457132 Sun Nov 04 10:59:15 -0800 2007 5 14 Washington DC & Baltimore Area 0 3093892 We dined at 701 friday night and it was pretty good! 2 bars, front one seems to be hopping w/ locals and the 2nd one seems to hold the overflow. What did we like? The tables were widely spaced, and they gave our twosome a 4 top which is always welcome. The piano player was talented but i felt like i was in an old person's country club or something based on his playing selections! Food was good - hubby had veal chop & i had grouper. Dessert was a warm chocolate oozy cake w/ almond ice cream. Wine selection was decent. I wanted to post this because 701 is never on any lists nor do i ever see it recommended. Oh, and it's literally at the top of the navy/archives metro stop which is a big bonus. But on to the title of this post: while walking around the hood before dinner, i walked by Rasika and saw several complimentary articles posted on the door & windows. I wanted to see if any chowhounds have dined there and ask what you thought of it -- we love good Indian! Sun Nov 04 10:59:15 -0800 2007 129959 DCDOLL 1 3094197 You can't go wrong with Rasika. Vikram Sundaram, Rasika's chef, used to run kitchen at Bombay Brasserie in London. Rasika to me is by far the best Indian restaurant in DC. Arguable it beats lot of highly acclaimed Indian restaurants in NYC too (Tabla, Tamarind etc.) Def order Spinach Chaat, it is heavenly. Reshmi Kabab, Lobster Masala, Okra, Daal are some other good dishes. You def want to make reservation in advance as the place is always sold out Sun Nov 04 13:21:18 -0800 2007 3093892 140133 kabeer_g 2 3094239 Agreed on the Palak Chaat but also get their Chicken Makhani (Butter Chicken). The black cod is also delicious. Sun Nov 04 13:46:47 -0800 2007 3094197 87194 KWynn 1 3094552 Never had a bad meal there -- the decor/atmosphere is trendy the food is excellent and the service is very good. Sun Nov 04 16:14:28 -0800 2007 3093892 140251 jabberob 1 3095031 I don't think I could ever love Rasika compared to straight up Indian food. I like it very much for what it is: a European restaurant serving their interpretation of Indian dishes. The spinach is a MUST ORDER. It is wonderful, everything else is tasty. But it doesn't send me to the moon like Passage to India or Bombay Curry Company, or Woodlands in Langley Park, or the Tandoor at Punjab Dhaba or the chaat at Shiney's (a Pakistani place in Annandale). Sun Nov 04 19:46:21 -0800 2007 3093892 10156 Steve 1 3095925 i love Rasika. The crispy spinach appetizer (palak chaat?) is something i dream about often. Mon Nov 05 08:02:21 -0800 2007 3093892 138522 librichman