Non-trendy, Date Night Restaurant?

[Anonymous]

Anyone have any recs for a low-key (non-trendy/scene) intimate restaurant with great food/wine, preferably in the Logan Circle, Penn Quarter or Dupont area?

[Anonymous]

Restaurant Nora
Bistro La Bonne

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone have any recs for a low-key (non-trendy/scene) intimate restaurant with great food/wine, preferably in the Logan Circle, Penn Quarter or Dupont area?

This is a tough request because for the most part great food/wine in Dupont and non-trendy in Logan and Penn Quarter are both oxymorons.

There are some exceptions, though. In Dupont, on P St just west of the circle, are three good options: Pesce for seafood, Obelisk for great Italian food, and Eola, a new place that is getting really good reviews. None of these should be particularly loud or "trendy". On the other side of the circle, on 17th St., the sushi bar at Sushi Taro offers an amazing dining experience, and it's pretty intimate (only 6 seats at the bar) but it's also $150 per person or something like that.

I don't think there's really anything that meets your description in Logan...there's good food (Cork, Masa 14, Birch & Barley) but all three get really crowded.

There are a million restaurants in Penn Quarter, a lot of them good, but I'm having a hard time thinking of one that's intimate. But not far from there is the place I would recommend more than any other restaurant, Corduroy. It's got great food, is totally underrated (and therefore not crowded), quiet, intimate, and has wonderful service.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Restaurant Nora
Bistro La Bonne

PP here. Restaurant Nora is terribly overrated and is just living on its reputation from years ago. I will give you that it's not trendy, though.

I'm as much of a fan of Bistro la Bonne as anyone else, but it's not intimate, and let's face it, it's got good, but not great, food (and a pretty pedestrian wine list.) I don't think it's the type of place the OP is looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurant Nora
Bistro La Bonne

PP here. Restaurant Nora is terribly overrated and is just living on its reputation from years ago. I will give you that it's not trendy, though.

I'm as much of a fan of Bistro la Bonne as anyone else, but it's not intimate, and let's face it, it's got good, but not great, food (and a pretty pedestrian wine list.) I don't think it's the type of place the OP is looking for.

Thanks, Tom Sietsema. What do you do, eat at restaurants for a living?

[Anonymous]

I eat out a lot and frankly I think my posts were pretty helpful.

[Anonymous]

+1 for obelisk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Restaurant Nora
Bistro La Bonne

PP here. Restaurant Nora is terribly overrated and is just living on its reputation from years ago. I will give you that it's not trendy, though.

I'm as much of a fan of Bistro la Bonne as anyone else, but it's not intimate, and let's face it, it's got good, but not great, food (and a pretty pedestrian wine list.) I don't think it's the type of place the OP is looking for.

My experiences at Nora have been uniformly excellent.

[Anonymous]

eatonville in logan/columbia heights is really good. food is heavy, though.

in logan, also love the new place called estadio.

in penn quarter, i like oyamel, but i suspect it is trendy.

in dupont, bistro du coin is pretty good.

also, in adams morgan, for french--la forchette is great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I eat out a lot and frankly I think my posts were pretty helpful.

PP, I appreciated your insight. It's useful to hear from someone with a dissenting opinion.

[Anonymous]

We went to Pesce recently and we were very disapponted, right from the stale bread to the overcooked fish. Obelisk is wonderful, but if either of you are picky eaters, I would recommend looking at the menu first online because it is very small. Il Tiramisu is a quiet, romantic french restaurant in Dupont Circle on P Street that is nice.

[Anonymous]

Our favorite restaurant is Coppi's Organic on U St. Near 15th. It's not too far from that area. They have real Italian, seasonal, local, organic for pretty good prices. It's small, so if you are going on a weekend, get a resevation, but it's not trendy, crowded, etc... They even accommodate special requests (in season) by adding them to the specials menu on the night of your reservation. I once requested a special dish for DH's bday and they dedicated the menu to him. We have never been disappointed. It's a mix of neighborhood place and gourmet. Www.coppisorganic.com has their latest menu (it constantly changes) but they always have specials.

[Anonymous]

+1 for Coduroy. Also recommend Vidalia If you are willing to head to the West End.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I am looking for a place where you can show up in nice casual (jeans), have a conversation without having to shout, intimate ambiance and good food/wine. Most of the places suggested I am familiar with--seem a bit more on the formal side (perhaps its a DC thing). Anyone have suggestions for the Hill or H Street area, if not for Logan, Dupont, Penn? How is Marvin, foodwise? Cafe St. Ex? Cork?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks for all the suggestions.
I am looking for a place where you can show up in nice casual (jeans), have a conversation without having to shout, intimate ambiance and good food/wine. Most of the places suggested I am familiar with--seem a bit more on the formal side (perhaps its a DC thing). Anyone have suggestions for the Hill or H Street area, if not for Logan, Dupont, Penn? How is Marvin, foodwise? Cafe St. Ex? Cork?

Trendy.