Washingtonian magazine has an annual 100 favorite restaurants
issue, which is pretty informative.
Other good bets: Bethesda's restaurant district (hard to go
wrong); the China Inn in Chinatown; a whole lot of places
in Montgomery County on Rockville Pike.
= = =
I posted this in response to a friend who was looking to
celebrate her wedding anniversary in Washington, D.C. -
so these are relatively expensive restaurants.
** original posted to Linda Fields 9-95 **
I really like several in the $50+ without wine range (which I can't
really afford, but ya gotta live once in awhile): 
[closed restaurant snipped]
Provence, near George Washington Univ., might be on Pennsylvania 
Avenue, I forget. Run by Yannick Cam, who is with Jean-Louis Palladin 
one of the big names in town. Mediterranean-French food, very well 
done, good but expensive wine list. A bit noisy, but a happy place. 
And I rather liked old Yannick when I met him - he's as wide-eyed 
about food as we are, which is good for a restauranteur. 
 
Le Lion d'Or, Connecticut Ave. near Farragut North. Very elegant, 
simpler cooking than Palladin, but just as good. I still dream of 
the room; the lighting makes it friendly-looking as anything, even 
though most of the people eating there are figuring out new ways 
of screwing the public out of their money. Lots of congresscritters 
and cabinet ministers and that sort of junk eat there. I don't 
know, the place is romantic enough, but I took my dreamboat there, 
and she kept looking around the room saying silly things like, Oh 
look, there's Father Drinan. Oh look, there's Senator Such-and-so 
- I was a little irritated that she spent so little time looking 
at me. But then you might not notice those sorts of people - she 
was a law professor at Georgetown, and she liked the law considerably 
better than she liked me, as it turns out. 
 
La Colline, 400 North Capitol. Less elegant, very pleasant, a little 
noisy. Where people go whose bosses go to Lion d'Or. Seafood very 
good. This would qualify as the fanciest restaurant in a lot of cities. 
I really love this place. 
 
Tivoli, right upstairs from the Rosslyn metro stop, with free validated 
parking at dinner. Haven't been there in awhile, but I remember a very 
pretty room (in a modern sort of way), great desserts, and amazingly 
friendly service. This is in Virginia, but is very accessible. 
 
- - - 
 
Bistro Francais, I think that's the name, right in Georgetown 
on M St. Nice and dim. Food simple and good. Wine list average. 
Loved the soft-shelled crabs amandine. 
 
[place moved away - snipped] 
- - - 
 
For a really special evening, rent a car and go out to Great Falls, 
to the Auberge Chez Francois, where I've had some of my finest 
Washington-area meals. I'll push this place by giving you their 
number for reservations: 703-759-3800. It's nearly an hour outside 
downtown, but the ride is pretty, and the place is romantic as 
a movie setting. You go outside the city on Georgetown Pike, which 
is VA 193, and turn north on Springvale, a farm road. It's on the 
left a couple miles past the intersection. You can hit 193 either 
from the beltway or from Leesburg Pike, which actually takes you a 
couple miles farther out than you have to go. Food is absolutely 
stunning. The morels in cream appetizer were super-delightful, 
and the prix fixe dinners are a bargain. I believe that this is 
the only place that triple A gives four stars to but only three 
dollar signs. Usually it's a dollar sign per star, if the restaurant 
is lucky: a real bargain place might get three stars and two dollar 
signs. Caveat. My sister got the Choucroute garni there, and it 
was dried out and bad. But that was one entree out of a dozen 
I've tried, and the appetizers are wondrous. And the desserts too. 
Well-chosen, slightly overpriced wine list. 
 
- - - 
You will note that I have not listed any Asian restaurants, which are 
some of my favorite restaurants. Well, ever seen a romantic Chinese 
restaurant? Anyhow, right on Leesburg Pike near Seven Corners there 
is a Thai place that is beautiful, and it has the best Thai restaurant 
food I've eaten at on either coast. It's called Duangrat and is 
worth a special trip. I'm actually considering making a special 
trip from Boston, just thinking about it! Catfish with basil, 
pork with string beans, larb, you name it. And black sticky rice 
with mango to finish off. With a first-rate Cotes du Rhone going for 
10 or 12 bucks, a meal there is unbelievable. 
** end original posted to Linda Fields 9-95 **
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