Summer Associate Lunch Suggestions: Washington, D.C.
Memorial Day is behind us, marking the unofficial start of summer. Many summer associates kicked off the season last week, descending on cities around the country to get a taste of Biglaw -- and a taste of the nicest local restaurants, during leisurely firm lunches.
Summers, we don't want you to miss out on the best cuisine that your city has to offer. We're launching a series of open threads in which you can discuss your favorite dining spots in summer-associate destination cities. We'll cover a different city each day.
The series opens with your ATL editors' home base of WASHINGTON, DC.. Here is Washingtonian Magazine's list of the 100 best restaurants in the city. Which eateries make your list? Which places are overlooked -- or overrated?
If you have tips on SA lunch etiquette, feel free to throw those in. In case you missed the Table Manners 101 class, here's a dos and don'ts list from Corporette.
100 Best Restaurants (2008) [Washingtonian]
10 Things You Should Know about a Business Lunch [Corporette]
(112) Comments
Citronelle is great, but you wouldn't go there for a summer lunch. It's too far from downtown and it would take too long.
The Corporette post is good overall, but I'm not sure about this advice:
"If you need to get up at some point, the napkin should be folded and placed on your chair. (Not the table — no one likes to look at a dirty napkin.)"
Then why do servers at top restaurants swoop in to fold -- and place on the table -- the napkins of people who step away?
What an unbelievably useless post. There are stealth layoffs going on in many Biglaw shops and kash and ATL are concerned about the best eating joints in DC?
I heard that both Sidley and Mayer Brown let off of 10 -15 senior associates late last week from their Chicago office. Where is the coverage???
The article has poor advice on using knives and forks and removing pits from your mouth. Spitting it into your hand? Really?
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Can't we get another thread to pile on Phil Tefleyan? The other one's getting a bit unwieldy. Tks.
Palena has a fantastic bar menu, but it's not open for lunch (and too far from downtown to do lunch anyway).
You can't go wrong with anything Jose Andres (Oyamel, Zaytinya, Jaleo). Rasika, Michel Richard Central, and Poste are my other pics for downtown.
Corporette needs to learn how to count. The 10 dos and don'ts list skips no. 4 and has two no. 8s.
Bobby Van's -- best steak in DC.
11:16 - Some of us don't work for TTT firms and are not worried about job security.
Bring on the New York restaurant thread!
I second 11:16(1) - I can corroborate your comments about Sidley and I heard that Kirkland let go of a bunch of associates as well. With law firms in rampant lay-off mode, this is what ATL has to 'report'?
11:20 - if you think Sidley is a TTT firm, well, you don't know what TTT means, retard.
Don't know about DC, but Bobby Van's SUCKS in NY.
Oceanaire was my fav (if you're a complete glutton).
Citronelle isn't open for lunch.
5 Guys
The Oceannaire
Matchbox
Don't forget about Eli's and the JCC.
To 11:38:
Man, am I glad I moved to Miami.
Two Amys
Charlie Palmer Steak
Ten Penh
Cafe Atlantico
DC has fine cuisine?
Fine for swine perhaps.
Ollie's Trolley
For those of us on the other side of downtown, Blue Duck Tavern, West End Bistro, Vidalia, Spezie.
I would suggest Dan's Cafe, in Adams Morgan (if it's still around). The ice buckets were very clean the last time I went.
Oya
Oceanaire
Capital Grille
Ten Penh
Ceiba
Central
Tosca
Occidental
Those were some of my favorites at least...
Oceanaire is phenominal. I also remember Ten Penh being quite good, and Smith & Wollenski's is always a good bet.
Also, the Palm is possibly the most overrated restaurant EVER.
DC sucks. Bethesda is the place to be.
Ben's Chili Bowl
Brasserie Beck is fantastic for lunch.
Rasika and Oyamel are also great.
12:03, wow, I remember Dan's...I did some major damage to my liver there....Once I basically passed out standing up there....
Tosca, Vidalia, Blue Duck, Bistro du Coin, Citronelle, Old Europe, Sushi Taro.
Central and Ten Penh are not good.
Harry's Tap Room.
Central is more scene-y, but Brasserie Beck has more consistent food — solid lunch choice.
Both Komi and Minibar are awesome, but probably a little much for lunch. Taking three hours is excessive, particularly IN THIS ECONOMY.
My top picks:
Cafe Atlantico
I Ricci
C.F. Folks & The Well Dressed Burrito (yeah, not expense-account-type joints, but excellent nevertheless)
Belga Cafe
Equinox
Cashion's Eat Place
Ella's
My top picks:
Cafe Atlantico
I Ricci
C.F. Folks & The Well Dressed Burrito (yeah, not expense-account-type joints, but excellent nevertheless)
Belga Cafe
Equinox
Cashion's Eat Place
Ella's
Granville Moore's
I second Cashion's.
Julia's Empanadas is great, but not really a firm lunch place. Just wanted to plug it though.
Don't, under any circumstance, order the lobster for two for yourself. And if you do, don't take a picture of it with your cell phone. Or show it off to the other partners at the restaurant trying to eat in a civilized manner.
Oceanaire rocks in every city.
Brickskellar.
Zaytinaya is good but service is too slow
Rosa Mexicana is my personal favorite
Rasika
Oceanaire (good for non-adventurous eaters)
Tosca
Ten Phen
Avoid Central
Olive Garden . . .they treat you like family.
Fogo de Chau is awesome if you are going with some guys.
12:28: Brickskellar has the worst food on the face of the planet and they're also always out of beer for some reason. If you want a place with decent food and a pretty good beer selection (that actually has all the beers they purport to have) try Pizza paridiso in Gtown.
That said, for SA fare, I suggest the new Wolfgang Puck place "The Source." Kinda asian fusiony, but good.
Wayne's House of Paella - Chevy Chase -- I don't eat anywhere else. Never.
This list is almost a year out of date
kirkland layoffs?? someone please look into this
O-cean-aire is o-ver-rat-ed. Mediocre fish, good potatoes.
Cafeteria at Venable -- Delcious
D.C. Coast is decent and low key.
Sushi Taro in Dupont should definitely be in the top 100. I put it at the same level as Sushi-Ko.
Also, there is consistently hair in the sushi at Kaz Sushi. I heard this from a friend, relegated it as a freak occurrence, but then found a hair in my food on my first visit to Kaz.
Potbelly's - Double meat and extra hot peppers
Dan's Cafe is hands down the finest establishment in the District. "4 Gin & Tonics" gets you a bucket of ice, a small bottle of tonic water, and a stack of 4 glasses with the one on top filled up with gin.
Chadwick's
Rugby
Sam & Harry's
Georgia Brown's
Roger Lou's House of Chicken
Camelot has excellent burgers. Fur burgers.
1:37: awesome.
New Big Wong - Best chinese food in Chinatown.
Acadiana
Potbelly sucks huge (at least in The PHL).
Old Ebbit Grill
Sweet Georgia Browns
Front Page
I would suggest going to the Dubliner and putting back a few pints.
Clyde's > Old Ebbit
2:12 is clearly staff
The K Street Burrito Stand
Royal Palace (R.P.) near Dupont Circle. Best Chinese food in the city.
Those $1 hot dog carts (they come with free nacho cheese sauce). Best dogs east of Chicago, and you don't have to have awkward conversations pretending how much you love the firm and how interesting the work has been.
The K Street Burrito AND ESPRESSO Stand
We order from Kaz/ eat in there at least once a week, and have done so for the past 2 years. I've never once found a hair in my food. Their sushi is much better than Sushi Ko.
Can't beat the Tune Inn.
http://www.portfolio.com/culture-lifestyle/culture-inc/food-drink/2008/05/16/Power-Dining-in-DC
Luigi's Pizza
Qdoba
georgia brown's
blue duck
Second the Olive Garden suggestion. All you can eat salad, bread sticks, and (on occasion) pasta = keeping richly fed in lean times.
Oya (one of the most fun summer lunches I had)
Tosca (soups are particularly good)
Corduroy (really tasty)
Fogo de Chao (but make sure you skip breakfast)
Acadiana (especially the shrimp and grits and the tuna)
Brasserie Beck
Charlie Palmer Steak House
I didn't care for Zaytinya or Bobby Van's.
Citronelle and Corduroy are sadly not open for lunch, which makes it difficult for hungry summers to have baller lunches on the company dime.
Suggestions for good lunches in DC:
Westend Bistro
Jaleo/Oyamel/Zaytinya
Central
Brasserie Beck
Malaysia Kopitiam (not exactly baller)
Vidalia
Hook
COME ON!
In South Dupont / North Foggy Bottom, M Street Grill and Firefly are nice for lunches. So is Vapiano, if you can get in. Blue Duck is good if a little stuffy.
On the flip side, I haven't had a good meal at Vidalia since RJ Cooper took over as head chef. Overdone menu and underdone chicken. Ick.
I went to Cebia (sp?) today - it was really good if you like spice or sea food. Also recommend Matchbox, the Source, and Central.
I agree with the poster who said to skip breakfast if you go to Fogo de Chao - that place is brutal.
Rasika
BLT Steak
Heritage India
Iron Gate
Tabard Inn
Ceiba
I'll take a TTT restaurant in NY over any "fine dining" in DC. Seriously, just go to Five Guys or get a burrito.
Baja Fresh>Chipotle.
Ceiba
Courduroy
Oceannaire
Teatro Goldoni
Skaddan > Kirkland > Latham > OMM > Mcdermott > Sidley > Sidley > Baker Botts > Sutherland > job as a clerk for the D.C. Dept. of Motor Vehicles
Rasika and Brasserie Beck are both excellent.
If you're hunting dinner, there's a place out in cleveland park called Dino that has the best italian and best wine list in the entire district.
District Chophouse
BLT
DC Coast
Georgia Brown's
Zaytinya
La Tasca
PS 7 - underrated and fantastic bathrooms.
The Prime Rib has the best steak (and prime rib) in DC
I always feel bad for the people desperately reading 'advice' posts on table manners.
Here, you want the real advice: manners are ingrained, based on years of experience in a cultural atmosphere / homelife wherein proper manners are practiced. If YOU are JUST learning how to properly hold a knife or excuse yourself to take a phone call or cut (or not cut, as it were) your salad, WE (the people having been brought up in a proper setting) will know.
So, in essence, give up now. Or else give up on yourself and work hard to ensure the next generation - the unfortunate spawn of your loins - will have a congenital rather than 'I just got this advice on the web last week' grasp of proper behavior at a table.
Co Co Sala, a new place that focuses on sweet dishes, is pretty decent - I checked it out after the Washingtonian mentioned it in a blog post. It's right next to Dewey's DC office.
Also worth visiting is Rasika near DOJ - the lunch service is fast and the food is amazing.
Circle Bistro is also good - right off of K Street, a real low key place that happens to have good happy hr specials. Stumble over to McFaddens later to hopefully pick up some GW pre-law student.
can a new york version of this be done too?
@2:36
Seriously? you're in DC and ordering hot dogs from street vendors? Stick to half smokes, the local specialty...
After moving from DC to London, I can safely say the only eating establishment I miss is Potbelly's.
Hey! Girls like Fogo too. And those gals are the ones you want to meet, anyways.
9:42pm - it's Proof with the bathrooms, you're thinking of and it's over-rated.
Marcel's is the best
Citronelle - for dinner is too date night for a summer dinner, and "yawn" at the attempt
Potbelly does not suck
La Peridou does suck
The Palm is where you take a summer associate anyway. Why waste good money on SAs when all you really want is a big ole steak anyway?
4:49 - The only place I miss is Potbelly, too. They really need international chains. Try getting a good italian on wheat in Asia.
caucus room is always good for the ambience, too
Best Restaurants in DC:
(unfortunately most of these are Dinner options only)
Cityzen
Citronelle
Komi
Tosca
Obelisk
Poste
Gerards Place
Marcels
Le Paradou
Blue Duck Tavern
Minibar (at Cafe Atlantico)
Inn at Little Washington (probably never going to happen)
Makoto (also really out of the way)
Best Restaurants in DC:
(unfortunately most of these are Dinner options only)
Cityzen
Citronelle
Komi
Tosca
Obelisk
Poste
Gerards Place
Marcels
Le Paradou
Blue Duck Tavern
Minibar (at Cafe Atlantico)
Inn at Little Washington (probably never going to happen)
Makoto (also really out of the way)
Obelisk is amazing - the chef's kitchen menu is worth repeat trips. The decor in fantastic.
... the Inn is fucking ... 60 miles away. It's not going to happen because no partner in their right mind - except if you're having an affair with them - is going to take you (or sign off on) a 120 mile roundtrip 'business dinner' to a gourmet restaurant.
Many of these restaurants have become cliche. It's more enjoyable to try new places then to frequent the same 12 restaurants that everyone else trying to looking nominally important also goes to. If you love the food, then you get a pass. But if you're doing it just for the experience, try something more of the beaten path.
than
The Source, Wolfgang Puck's new restaurant at the Newseum is solid, mostly Asian-themed. Mio on Vermont is tasty & classy, but not overwhelming. BLT Steak on Eye is absurd but wonderful.
If you can get to Georgetown easily, Filomena is amazing Italian.
Filomena is hit or miss, and the ambiance sucks, so does the wait.
Oceannaire is inconsistent.
Ten Penh has a strange menu, but isn't too bad.
The palm is less overrated than most people make it out to be. It's still better than Ruth's Chris, or Mortons.
The source is weak, like a less entertaining version of Ten Penh.
Better bets:
Fogo de Chao (lunch is better than dinner)
Central or Citronelle (citronelle can be hit or miss)
La Tosca if you aren't trying to impress anyone
Ra-ku Sushi in Dupont Circle. Better than Sushi Taro, with a more extensive menu. The Bethesda one sucks though.
Georgia Browns is good too
Avoid at all costs:
Skewers in Dupont Circle - weak food and worse service
Malaysia Kopitam - lots of food poisoning issues lately
I would suggest:
Equinox
Kinkead's
BLT Steak
Primi Piatti
Olives
Avoid:
Cafe Soleil
Oval Room
I would suggest:
Equinox
Kinkead's
BLT Steak
Primi Piatti
Olives
Avoid:
Cafe Soleil
Oval Room
As an associate at Sidley in Chicago, I can confirm that the posts re: layoffs are total rubbish. Stop feeding the rumor mill with lies people.
Kinkead's was by far the best lunch I had last summer. Their seafood is done perfectly.
Filomena's is fantastic. Amazing. It's lively. Great food - food for people who actually enjoy Italian, rather than simply being at an 'it' spot (though it is an 'it' spot - who's who of Georgetown eats there).
Cafe Milano in Georgetown can make an excellent veal chop. Generally good Northern Italian food. But definitely has a touristy air combined with an undeserved (then again, is arrogance ever deserved) sense of arrogance. (Which is ironic, considering their southern italian cousin Filomena's has prices equally if not more expensive, a longer wait list, and more cachet with actual gtown residents)
On summer lunch, Michel Richard Central has to be the best out there.
One place I'd say is underrated (on the basis that they're not in the top 100) is Vegetate, although (a) I don't think I'd like to take summers up to the convention center for lunch and (b) you need people who don't mind a vegetarian restaurant.
Good places for lunches, at least near Penn Quarter:
Central
Oceannaire
Cafe Atlantico
Raisika
Matchbox (for a casual lunch)
Avoid:
D'Acqua (good menu, poor execution)
Proof
Jaleo (it will last for hours)
Zaytinya (same)
Rasika, Oyamel, BLT, West End Bistro and Kinkead's. That's the list. The rest range from decent but fogettable to completely overblown.
Arena Rotisserie was the best, before the menu was circulated to an uptight blogger.
The Arena Rotisserie had some great private rooms upstairs, but unfortunately the $165 full-service tasting menu was outside the reach of most summer lunch budgets...