Restaurant Walkable to Ford's Theater in DC?

[MommaJ]

Looking for somewhere interesting to dine before the show this weekend, nice if it were very close to the theater (it's at 10th between E and F). We are adventurous eaters.

[drake0388]

In that area for the adventurous type Rasika definitely comes to mind! It is definitely adventurous and in the area. Food is of excellent quality. I believe they are in the top 5 for Washingtonian's top 100. If Rasika is not acceptable then I would say that you can walk over to Gallery Place/Penn Quarter and get pretty much anything you want. Oyamel also comes to mind, as does The Source DC.

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Rasika Restaurant
633 D Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004

[MommaJ]

Stopping back to let you know that all we were very pleased with our experience at Bistro D'oc. All three of us had the duck confit and loved it. Desserts were great, too--a peach brioche bread pudding, a homemade gelato-like ice cream, and crepes Suzette. I was a bit disappointed in my Caesar salad--I thought the Romaine was torn in pieces that were too small, and there was too much dressing, though H liked it fine. (I think given the richness of the duck, the plain house salad would have been a smarter choice in any case.) Service was attentive without being cloying, and the 6:00 reservation the restaurant recommended for a 7:30 curtain allowed us to eat in a leisurely fashion and still get into our seats with time to spare. All in all, a terrific choice--many thanks to those who directed us to Bistro D'oc!

[monkeyrotica]

Thanks for following up. Good to hear Bistro d'Oc is still consistent, a problem with a lot of restaurants in DC. Funny thing about caesar salads; they seem to be on every menu in town, yet nobody ever seems to rave about them.

[Elyssa]

This is my go-to place for duck confit. They do an excellent job with that dish.

[MommaJ]

Thanks all! How nice to log back in a see several great ideas. H practically salivated at the mere thought of duck confit (well, so did I), so we'll try Bistro D'Oc. He is also the type who worries about getting places on time, so being right across the street from the theater will be a plus for him. I've had my eye on Zaytinia for a while, but it we'll have to wait for another trip (D is a college student in DC, so we'll be there a few more times before she graduates). We have one of the excellent Barcelona restaurants in our town, so the idea of tapas doesn't excite so much, but I'll also file away Jaleo.

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Bistro D'Oc
518 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

[hill food]

d'Oc will be good, Elyssa and Monkey know their stuff, I would never doubt their advice (and I have been to d'Oc - it is good, rustic-ky and casual but good)

[Steve]

Jaleo for Spanish tapas is 3 blocks away at 7th and E, and is the flagship restaurant of Jose Andres. Search on Chowhound for my recs for specific items to order from the large menu. An important restaurant in DC from a celebrated chef.

[monkeyrotica]

Bistro D'Oc is directly across the street. Tell them you have a show to attend and they're happy to accomodate. I'm a fan of their braised tripe, but the rest of the bistro fare, particularly the cassoulet and the steak frites, are excellent.

http://www.bistrodoc.com/home.html

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Bistro D'Oc
518 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

[Elyssa]

Bistro D'Oc would be my recommendation as well. It's an incredibly charming french bistro. The seat downstairs right in the window is my favorite but there are also tables upstairs near a fire place, which is great in colder weather.

I love their duck confit and steak frites.

If you are looking for something a little more modern you, Central is walking distance from the theater as well.

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Bistro D'Oc
518 10th St NW, Washington, DC 20004

[katecm]

I LOVE D'Oc, but it sounds like they maybe want to be a bit more adventurous. Zaytinya is just two blocks if they want to go that route. Either would be great options.

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Zaytinya
701 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

[monkeyrotica]

My experience at Zatinya on the weekends has been crowded, loud, with long waits for tables and service. The food is good, but I'm not sure how well they'd do getting me to a show on time.

[Steve]

Zaytinya has lots of experience getting people out on time. not a problem since they started taking reservations. This is a central location for theatres like Sidney Harmon Hall, Washington Stage Guild, Lansburgh Theatre and event spaces like Verizon Center.

I wouldn't try to eat in this area without reservations unless you go to Nando's Peri Peri which is a really good counter service space that sells Mozambiquan/Portuguese spicy chicken. If you go, get the quarter dark at the hottest level with macho peas on the side. A pretty and comfortable space. Even if there's a line, it's not too bad a wait.

http://www.nandosperiperi.com/index.cfm

[Garlic Guy]

Brief warning about Nando's: don't go if you don't like very spicy food. They do serve chicken mild if you ask, but it's not very good; they're known for their spices, and a lot of people who like spicy food like their spicy chicken, but without the spices the underlying chicken isn't all that great.

[Elyssa]

I have a similar impression of Zaytinya. I'm personally not a big fan of the place but I know other people love it. I think it's more of a "after theater" spot so you don't have to worry about time.

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Zaytinya
701 9th St NW, Washington, DC 20001