Thanks, all, for your recommendations. We're going with Black Market Bistro, but I'll definitely keep the others in mind for the future. BTW, to the PP, who compared BMB to Et Voila -- we have experienced total mind meld - I was actually going to mention Et Voila as a baseline for what I was looking for.

Persimmon on Wisconsin in Bethesda

Daily Dish off Grubb Road in Silver Spring

Black Market Bistro for sure!
Similar to Et Voila in terms of quiet and smaller.

Anonymous wrote:Black Market Bistro? (In Garrett Park, closed M/Tu)

Agree with this. Cozy and has good food.

This Thai restaurant in downtown SS is always empty and never busy.

https://www.thaiatsilverspring.com/

All Kensington/North Chevy Chase:
Dish and Dram
Java Nation (one near Strosneiders)
Kensington Station
Manoli Canoli
Not sure open for lunch but Tavira

Black Market Bistro? (In Garrett Park, closed M/Tu)

I'm meeting a friend for lunch later this week and have the sense she really needs to talk -- she moved here recently and has a lot going on right now. Since she doesn't know the area well, she asked me to suggest a restaurant near her home in Silver Spring. I live in the Palisades and can think of quiet places where we might go closer to my neck of the woods, but I don't know MoCo as well. I'd appreciate suggestions for quiet restaurants where we can talk and not feel rushed. Thanks.