Sietsema Calls Primrose a Brookland ‘Beacon’

Primrose

The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema instantly falls for Brookland’s new wine bar from District restaurateur Sebastian Zutant and his wife, designer Lauren Winter. The “whimsical” interior creates a “dreamy” environment thanks to a turquoise bar, marble table tops, and chandeliers puffed up by ostrich plumes. He says he’d return for the coq au vin, while its French onion soup’s broth is rich and beefy. Be sure to snack on the “amazing” pommes frites, he adds. One blip in the beef bourguignon is its meat is a little tough. The food menu is brief, but the wine list is lengthy (with more than 75 labels from France’s less-familiar regions). He’s also impressed by little details, such as free house-filtered still and sparkling water, and the chocolate pot de crème is a rich ending.

Maydan

Sietsema is blown away by Rose Previte’s new restaurant hidden at the end of an alley in Cardozo, where “the biggest draw” is a huge fire pit across from the amber-lit bar. There’s not a bad seat in the house, and its bazaar-like design includes mismatched chairs and interesting bar tops that feature fabric under resin. His lengthy list of raves includes the prime people watching, seven condiments that “make for endless combinations,” dense yet tender shrimp, whole chicken seasoned with coriander and turmeric, and cocktails; he’s into the paloma-like filfuli, a mescal cocktail with blood orange and paprika. Some cons: food that arrives too fast, tables too tiny to hold all the orders, and his underdone flatbread. End the night with Yazdi, a Persian-inspired cake drizzled with a syrup of cardamom and rose water.

Top Seven Dishes of the Year

Zagat’s Rina Rapuano crafts a concise list of seven dishes that had “us talking and raving all year long,” ranging from Wagshal’s chopped brisket at ChiKo to Foie gras with ras el hanout donut at Arroz to the Ahi poke bowl at Poke Papa.

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