The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema writes a brief preview of China Chilcano for his First Bite column. First off, he congratulates diners who manage to score a table via the buzzy restaurant's online booking system. Those who make it through that gauntlet are advised to start with a ceviche, then move on to dumplings, pisco sours and wine from Latin America. He writes:
With two meals under my ever-expanding belt, I’m partial to the restaurant’s Asian bent, and not just because those fine flavors are so elusive within the city. [WaPo]
For the Washington Post Magazine, Sietsema heads to U Street's The Fainting Goat. He gives it two stars, and before he gets to the food, he has to mention how attractive the restaurant's diners are:
At the Fainting Goat, the year-old American tavern on U Street NW, one can’t help but notice how attractive the clientele is on any given night. A night away from home here could pass for a fashion shoot. It’s not just me who has noticed the abundance of beauty. Fainting Goat, says its second chef, Nathan Beauchamp, is "a big stop for Tinder dates," referring to the matchmaking app that connects singles based in part on appearance. How does he know? Because a host of them come in looking for someone they’ve yet to meet face to face. And because one night, two different Tinder couples at the bar ended up switching partners when it became clear they had more in common with one of the others. [WaPo]
Oh, yeah, in addition to the beautiful people, the food is good too. Must tries include the flatbread with oysters, a goat po'boy, the Tavern steak and goat milk hot chocolate. [WaPo]
This week's Washington Post $20 Diner column offers recommendations for breakfast at Ethiopian, Bolivian, Vietnamese, Salvadoran, Dominican, Scandinavian, Chinese, Mexican, Belgian and Chinese restaurants. [WaPo]
THE BLOGS: The Bitches Who Brunch get over their fear of Brookland and give Brookland Pint a B-...Girl Meets Food tries the ramen at Sushi Taro...DC Wrapped Dates likes the chilaquiles at El Camino.
