Restaurant Review: Rasika (DC)
Posted by Laura, "Beauty Girl" - 15/07/10 at 11:07 amRasika
633 D Street Northwest, Washington, DC 20004-2904, (202) 637-1222
Food: Creative, fine, complex and yet satisfying in a soul food kind of way. This is NOT your average Indian restaurant…this is something else entirely. The chili ginger scallops were amazing: a sweet and spicy succulent dream that melts in your mouth. Palak Chaat (crispy spinach with tamarind, yogurt, and data chutney) = Heaven On a Plate. The Lamb Bukhara (braised lamb with cashew nuts, apricots, and cardamom) was tender and decadently creamy… I am not usually a big dessert fan, but let me tell you the rose/lychee/raspberry sorbet has made me a believer! It was the best possible way to end such a wonderful dining experience. Did I have an orgasmic moment at the table? Yes! In fact, I had several.
Drink: The drinks list was creative and crafted with a lot of care to compliment the menu. I am not one to drink wine with Indian food but the sommelier is dutifully available if you choose to go that route. Personally, I recommend their signature cocktails and, especially, the Cucumber Vesper: cucumber infused vodka, gin, and some other delicious ingredients. It was sublime on a warm summer evening and the perfect foil to my diner.
Bathroom Rating: Elegant and clean. But in all honesty, even if the bathroom were a mere pit in the ground, it wouldn’t matter to me. I would go to hell and back for more chili ginger scallops.
High Heel Quotient: You can strut your stuff in your highest killer-spike heels to get there. It’s close to Chinatown/Gallery Place (Red/Yellow) and Navy Memorial/Archives (Green/Yellow), and if you’ve elected to wear flats, you can even walk to Metro Center to catch the Orange/Blue line.
Eye Candy: One standout, very darkly handsome member of the waitstaff got my heart racing. But since I was there with a date, well, you know… I had to keep myself in check. What about the other patrons? Well, I’d like to think I raised the bar.
Waitstaff: Very knowledgeable and professional.
Overall: A refreshing dining experience here in DC that comes highly recommended by this foodie. The cadre is very elegant, yet unpretentious, and the acoustics were at a reasonable level for a packed restaurant. The menu is exciting and the drink menu is, in itself, worth a trip. Voila, that is all I have to say! 3.8 out of 5.
