Etto's dough is made with freshly milled wheat, a touch of spelt and fermented fresh yeast. Of the six toppings available, my favorite: cauliflower, pine nuts, anchovies and garlicky bread crumbs. Read more.
** stars in Tom Sietsema's Fall Dining Guide 2011 ("The city's best source for kitfo -- Ethiopia's fiery, butter-splashed version of steak tartare," writes Tom.) http://wapo.st/pFL1z9
Every neighborhood deserves an Et Voila!, a source of Belgian steamed mussels and beer-based beef stew that is priced for regular workdays.
This underground, 28-seat restaurant specializes in the hot, sour and herby notes of northeastern Thailand, doesn't take reservations and offers only a seven-course, family-style menu.
Ask for the burrata appetizer. Made with 3 kinds of kale (one flash-fried for crunch), sweet apples, smoky nuts and tart tamarind-honey dressing, it's a vegetarian capable of satisfying any carnivore. Read more.
Rasika's sev batata puri is the real deal. The crispy little rounds of bread are topped with potato, sour raw mango and crunchy threads of fried chickpea batter. Read more.
During dim-sum service, grab the duck bao buns. Slivers of moist duck are tucked into doughy Chinese steamed buns and paired with crunchy cucumbers. The duck takes 3 days to make and it shows. Read more.
3 stars in Tom Sietsema's Fall Dining Guide 2011. "The city's most sophisticated Southern lair," writes Tom. http://wapo.st/pqnogz
The best restaurant in Baltimore gets to that lofty place by not just meeting, but exceeding, expectations from year to year.
Nguyen’s Reuben sandwich swaps duck (“my favorite protein,” says the chef) and kimchi for corned beef and sauerkraut. Sweetly seasoned duck + the fiery slaw mixes pleasure with pain. Hotheads rejoice. Read more.
