Zentan

www.zentanrestaurant.com
1155 14th Street NW,
Washington, DC 20005

We walked through famed Dupont Circle to get to The Donovan House, where superstar Chef Susur Lee has placed his inventive Asian style restaurant, Zentan.  Having watched him make it to the season finale of Top Chef Masters (Season 2), I knew this would be a great choice for our last meal before heading back to Atlanta.  The restaurant has its own unique feel; an upscale sushi bar, casual family-style eating tables, and the plethora of candles give a warm Asian feeling, almost 'Zen'-like.

This feeling of weightlessness quickly faded when we gawked at the menu and had no idea what to order.  Sake or Beer?  Appetizers or Sides?  Sushi or Entrees?  After some thought, and help from the Maitre D, we decided on a little bit of everything!  We got a couple Sapporos and some hot sake (which Katy hated), followed by a Sushi Roll.  I'm not one to crave sushi, but things can change, especially after splitting the 10 pieces of spicy tuna, smoked eel, and avocado, known as the Fire Dragon.

Already a bit overwhelmed from how much sushi we ate, we still had to make room for our appetizer, side, and BOTH entrees.  But we did it.  The summer roll consisted of raw chopped vegetables and bits of fresh mango wrapped in rice paper...cool, clean, and rejuvenating.  Our entrees were presented with perfection, each plate showcased the highlights of the salmon and black cod.  Both meals were exquisite and of course we sided them with our favorite, brussels sprouts.  After having the Mediterranean inspired dish two nights earlier we had to compare their differences.  No clear winner.  At Zentan they are roasted large, still vividly green, and treading in soy sauce so delicious that you pray it creeps to everything else on your plate.

Susur Lee does not disappoint, every aspect of this restaurant is worth detailing and revisiting.  When you get to DC, plan to eat Asian and you will quickly find out why he is considered one of the best.

We, The Pizza

www.wethepizza.com
305 Pennsylvania Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003

Cheap, simple, fun, philanthropic, and yummy, Spike Mendelsohn of Good Stuff Eatery and a Top-Chef contestant opened We, The Pizza, well, for everybody.  This small joint serves up gourmet pizza by the slice or the pie, ranging from Simple Cheese to Roasted Potato and Pancetta.  Katy and I stopped by to grab lunch after a short walk from the Library of Congress to find the delectable pizzas on display for our choosing.   With our slices and beers in hand, we topped them with red pepper flakes and headed upstairs to enjoy.  We shared slices of For The Greeks In Us and Sausage And Peppers which were both greasy and flavorful. We, The Pizza recharged us as we threw away our paper plates and continued to our next destination.

Zaytinya

www.zaytinya.com
701 9th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004

Just a couple of weeks after returning from Chicago, I surprised Katy with our next adventure to Washington D.C. for the Cherry Blossom Festival, some sightseeing, as well as some of the best eats around.  With reservations for our first night, it was a non-negotiable for me to eat at Jose Andres' Zaytinya.  I knew the Mediterranean mezze cuisine was right up our alley, not to mention Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella was the executive chef prior to opening his first restaurant, Graffiato, just blocks from Zaytinya.

Seated at a small table near the open kitchen, we were overwhelmed by the 3 ring binder menu dropped in front of us presenting numerous different Greek, Turkish, and Lebanese wine and plates.  After deciding on a Lebanese Red, we sifted through the endless food selections until we landed on a flawless combination of treats to fill us up.  Crispy Brussel Sprouts with barberries and garlic yogurt were some of the best we've had; HUGE sprouts with the outer leaves crisp and a phenomenal dipping yogurt made these splendid!  The ouzo battered Black Cod with orange may have been the single greatest piece of fish I have eaten.  We also had the seared salmon with a butternut  squash puree, the braised goat and scallion hummus flatbread, and seared scallops.  Finally, what may have sealed the deal was a special of the night, the feta lamb phyllo with yogurt dill sauce which was light and fluffy, yet carried a punch of flavor!

Mediterranean food is not an abundant cuisine where we normally dine in Atlanta, but in Washington there are many ethnic restaurants and I can guarantee this tops the charts.  Not only was the food some of my favorite, Zaytinya is a fun and inviting restaurant that I would visit again and again were it not for the 600 miles between us; if it were only a bit closer, maybe 300...