Tom Sietsema Gives 2.5 Stars to the Creative Kyirisan

Tom Sietsema is impressed with the creativity at play at Tim Ma's new Kyirisan in Shaw. The restaurant draws a 2.5 star review. The critic praises dishes like an offal salad, chicken wings, and deep-fried tofu. He writes:

The hotter the day, the more I find myself thinking about Ma’s refreshing sea bass tartare. It arrives as a thick white stripe of minced fish, fennel and celery, everything enriched with aioli but also excited by vinegar. The texture of the dish mimics tapioca; orange segments and radish coins add shade to the hedge, which occupies (here we go again!) only half its large white plate.

He has some bones to pick involving the restaurant's noise level, plating, and need to "explain" the men, though. [WaPo]

Maura Judkis does a First Bite review of Suma in Bethesda. She puts it in the category of "reliable patio restaurant" — provided they keep it simple with dishes like seared tuna and watermelon gazpacho. But she warns diners to watch out for some odd pairings and cooking mistakes (overcooked burgers, for one).

Still, the restaurant seems to still be finding its way. Over the course of my visits, the menu underwent a drastic change, most of it for the better. Once it gets its footing, Suma has the potential to be a solid neighborhood spot for Bethesdans. That’s especially due to its porch: enclosed, with comfortable seating and an overhead fan that keeps cool breezes coming your way. If only the view were of something nicer than the car dealership across the street. [WaPo]

DC Refined has kind of a review/preview hybrid of The Inn at Little Washington from Laura Hayes. She recommends the pulled pork sandwich from the Inn's Village Market, and some of the iconic restaurant's classic dishes, from the lamb loin carpaccio to the caviar "tin of sin." [DCR]

The $20 Diner offers a guide to the city's "no fuss" burgers and hot dogs. Tim Carman has more love for Ben's Chili Bowl than colleague Tom Sietsema, but also has praise for everywhere from Burger, Tap & Shake to Good Stuff Eatery. Of sausage favorite Meat & Foods, he writes, "Meat & Foods' half-smoke doesn't carpet-bomb your tongue with red pepper flake; its heat plays a more harmonious role in this forcemeat of beef and pork, never succumbing to the cheap theatrics of sheer chili spice. Likewise, the green chili chicken link has a nice, muted jalapeño burn." [WaPo]

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