V-Day Dining: Our Top Picks
Make your reservations while you still can
By Caprice Singletary, Carissa DiMargo and Jocelyn Rubin
| Tuesday, Feb 7, 2012 | Updated 10:53 AM EDT
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Love it or hate it, Valentine's Day is lurking. If you're looking to make reservations, you'd better get going before everything's booked and you end up at White Castle (again). Check out some of our top picks around the city -- with an outlier or two -- for our fave dining options:
901 Restaurant & Bar (901 9th St. NW): four-course prix fixe sharing menu for two (choice of soup or salad, two sharing plates, two entrees, and dessert sampler or chef’s special dessert), plus two glasses of Veuve Clicquot champagne
- Price: $69 for two, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 10-Feb. 14
- Highlights: seared scallop risotto with wild mushrooms, bacon jam and sweet soy sauce; wasabi seared tuna with wasabi cilantro pesto, hazelnut scented rice, black pepper sauce.
- Reservations: 202-524-4433, reservations@901dc.com or online
1789 Restaurant (1226 36th St. NW): four-course tasting menu
- Price: $65 per person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: warm red velvet donuts
- Reservations: (202) 965-1789.or online
Acqua Al 2 (212 7th St. SE): five-course prix fixe Italian menu
- Price: $85/person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 11-12; Feb. 14
- Highlights: fresh burrata cheese with grapefruit, roasted pine nuts and honey; linguine all'aragosta with lobster, white wine and tomato
- Reservations: 202-525-4375 or online
Agora (1527 17th St. NW): select dishes off the a la carte menu or a four-course, prix fixe menu
- Price: $55 per person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: grilled petit filet with asparagus and pomegranate reduction with shrimp; pan-seared lamb loin with butternut squash puree
- Reservations: 202-332-6767 or online
Blue Duck Tavern (1201 24th St. NW): four-course special menu
- Price: $70 per person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: espelette pepper-encrusted scallops with winter citrus and endive; butter-poached Maine lobster with cardamo
- Reservations: 202-419-6755 or online
BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier (1600 King St. Alexandria, Va.): six-course menu (with optional wine pairing), appetizer, three entrees, cheese course, and dessert.
- Price: $85 per person, not including tax or tip; optional wine pairing $45 per person
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: roasted new frontier bison strip loin with potato and apple gratin, braised greens, and oxtail reduction; Maine lobster ravioli with artichoke and sundried tomato ragout and lobster cream
- Reservations: 703-894-3440 and online
Café du Parc (1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW): five-course prix fixe menu
- Price: $65 per person, or $90 with wine pairing, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: pepper-crusted fillet of beef with dark chocolate sauce and confit finger potatoes; butter-poached Maine lobster with almond cream and tomato tartar
- Reservations: 202-942-7000 or online
Casa Nonna (1250 Connecticut Ave. NW): 12-seat, 12-course Italian dining experience, or four-course Valentine's Day tasting menu
- Price: $75 per person, or $105 per person with Prosecco pairings, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: raviolo of farmer's egg in black truffle sauce; wood roasted turbot with vanilla braised endive and champagne zabaglione
- Reservations: 202-629-2505 or online
Equinox (818 Connecticut Ave. NW): Three or five courses and the option of wine pairings
- Price: Three courses $70 per person ($95 with wine pairings); five courses $90 per person ($125 with wine pairings)
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: Braised duck gnocchi with caramelized sunchokes, Brussels sprouts, foie gras broth and gremolata; pan-roasted black bass with razor clam velouté, tessa bacon, gigante beans and black kale
- Reservations: 202-331-8118 or online
Lincoln Restaurant (1110 Vermont Ave. NW): His and hers Valentine's Day menus. Choose from two four-course menu options.
- Price: $55 ($72 with wine pairings), not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: poached pear salad with candied smoked pecans, goat cheese smear, pomegranate vinaigrette; chocolate peanut butter crème brulee with burnt banana scallops
- Reservations: 202-386-9200 or online
Masa 14 (1825 14th St NW): edamame amd three signature plates each
- Price: $60 per person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: fried oysters; mole-dusted tenderloin
- Reservations: 202-328-1414 or online
Mon Ami Gabi (7239 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda or 11950 Democracy Drive, Reston): Valentine's Day de jour
- Price: varies
- Available: Feb. 9-16
- Highlights: sautéed sea bass with crab mashed potatoes and champagne butter sauce; lobster bisque with lobster pomme puree
- Reservations: Bethesda: 301-654-1234 and online; Reston: 703-707-0233 and online
Poste Moderne Brasserie (555 8th St.NW): four-course sharing menu for two
- Price: $80 per person, not including tax or gratuity.
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights : Chateaubriand steak with crab stuffed lobster, macaroni and cheese, and roasted vegetables; mushroom and lime risotto with mushroom consommé and preserved citrus.
- Reservations: (202)-783-6060 and online
Restaurant Nora (132 Florida Ave. NW): four-course prix fixe organic menu, including vegetarian choices
- Price: $125 per person, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: truffled winter squash and wild mushroom terrine; roasted tamworth pork loin porchetta with calvados jus
- Reservations: 202-462-5143 or online
RIS (2275 L St. NW): four-course prix fixe menu, offering wine or beer pairings for each course
- Price: $65 per person or $95 with pairings, not including tax or tip
- Available: Feb. 10-14
- Highlights: lobster bisque; classic fried scallops; chocolate and raspberry crème brulee
- Reservations: 202-730-2500 or online
Smith Commons (1245 H St. NE): three-course prix fixe sharing menu (includes glass of champagne)
- Price: $60 per person, not including tax or tip.
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: smoked lobster ravioli with shrimp ragout and celery paper; halibut with asparagus and pineapple.
- Reservations: 202-396-0038 or online
Zentan (1155 14th St. NW): four-course, prix fixe menu featuring celeb chef Susur Lee and executive chef Jaime Montes de Oca
- Price: $75 per person, not including tax or tip.
- Available: Feb. 14
- Highlights: red snapper with rose essence, beet root, balsamic and fennel
- Reservations: (202) 379-4366 or online
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