washington, dc restaurants in the 1980s

L $1.75-$5.25, D $3.75-$9.95. Clyde's/Georgetown 3236 M St. NW. L, D $3.95-$5.35. Valet parking. Worse, fried dishes, particularly appetizers, may be grease-sodden and bland. And, just as clothes may make the woman, Pueblo Joe's makes Washington's best-dressed restaurant list. The California touch is evident -- and welcome -- in an antipasto pyramided with fine Italian ham and salami, sharp, aged provolone, plump anchovies and pungent little olives over a bed of crisp romaine, with cruets of oil and vinegar to dress it yourself. Vegetables are excellent, from sprightly coleslaw and tossed salad with zingy dressing to delicious cottage fries and dilled carrots. Parking lot in rear. Its high intentions are apparent from the start, from the curved brick stairway under a grand canopy. L, D $2.25-$5.95. L daily ex Sat, Sun, D daily. And include something from the charcoal grill: shrimp sates, lemon grass spareribs, Korean-style short ribs. The fare is fair these days, though the pastries are more buttery, more delicate, more professional than ever. Few places on Capitol Hill, and fewer of Washington's Chinese restauurants, are so serene. Full bar service. 667-3040. 13,050 reviews Open Now. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. The Magic Pan 5252 Wisconsin Ave. NW. but don't despair. Captain White's 8123 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. Street parking. AE, V. Reservations accepted, suggested for large parties. 7, Purcellville, Va. 703/338-6088. The sandwich breads and ice creams are homemade. Street parking. Just watch Joseph at Cantina d'Italia. The specials sound intriguing -- chicken with black bean sauce, for instance -- but each year the care in preparing all but the dim sum has slipped a little. The dining room has matured to fit this image, the black and gold striped walls and gold-rimmed service plates reinforcing the luxury, the room bustling with black-tie captains performing tableside productions. Parking lots near Lincoln Memorial? Children's prices. The dining rooms are lovely, with rainbows of silk waving from the ceiling downstairs, salmon colored banquettes against silvery gray walls upstairs. Trout or red snapper are afloat in nutty clarified butter with almonds, mushrooms, onions, ripe tomatoes and coconut milk, garnished with crisp green broccoli.Neither meats nor vegetables are overcooked. Full bar service. The House of Hunan is an exceptional addition to Washington's hundreds of Chinese restaurants, and Vincenzo's, once the kinks are ironed out, is aiming for the top among Italian restaurants. The smoked salmon is hard sliced and excellent, equivalent to what many restaurants charge double for. 3, Irvington, Va. 804/438-6000. District of . AE, MC, No reservations. MC, V. Reservations suggested. D daily. Parking lot. Ae, cb, d, mc, v. rEservations suggested. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted, suggested on weekends. 821-1976. MC, V. No reservations. 244-5933. It is, however, the special of the day that is the knockout buy. Ordering the simplest of dishes will prove that. Closed Sat, Sun. L $2.95-$5.95, D $7.50-$12.50. Children's meals. Le Manouche 1724 Connecticut Ave. NW. Street parking. Full bar service. As for what to order, start at the beginning and work your way through, emphasizing appetizers and chef's suggestions. Full bar service. Full bar service. Open daily. If you judge the restaurant by one dish, let it be a soup called minced squab and scallops in a bamboo container. L $2.25-$3.95, D $4.25-$6.95. Parking in front. But the cooking has matured, and the service may follow suit. American Cafe 1211 Wisconsin Ave. NW. It is just an enormous old apartment house coffee shop with travel posters and vinyl tablecloths, but Fio's has real southern Italian cooking at coffee-shop prices. AE, MC, V. No reservations. Street parking. L $3-$12.50, D $4.50-$12.50. Sholl's 1990 K St. NW. Prices are generally around two digits for entrees, but this is Indian food of particular character, where the interplay of aromas and tastes takes precedence over heat. Reservations suggested. And if cheesecake is on the list, reserve a piece, for it is superlative creamly, lemony, dense cheesecake with a light washof raspberry sauce. L $4.85-$7.75, D $7.95-$12.95. SE. L $3.45-$6.95, D $8.45-$13.95. Unfortunately, their attentions are intermittent, as is the quality of the food. Washington, DC townhomes for rent; Falls Church townhomes for rent; Waldorf . View Menu. Dynasty 6852 Old Dominion Dr., McLean. AE, MC, V. Reservations suggested. No credit cards. Children's prices. And it serves French haute cuisine that is at least correct if not always exciting. Street parking and nearby lot. Ae, cb, d, mc, v. Reservations suggested. When in doubt, order the simplest dishes. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Order spicy rather than subtle dishes, particularly wursts. Full bar service. This is a French restaurant that establishes Washington in the big leagues. Parking lot. And the service is still quietly efficient. Despite flaws, dinner is likely to be a treat to the senses. West African restaurants have come and gone in Washington, but Baobab seems here to stay. MC, V. Reservations accepted for six or more only. Claude's 9021 Gaither Rd., Gaithersburg. It still has nearly half a dozen Ethiopian restaurants but none from Scandinavia. 296-7972. AE, MC, V. Reservations suggested. D daily. Open daily. L, D daily. L daily, D daily ex Sun. With so many good new restaurants, it is obvious why some old favorites have missed being reviewed this year. L, D daily. 836-2834. 751-8646. Pasta sauces have nothing subtle about them, and veal scallopine are overdosed with sweet marsala or lemon. L $4.25-$7.25, D $7.25-$9.50. Children's prices. 434-0515. Closed Sun. Service is gregarious and hospitable. Parking garage. The Palazzo Markham East Shopping Center, Annandale. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. Its culinary assets are highly peppered and faintly sweet cha gio (spring rolls) and crab farci, which is the same crab-pork filling in larger measure, without the rice-paper crust. Children's prices. 244-1740. Best of the menu, though, are appetizers, the tiny fried spicy turnovers, empanaditas, and an attractive do-it-yourself individual taco bar known as antojitos de Montezuma. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. No-smoking section. SALE: SUBSCRIBE AND GET 1 YEAR FOR $21.99 $5. No credit cards. 659-5882. Valet parking, free at dinner. Nora is full of clatter, its service rough-edged and harried. Discount parking in garage. L daily, D daily ex Sun. Suspend your expectations and Axum can be fun. Closed Mon. Tom Sarris Orleans House. Also on the menu are stuffed cabbage, squash or grape leaves, kibbeh and a few curries, but none of them matches the kebabs. Full bar service. AE, MC, V. Reservations suggested. This is a friendly little restaurant with a representative choice of Vietnamese foods and, for the less adventurous, French dishes and even omelets. 683-4112. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Linen HOTEL SCENE Washington DC AE1522. Full bar service. Care is showered on the quality of ingredients, from freshly cooked chicken salad in ripe melon to high-quality rolls for the hamburgers. The charming waitresses have forgotten their expertise and have become harried and forgetful. MC, V. No reservations. No smoking section. View Website. Parking lot. Closed Sun. Children's prices. Chef Martino presents the cuisine from a new, mouthwatering perspective with innovative takes on fish and chips, shepherd's pie and chicken tikka masala (served with delicious mango chutney). L $4.25-$7.95, D$6.95-$10.95. Roast veal is served in nearly half-calf portions, though sometimes it has been cooked so long it crumbles. NW. 544-2338. Parking in front. The Epicenter of the 1980s Alternative Music Scene in DC L $3.25-$8.95, D $5.95-$11.95. Zachary's serves Greek food with a sunny, warm disposition in a shopping center restaurant that has expanded to several rooms.You need not spend more than $25 a couple, unless you give in to the persuasion of hot appetizers (crisp, buttery spanakopita, tomato-sweetened squid, spicy sausage) and excellent baklava or superbly delicate creme caramel, ouzo or retsina or liquor-dosed coffee. Taverna Cretekou 818 King St., Alexandria. L daily ex Sat, D daily. No credit cards. 436 11th St NW Harrington Hotel. Children's prices. L $3.95-$8.95, D $6.95-$14.95. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted, suggested on weekends. Valet parking after 5:30 p.m. Full bar service. AE, DC, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Full bar service. L daily ex Sun, D daily. Full bar service. Dinner is the time to try it, for the same menu is available for lunch and is priced high for midday eating. Free parking garage. Full bar service. Parking in rear. Parking next door. SE. The fixed-price menus are expensive, nearly as high for lunch as for dinner, and the food can be glorious or slightly awry. Free parking in adjacent garage for two hours. 468-1122. Parking lot. But I found no dish that meets any desire. "Full bar service" indicates that the establishment is licensed to sell spirits as well as beer and wine . Bethesda Square. Then, there are dishes like the duck, stringy and gravy-sodden, yet the highest priced on the menu. Jordan Hammes: (844) 711-5129. Tripadvisor #29 . The baba ghanouj bests even the Middle Eastern restaurants hereabouts, but hot dishes tend to be superior to cold dishes, which are inclined to be excessively herbed or at least unbalanced. Lamb has been badly trimmed and smothered in thick unsavory sauce. The legendary hamburgers are rarely terrific, though they could be if they didn't taste of burned grill scrapings. The population was shrinking, wealth flowed out to the suburbs, and you could buy a Northwest rowhouse for five figures. Key: Ecept for actual reviews, information about restaurants found in this guide was supplied by the restaurants themselves. Full bar service. Evans Farm Inn 1696 Chain Bridge Rd. Parking lot. L $2.95-$5.95, D $4.95-$15.95. Full bar seravice. L $1.75-$6, D $5.95-$24.95. Beer and wine only. 965-2684. It looks quintessentially Italian, with pristine white walls and tile floors, only a few small mirrors and colorful displays of antipasti and pastries. L $5.25-$8.50, D $9.25-$18.50. Street parking. Main courses should include at least one house specialty, perhaps grilled prok with rice cakes or grilled shrimp on sugar cane. L $3.50-$7.50, D $7.50-$13.95. Children's prices. One of D.C.'s ultimate dive bars, The Raven has been tucked away in Mount Pleasant since 1935. The focal point of the menu is the daily specials, most around $4 or $5 for large portions of good, simple French cooking. More intricate dishes -- crab cakes, seafood Norfolk -- are, to be picky, apt to be flawed by too much green pepper or too much butter or too much something. 356-8000. Closed Sun. The dining room is distinctively African, with grassy wall coverings and artifacts, woven fans hanging from the back of each ladderback chair. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. MC, V. Reservations suggested. AE, MC, V. No reservations. The menu has been revamped to concentrate on the house specialties, weeding out the chaff. Full bar service. Genesis of South Bay. 828-2608. L, D $2.50-$4.50. Street parking. Nora 2132 Florida Ave. NW.462-5143. Free parking in garage next door. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. Full bar service. No credit cards. Children's prices. L $3.25-$4.75, D $3.50-$15. Hogate's 9th St. and Maine Ave. SW. 484-6300. L $3.50-$9.50, D $4-$12. A half of broiled or pan-fried chicken cost $2.75 and a 12 oz. La Ruche of Georgetown 1039 31st St., NW. Vegetables (which do not, by the way, accompany the shrimp) are also good, whether fresh green beans or potato baked with a sprinkle of salt and no foil wrapper. On the dinner menu, anonymous mixtures and mismatched combinations range from broccoli with apples, walnuts and mushrooms under a veil of cheese at an overpriced $7 to mock quiche, lasagna, curry and Mexican casserole. Reservations suggested. Tandoor 3316 M St. NW. At La Ruche, expect the pate to be like meat loaf and all the sophistication to be focused in the pastry case, which displays extravagances like fresh blackberry tarts and chocolate almond meringue tortes layered with whipped cream. Washington DC Restaurants - OpenTable eFull bar service. Overambition shows in the crude rabbits pate en croute; on the standing menu, you are safest ordering the poached oysters as appetizer, perhaps the tangy beef sauteed with vinegar as main course. The chiles that once brought tears to the eyes have been held in reserve. Full bar service. Parking in front. Full bar service. American, Bar $$ - $$$ Menu. The Best Restaurants in Washington, D.C., From Laotian Cuisine to Steakhouses | Cond Nast Traveler. emily in paris savoir office. The bar is stacked the Clyde's canned chili; even as it comes from the kitchen it is too sweet, decent but not star quality. Full bar service. L, D daily. Full bar service. Full bar service. D $6.75-$16.75. Closed Mon. Central to Ethiopian dining are giant, pale, thin pancakes, sour from their fermented batter, which serve as tablecloth and utensil -- you eat with your hands by scooping meats and vegetables with pieces of pancake. L, D $3.75-$7.95. AE, MC, V. One hour free parking, Washington; mall parking lot, Falls Church. The surroundings are sedate, tasteful, an elegant collation of heavily textured fabric walls, plants and strikingly beautiful photographs.The food, too, is unusual, tasteful and elegant, a changing repertioire of dishes mostly Vietnamese but from all of Asia, with always a few exciting new inventions. Full bar service. Open daily. Once a small storefront eating place, Caffe Italiano has expanded to three rooms on two floors decorated with Impressionist paintings and mirrors, white candles on the tablecloths and black vests on the waiters. Visit 1789. Unused Pre-1980 WATER GATE INN RESTAURANT Washington DC u4365@ L daily ex Sat, D daily.Closed Sun. L $3.75-$6.50, D $9.25-$12.25. Children's prices. The Inn Rte. Closed Sun. 466-4570. Put away your preconceptions of Mexican restaurants when you visit Enriqueta's. Parking in nearby lots. Murphy's of DC. Domino's Pizza. Enriqueta's menu has its ups and downs, but always offers a wealth of choices. 547-9626. Parking in adjacent lot. L $2.75-$5, D $3.50-$7. La Ruche maintains a good collection of light dishes.And if the daily specials are sometimes not very special, you can usually count on fresh vegetables to enhance them, and further do so with a bottle of reasonably priced wine. That flounder stuffed with creamy, slightly piquant lump crabmeat is nothing short of ideal, however, as is the Crisfield Special -- just the crabmeat mixture, and lots of it. L, D $3.50-$10.95. Parking lot next door. Children's prices. Answered: I am trying to remember a restaurant my parents took me to on visits to Washington DC in my youth. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. Beer and wine only. L daily ex Sat, D daily. 4200 Wisconsin Ave. NW. AE, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. Children's prices. Parking lots. Valet parking for dinner only. Open daily. 543-5005. Old brick and heavy beams are apparently the fashion in Italian restaurants today, and Landini Brothers has carried out the mode beautifully, adding a slate floor and fireplace. 1985 DOCKSIDE BROILER Restaurant Menu - La Palma CA - Paper 223-3780. Open daily. L $4.50-$10 per lb. AE, CB, CC, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. 347-8416. Cafe Lafayette 105 N. Alfred St., Alexandria. Open daily. Piccadilly 5510 Connecticut Ave. NW. Open daily. Booeymonger 5252 Wisconsin Ave. 686-5805. Full bar service. Premier among the dishes is aushak, whether as an appetizer or main course, the homemade noodles filled with sauteed leeks or scallions, topped with yogurt, mint and tomato meat sauce; it is an inspired combination. Full bar service. All this on a mound of butter-infused rice decorated with carrot-orange grains on to and accompanied by homemade flat loaves of light, yeasty bread. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Ae, D, V. Reservations suggested. Szechuan Garden Bethesda 7800 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. The space is profligate, the service elaborate and capable. 7. Tiberio is reliable, but in a top-priced restaurant one hopes for more. Imperial House 1801 K St. NW. Maison Blanche 1725 F St. NW. Full bar service.Children's meals. Full bar service. 338-3314. On the lunch and dinner menus are exotic and familiar -- squid and shrimp, chili-black bean sauces and simple soy-ginger sauce -- with all the subtle contrasts of color, texture and flavor that characterize true Contonese food.Service is likely to be abrupt and indifferent, but the kitchen is what counts here. Street parking. You can put together a reasonable meal with good homemade soup and a pastry-crushed entree or salad. washington, dc restaurants in the 1980s - theicebird.at Street parking. Los Planes de Renderos 908 11th St. NW. No reservations. Full bar service. It sounds exactly like Tom Sariss Orleans House. Gaithersburg. D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Make Restaurant Reservations. I am trying to remember a restaurant my parents took me to on visits to Washington DC in my youth. The historic restaurant was founded in 1856, originally as a boarding house, and later became known as Washington's first saloon. Parking in front. Auto Services. Children's prices. Pre-1980 RESTAURANT SCENE Atlantic City New Jersey NJ G8202 in United States > New Jersey > Atlantic City Ends Tonight: Up to 75% Off Postcards Save Now United States Africa Asia & Middle East Australia & Oceania Canada Europe Latin & South America Worldwide (Other) More Categories 1980s BOSTON SEAFOOD COMPANY Restaurant Menu - Washington DC & St Louis Where the chicken on spiced rice was previously moist, succulent, delightfully perfumed, this time it was dried out and dull. Pre-1980 SEA GRILL RESTAURANT Bethesda Maryland & Washington DC G8405@ EUR 2,24 Sofort-Kaufen , EUR 4,13 Versand , 60-Tag Rcknahmen, eBay-Kuferschutz Verkufer: postcardworld (1.433) 98.9% , Artikelstandort: Ontario, CA , Versand nach: WORLDWIDE, Artikelnummer: 325544692621 Full bar service. MC, V. Reservations accepted. Street parking. Ae, d, mc, v. Reservations suggested. L $3.95-$5.50, D $5.25-$9.95. Certainly order peppery Szechuan dishes. Connected to a seafood market, The Fishery gets the best. The Fishery 5511 Connecticut Ave. NW.363-2144. The Prime Rib looks like the last of the supper clubs, even at lunch, when the silk-shaded table lamps are lit, the Lucite-topped grand piano playing despite the bustling workaday world outside. A wooden cart is filled with plants, and illumination is from iron street lamps and stained glass windows. The variety of house wines and beers complement the menu, and desserts, especially the chocolate walnut cake, are worth the splurge. And for dessert, fry a citrus souffle or ripe fresh fruits in whipped cream rather than a less competent pastry. . The hamburger costs all of 1.45, big, lean and spatula-flattened. Serbian Crown 4529 Wisconsin Ave., NW. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted. 451-7356. Closed Mon. 232-6684. Past, Present & Future: The Evolution of Washington DC's Southwest In the 1970s the restaurant industry and the custom of eating in restaurants grew rapidly. Full bar service. Beer and wine only. Parking in rear for M St., street parking for Columbia rd. Fish is often a hightlight, and while the memu offers few surprises, familiar dishes are done uncommonly well. L $4.25-$10.95, D $9.75-$15.95. L, D daily. L daily ex Sat, D daily. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. L daily ex Sat, Sun, D daily. Closed Sun. Parking across the street. DC Bars and Restaurants That Have Closed - Thrillist Reservations accepted for 10 or more only. Even his early dishes have improved, notably the thin, rare slices of duck breast with a dark, tart lime sauce. Street parking. Nizam's 523 Maple Ave. W., Vienna. The wine is poured into tumblers, as it would be in such a restaurant in Italy. Parking in Colonial garage at dinner only. Full bar service. Ae, d, mc, v. Reservations suggested. It is too small to justify lethargic, surly service such as I found. L $8.25-$11.25, D $8.80-$16.50. No-smoking section. L daily ex Sat, Sun, D daily. Behind those etched glass walls of the bread oven is a miniature neighborhood, where bread is being baked, and major decisions are being made between eclairs and pear tarts. Full bar service. The rates are rough and homey, soups fragrant, main dishes bold with garlic and shallots. Szechuan & Hunan 1776 E. Jefferson St., Rockville. Mc Mc, V. Reservations suggested. Constantly inventing nouvelle cuisine with American ingredients, Jean-Louis has been teaming cold carrot soup with a dollop of tomato sherbet, purslane with batons of barely cooked salmon, Maine lobster with chopped fresh basil. AE, MC, V. Reservations accepted for parties of seven or more only. MC, V. Reservations required for parties of five or more. Parking lot across the street. L, D $1.95-$12.50. AE, D, MC, V. No reservations. L $2.75-$4.25, D $4.50-$7.50. Secretly enclosed behind a large wooden fence, entering the restaurant reveals a warm outdoor lounge with firepits and fairy lights that . E, Hyattsville. Children's prices. D (fixed price) $25, $30, $40 or $60. Ben's Chili Bowl. You tear off bits of pancake and scoop up bits of lamb or lentil stew or chopped raw beef. This kind of wrap-and-dip food is not only fun, it is light eating and sufficiently crunchy and cool to appeal to flagging summer appetites. Harvey's 15201 Shady Grove Rd., Rockville. MC, V. Reservations suggested. L $3.25-$4.95, D $3.95-$12.95. Full bar service. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. The food is pretty good, particularly soups and pastries, the latter served from an imposing array on a rolling cart. Closed Sun. MC, V.Reservations suggested. Full bar service. Beer and wine only. 273-8812. Full bar service. Mc, v. Reservations suggested. 537 incredible photos of 1980s & '90s DC - Greater Greater Washington AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Service is dawdling and indifferent to complaints; when something goes wrong, from acrid yogi tea to bitter carob brownie, the response is a shrug. Ledo 2420 University Blvd. Open daily. Full bar service. Even the traditional sauces -- dark, resonant mole and smooth, piquant salsa verde -- are unusually good. 1789 1226 36th St. NW. 881-6330.L, D $1.10-6.95. Some dishes are hot, but more are piquant or aromatic or multi-flavored without being hot. Open dialy. Apple Tree 1220 19th St. NW. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. No wonder Germaine's has become a Washington landmark. L daily ex Sat, D daily. *tImperial Garden has turned Vietnamese -- sort of. In 1970, the Old Ebbitt Grill was struggling . So order earthy rather than elegant dishes: dense, long-simmered minestrone rather than lemony fish salad that is just rings of squid with a few tiny, tasteless shrimp. Taste of a decade: 1970s restaurants - Restaurant-ing through history And then there is the chicken with pomegranates and walnuts, a marvel of a flavor, the moist pieces of boneless chicken covered with a dark paste sweet and tangy and earthy with walnuts. Their very names -- fish dipped in boiling water with spices, smoked lobster, pelican's nest -- are evocative. The rest is slippery ground, for the vichyssoise tastes only of starch, the marinated seafood is an embarrassment of chewiness, the creamed spinach tastes like imitation canned, and the swordfish has been repeatedly overcooked. dFull bar service. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Steamed quiche is a dish to order, and apollo seafood is even better if you like squid. Danker's 1209 E St. NW. Kebabs are also delicious, particularly the marinated lamb; chicken tends to be a bit dry. Main dish possibilities are grilled fish or shrimp -- charcoal grilled -- sauteed bay scallops, seafood stews with wine, herbs and tomatoes; or some variation of fritto misto, beautifully fried. 452-126. Parking lot. No-smoking section. Full bar service. L daily ex Mon, D daily. L $2.25-$3.95, D $3.25-$7.95. Full bar service. L $4.25-$6.95, D $4.75-$15.50. L $2.50-$6.50, D $2.50 -$12. 338-2000. Related Reads News & Views 1 minute The pride of Sholl's is in its freshness -- seasonal produce, fish, excellent lean hamburger meat, home-baked breads and pastries. L daily ex Sat, D daily. And incidentally, at least at the original Georgetown location, it is incidental that people eat. Soups are fine, and the "egg souffle florentine" is an unusual slice of souffle on spinach and mushrooms with a rich, nutmeg-scented cheese sauce. Rafters at Landmark 2 S. Whiting St., Alexandria. O'Donnell's 8301 Wisconsin Ave., Bethesda. Free parking in adjacent lot after 4 p.m. Full bar service. AE, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Parking lot. Open daily. Online Menu of Tom Sarris Orleans House, Arlington, VA 3125 Mount Pleasant St NW, Washington, D.C. 20010. The Chinese food is attractive and well-prepared, though it tends to be bland and oversauced. Cold and hot appetizers are generally intriguing, notably shrimp cakes with shredded sweet potatoes. Start with pasta, perhaps linquine with crab and tomato or with clams, or risotto to share among several people. Candelas 3280 M St. NW. Two cautions: The coffee isn't even strong enough to tint a tablecloth, and throughout dinner you might want to look out for slices of those 20 pounds of garlic. Closed Sat, Sun. NW. The food, however, remains best for a snack or light meal, Mexican food that is standard quality, or at least sinks to standard in its reheating a lunchtime. 393-0131. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPpened to restaurants in the '80s, consider that the first restaurant I reviewed in 1980 was French-American and the last in 1989 was Italian-American . The more inventive a dish, the less likely its success. Ae, CB, MC, V. Reservations suggested. L daily ex Sat, D daily. Judge Khalsa, your apology rings hollow | Local News Full bar service. No alcoholic beverages. Children's prices. Now there are tablecloths, but otherwise the fanciest fixture at Los Planes de Renderos is the tape deck on the bar, playing Latin music. Closed Mon. For many years the godfather of Washington's French restaurants, Rive Gauche has continued to maintain a glorious red and gold dining room with a well-oiled staff. Select a Rating! 528-8886. No-smoking section. Full bar service. The Frat House. Full bar service. L $2.50-$2.95, D $3.50-$6.50. Vietnam Georgetown 2934 M. St., NW. AE, CB, D, MC, V. Reservations required. L, D $2.95-$9.95. AE, MC, V. Reservations suggested. Watergate Dining Room and Terrace 2650 Virginia Ave., NW. Closed Sun. 1970er Jahre Montpelier Restaurant Lounge Men Madison Hotel Its food, though, is an afterthought. AE, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. L $2.25-$4.95, D $4.95-$9.95. Children's meals. Full bar service. It is always, however, a pretty little Italian restaurant, white with touches of pink, and lovely, flossy little arrangements of flowers on the table. Ocean ix is to be found on a side street, a pretty little house with awnings over the windows and a flower garden in front, and flanked by a parking lot. Full bar service. The menu is simple, and the chef generous with herbs, wine, tomatoes and attention to detail. 938-8948. Online Menu of Dominique's, Washington, DC AE, CB, CC, D, MC, V. Reservations accepted. The Abyssinian 2020 Florida Ave. NW. Lately, a filet of salmon under a creamy tangle of shredded leeks was simply delicious. For the greatest variety and most reasonable prices, you can sample combination platters. 546-5900. AE, MC, V. Reservations suggested. 6710 Commerce St., Springfield. Food For Thought 1738 Connecticut Ave. NW. 965-2350. No-smoking section. No reservations. 387-1462. And the kitchen can produce superb fried foods, fine light sauces and aromatic pasta fillings, so I cannot understand why it settles for pallid sauces and pasty-coated veal with sludgy lemon sauce or vegetables cooked to a mush. L $4.50-$9.75, D $4.25-$17.50. The chili is dull and bland, with little more than a splinter of meat among the beans. Full bar service. L $3.45-$7.45, D $8.95-$14.95. AE, D, MC, V. Reservations suggested. L, D daily. Service remains inscrutable but efficient.