilantro combine many of the flavors that Karoum says he was intent on perfecting. So too does the Gaeng Par Hed ($12); a Thai tofu (house made) and mushroom curry with bamboo shoots, snake beans, greens, and lime leaf; it's a dish that Karoum takes pride in because he was "serious about having a vegetarian curry on the menu that did not have dumbed down flavors." [SE]

The Popular Prediction: DailyCandy thinks Doi Moi is "cool." "As in, your obvious postdinner move will be to descend to the chic unmarked basement bar for creative house cocktails such as tamarind soda with peanut bourbon and house punch. We predict flurries of activity." [DC]

The 14th Street Standout News: District Cuisine has a solid first visit to the restaurant. "New restaurants continue to open on 14th Street every week and feature a wide variety of cuisines. However, the quick trip around the globe sampling the deep flavors of Southeast Asia that Doi Moi gives you is definitely one of the first experiences that you must check out." [DC]

The Try the Pork Collar News: On Don Rockwell, user Cheezepowder says, "I particularly liked the moo ping (marinated pork collar).  It's 3 skewers of tender pork with a spicy and sour dipping sauce (I know this sauce but don't remember what it's called).  It also comes with a small mound of sliced cucumbers and spicy peppers." [DR]

The No, Try the Curry News: Here's a simple assessment from Simon, also on Don Rockwell. "The Chiang Mai chicken and noodle curry is a triumph. That is all." [DR]

The Elegant Dining Room News: UrbanDaddy says of the dining room, "There's not a bad seat in there. And once you're done being distracted by the white oak and the shelves of Asian travel books, you may want to order some black cod marinated in turmeric and dill." [UD]
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