Vinoteca

One of my new favorite places!

meal - Scallions in cuttle fish ink w/ lemon - quite good, ink okay

date had squash stew - didn't try

dessert - chocolate cake amazing - as good as food gets, rich, cherries very strong alcohol

date had figs - quite good for figs

To add to the above, the Scallions in cuttle fish ink w/lemon was very enjoyable, complex, and unique.  It is the kind of dish that restaurant explorers like me are delighted to find someplace.  Very well done.

It seems that my brief description of the chocolate cake is sufficient, although it was moist, with a very rich, chocolate sauce of some sort inside.  The figs were quite good as a dessert and I would recommend them as they beat the desserts at many restaurants, but they didn't compare to the cake.

Also, the atmosphere and decor and feel were great.  The staff was very polite, attentive, and helpful, although it was not busy when I was there.

UPDATE:

So I went to Vinoteca again on a Sunday evening.  The wines that were available for their happy hour for $5 were quite good and the serving size was not lacking.  I only had an appetizer that I cannot find on their menu, but it was basically some kind of bruscuttio or something like that with just some tomato stuff on it (my memory is not great).  It was quite good for what it was.

The happy hour atmosphere at the bar was again good.  Not empty, but not ridiculously packed for a Sunday evening (maybe the cold).  Also, they brought in some kind of Spanish band that started playing as we left, which seemed like great mood/atmosphere music.  The hostess at the door said that they do that on Sunday evenings, but apparently not other nights.

Sushi

Sei 444 7th St. NW
View the individual review here, but the summary is that it was quite good with original sushi creations and excellent, although pricey, drinks.

Asian Spice 717 H St. NW
The sushi here is quite good. The prices were about $6-$8 for basic rolls and $12-$16 for special rolls. We ordered the Chesapeake Roll ($16), Beach Boy Roll ($12), Eel & Avocado ($7.50), Salmon Roll ($5.50), California Roll ($5.50), and the Philly Roll ($7). The special rolls (Chesapeake & Beach Boy) were quite good, although the Chesapeake is probably not worth the extra $4.

I also ordered two beers off of what was a surprising good beer list. I ordered Paulaner Salvator and a Schlenkerla smoked beer - two of my favorites - both in bottles ($6.50 & $9 respectively).

The downstairs seemed busy and a bit noisy, but we ate upstairs, which was a smaller space with good decor suitable for a nice date.

Sushi Aoi - solid sushi, not great. 11th & New York NW

Mazu - right next door to Sushi Aoi, they have a good amount of outdoor seating and $5 sushi rolls during Happy Hour weekdays until 8pm (also drink specials). Solid sushi - better than Sushi Aoi.

Tokyo Sushi / Old Dominion / Mongolian Grill - pretty good sushi. I've never actually been here, but I order it frequently while watching sports at Old Dominion sports bar next door. Reasonable prices, solid portions.

Quick list of places I'd like to try

Break this down later by part of town or food type or something

If someone reads this and wants to comment on one of these places, that would be great.

Sundevich
1314 Ninth St NW 202-319-1086 (converted garage space is located in the historic Naylor Court alley on 9th Street between N and O Streets)
Monday–Saturday, 12–9pm

- in Washingtonian's 2011 Cheap Eats
-- Washingtonian likes the KINGSTON among many others
- http://www.sundevich.com/menu_print.html

Locolat
- Adams Morgan - 1781 Florida, by U Street & 18th
- Basically a small plates chocolate place with Belgian theme
- said is like a less daring Coco Sala
- supposedly overpriced, but not expensive because dishes are small
- Best Dishes: Savory waffles topped with smoked salmon or grilled vegetables; goat-cheese-and-leek quiche; ficelles filled with Chimay and Passendale cheeses; dark and milk hot chocolates; almond truffle; feuilletine candy bar; banana-ganache-filled white-chocolate candy bar; chocolate-mousse torte; chocolate mojito torte.
- Washingtonian Review

Luigi's Pizza - see comment in pizza section above, but on 19th by DuPont

Zorba's Cafe
- Greek in DuPont.
- In City Paper's "Best of D.C." edition as best Greek

Taverna Cretekou
- recommended by Peter King
----great Greek in Old Town Alexandria)
----Mousaka? is really good
- Washington Post was so-so
- has really nice outdoor (garden) eating area

Faryab
- Afghan in Bethesda
- near Metro, just off Wisconsin
- Washingtonian's top 100 (2008) "http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/1461.html

- In Washingtonian's September 2011 "Best of Bethesda" they listed "the stars of the menu" as...

• kadu - pumpkin with a dab of yogurt;
• sabsi - spinach with onion and garlic; and *buranee badenjan - sweet savory eggplant
  

but also mentioned...

• Qabili pallow - a heap of fragrant basmati rice studded with lamb, raisins, and shredded carrot;
• mantu and aushak - meat or scallion filled ravioli-like squares (as being "addictive")

Bamian
- Afghan
- 5634 Leesburg Pike (near Carlin Springs Road), Falls Church. 703-820-7880 www.bamianrestaurant.com

- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/19/AR2006071901379.html
- http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/1761.html

Four Sisters
- Supposedly best Vietnamese in town
- 8190 Strawberry Ln. Falls Church, VA T: 703-539-8566
- Washingtonian's #26 in top 100
- City Paper's 50 best in D.C.
- Inexpensive


Marvin
- 2007 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
- 2009 100 best Washingtonian (#100)
- Belgian & southern. Good beer place, roof deck.

Sushi-Ko
- 2309 Wisconsin Avenue NW , Washington, DC 20016 Phone: 202-333-4187
- 2009 100 Best (#29)
- Sushi Bar
- moderately priced

Kushi
- 465 K St. NW (very nearby)
- according to word of mouth and Washingtonian, very good sushi
- supposedly trendy and hip
http://eatkushi.tumblr.com/

Locanda
- 633 Pennsylvania SE 202-547-0002
- moderately priced
- modern Italian - greek/mediterranean influence
- modest pasta portions

Kopitan -
- Dupont / Farragut area
- Malaysian
- former coworker TR said was really good
- near Penang

Great-Wall Szechuan House
- 1527 14th St. NW 202-797-8888
- 2008 City Paper Best of DC Best Chinese
- ma-la dishes, double-cooked pork in black bean sauce

Bastille
- 1201 N. Royal St. (Old Town) 703-519-3776
- #76 on Washingtonian 100 best
- moderate $18-25 entree, with prix fixe $35 T-Sat
- French fusion

Nirvana
- 1810 K St. NW (just west of Farragut North)
- Indian vegetarian
- City Paper & Washingtonian indicate is best Indian vegetarian

Vaccaro's Italian Pastries
- was ridiculously good at Baltimore location
- location in Union Station in D.C.
- location at 2000 Pennsylvania NW in D.C.
- the Pennsylvania location looks much more significant

Medium Rare
- in June 2011 Washingtonian
- Cleveland Park, 3500 Connecticut
- $19.50 fixed price, $8 dessert, plus wines
- one of the founders is a founder of BGR burger joint