Sietsema Calls Ron Tanaka's Thally a Beaut

Tom Sietsema falls for Thally's decor in his First Bite column this week, dubbing the Shaw restaurant a "beaut." As for Thally's concise menu, he deems it "sophisticated yet approachable," giving a shout-out to the crab roulette.

Thally's most intriguing dish might be its crab roulette, a slender wrap filled with delicately sweet peekytoe crab and garnished with cauliflower florets and a vinaigrette tweaked with Old Bay seasoning. The pale golden sleeve around the seafood turns out to be bread that the chef runs through his pasta machine before crisping it in a saute pan. [WaPo]

Tim Carman visits Moa in Rockville for his $20 Diner column, and he's quite fond of the galbi dolsot bibimbap and the doenjang jjigae. But not the restaurant's techno soundtrack.

Moa doesn't need the manufactured passion. The kitchen has the ability to generate its own thrills: It could be a platter-size seafood pancake, rich with shrimp and squid, which is thinner and crispier than its Chinese cousin. Or it could be the kun mandoo, these elastic, house-made fried beef dumplings that are delightfully chewy. Or it could be the electricity of defying convention and enjoying your jajangmyeon at your own pace, supplemented with little jolts of kimchi. [WaPo]

Tyler Cowen writes in his blog that Bethesda's Shangri-La on Wisconsin Avenue is fine for diners in the neighborhood, but it's not worth making a special trip to eat there. "The momos are delicious and the two Nepalese thalis are decent, not superb. Of those two I prefer the vegetarian thali, as the meats are a bit tasteless and overcooked." [TC]

Don Rockwell is disappointed by Yuzu in Bethesda, having expected great things from new chef Yoshihita Ota. "This meal was $145.95 before tip in an empty restaurant, and it was by no means distinctive." And he advises sticking to the Middle Eastern-style pizzas at Pie-Tanza in Falls Church.

THE BLOGS: Girl Meets Food checks out Rappahannock River Oysters in Virginia... Bitches Who Brunch gives a B to Murphy's in Alexandria. [DR]

—Adele Chapin