Restaurant Week: Mie n Yu

My last stop on the restaurant week tour was Mie n Yu. I will say it from the get go, I love this restaurant. The concept and decor are fantastic. The food is consistently delicious. And who can complain about the communal Turkish bathrooms where your hands are washed for you. I typically will choose one restaurant during Restaurant week that I already know and love. I have been to Mie n Yu a few times in the past. While it has never failed to please, I am typically forced to stick to the small plates menu due to the price. This week gave me the opportunity to really try a full sampling of the menu.

The notion behind the restaurant is a travel down the ancient Silk Road, the trade route stretching from the Mediterranean to Asia, passing through the Middle East and North Africa. I started out with the Afghan mantu; basically beef and scallion dumplings. They were a tasty way to start out a great meal. For the main course I chose a Moroccan beef dish. It was delectable and fantastically tender. My dessert was the pumpkin cheesecake, delicious yet light enough for a three-course meal. The food, as always, was quite good. The service, even given the fact that it was a Friday night during Restaurant Week, was likewise great. However, the reason I was first attracted to Mie n Yu, and the reason that I continue to return is the atmosphere. This evening in particular reflected in the belly dancer that visited our table. Of course my friend told this dancer it was my birthday (facetiously), so the period between dinner and dessert was filled by me stumbling around with a belly dancer in the middle of the restaurant. It is hard to imagine a better evening than one filled with good friends, great food, and surrounded by the allure and spice of the silk road.


Ultimately, another expensive but fantastic opportunity to sample some of DC's best restaurants has come and gone. I can't say I regret any of my choices, though likely will be making different ones come August. I hope you all made the most of this week and I would urge you to look into many of the restaurants (Mie n Yu included) that have extended their Restaurant Week specials until the end of the month. Until August then, happy dining.

Restaurant Week: Zengo

My second stop on the Restaurant Week tour brought me to Zengo. The highly lauded Latin American/Asian fusion restaurant in the Chinatown/Metro Center area. Favorable reviews from the Washingtonian, along with several suggestions from friends, forced me to try this place out during restaurant week.

Walking in one is overcome by the sheer hipness of the place. Some nouveau pop music plays in a dimly lit tastefully furnished bar area. Most of the tables sit upstairs. Our table wasn't ready right away but given the fact that it's restaurant week, that's certainly to be expected. Our server was lively and attentive at first. As is typical during restaurant week, once he realized we were in fact broke students this attentiveness seemed to quickly flag. The mix between Asian and Latin American was at first hearing a bit strange, however the food certainly proved it a delicious if interesting match.


I chose the Give-and-Take Salad for a starter. This delicious and light appetizer was full of Asian noodles, mandarin oranges, an pecans. My friend began with the Miso soup which he likewise enjoyed. The appetizers came out within minutes of ordering, obviously prepared ahead of time to deal with the restaurant week crowds. As a main course I went with the beef brisket served over creamy mashed potatoes. The brisket was as tender as it was tasty. My friend's salmon and spinach was likewise quite nice. Unfortunately, my main course was served while I was barely halfway through the appetizer. My friend's main course was served a while later. The food again tasted as if it had been prepared ahead of time, otherwise undermining a very good dish. For dessert I had the guava flan. It was absolutely delicious; sweet, fruity, and fantastic. Ultimately, a great deal for the price.

The service was a bit lackluster throughout but given the circumstances of restaurant week, it is certainly understandable. I will likely not be making a repeat restaurant week visit in August but definitely recommend the place for any first-timers.

Restaurant Week: Smith and Wollensky

So restaurant week is here. My wallet is empty. My belly is full. Since becoming aware of this lovely week, around three years ago I have firmly kept myself to just three meals out. However great the deals are, dropping 20 or 35 dollars respectively on a meal eventually adds up. This week I picked three spots: Smith and Wollensky for lunch Tuesday, Zengo for dinner Wednesday, and Mie n Yu for dinner Friday. For me restaurant week provides opportunities to accomplish a number of different goals. In order of importance: STEAK, trying a new restaurant, and indulging in an old favorite. I will address the latter two as the week progresses but first: Steak.

Steak is of course at the top of the list. Having a decent steak at a restaurant is generally an expensive affair. Factor in an appetizer, a side, and maybe a glass of wine and the bank is well broke. Restaurant week permits me to indulge in a fantastic cut of meat at restaurants that I certainly cannot usually eat at. There are a number of great places to get a steak during restaurant week: Charlie Palmers, Capital Grill, and my choice Smith and Wollensky.

The Smith and Wollensky meal includes a choice of salad, slice of meat, and delicious dessert. I went with the Wollensky Signature Salad (A delicious affair involving bacon, mushrooms, potatoes, romaine lettuce, and a dijon vinaigrette), the Filet of Beef (more later), and Creme Brulee. I paired it with a rather tasty Cab Sav. The salad was delectable and a nice prelude to the main event. The beef was immaculate. Crusty and grilled on the outside, but tender and juicy on the inside. I couldn't taste anything but salt, pepper, and delicious meat, which is how a good steak should be. It was accompanied by a generous portion of creamed spinach and fingerling potatoes. A smooth and delectable Creme Brulee capped off a fantastic meal.


One of the great things I've found at S & W is that the service, no matter the occasion is impeccable. While many restaurants seem begrudging about restaurant week, unhappy to have to serve their exclusive food to every day rabble, the staff here was notable cheery and welcoming. They see it, as most restuarants should, as an opportunity to expand their clientele. One of the servers even handed me a sumptuous chocolate covered strawberry on the way. Ultimately, a very satisfying lunch that sufficed for breakfast and dinner as well. A tremendously good omen for the remainder of restaurant week

DC Restaurant Week 2/16 - 2/22

As you are perhaps aware, this week of February 16th through the 22nd is DC Restaurant Week. If you have had the pleasure of experiencing Restaurant Week in the past, then you know that this is possibly the highlight of Washington's culinary calendar, if you have not then suffice it so say you are in for a treat.

Every February, Washington DC Restaurant Week sees nearly 200 of the city's finest dining establishments offering 3-course pre fixe lunch and dinner meals priced at $20 and $35 respectively. An unbelievable deal in most cases. So as could be expected with deals like these, there is a high for reservations across the board so if you are interested in participating I recommend you get on open table or the phone ASAP to make sure you can find a seat.

Here is a list of all participating establishments, so check it out and see if anything strikes your fancy (something will), and otherwise check back with us throughout the week for news of our own restaurant week adventures.