If you ask anyone where the best Korean food is in DC, they’ll direct you down to the VA suburbs to Annandale, where the area has gradually become the epicenter of all things Korean. So much that it’s more commonly referred to as ‘K-town’.  Business signs flicker and glow at night with the Korean name first, and if you’re lucky, an English translation for you as an afterthought.

That shouldn’t preclude you from venturing through here and trying the food here.  Many of the restaurants stick to their roots with the interior design, but a few restaurants have started to realize that a more contemporary atmosphere will get a better draw of customers, especially like me.

I had heard of daMoim in passing, but didn’t think too much of it until a friend suggested that we try eating there one night for dinner. Tucked away in a strip mall next to the blaring thumps and off key singing of a karaoke bar, the furnishings here aren’t expensive, but nice enough to hold its own against some of the more cosmopolitan places I’ve eaten at in the District.

The menu boasts over 70 dishes, many that combine traditional Korean dishes with American flair. Beef short ribs (galbi) are optionally served as tacos. Spicy pork (jaeyook) can be prepared as a quesadilla with caramelized onions, then topped with cheddar and jack cheese. There’s even a daMoim burger – 8 ounces of  of beef topped with caramelized kimchi, and brought to your table in between a bun.

So what’s not to like?

The dumplings (mandu) here are deep fried pockets filled with pork and beef, although a vegetarian option is also available. I prefer my dumplings pan-fried myself, but there’s no skimping whatsoever here.

Traditional Korean plates like the short ribs (galbi dolsot bibimbap) are also available on the menu. The short ribs come served over a bed of rice, julienned carrots, sprouted soybeans, a fried egg, and a number of side dishes including kimchi, fried fish cakes, and a small bowl of zoup.

The most crucial part of eating here is, without a doubt, the house fried chicken. The mandatory 30 minute cooking time wait might seem daunting, but, take my word for it, it is unbelievably well worth it. With your choice of fresh  drumsticks, wings, or a combination of the two, cooked with either a spicy or soy ginger sauce, and served with a side dish of pickled radish cubes, I couldn’t believe how good these things were. Flash fried with no breading, these are a plate full of paleo crack.  Well again, technically paleo, I did taste a sugary sweetness to the sauce. Luckily for me, my fellow diner tapped out early, and I ended out the majority of our 12 drumstick order.

There are definitely some vegetarian items on the menu, but like most Korean spots, you’re better off coming here with some of your most meateatingest friends forever (mff’s).

Service is good, but not great. It’s a small place with what’s most likely a family run staff, so take your time to enjoy the meal. Don’t forget to stop by and get down with the karaoke bar next door after dinner.

Giiiiiiiiiirl, I think this yo’ song.

See daMoim, which is open Tuesday through Sunday, on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• Late Night Kimchi Fiends
• First Dates
• Frugalistas
• Kim Jong Illmatic

Not Recommended For:

• Vegans
• The Jane Austen Literary Club Monthly Meeting
• Car Free Carbon Credit Hippies
• Fifteen Minute Lunches

There are a number of restaurants in Georgetown that, for whatever reason, I’ve simply never noticed. In fact, a large cluster of restaurants barely a block away from one another, just a few steps south of M street. On a whim, Jen and I decided to give one of the Italian restaurants, il Canale, a go.

This two story restaurant greets you with a host table to your left, and a giant wood burning pizza oven to your right, where pies are cooked to D.O.C. Neapolitan perfection, certainly close to being as good as 2Amy’s but without the hike or the wait.

We were seated on the 2nd floor of the restaurant, which has a private patio for additional seating during warm DC spring and summer months.  Seating is cozy, but not so tight that you have to contend for elbow room at your own table with the people sitting next to you.

So let’s get to brass tacks.

The Frittura Di Calamari E Zucchine, crispy calamari and zucchini with a marinara sauce, is executed in superb fashion. A nice crisp batter on fresh calamari, not too much oil, and the wrapped lemon is nice touch. A highly recommended appetizer.

The Margherita D.O.C. pizza (well done, of course) here is, as I said, about as good as some of the other top Neapolitan pizzeria houses in the District. Buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil to top it off,  This one barely made it on camera before being completely devoured by me the two of us.

But just because you order a pizza, doesn’t mean you can’t still put in an order for some pasta, too. So we did just that, ordering up the Gnocchi Al Filetto Di Pomodoro- ricotta dumplings drowning in a pool of cherry tomato sauce, served with just a hint of buffalo mozzarella and olive oil, topped with a few more leaves of fresh basil. Pow.

There aren’t many reason NOT to like il Canale. The restaurant is contemporary, service is good, and the Italian food is as good and unpretentious as it gets. Prices for everything we ordered were more than fair, and portions sizes, one of my biggest gripes at many supposedly top tier restaurants, is not even remotely an issue.

The one thing that this restaurant does have going against it is that it competes in a sea of Italian establishments all over DC, without many notable exceptions that really make it stand out from the rest, which very realistically, is quite a feat to accomplish. Like dropping your aunt’s heirloom ceramic egg when drunkenly admiring it over Thanksgiving dinner after one too many bourbons and catching it in mid-air from utter destruction.

I don’t know where that was going.

I’d happy go back and try this place again.

See il Canale on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Vatican Visitations
• Vegetarians
• Blind Dates
• Pastafarians

Not Recommended For:

• Papal Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Taking Out the Dalai Lama to Dinner
• Boozy Fourthmeals

Tampa has a lot of multitude of fantastic things to offer an out of town visitor, but only if you really, really like strip clubs.

If you don’t, that takes out about pretty much anything you’d want to do around the city except to go to a football game and drink.

No, wait, that’s not fair. Daddy didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.

There is Ybor City, which actually stands as a little neighborhood in Tampa that’s well known for its pedestrian only streets on the weekends, and of more historic notoriety, the Columbia Restaurant. This cigar shop/flamenco show/restaurant boasts seven locations throughout Florida, with the Ybor City location being the original, and it shows.  Columbia owns an entire block, split up into a souvenir shop, a flamenco show & dinner restaurant, and a separate restaurant for just meals, all in spacious, quirky rooms. Columbia also happens to be Florida’s oldest restaurant, established in 1905, so a good amount of history and stories goes along with the name.

Jen started with an appetizer of Black Bean Cakes, served with sour cream and guacamole. These hush puppy shaped cakes were tasty, but nothing too out of the ordinary.  A good dish to start your meal and whet your appetite.

I took a chance and went with the ’1905′ salad. The ingredients are almost typical for a Chef’s Salad, but with the tableside preparation and the unique Columbia dressing with elements of freshly squeezed lemon and Worcestershire sauce, I was hooked on this salad.  Worcestershire isn’t exactly 100% Paleo, but hey, neither am I.

Technically Paleo.

Jen’s entree, the Pasta con Trufas “Cristalino” was a plate of pasta pockets, stuffed with truffle and cheese, simmered in a creamy sauce made with Cristalino sparking Spanish wine. Odd, but a nice touch.

My entree, the Filet Mignon “Chacho”, named after the youngest son of the founder, Evelio “Chacho” Hernandez. A center cut filet mignon served with the most amazing roasted potatoes I’ve had in years, then left swimming in a bourbon, shallot, and mushroom sauce.  The server then comes with a shot of Booker Noe bourbon and sets the filet mignon on fire at your table.

It’s at this point I realize that the entire family is probably a string of alcoholics, as it seems like everything is cooked with alcohol.

It’s shortly after this realization does our server tell us the history of the “Chacho”.  It turns out Evelio would come in and open the restaurant in the morning, and immediately get set on making the coffee for the day. He’d go across the street to the bar for a few eye openers, followed by a few more eye openers for good measure. He’d be quite hhhhhhhammered at this point, and the coffee, left unattended and burning, would set the restaurant on fire.

This would happen on numerous occasions, with the same thing happening over and over again, with Chacho repeatedly setting the restaurant on fire.  It happened so many times that, eventually, the restaurant would be threatened to have their insurance revoked if somebody did not stop Chacho from making the coffee.

Chacho has since passed away, but his memory lives on every time a customers requests this dish and has their previous dish set ablaze.

The food is actually pretty good given that I had fairly low expectations of Ybor City.  The service is awesome and very friendly, despite Jen and I hearing at least three glasses being dropped in the span of our meal (none from our server, who never even flinched once). The atmosphere is a little odd, but given the history of the establishment, I’m willing to believe there are some great stories with every wall and tile.  I highly recommend taking a dinner here if you find yourself in Ybor City or Tampa.

See Columbia Restaurant on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• Vegetarians
• Pyromaniacs
• Business Meetings

Not Recommended For:

• Nyctophobics
• Marriage Proposals
• AA Meetings
• Bears

Jen and I were looking to get a late Sunday brunch, and with a number of doors already shutting down shop by 2pm, our options were limited to only a few places if we weren’t intending to chow down on vintage thrift rags or get by purely on the aromatics of the patchouli emanating from several Caucasian dreadlock rastas that ambled up and down the street.

Siips is but one of many small business storefronts that litter the mall along downtown Charlottesville, and during our search, one of the few places that would still seat us.  The outside seating is perfect to soak in some sun and watch both locals and college students walk by, and the interior of the restaurant is just as visually entertaining.  Racks and racks of wine line the floors, and the walls are peppered with art that’s also available for sale.

As the self proclaimed “Charlottesville’s Premier Wine & Champagne Bar”, Siips carries an extensive collection of wines, and on Sundays, you can take advantage of this fact by getting an open bottle discount on your Sunday morning eye opener.

Brunch menu items, however, are a bit of a downer. The conversation I had with our waiter went like this:

Me: Excuse me, Flo?

Waiter: My name’s Gregg.

Me: Right. Listen, Flo, what are the Pancakes Du Jour?

Waiter: They’re the pancakes of the day.

Me: That sounds good. I’ll have those. With a side of sausage.

The pancakes themselves were as well dressed as the Prince of Wales himself, and about as lively.  The best thing on my plate were the strawberries, which would have been great had I ordered a fruit salad. The pancakes were flat-borderline crepe-like, and the sausages looked like they could have been fresh…out of a Jimmy Dean bulk bag.

Jen’s Crepe du Jour (for those of you just joining, that’s Crepe of the Day) didn’t fare must better.  These charred “crepes” looked like somebody half attempted to roll a burrito, light it on fire, then drizzling it with honey and considering it “haute cuisine”.  But I’d never say that myself; that’s a disservice to the noble burrito. The crepes served were the kind of pretentiousness that I’d only expect from a place that would try calling themselves “The Best Wine Bar in Charlottesville in Comparison to the Swill those OTHER Places Serve”.

Her fruit salad, however, was delightful.

Service at Siips was decent but not as good as it could have been, considering we were likely one of a handful of tables eating a late lunch, and no patrons eating inside.

I’d venture to say we’ll not be coming back here to eat again.  I did manage grab an order of Marco & Luca dumplings on our way back to the car right after to help fill the void in my stomach.

See Siips on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Fruitarians
• Light Eaters
• Wine Aficionados
• Art Lovers

Not Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• French Cuisiine
• American Cuisiine
• Sunday Bruunch

Buddha Bar is part of a growing empire, partly made up of restaurants, and partly made up of a very popular series of downtempo albums released under the same name.  The concept for each restaurant seems simple enough – insert a towering statue of a Buddha, remove all lighting fixtures, add a DJ, serve delicious food.

And guess what? It works!

Mostly works.

Jen and I wandered down to the Buddha Bar in DC after missing an opportunity to eat at the one in Paris.  Weeknights are certainly slower paced, which could be seen as a good thing if you want to hold a conversation and hear your dining partners over the DJ’s selected tracks for the evening.  The music is tasteful and relaxing, never too OONTZ-OONTZ-OONTZ but loud enough for you to know that you’re partially paying to hear some very good music.

Even DJs have to eat.

An Asian fusion theme permeates the menu, with wagyu tenderloin, sea bass, sushi, peking duck, hoisin pork ribs and curry shrimp being only a few of the main course offerings available.  Menu selections are clearly noted with a “V” for vegetarian, although vegetarians (such as Jen) may find themselves less than thrilled to eat here.

Her order of the Vietnamese Spring Rolls were fairly authentic and true to form, but somewhat lackluster for a world class restaurant, and something that could just as easily have been served out of a foodcart for a third of the price.  Not that there’s anything wrong with foodcarts, but that’s another story.

Her main course, the Seasonal Vegetable Tempura, left her with a substantial plate of lightly fried vegetables, but again, left her underwhelmed and uninterested in most of the dish, but taking to at least the tempura fried bok choi and sweet potatoes.

I had better luck with my dishes, starting with a Spicy Tuna Tartar with Avocado that made for an amazing appetizer.  Three separate stacks, one tuna tartar, one avocado, and one vegetable, served with a spicy dipping sauce and a bridge of fried chips, I took no time plowing through the tuna tartar before the waitress hastily made her way over and suggested that “Patrons tend to really enjoy mixing the three stacks together.”  Whoops.

My main course, the Grilled Grouper with Bok Choi and Nam Pla Sauce, was another great dish to follow up my first course.  Something about the preparation reminded me of the fresh fish I’ve had in years past in Hong Kong, which I think speaks to the quality and preparation to the dish.  A good but not oversized portion, I had no complaints whatsoever here, either.

The restaurant itself is very well decorated, and in dim lighting, looks like exactly what it intends to be- a world class drinking establishment that serves authentic Asian food centered around a God and some great lounge music.  Prices are on the higher end for dinner, but not out of the ordinary for a popular dining destination in DC. The service is helpful, friendly, and attentive enough to always be there when your water needs to be refilled, but not intrusive to the point where you’re inviting them to share your table with you.

I’d go back here another time, as I really enjoyed the meal, but it looks like I’ll have to make the return visit without my girlfriend, who’ll not likely be making the trip over with me.

See Buddha Bar on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• Pescetarians
• Birthday Parties
• Drinks After Work

Not Recommended For:

• Buddhist Monks
• Mermaids and Mermen
• Vegetarians
• OONTZ-OONTZ-OONTZ

Boudros has a brand name that carries some weight in San Antonio, deep in the pants of Texas.  I received the recommendation from a Texan, who suggested I take a stroll along the Riverwalk and try the Texas Bistro out.

The Riverwalk is the stroke of an urban planning/design genious. Take a lazy, peaty river that winds through the heart of the city, and build out as many restaurants as you can to draw in the tourists.  It works, the varying degrees, and a number of places to eat to suit any sort of crowd, tastes, or diet.  Even mentioning that I was going to be eating at Boudros drew gasps of surprise, as apparently it’s got the reputation of being a fancy-Nancy type of place to eat.

Well, let’s clarify this before I get too far into the review… fancy for San Antonio.  Which is to say, as long you’re wearing pants in the 100+ degree temperatures during the summer, it’s fancy.  You should probably leave your ruffled silk shirt at home.

The menu changes seasonally, so it’s hard to say what’s going to be featured on your visit, but this place definitely caters to the meateaters, perfect for a paleohead travelling and trying to stay on the rails of his/her diet.  One thing that doesn’t change, however, is their self-proclaimed famous Guacamole for Two.  It’s good. So good, I stole the recipe and claimed it for my own, which is all the easier to finagle when it’s prepared fresh tableside.  The restaurant only uses one whole avocado to make your guac, so be prepared to order a second batch.  This stuff goes fast.

Served with piping hot corn tortilla chips that are decidedly NAHT  paleo friendly, I had no qualms eating this straight with just a spoon.

I was lucky enough to come in when the kitchen was offering their Braised Short Ribs, my second favorite meat, which comes in only after bacon. Come up with a Braised Short Ribs wrapped Bacon recipe for me and it’s pretty likely my head will explode.

Tender, juicy, and pulls off the bone with no effort at all, how the hell could I NOT be happy with dish at Boudros?  The small side of vegetables that come with this dish does come with a dusting of queso fresco, but that’s good by me.  There are a number of other tempting dishes on the menu, but Braised Shorts Ribs is almost impossible for me to ever turn down.

The crowd here is energetic, so it’s hard to carry a conversation, but I did notice a number of dates and business meatings going on around me, with vary degrees of effective communication that didn’t involve shouting across the table.  Service here is good, but nothing exemplary. The portion sizes are fair as long as you’re keeping in mind that you’re at a bistro and the phrase, “Everything’s bigger in Texas” doesn’t necessarily apply.  There’s no shortage of paleo goodness on the meal, but prices are a bit on the high end for the city.  Boudros is worth a visit if you’re down in San Antonio for a few days and looking for a guaranteed good meal.

See Boudros on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Special Occasions
• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Staying Classy in the Souf
• MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAT

Not Recommended For:

• Frugalistas
• Vegetarians
• Texas Portions
• First Dates
• Cramming for Finals

Casa Nonna takes residence on Connecticut Avenue where California Pizza Kitchen once stood for years upon years. Longer than I can remember, perhaps even before I moved to the area over a decade ago.  I anxiously awaited the opportunity to try out the new restaurant, which occupies a mammoth space just south of Dupont Circle.  Thankfully, the owners, the very same that own the various BLT Restaurants, decided to make use of the existing pizza ovens and cash in on the D.O.C. pizza trend that’s becoming the standard of quality pizza establishments in the District.

On a slow weekend evening, Jen and I walked into the restaurant without reservations around 6:30pm, but also without concern, as nearly all the tables were empty.  We asked for a table for two, quite possibly the easiest table to seat in any restaurant.

Hostess: Would you like to sit outside?

Me: No, it’s starting to get a little chilly out. How about a table inside?

Hostess: Well we could seat you at the bar tables (points at tables with high stools)

Me: (looking at Jen, wearing a skirt a bit short for a table of height) How about one of those booths over there?

Hostess: Well we could sit you at the pizza bar.

Me: Can we just sit at a booth? It looks like there’s a free table or two. (Or fifty).

Hostess: We’re waiting for people with reservations for those tables who’ll be coming in at 7 o’clock.

Ah yes, reservations. Reservations are great for a restaurant if you’re expecting a large influx of patrons, and your restaurant is at least half full to almost completely at capacity.

But that certainly was NOT the case, in any remote fashion.

At this point, I started to turn around and just leave, because it’s not exactly like there’s a shortage of Italian restaurants in DC, and my hunger is doing absolutely nothing for my patience. Jen, the obviously much better half, somehow talked the hostess into getting us a table at one of the booths, an absolute miracle in this bustling establishment.

Look at all those happy diners.

At this point, we tried to make the best of the meal and focus on the food.

Jen’s Penne All’arribiatta was very good.  A spicy tomato sauce with a decent portion of penne that made her happy, which naturally makes me happy.

I ordered the Fettuccine Al Burro, which translates roughly to “Noodles kneaded off a donkey’s hindquarters” in Italian.  A nice, unique take on the typical Fettuccine Alfredo, using only fresh Parmesan and butter with no cream, but nothing about it that made it a must have.

I also ordered the side of Meatballs, which you can have made with veal, pork, or beef, covered in tomato sauce and cheese.  The trio of meatballs are fairly sizable, and make a perfect complement to share, or eat on your own if you have a cavernous stomach like myself.

The restaurant itself is contemporary in design, but again, nothing here that stands out. It’s worth saying that it’s hard to really make a restaurant stand out with its interior; you really notice badly decorated restaurants, and amazingly decorated restaurants, but by and far, the vast majority of the restaurants in the middle of those two options are forgettable.

Our waiter was fair, but the whole hostess debacle soured the entire experience. If the first person I encounter with a restaurant has a poor attitude, that impression will carry throughout my meal. It’s a hard psychological fact to shake.  And as I mentioned before, there are a multitude of restaurants that do Italian fare as good, if not sometimes better, than Casa Nonna. I recommend you trying that other restaurant instead.  And if you’re the owner of Casa Nonna, you really ought to change out your hostesses.

See Casa Nonna on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Miami Club Scene Pros
• Client Lunches/Dinners
• Outdoor Seating
• Bar Seating
• Kitchen front Seating

Not Recommended For:

• Paleoheads
• Zone Dieters
• Italian Cuisine Connoisseurs
• Patrons without Reservations
• Any self respecting omnomnivores reader

Rasika finds itself at the forefront of notable Indian restaurants in DC, and with one step inside, it’s easy to see why. Contemporary furnishings abound, a departure from the metal framed chairs with soiled walls that some other Indian restaurants have (which is not say that places like that can’t serve you an amazing Indian meal).

The scene at Rasika is one of a city hotspot, much more so after having been recognized recently in the Washington Post’s Fall 2010 Dining Guide as a place to get your Bolly on*. The din inside takes a raised voice to carry on a conversation across the table. A large bar holds up the left portion of the restaurant, with seating for the restaurant to the right, and a small private dining room sealed off by a patterned sliding door.

Once we were finally seated, Jen and I poured over the menu, along with our server’s recommendations. We started with the Cauliflower Bezule and the Palak Chaat; the former, a plate of deep fried cauliflower, cooked with mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies; the latter, fried baby spinach leaves served with sweet yogurt, tamarind, and date chutney. Both of these dishes had more spices than a British all-girl pop band, with less unpleasant aftertaste, too. The flavors of the Cauliflower Bezule create a spicy, savory harmony, and is highly recommended. The Palak Chaat also holds its own, serving up a unique blend of textures with the crispy spinach, intermingled with the creamy sweetness of the yogurt, tamarind, and chutney.

Most of the entrees can be ordered in either a small or large portion, depending on your appetite. For our main course, I ordered the duo Tandoori Lamb Chops for myself, and the small order of the Dal Makhani for Jen.

Here’s where things get ugly.

I’m not going to say that the pork chops tasted bad, because nothing could be farther from the truth. The meat was tender, succulent, aromatic, flavorful, and the size of a golf ball. It’s as if the restaurant decided that only the smallest animals could be used for not only their prized deliciousness, but because who doesn’t like cute, minature objects?

People with Godzilla-like appetites like me, that’s who.  People who eat an entire pig and a chicken family for breakfast, and then wipe their mouth on the closest standing…y’know, cotton…producing…animal…around.  What IS the animal cotton comes from called, anyways? I’m totally blanking. Cotton…mastiff. Whatever.

The whole mini-portion philosophy that many haute couture dining establishments follow annoys me to no end. A top rated restaurant should not only be able to produce high quality dishes to delight patrons, but as a restaurant, I feel I should be able to leave with satisfaction as well.

To further highlight my point, my lamb chops (which would have been better described as lollipops on the menu) came with a dipping sauce, along with the Garlic Naan and Truffle Naan that we ordered.  Jen and I continued to talk, and I waited for her dish to arrive before eating.  That is, until Jen started spooning my dipping sauce onto a shred of naan.  Her lentil, tomato, fennel, and fenugreek dipping sauce entrée.

Whoops.

To be clear, entrees do not come with a complimentary side of rice or naan, which both must be ordered separately.  I made sure to check, having ordered an extra basket of naan during prior occasions, only to be served more naan with my entrée.  No such luck here, which isn’t necessarily a good or bad thing, just a fact to be cognizant of.

We were also informed by our server that the restaurant employs a man whose sole purpose and focus at Rasika is to make naan, custom to order.  The emphasis our server put on this fact seemed slightly ludicrous, and to me, a bit odd; myself being a jack of trades, considering someone whose life choices brought him to become a  master of naan.

The food at Rasika is decidedly superb.  Top ingredients are chosen for a staff who expertly combine textures and tastes into a brilliant execution.  Prices are reasonable per plate, but portions per plate are not.  Staff, everyone from the host to the servers, are accommodating despite an overwhelming crowd.  Making reservations should be considered, and even then, you could still be in for at least a 10-15 minute wait.  I would venture to guess that opting for a table full of small dishes and forgoing the entrées entirely would have done a better job assuaging my hunger.**  That would require making another visit to Rasika, something I’d be more than willing to do.

See Rasika on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Soccer Mom Social Hours
• Paleoheads
• Vegetarians
• Celebrity Singh-ers

Not Recommended For:

• Frugalistas
• First Dates
• Zone Dieters
• Hungry Jack’s

*Not Tom Sietsema’s actual words, apologies to Tom and the WaPo, but hey, it makes for good lol.

**Optionally, you can walk through Chinatown and stop into Eat First like I did, and order the pan fried dumplings, and the Chinese Roasted BBQ Pork.

It shouldn’t be of any surprise to me that, with the strong gastronomic community in DC, that the city is home to the world’s first certified organic dining establishment, Restaurant Nora. That’s not say there aren’t a number of such restaurants across the US now, but having someone here in the District leading the charge is a remarkable bit of trivia. More remarkable, than, say, knowing it takes two minutes of contact for antibacterial soap to become effective, or the number of times Lindsay Lohan’s been to rehab (Three and counting).

You can tell there’s something different about Nora’s just as you walk up to the restaurant.  There’s a certain classiness about the carefully tended brick exterior, the weathered copper fixtures, the lack of stumbling drunks passing on their way to the club.  Neatly tucked away into the neighborhoods of Dupont, you could spend years never having walked by, unless you were specifically looking for it.  And I think that’s just how they like it.

One of the great things about Nora’s is the offering of a very reasonably priced, four course tasting menu.  And another great thing?  It’s offered up in either regular or vegetarian.  Chalk that up to progressive thinking.  Jen and I both opted for the tasting menus, except I stuck with meat options wherever available.

Jen started out with the Roasted Fall Heirloom Squash Soup.  Creamy, warming, and full of flavors that get you ready for jacket weather, one more instance of Jen picking out the better of the available choices.  That’s not to say that my appetizer, the Hawaiian Hearts of Palm Salad, wasn’t good.  I just enjoyed her soup more.

My hearts of palm salad, with a scoop of thai basil sorbet, floating in a pool of tomato water and watermelon chunks, certainly was brimming with creativity and flavor.

Jen’s next plate, the Baba Ganoush Tart with feta cheese, roasted red peppers, and an olive emulsion, continued to make waves with her palette.  The presentation of a world class chef, the ingredients of a first world country, and the meatlessness that makes my girl happy.

I ordered the Maine Peekytoe Crab & Avocado Salad, made with red onions, cilantro, and an ancho chili vinaigrette.  I think this one was a tie for deliciousness with Jen’s tart.  I have no idea what peekytoe crab is, but it’s pretty damn delicious.  The name reminds me of the shoes that girls wear with their toes popping out of the front. That’s peekytoe too, right?  Whatever. I’ll have the fashionably color coordinating crab & avocado salad, please.

Time for the main courses.

Jen’s Champagne Risotto was piled on with flavors, contributed in short part by a cast of leeks, wild seasonal mushrooms, fennel, tomatoes, parmesan and herbs.

And butter, I’d imagine.  Lots and lots of butter.  Although as high quality as Nora is with her dishes, I’m sure they probably worked a way around it.

My dish, the Pan Seared Grassfed Filet Mignon, was the epitome of Paleo awesomeness.  Maybe not the accompanying puree of eggplant and romano beans, or the green beans on top, but grassfed filet mignon?  Who else brings that kind of quality meat to the table in this area?

Out to try something a little bit different for dessert, I put in an order for the Pineapple Upsidedown Cake with Ginger Ice Cream.  Good, but not great.  Just as I had ordered.  Different.

Jen continued with her philosophy of “Keep It Simple, Receive Deliciously Awesome Food”.  Hey, guess what?  It works.  Her jumbo slice of Honeycrisp Apple Pie with Buttermilk Ice Cream won the dessert round, hands down.

While it’s nice to see a restaurant put so much effort into the quality of the ingredients and follow through with quality preparation and execution, Nora takes the game up a notch with the service.  The service here was out. of. this. world.  Mindblowingly accomodating.  The first thing that took us off our guard was with Jen’s request to have her risotto boxed so she could take it home.  Our waiter came back, seemingly empty handed, and placed a ticket in her hand.

Nora will check your food at the front while you continue with your meal, retrievable at your leisure.  Not that the process was really any easier than just picking up our food as we left the table, but definitely a convenience that I’d never heard of, nor experienced.

The second bit of oustanding service was our waiter checking to see if we needed a cab home for the evening.  Keeping in mind that Jen had one glass of wine, and I sat across from her drinking down pails of water through the evening, it wasn’t that we were staggeringly drunk, but again, taking care of the customers to the most minute details.

The last bit?  As we left from our table, retrieved our checked food, and walked to the front door, the staff held the two layers of doors open for us, as if we were the royal family themselves.

Consider me floored.  And anxiously awaiting my next visit back.

See Restaurant Nora on a map here.

Recommended For:

• Contract Signings
• Special Occasions
• The Royal Treatment
• Impressing the Bearded Lady You Met at the State Fair
• Showing Off Your New Peekytoe Shoes

Not Recommended For:

• Watching the Game
• Meat & Potato’ers
• Your Child’s First Birthday Party

There are plenty of great neighborhoods in NYC, but SoHo comes pretty close to the top of the list for great streets to wander around in during the day.  Accompanied by friends who are better acquainted with the city, we stopped into one of their favorite places to get a drink, Public.

I’ll share a little secret about myself.  I love old school libraries.  Giant cabinets filled with typewritten cards, each marking the exact location of a book through an archaic numbering system.  There’s something about the whole thing that makes me nostalgic, as I spent a lot of time in libraries when I was younger.  It’s been a number of years since I’ve stepped into that sort of environment, so much so that walking into Public was a little like stepping back into a comfortable and familiar living room that I’ve never seen before.

The interior design of Public is comforting yet vaguely academic, a perfect place to find respite from the madness of life, a place of solace that a library served to someone in their most formative years, long since gone.

Wooden surfaces and vintage lighting speak inaudible words of warmth, while cubbyholes, nooks, and crannies prove that everything in here, no matter where it is, is in its right place.

The food here is just as comforting as the restaurant itself.  I was never once left unimpressed with the quality and freshness of our dishes.  The Irish breakfast, for instance, was nothing short of inspired, despite an outward appearance of simplicity.  Two poached eggs on a slab of bread, two slices of black pudding, a bourbon soaked fig cake, and half a roasted tomato.  Rawr.  Presentation and execution gets top marks from me.

The venison burger, while a little bit smaller in portion than I expected, still turned out to be a winner.  I’d even be willing to call it the Rudy burger. Served in a miso bun with tomato chili jam, watercress, cassava (potato root) chips, and a trio of sauces, I happily plowed through my order, but a backup side of black pudding didn’t hurt.  The black pudding had the texture of toast, but the aroma and flavor of meat.  Not for the uninitiated, but the exploratory are well rewarded here.

Desserts don’t let up on the intensity, either.  This fig tart and sorbet combination stays keeps the focus on the fig, which is a perfect way to top off your meal.

Service isn’t the greatest here, but I wouldn’t call it the worst, either.  Not enough to detract from the restaurant, but then again, we sat at the bar, so table service might be a tic better.  I highly recommend stopping by Public if you find yourself in the neighborhood for a truly excellent meal.  Even more so if you’re looking for a glass of wine to get you through your day.

See Public on a map here.

Recommended For:

• O’Briens, McDaniels, Murphys, Quinns, Fitzgeralds, and the Magees
• Vegetarians
• Oenophiles
• Hangover Helper
• First Dates

Not Recommended For:

• Zone Dieters
• Bibliophobes
• Pre-gaming before the Yankees get out on the field
• Last Dates