Some comments on restaurants visited during a recent trip to Washington.... Thanks to those who sent recommendations. Red, Hot and Blue. Very good Memphis-style barbecue. The ribs are smoky, slightly chewy, served with your choice of a spicy dry rub or a sweet-hot tomato-based sauce. Extra hot sauce on the table. There are several locations; one drawback is no reservations. Little Viet Garden, Clarendon. Kind of upscale and trendy but very good food. Beef wrapped in vine leaves is different and interesting. Several combination plates are available. Large outdoor dining area. The flambeed bananas with ginger ice cream are wonderful for dessert. Georgia Brown's, 15th St. NW. Elegant New Southern food. Wonderful she-crab soup, delicious sweetbreads appetizer. Entrees were a little less exciting and the gussied up grits aren't gussied up enough for my Northern taste. Good desserts, too. Fedora Cafe, Tyson's Corners. Surprisingly good considering its location in this shopping district. Eclectic/New American, with an emphasis on wood-grilled foods. Nice duck in hoisin sauce. Three kinds of souffle for dessert. Also, en route from BWI, we stopped at a branch of Gunning's -- very good seafood chowder (which they call bisque) and wonderful crab cakes. They offer a choice of about six types. We had the "cocktail lump," pan-fried. I never did find a good spot for Maryland chicken, though. Leah Smith [email removed]
Washington, DC