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DC (Dupont) casual restaurant recos?

post #1 of 14
5/2/11 at 11:16am
Thread Starter 
Driving into DC tonight from Balty to meet up with an old friend who happens to be around. She's staying in the Dupont Circle area.

Any of the DC locals have any favorite casual spots in that area? I am looking for a sit-down dinner with decent, fun ambiance, as opposed to a burrito joint or something, but I'll also be with my wife and 2-year-old. Baby is a pretty good restaurant kid but I don't want white tablecloths and stiff upper lips. Pizzeria Paradiso is one I've heard recommended in the ancient past but I don't know if it's still up to the old reviews.

Also would have to be a place where I could get in reasonably at ~7:30 tonight, or be able to make a same-day rezzo.
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post #2 of 14
5/2/11 at 11:53am
I find Dupont Circle annoyingly blah for food, and it's probably not the most kid friendly area either. If you want to stick to that neighborhood, Pizzeria Paradiso is a decent, casual spot, as you mentioned. I like Bistro du Coin for basic French. It can get a little lively and loud, so I don't know if that's a good or bad thing for a kid. Firefly has trendy American food and is a good option, but it may be a little grown-up. Since you have your car, you can pick up your friend in Dupont and head up Mass. Ave. to Wisconsin Ave. There is Cafe Deluxe, which is a great place for kids. Good comfort food and reasonable prices. There are always families there with young kids. 2 Amys is another option just off Wisconsin. Excellent food, casual, and also family friendly. Both are probably just a 5 minute drive from Dupont. There's also some solid restaurants on 14th Street, which is pretty close to Dupont. Estadio is a new Spanish Tapas place that's quite good, and I like Posto for casual Italian. In my opinion, Cafe Deluxe is the best bet for going with a kid. It's a mix of American comfort and French bistro, and there are always kids there.
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post #3 of 14
5/2/11 at 11:55am
Paradiso is still good--they renovated a couple ears ago and have more room. No reservations, I don't think, but on a Monday night you'd probably be OK. Bistro du Coin for epcot centery but decent French EDIT: zbromer's rec of Posto is good, too. Only been there a couple times but seems family friendly and the food is good.
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post #4 of 14
5/2/11 at 11:58am
Pizzeria Paradiso off of P Street in Dupont is very good. Maybe Veritas wine bar (I haven't been but it gets good reviews). Front Page is actually nice for dinner when the bar isn't hopping (it's usually a meat market come Wednesday through Saturday past 9pm). I can't think of much else in that neighborhood. Oh yeah, maybe Darlington House. There are a whole bunch of restaurants on Connecticut Avenue walking north (so toward Russia House and Veritas), but I forget all their names.
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post #5 of 14
5/2/11 at 2:24pm
Darlington House. I ate their a few weeks ago and enjoyed it a lot. Good food and atmosphere without being stuffy.
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post #6 of 14
5/2/11 at 2:27pm
second vote for Bistro du Coin. It's a typical bistro so suitable for noise and children
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post #7 of 14
5/2/11 at 4:07pm
Fuck forgot about Bistrot Du Coin. Love that place. Maybe Casa Nonna. Haven't been but I've been hearing about it a lot since it opened (within past year or so).
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post #8 of 14
5/2/11 at 6:29pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jodum5 View Post
There are a whole bunch of restaurants on Connecticut Avenue walking north (so toward Russia House and Veritas), but I forget all their names.

This captures the Dupont dining scene pretty well. There are a bunch of places, none of which are really that memorable.

I definitely like Bistro du Coin and have had some really good times there. Fun atmosphere, decent food. I just wish the food was a touch better. I'm not looking for great food, just a little better.
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post #9 of 14
5/2/11 at 7:51pm
+1 Bistro du Coin
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post #10 of 14
5/3/11 at 10:46am
Where'd you go?
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post #11 of 14
5/3/11 at 12:37pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for all the recos, guys. I checked almost all of them out on the web, and even ended up driving past a bunch of them but I settled on Cafe Deluxe for the patio and generally chill-seeming vibe. It was a good choice, as last night was a good one to sit outside and it worked very well for the kid. Now I am fired up to try a couple of these places, though. We should do an SF dinner at Bistrot or Estadia.
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post #12 of 14
5/3/11 at 1:39pm
Anybody been to Sushi Taro on 17th and P lately? It used to be very good but I haven't been in about 3 years.
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post #13 of 14
5/3/11 at 1:43pm
I haven't been since they completed their renovation, which was probably a few years ago now. In any event, I think Kushi is a good alternative. It's an izakaya (Japanese tapas, for lack of a better explanation) and sushi place. Bon Appetite just named it one of the best izakaya restaurants in the U.S.
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post #14 of 14
5/3/11 at 2:12pm
I was at Sushi Taro two summers ago. It was okay.
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