Help? Need fairly great restaurant for Saturday September 4.

[alois1]

Semi annual trip. Stuck in the Woodley Park area.
I always get the honor? chore? of finding a restaurant for Saturday night.
Smart people, who know food.

Any help with suggestions would be appreciated

Thanks
Aokay

[dining with doc]

IMHO: take the metro( maybe a 10 minute metro ride) to gallery place/chinatown exit which is the verizon center- Penn Quarter area.. you now have about 50 choices within a 5 block ratio including but not limited to:
Matchbox, Oya, Zaytynia, Jaleo, Proof, The Source, Cafe Atlantico, Zola,Poste, PS-&, Oyamel, Central Michele Richard, Poste, Sei, Ping Pong Dim Sum, Chinatown Express, Eat First, Asian Spice, Coco Sala, DC Chophouse and Brewery, Gordon Biersche, Brasserie Beck, Rosa Mexicano, Ruths Chris, Acadiana, Legal Seafood, Kanalaya, and I am sure I am forgetting something. Lots of choices with lots of different cuisines and price ranges. Now tell me how much you want to spend and what type cuisine you are looking for and I can narrow your search

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Cafe Atlantico
405 8th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004

Brasserie Beck
1101 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

Eat First Restaurant
609 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Chinatown Express
126 Carroll Island Rd, Baltimore, MD 21220

Acadiana
901 New York Ave NW Ste 200A, Washington, DC 20001

Asian Spice
717 H. St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Ping Pong Dim Sum
900 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

[hill food]

how is Ardeo these days? the upstairs accommodates large groups easily, a friend reccommended it once a few years back for a very diverse crowd (we were maybe 12 or so some picky some not, some with dietary restrictions as to health or religion) and they delivered (so to speak)

[Elyssa]

I think Ardeo is still pretty good. The last time I was there I had a weird service issue, where I felt like we were being rushed a little bit. But the food is quite good there. I'm actually returning next weekend for brunch with friends (apparently they have a $25 deal where you can choose any 2 items from the brunch menu and endless champagne!).

[Elyssa]

Palena is not that far from Woodley Park and one of the best restaurants in the city. If you want a more formal dining experience, you should get a reservation for the back dining room. There is also a more casual cafe-style restaurant at the front of the house. That menu is more affordable (although you can also order from the full back of the house menu). The roast chicken and hamburger on that menu are excellent. The cafe doesn't accept reservations though. If there is a long wait, head over to the bar at Dino for a glass of wine and some cheese.

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Palena
3529 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

[DCDeb]

Can you tell us more about the group? Are they looking for snooty high end or just really good food? Just up the road from Woodley Park is Dino in Cleveland Park. They place is friendly, has great wine and wonderful food.

[alois1]

they are smart people who read about and know good food. As to cost, well, just great food is always good. Ideally a good food and wine experience with enough quite to have a conversation. it's not a really snooty (aka hotsy-totsy) group.

thanks
alois1

[Jeserf]

Dino or Palena.

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Palena
3529 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

[woodleyparkhound]

What do you mean you are "stuck" in Woodley Park? You are a few minutes walk from some really good places in Cleveland Park, plus the Woodley Park Metro can quickly get you to several great food neighborhoods (Gallery Place, Dupont Circle, etc).

My first thought is Dino for great Italian food - they also have a private dining room. Palena and Indique are two other places in Cleveland park that I really like.

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Palena
3529 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008

Indique
3512 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008

[alois1]

sorry, I don't know the area well and it seems a bit uh. . .staid. I, we are open to travel, cabs go almost everywhere but I am not eager to spend a fortune on transportation.

I appreciate your help.

alois1