Category Archives: We Love Food

Restaurant Reviews & Food News

Food and Drink, Interviews, Music, People, We Love Arts, We Love Drinks, We Love Food, We Love Music
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Spotlight: Carlie Steiner and Tea Time DC

Carlie, founder, Tea Time DC

Hey DC, it’s time for tea with one of my new favorite bartenders, Carlie Steiner. I first met Carlie a few weeks ago, and after a few coffees and a rather short meeting, we were already scooting all over town in her new Vespa, Sophia, shooting back and forth about classic cocktails, and quickly becoming fast friends.

If there’s one piece of advice I can give about the food and bev scene in DC, is don’t follow places, follow people. No matter where you go and what you like, I guarantee that if you develop a relationship with a bartender, server, manager, barista, whatever, you will love wherever it is they are working or whatever it is they are doing. Try to get less caught up in what new bars are opening and instead try to make connections with industry people that you like and respect, because if I follow them wherever they go, you’ll have the same great experience every time. And Carlie is one of those people to follow.

Fairly young to the DC bar scene, Carlie started in New York at culinary school, where she honed her skills as a chef, learning valuable techniques to put to use behind the bar and in the kitchen. It’s no wonder then that she was hired right out of school to work the bar at José Andrés’ Minibar, where she made such an impression that she was moved over to his new, experimental cocktail lab, Barmini. Continue reading →

We Love Food
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We Love Food: Daikaya

daikaya collage

Let’s be real – the first thing you want to know about Daikaya is “is it as good as Toki Underground?” and so let’s just go ahead and cut to the chase.

YES. It is as good as Toki. But it’s different, so shake loose the picture of ramen you’re carrying around from my favorite H Street eatery. Led by ramen expert Sakae Ishida, Daikaya serves up a different style of ramen than our old friend, so go in without expectation.

I’m a huge fan. In fact, just writing this makes me crave a round of dumplings and a bowl of the miso or shoyu ramen. But out of all of the bowls we ordered, the shio ramen made me the happiest. The very definition of umami.

Located next door to Graffiato, Daikaya’s exterior looks like it’s covered in wifi symbols. It’s walk-in only, and for three on a Friday night we waited a little more than 30 minutes. They’ll text you when your table is ready, so you can grab a drink elsewhere while you wait.

Daikaya is located at 705 6th St NW, accessible from the Chinatown and Judiciary Square metro stations.

The Hill, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Tash

tash

My newest obsession on 8th street is full of tabbouleh and I just can’t stop going. Tash House of Kabob, located at 524 8th St SE, opened a few weeks ago and I’ve been three times since. (I’m not kidding when I say I can’t stop.)

Completely reasonably priced at around $15 per entree, Tash satisfies. Start your meal with the pirozhki, deep fried little fried pockets of meat, cheese and mushrooms, and then you seriously cannot go wrong with whatever kabob you choose. I’ve had the lamb, the salmon and the chicken and they were all excellent. Happy hour is ridiculously cheap (you can get a glass of wine for $3.50), so I’m really not sure why you’re still here reading this when you could be there drinking.

It’s gorgeous inside, the tile and rustic wood makes for a quick escape from busy Capitol Hill. The golden and ornate tea setup alone is worth ordering tea, and all the plates and flatware are unique (though the knife annoys me every time I go, you’ll see what I mean). So… to summarize. Cheap, obsessively good, and excellent happy hour specials. Is there really any more to say? Nope. You should just go already.

Tash is located at 524 8th Street at Eastern Market Metro stop on the Orange and Blue lines.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Elizabeth’s Gone Raw

Photograph by Foster Wiley

There is such a thing as art on a plate. With a few ingredients, a white ceramic dish becomes a canvas; transformed into an explosion of colors, shapes and textures. Reminiscent of the Fauvism movement, only a century later and this time motivated by flavor composition rather than artistic rebellion. These vivid strokes are raw, real, fresh, and they create a dining experience at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw that is truly unforgettable.

I first heard about Elizabeth’s Gone Raw in passing conversations, and it remained quite mysterious, under the radar. Much like the raw movement itself, you have to look for it to really understand it. But I was intrigued- new dining experiences, especially those that challenge my heavy cheese and pork norm, are worth exploring. While my curiosity was balanced with apprehension, it was lost the minute I walked into Elizabeth’s space. I knew I was in for something very special… almost as special as the woman behind it all.

Elizabeth Petty is one of those people that really add to the make-up of DC. Not because of fame or political clout, but because of her kind manner and generosity. She welcomes you into her restaurant and makes you feel like you are in her home. Her warmth and spirit are instantly apparent, and contagious. I was fortunate enough to work closely with Elizabeth through The Catering Company of Washington, the company she purchased 23 years ago. In those 23 years, she has taken the catering company, and the very concept of curated dining experiences, to the next level.

Ten years ago Elizabeth purchased a beautiful row house on L Street, which currently houses both the restaurant and the catering company. An unfortunate circumstance however, was what brought about the raw and vegan focused restaurant. Three years ago, Elizabeth was diagnosed with breast cancer; a sickness that changed her but has not defined her. As a result of her diagnosis, Elizabeth began to master the subject through various readings. Crazy Sexy Cancer by Kris Carr inspired her the most and led her to eat raw-vegan. The China Study, another comprehensive reading that examines the relationship between illness and the consumption of animal products, also explains the powerful influence a food regimen can have on health. As Elizabeth has explained to me, there is a direct relationship between what and how foods are prepared and the way in which they can manifest into illness in our bodies. How sustenance can actually become bad substance. Raw foods are always kept below 115 degrees, past this temperature they no longer contain the nutritious enzymes which define them as “living foods” – meaning those foods that have oxygen. Cancer, it has been found, cannot grow in an oxygenated environment. I do not intend to dumb down a comprehensive study or to fully understand centuries of research and summarize them in a short post, but for all intents and purposes. Raw= health. Raw= healing.

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Food and Drink, We Love Food
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Infographic: Founding Farmers’ Urban Apiary at GWU

In news you probably didn’t know, September is National Honeybee Month. To pay homage to the tiny creatures that have been toiling away on the rooftop of The George Washington University to bring honey to Founding Farmers, we put together an infographic as a sneak preview of the larger feature we’re working on about honeybees.

The university and the restaurant have had a partnership for about a year and a half now. The way it works: students in the biological sciences department get to study, raise and tend to the bees. Then Founding Farmers gets to use the honey that’s harvested and bring you sweeter dishes.

Check out the stats after the jump and stay tuned for the full feature.

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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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Summer Restaurant Week

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Back Patio at Pound The Hill courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

It’s summa summa time… And the living’s easy. Commute’s are shorter, streets are emptier, and restaurants have open tables, waiting for all you walk-ins. It is also the start of Summer Restaurant Week, in case you needed more motivation to get out, enjoy the weather, and feast with friends.

For the rest of the week, you can enjoy some of the District’s best restaurants at bargain prices. During lunch hours (check the list of participating restaurants to make sure they offer day time deals) $20.12 gets you a 3 course meal, excluding drinks, gratuity and tax. For dinner, it will cost you only $35.12. While the long list of restaurants participating in this year’s Summer Restaurant Week can be overwhelming, some basic rules guide my reserving principles such as when you use the restaurant sanitiser dispenser stand before you eat.

1. Go for the pricey ones. Seriously. An entree at many of these places (think: The Bombay Club, Cafe Milano, Charlie Palmer Steak, Fiola, The Oval Room, Rasika, Tosca) usually goes for no less than $25 bills, so a three course dinner for $35 is a bargain deal.

2. Its summer. Go where the patios are. Some great spots offering summer deals and outdoor seating include Mintwood Place, Bibiana, Birch and Barley, Zaytinya, Floriana,Poste, Neyla.

3. Go explore. Get out of your usually dining zones. Vermillion or The Grille at Morisson House in Alexandria, Trummer’s on Main in Clifton, Tallula in Alexandria, or BlackSalt on MacArthur Blvd.

4. Prolong your deals, expand your tastebuds. Restaurant week isn’t just until Friday. Many restaurants are extending their offer until late August. Here is a handy guide by Dining in DC that tells you who is extending their resto week into a resto month. Your pockets will like it, the waist line maybe not so much.

Photo courtesy of LaTur
Barriga llena, corazón contento courtesy of LaTur

Happy summer, happy stomachs.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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DC Chefs Head to the James Beard House

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Chef Logan Cox at the James Beard House
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

One of the greatest honors a chef can have is cooking at the James Beard House. Each year an extremely talented group from DC heads up to New York City with the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington to prepare a meal for 60 or so people who get to dine in the late James Beard’s bedroom.

Is it a little weird to be eating in what used to be someone’s bedroom? Not unless you’re seated under the mirrored ceiling. That used be over his bed. The Beard House is full of lore, to say the least. After the jump, you’ll find a slideshow of all the photos from this year’s “The Best of DC” dinner that took place this past Monday evening, along with a little history lesson on the man behind the foundation.

Kudos to this year’s lineup at the “Best of DC” dinner, featuring Justin Bittner of Bar Pilar, Logan Cox and pastry chef Alison Reed of Ripple, Claudio Pirollo of Et Voila and Vikram Sunderam of Rasika. Also on hand were Todd Thrasher of Virtue Feed & Grain and Dan Searing from Room 11 for cocktails, along with Greg Engert, the beer connoisseur of Neighborhood Restaurant Group.
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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Food, Wine & Co.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Beets and goat cheese at Food, Wine & Co.
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

There are funny little ways in which you realize you’re growing up sometimes. Maybe it’s when you find yourself in a restaurant’s “wine library” and commit to yourself in your head that you really need to start investing more time (and money) in learning about pinot noir and its intricacies rather than picking a bottle based on the attractiveness of a label and how much cash is in your wallet. Or maybe it’s when you find yourself cleaning a plate of beets–and actually craving more–that you realize you and your palate are maturing in ways you didn’t realize were happening. About five tasting courses into dinner at Food, Wine & Co. I thought, “Maybe growing up isn’t so bad after all.”

If you’re not paying attention driving up Wisconsin Avenue navigating rush hour traffic, you could easily pass by the Bethesda restaurant without knowing you’re missing out on a great restaurant. Food, Wine & Co., which opened in late 2010, has found its groove as the neighborhood bistro its been branding itself as, despite some early growing pains. There’s a lively crowd on a weekday night in the main dining room, and if I were you, I’d take advantage of their small outdoor seating as the weather cools down.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Artichokes at at Food, Wine & Co.
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

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Alexandria, Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: The Grille at Morrison House

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Halibut at Kimpton’s The Grille
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Walking down King Street on a warm, early summer’s evening after a good meal, I thought to myself, “Why don’t I come to Old Town more often?” You can wander in and out of shops, there’s no shortage of places to eat and it’s a nice little escape from downtown. It’s the picture-perfect Main Street and it’s only a short (well, when Metro’s working) ride away. My reason for being in Old Town Alexandria this particular time was to check out the new menu at The Grille with their new chef, Brian McPherson.

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Eat Like Me, Food and Drink, Interviews, People, The Features, We Love Food
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Scott Little, Local MasterChef

Photo courtesy of bhrome
DSC_0995a
courtesy of bhrome

The latest chef to be eliminated from FOX-TV’s MasterChef series was Scott Little, a resident of Annandale, Virginia. Little found himself on the short end of a dessert challenge, failing to impress judges Gorden Ramsay, Graham Elliot, and Joe Bastianich with his strawberry shortcake. His tenure on the show was marked not with drama or emotion, but with a dedication and passion to learning more about his chosen craft from his fellow contestants and the three acclaimed culinary experts.

My wife and I had the enjoyable pleasure of talking with Scott and his wife Johanna about the experience and sampling some of his cooking. Over the course of the afternoon (which you can click here to learn all about), Little shared about the show, his passion for cooking, and his future culinary vision.

Our gathering occurred over the weekend after the massive storm that swept through the region on Friday evening. Power in several northern Virginia neighborhoods was still out; the Littles only got theirs back on that morning. Scott had to scramble through three area grocery stores to find enough ingredients for our meal. “It felt like one of those Mystery Box challenges,” he says after greeting us at his home. “I ended up pulling together an hors d’oeuvres from ingredients in my garden.” Continue reading →

Food and Drink, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Adour’s New Lunch Menu

Amuse-bouches All photos by the author

Capitalizing on his new cookbook Nature, as well as an economy in the early stages of recovery, Chef Alain Ducasse is launching a new lunch program at Adour at the St. Regis hotel. I was invited to attend a preview of the new “simple, healthy, and delicious” lunch menu hosted by the chef himself. Having enjoyed one of the best meals of my life at another of his restaurants, I jumped at the chance.
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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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Sunday Supper at Big Bear Cafe

Photo courtesy of Big Bear Cafe DC
Table is set! courtesy of Big Bear Cafe DC

Big Bear Cafe is everything I could ever want and more. A coffee shop that takes its coffee culture seriously in a space that is simple and inviting; a restaurant that serves breakfast until noon, uses good-for-you, farm fresh ingredients, and offers daily, seasonal items; a neighborhood gathering place that brings together musicians and comedians for weekly events. What more could you ask for? Killer craft cocktails? They’ve got them. A patio for the unexpected spring winter? Done. Supper to beat the Sunday blues? They have that too. Get over here Big Bear and give me a hug.

Big Bear’s story is as charming as the place itself. Formerly a Jewish Italian market/deli, it went through some hard times in the 80’s and 90’s. The space was boarded up with bulletproof glass inside and out, evidence of a different, more turbulent time in Bloomingdale. But in 2006, Stuart Davenport, a general contractor who lived in the area, saw a need for a decent cup of coffee and grub, so he gave up his day job and in a little over a year built a neighborhood gem. Struggling times just live in memories now, as Big Bear has become a sought-after destination, and is surrounded by equally great places and spaces.

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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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Rogue Sessions with Spike Gjerde

Rogue24 by RJ Cooper
Photo courtesy of Angie Salame

I write this while in a full blown food coma (#foodieproblems) with a delightful pain and taste bud/sensory overload, but more over,  faced with writer’s dilemma,  trying to find a way to describe the past four hours of absolute mastery that just went down at Rogue 24. Long -24 course and 8 drinks- story short, Spike Gjerde had me at hog jowl. Rogue 24 had me upon entrance. What the hell does that mean you ask. Well, in case you have been living under a rock, RJ Cooper’s illustrious Rogue 24 has been debuting Rogue Sessions,  a ten week pop-up celebrating some of the nation’s finest chefs as RJ Cooper recovers from heart surgery, with ticket sales benefiting Share Our Strength. It is all a wonderful affair of chef love, community giving, and culinary creativity.

Straight off the press, I was interested in seeing Chef Spike Gjerde go Rogue. His farm-to-table concept in Baltimore, Woodberry Kitchen, is one of my favorite restaurants around, but not the kind of place you find Rogue-esque molecular gastronomy. At Woodberry Kitchen, Chef Spike works closely with farmers and growers throughout the Chesapeake Bay and Mid-Atlantic regions to supply the restaurant with the freshest ingredients available, and brought that local fever to the Rogue Session. Throughout the meal, Chef Spike proved over and over that he could break barriers and remain true to seasonal and local flavors, delivering amazing dishes that were packed with a subtle elegance and charm you would have thought he was working in that space for years.

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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Chinese New Year

Photo courtesy of Dave Newman (newmanchu)
Chinese New Year courtesy of Dave Newman (newmanchu)

It’s the Year of the Dragon folks, which other than promising good fortune and fire-breathing glory also means mouth-watering Chinese menus at some of DC’s best Asian haunts. Starting January 23rd  Zentan, Toki Underground, and The Source will be paying homage to the Dragon through the culinary traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Now, for some brain food. The Dragon, also known as the divine beast, is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac Calendar which consists of 12 animal signs, and is a symbol of good fortune and a sign of intense power. The official Chinese New Year is Monday, January 23rd and is celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving, for a whole 15 days. Traditional foods include a whole fish (represents unity and abundance), chicken (for prosperity), uncut noodles (representing long life) and dumplings (for good fortune).

So, where can you get your Dragon on and eat for good luck?

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Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Poste Moderne Brasserie

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Pork Rillettes at Poste Moderne Brasserie
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Back in September, there was a changing of posts at Poste when Dennis Marron became the new executive chef. It’s always interesting to see how a chef changes up a menu and makes it their own, so when I received a recent dinner invitation to check out Marron’s new menu, I jumped at the chance.

Poste is one of those rare gems–a restaurant located in a hotel that actually serves delicious dishes that keep you coming back for more. Marron’s menu is expansive and covers all the brasserie fare such as mussels and frites, as well as burgers and traditional French dishes such as beef bourguignon and coq au vin. For the person in your life that bemoans small menus, take them to Poste. From the taste of it, Marron’s switch to a classic French menu with some modern twists here and there (ie: the onion soup burger or the banh mi sandwich) was the right call.
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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Toki Underground


Toki Underground, Washington DC courtesy of Plantains & Kimchi

Culinary Ninja. That is the only way to describe Erik Bruner-Yang, the man behind Toki Underground, a tiny ramen sanctuary on H Street. Recognized only by the small blue emblem on the door, this Taiwanese restaurant is serving the best ramen I’ve ever tasted, and in the coolest, freshest environment I’ve been to in a while.

It’s not as if Toki hasn’t received a share amount of praise and hype and I found me a secret. Au contraire, it’s been one of the most buzzed restaurants in town, and given their no reservations policy, a one to two hour wait is to be expected. What the kimchi is right–but seriously–it is worth it.

When you walk up the stairs you enter Erik’s world. A world filled with the most wonderful smells–of fried dumplings, hearty ramens, and tempura vegetables–sights and sounds that transport you. Every inch of the place screams rockstar genius. The walls are filled with graffiti art, skateboards form a faux roof above the kitchen, plastic toys battle each other on the edges. It’s a man’s world, and one which I never wanted to leave. The music blares and track after track the beats just get better.

Hello ninja house party, where have you been all my life?

The drink menu includes imported beers, an extensive list of premium sake, and some Thai drinks I had never heard of. I opted for the Toki Monster- a perfectly stirred Bourbon with honey liqueur, served on the rocks, with a pork belly skewer accompanying it. I’ll repeat–a pork belly skewer, as a garnish. One bite and sip of this monster and I knew this place meant business. I also knew that pork belly skewer was singlehandedly responsible for my increased BAC as one is never enough. But on to the food…
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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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Winter Restaurant Week 2012

Photo courtesy of Daquella manera
Cena courtesy of Daquella manera

So you are one week into your New Years resolutions of getting fit, eating healthy and exercising more… Good for you! Now get over it, because starting January 9th restaurants across the District will be offering killer deals for Winter Restaurant Week. From January 9-15, select restaurants across the city will offer a three-course lunch for $20.12  and three-course dinners for $35.12. Best part is, no mass daily-deal purchase necessary, all you need is a reservation. Now, who doesn’t love a delicious bargain?

Restaurant Week is a week to go big rather than stay home, as some of the pricier dining options in DC become immediately accessible. It is a chance for you to cross out some of those places you’ve had on your list for a while, instead of waiting for the next birthday/anniversary/you-name-it special occasion, you’re excused to dine with the big boys and save a pretty penny too. While some haters (I was indeed one of them) worry that the lower price point comes at the expense of quality, the restaurants below are quality-driven and promise a memorable dining experience regardless of the end bill. And let’s remember, it is their reputation on the line after all and consistency is key. So stop drinking the hate-orade and embrace the feast week.

Here are some suggestions:

Art and Soul– Art Smith will offer an extensive menu that includes some of his signature dishes, as well as a specially priced wine list for the week. Now that’s being a Southern Gentleman.  Menu highlights include shrimp and grits, charcuterie of the day, Yorkshire pig and cabbage, pan fried flounder, and sweet offerings like chocolate bread pudding and apple tart. Update: Art and Soul will be extending their restaurant week menu through January 22nd.

701 – Chef Ed Witt has developed an extensive and exciting menu, mouth-watering options include lemongrass lobster bisque, bourbon caramel apple salad with mustard greens, veal sweetbreads, red wine beef short-ribs, cider braised rabbit leg and desserts including an upscale s’more- chocolate bar with vanilla bean gelato, marshmallow and graham crackers. Need I say more?

Rasika– Reservations at Chef Vikram Sunderam’s Indian mecca are near impossible to snag, so book now if you want to dine here during Restaurant Week. The Penn Quarter powerhouse is consistently delicious and will undoubtedly be offering some of its best dishes.

Photo courtesy of angela n.
Art & Soul courtesy of angela n.

Fiola– Everything here from the classic antipastis to the homemade pastas and innovative fish and meat offerings is spot on delicious. As Fiola’s first Winter Restaurant Week, chef Fabio Trabocchi is sure to deliver. I also recommend you spend the money you would have on the meal and try many a drinks by Fiola’s resident mixologist, Jeff Faile. These men know what they are doing. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Hill, We Love Food
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First Look: Boxcar Tavern

DSC00058
Photo courtesy of Tricia Barba

I went to Boxcar Tavern the first day (night) it opened – just two days before the New Year. When staring in from the outside it was impossible to see just how crowded it was, but upon opening the door, the excitement surrounding the new establishment was tangible. There were a lot of people (think standing room only) and it was loud and lively.

Boxcar Tavern is Xavier Cervera’s fifth restaurant on Capitol Hill. His empire includes Molly Malones, Lola’s Barracks Bar & Grill, and Senart’s Oyster & Chop House. With just one glance, those accustomed to dining on the Hill can tell whose baby Boxcar is. It has that “Cervera look.” The restaurant, situated right next to Tunnicliff’s Tavern on 7th Street SE in the old Petite Gourmet space, is long and narrow, filled with maple and marble decor. From the entrance, to your left is an elegant bar that stretches almost there entire length of the restaurant and to your right begins an endless row of small booths. Basically, it looks like Senart’s, just a bit darker.

Another similarity to Senart’s is Executive Chef Brian Klein, who is now running Boxcar’s kitchen.  The menus look the same physically as well; content-wise, Boxcar actually serves a Seafood Lasagna – my favorite dish at Senart’s before, sadly, it disappeared.

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Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Ripple


Pumpkin Soup at Ripple, Courtesy of Elizabeth Parker

I checked out Ripple when they first opened back in 2010, before there had been much buzz about it, before the restaurant expanded and back when it was one of those restaurants that I just had a good feeling about. The restaurant has changed chefs and menus through its almost two-year history, but one thing has remained a constant: the food.

One thing that stands out right away when you go to Ripple is the presentation. There are thoughtful details on each plate, such as the rouge pumpkin soup that’s poured at the table for a little added effect. The thick, bright soup goes with a somewhat unusual combination of eggplant, pine nuts, cippolini and squid, and somehow it all works well together. If you want to go for something a little heavier, try the mushroom risotto with the poached egg nestled on top. The runny egg yolk and tender mushrooms over a bowl of hot risotto make for great comfort food on a chilly day. And whereas other restaurants have little bites or snacks that are tasteless throwaways, the bacon-roasted pecans are addictive and pleasantly salty and smoky. If you go and the pork rillette is back on the menu, don’t pass it up.

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Food and Drink, The Features, The Hill, We Love Food
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One Year Later: Smith Commons

Photo courtesy of philliefan99
smith commons
courtesy of philliefan99

If you remember the H Street corridor from years ago, the place where Smith Commons now stands was the home of a large carpet warehouse. The restaurant is just as massive: three stories with a main dining room and main bar on the first floor, a public house on levels two and three, plus a seasonal patio. Smith Commons is one of the classiest buildings on H Street, both on the interior and exterior, with clean lines, eccentric furniture and the quintessential exposed brick.

The first thing you’ll notice when walking through the doors is how open the space is. Here you aren’t crammed so closely together that eavesdropping on the people sitting next you is involuntary; instead, the excess space makes the restaurant a great place for groups.

Smith Commons bills itself as offering an “international menu of approachable cuisine,” so think  fusion. There’s a lot going on when you look at the menu –  not that there are a lot of choices, but those choices are quite different. The menu changes seasonally with recipes developed by Executive Chef Carlos Delgado, so it can sometimes be sad to see one of your favorite dishes gone, but then there’s always time to pick a new favorite for the night.
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