My first visit to Cityzen is scheduled for this Tuesday evening. Is there anything I should know going in?


Thanks,
DR

well call me different, but my favorites include

bistro du coin (it's loud but a lot of fun)
http://www.bistrotducoin.com/

meza on 18th street (very underrated)

Grill from Ipanema

and I'm amazed no one mentioned cafe milano (for the scene rather than the food)

though I also like cafe atlantico.

I think rosa mexicana is a bit overrated.

Cafe Milano is memorable only if you like to see which "celebrities" are trying to pick up females. Otherwise the food is definitely off putting too.

Unlike Cafe Milano in Georgetown, Cafe Atlantico has done a reasonably good job of holding up on the food side over the years.

I've now been to Butterfield 9 twice. Both times it was excellent. Service and food, were pretty much flawless.

Minibar changes their "menu" (if you can call it a menu) a couple of times a year. As such you can make it an annual (or semi-annual) outing and still find the food interesting. For those who haven't been, it is the kind of experience where you walk away saying, "that was really fun and interesting, but I don't want Foie Gras crusted with fritos and dipped in cotton candy, every night."

We chose Cityzen's tasting menu which, interestingly, is less adventurous than the a la carte. All were pleased with the offerings. The trout stood out above the rest. Desert....creme caramel (misleading b/c it was far more creative than a regular creme caramel), was outstanding.

Service was not poor, but it was definitely below average. Had to ask for bread, then had to ask for butter (with no explanation of what was salted and what wansnt, no sommelier to take the wine order...i had questions and the waiter respnded with an oh-so-helpful, "choose whatever you want". The hostess had less personality than an android.

Maestro is where my personal bar is set and Cityzen fell well short. It's very good, but not in Maestro's league. Better menu, better service, better wine, better setting, better food execution at Maestro. Better desert at Cityzen.

Bingo, CityZen does trout better than any place I can ever recall eating (I like it more than Tetsuya's, and trout is his signature dish!).

We're in the minority here, at least from what I've heard among friends lately, but I agree with you. Just contrast the open kitchens. Cityzen is a bit boisterous. Maestro is virtually silent (only the chef and sous chef speak, everyone else acknowledges them into headsets). I agree, Maestro is all-around more refined.

As you might expect...I agree.

Last night's visit to Cityzen got me thinking:
I lived in DC for a handful of years and moved away 6 years ago. After a stop or two along the way, I now live in NYC but have been spending a few nights a weeks in DC the past couple of months (usually at the Mandarin).

New York still blows away DC in the food area in just about every category IMHO. However...when it comes to star-chef fine dining, DC might have an edge. It's rare to find the chef in the kitchen in NYC. Per Se? Nope. JG? Rarely. Any Batali joint? Nope...he's too busy posing for Chef Boy RD like cans of tomato soup. Ducasse? Ha...yeah right! Morimoto? NYC/PHL/NRT split (though he was on hand for a great meal in Philly a coule of years ago).

Maestro? Fabio has been there every time. Cityzen? Ziebold was there on a Tuesday doing his thing. I hear Richard has his mind on more than his kitchen at his relatively advanced age (Ziebold is 34, Trab. 32).

I don't know if this really holds water...just a theory.

We might have to give Maestro's a second shot after re-reading the reviews. My wife hosted a dinner for her company, about 12 all together, in the private room with a window into the kitchen about a month ago.

Service was almost adequate, a couple of mix ups on the orders (and this from a limited menu.) When I ordered a second martini I asked for it to be much drier than the first, it came back as a perfect (1/3 vermouth, 2/3 vodka.)

Unfortunately the kitchen had a very heavy hand with the salt shaker that night and it was the common thread tying together all 6 or 7 courses, with the exception of the cheese & desert courses...

Cheers,
Jeff

In the course of getting the daughter graduated from Georgetown last week/weekend, we dined at the following:

Kolumbia (amusingly enough located on "K" St.): Outstanding! Wife and daughter had fish; I had the tasting menu with wine pairings. The tasting menu was a bit unique in that what I got was the Chef's choice, not mine (i.e., each course was a surprise). But I took the chance on letting the Chef make the selections because I honestly did not see anything on the menu that I would not order. Taking the chance worked superbly for me. After the meal, had a great conversation with the chef (Jamie Stachowski).

Kinkead's: In spite of other reviews calling it over rated, we again had an outstanding dining experience.

Ristorante Tosca: One of the most superb dinners we have ever had.

Cafe Atlantico: Continues to meet and exceed expectations. My bacon-wrapped pheasant was particularly unique ... and OUTSTANDING! One of these days, I hope to be successful in snagging a reservation at the the Minibar (3 for 3 failures so far).

Mie N Yu: We had a more unique "table" (kind of inside a barrel) than on our first visit, but the food on this second visit was not as impressive as our first visit. Would still kind of recommend it for the "experience" and decor.

I second the DC Coast recommendation. I was just there a month ago and had a great meal. The truffled mashed potatoes are excellent as always, and the beignets are great.

I liked the decor of Cityzen but can't remember much about the food...

Downtown, is still great. Been a few years since I was there, but made it back last week. Still as good as always. They pour a stiff drink at the bar. The sevice is very good, and the beef is the best in town. Men have to have a coat and tie, but seems as most people in DC do anyway.

La Brasserie
239 Massachusetts Avenue NE (a few blocks from the Capitol)

Have only had lunch there but each time it ws excellent. Great place for people watching, at it seems to be a popular haunt for senators.

� Citronelle: Chef Michel Richard will guide home cooks through the preparation of a three-course meal from his newly published cookbook, Happy in the Kitchen, during a series of demonstration classes; afterwards, participants will eat the lesson, paired with wine, for lunch (classes held on September 21 and 28, October 5 and 12 and December 14; 10:30 AM�2:30 PM; $130 each; 202-339-6304).

alas, price went up about 30% over his last series

We'll be in DC in January. What's your opinion on Filomena Ristorante.
1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW
(bet. K & M Sts.)
Washington, DC
202-338-8800

I've been researching many of the restaurants already written about. Some of them are a little pricey ie $100 a person; and, some of them get just passable ratings from Zagat.

I'd like to have dinner in Georgetown.