DC Coast

Description:

• The dining room is sensational: two stories high, with glass-walled balcony, immense oval mirrors hanging over the bar, and a full-bodied stone mermaid poised to greet you at the entrance. Gather at the bar first to feel a part of the loud and trendy scene; while you're there, why not nosh on something from the bar menu, perhaps the crispy fried calamari or a luscious flatbread pizza? This continues to be one of the city's most popular restaurants, so call ahead to book a reservation. Chef Jeff Tunks, the chef behind TenPenh, Ceiba, and Acadiana, started his dynasty with DC Coast, which opened in 1998. Here, Tunks fuses the coastal cuisines of the Mid-Atlantic, Gulf, and West Coast. Almost always on the menu are his Chinese-style smoked lobster with crispy fried spinach, pan-roasted sea scallops, and the crispy whole striped bass, as well as the fish filet encrusted with portobello paste and served with truffled potatoes and porcini broth. Seafood is a big part of the menu, but there are a handful of meat dishes too; try the pork chop with sweet potato purée.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Recommended 2009