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Jiwa Singapura
Location: Tysons Corner, NOVA
Cuisine: Singaporean
Website: https://jiwasingapura.com/
This place newly opened in the Tysons Galleria mall under the same chef of Cranes, one of my favorite restaurants in DC so I had to go check it out. It was also my first time having Singaporean cuisine so I had some high hopes for it. Needless to say, it did not disappoint.
Food: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance: 7/10
Value: 7/10We wanted to sample a bit of everything so we ordered 2 entrees and 2 of their appetizers, which they categorized under “Singaporean street food”. The roti prata was made perfectly, soft with a crisp outer shell with great flavor. The curry sauce was a bit light for my taste, I would have liked it to be a little stronger in flavor. We also ordered the Sweet and Sour Pork, which I enjoyed very much. I did not expect pork belly to be used for it, but it was a pleasant surprise. The sauce was well balanced and not too heavy, and the jasmine rice that came was it was also cooked perfectly. Overall a very enjoyable dish.
For main courses, we ordered the Nasi Lemak and the Chili Crab, both of which we enjoyed very much. The Nasi Lemak was made very well, and seasoned well, and the coconut rice was absolutely delicious and complemented the dish very well. The fish was very lightly fried and very crispy, giving it a nice crunch while not being too oily or heavy. The chili crab was also delicious, the sauce complemented the snow crab well and had a nice kick to it. Only complaint I would have is the price, as it was almost $40 for the dish. Obviously, snow crab legs are inherently expensive, but it’s still not something I would order every time but a nice novelty dish to have time to time since it can be hard to obtain high quality snow crab legs and cook them well other than simply steaming them.
Besides the food, I ordered The Singapore Girl drink, and it was absolutely lovely. One of the best drinks i’ve had a restaurant. It was a nice refreshing gin based drink and it came topped with ube foam, which I found very unique and once mixed gave the drink a nice light purple hue.
Overall, the food and everything was great, I would definitely recommend this place as a higher end restaurant, since the prices were definitely higher than the typical restaurant. Other than the food, the only real complaint I do have is that the restaurant layout is a bit tight for the kind of ambiance they try to create and as a result it can get a bit loud during dinner service, especially as it fills up. Otherwise, the ambiance of the restaurant is great, with very nice decorations and a wide open view into the kitchen, similar to what you would see in Hell’s Kitchen. I will definitely be returning to try some more of their dishes and drinks; it helps being very centrally located in the popular Tysons Corner area, easy to shop around during the day and head over to grab lunch or dinner here.
Bill: $128 for 2 including tax and tip (22%), ~$105 pre-tip
2 appetizers, 2 entrees, and an alcoholic drink
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Noz 17
Location: NYC, Chelsea
Cuisine: Edomae-style omakase sushi
Website: https://www.noz.global/experience/noz-17
Noz 17 is the offspring of the well-known Sushi Noz, that offers a non-traditional edomae-style omakase. Offering a 25-30 course omakase at an intimate 7-seat counter, I was definitely more than willing to give it a try. Also to note that this place has only been open for just over a year and it has already earned its first michelin star in the 2022 guide.
Food: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance 10/10
Value: 9/10Traditionally, an edomae-style omakse offers a series of appetizer-like dishes, hot and cold before serving nigiri and ending with tamago and other desserts and a tea, such as hojicha or matcha. Noz 17 had a very different approach, with no order to the courses; you didn’t know if your next dish was gonna be a deep-fried dish, a grilled dish, or another nigiri. It was all brought to an end with a traditional serving of tamago and miso soup along with a dessert and hojicha.
I will attach a complete list of all 25 or so courses that were served at the bottom of the page and the pictures in the gallery page, but will highlight a few of my favorite first. Out of all the course, there wasn’t any course I disliked, but there was one course that I was slightly disappointed by, which was the otoro. Personally I prefer otoro untouched instead of served edomae style, which is usually salted or marinated to prevent the fish from going bad. I felt the edomae-style preparation took away from the natural texture and taste of otoro.
- Ankimo (monkfish liver) wrapped in torafugu (blowfish) topped with shiso flowers and ponzu jelly
- Kasugodai nigiri (Young sea bream)
- Budou ebi (Grape shrimp)-One of the world’s rarest shrimp, it was the most pleasant surprise of the night. It may have been the first and last time I will eat this shrimp.
- Iwashi nigiri (Sardine)
- Stewed hokkaido octopus
Was it worth?
With a very steep price tag of around $480 a person after tax, it’s worth wondering if it is worth the price. I’ve had sushi and Japanese cuisine at all price points, ranging rom $30 a person or less to $400+ a person. I’ve had meals where I did not think it was worth the price, but this was not one of them. That being said, I still would only go here for very special occasions, since $1000 isn’t an insignificant amount of money for me. However, given the Sushi Ginza Onodera is also priced at $450 per person but serves 15 courses or less, I would say at this price with 25-30 courses, it is worth it if you have the money and are willing to splurge on an omakase meal.
List of courses in order they were served:
Kohada nigiri
Buri yellowtail shabu shabu style w ponzu
Ankimo (monkfish liver) wrapped in torafugu (blowfish) topped with shiso flowers and ponzu jelly
Stewed hokkaido octopus
Chawanmushi with baby sea eel (anago)
Kasugodai (Young sea bream) nigiri
Meiji maguro skin charred over charcoal
Fugu shirako (Blowfish sperm) croquette topped with caviar
Aori ika (Bigfin reef squid) nigiri
Akagai (blood clam) nigiri
Budou ebi (Grape shrimp)
Chinmi: murasaki uni, kazunoko (Fermented herring roe), Kirikomi salmon (Fermented king salmon), shione sea urchin
Charted Bottarga and mochi wrapped in nori
Tachiuo with dashi jelly yuzu skin and japanese celery
Ice fish nigiri
Iwashi (sardine) nigiri
Grilled black cod
Akami bluefin tuna tzuke prep
Fried anago (sea eel) over rice
Futomaki (Fat sushi roll)
Tamago (Egg omlette)
Miso soup -
Aquavit
Location: NYC, NY Midtown east
Cuisine: Scandinavian
Website: https://www.aquavit.org/
While looking for places to eat while I was in NYC for a long weekend trip, this place caught my eye, being both a Scandinavian restaurant, which are not very common, as well as holding 2 Michelin stars, also very rare. It also was located close to my hotel, the Park Hyatt (which by the way is one of the best hotels I have ever stayed in, more on that elsewhere) so it was conveniently located for me as well.
Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance 10/10
Value: 9/10Food
We ordered their lunch 2 course ($75 pp) option, forgoing their 3 course ($85 pp) option, which includes a dessert.
-Shrimp Toast Skagen ($5 additional pp), Arctic Char-Herring Sampler, Cod
The Shrimp Toast Skagen was very nicely presented and the portion size was also very generous. The shrimp and dill mix was very well balanced and went amazing wit the perfectly toasted bread underneath. There was an option for löjrom (Swedish salmon caviar) to be added for an additional $25 but I opted to skip it, but i’m sure it would have just made the dish even better.
A Scandinavian classic, the herring sampler was also very generously portioned and all three herring samples that was given all were perfectly prepared. The herring was very fresh, and the sauces and marination of the herring helped balance the natural fishiness of herring but did not overpower it at the same time. Would highly recommend for seafood lovers who don’t mind heavier tasting fish. The paring of cheeses and potatoes was also a nice addition to the dish.
Left: Shrimp Toast Skagen
Right: Herring SamplerThe Arctic Char. Where do I begin? I’ve had my fair share of various fish dishes in restaurants of all styles and qualities, this was by far the best fish I have ever had. The skin was crisped to perfection while the meat of the fish was still very tender and moist. The pairing of sunchokes, trout roe, and the sandefjord sauce simply elevated the dish to another level. If you love fish, especially salmon or related fish, this is a must have.
The cod, while admittedly i’m biased towards the Char, was still excellently prepared. The fish was tender and well seasoned, while even having a slight charred surface to give it a slight crunch. The caper brown butter was an excellent pairing to the fish and the dish was well rounded and like the char, also one of the best fish dishes I have ever had.
Overall:
Being a 2 Michelin star rated establishment, the level of service and attention to detail was flawless, and the ambiance was very nice; the tables were very spacious and spaced out very well to give everyone their privacy while dining. The price was steep, even for lunch, but it definitely is a case of you pay for the experience/ambiance. I would definitely highly recommend this place for any seafood lovers, I personally love Scandinavian/nordic cuisine, having visited Iceland previously so I thoroughly enjoyed the food and experience at Aquavit.
Cost: $200 for 2 after tax and tip
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1789
Location: Washington DC-Georgetown
Cuisine: American, French
Website: https://www.1789restaurant.com/
Last stop of the week for DC restaurant week and I am so glad I saved this place for last because it truly blew me away, by far the best restaurant I visited all week in every way possible.
Food: 10/10
Ambiance: 10/10
Service: 11/10
Drinks: 10/10Food:
Restaurant week $55 3 course menu:
-Hokkaido scallops, Duck Breast, Ice Cream/Sorbet
-Hiramasa Crudo, Wagyu Short Rib, Apple Frangipine TartBoth appetizers were done perfectly; the scallops were very fresh and large, with an excellent pairing of trout roe, marinated chorizo, and mojo verde, which added a perfect little spice kick to the dish. It was plated beautifully and every bit of the dish was perfection.
The Hiramasa Crudo was also beautifully plated, the crudo paired with a scoop of Mandarin-Miso sorbet which offered a nice contrast to the more tart crudo. The sugar pumpkin also paired well with the crudo, added a differing texture to the dish.
Left: Hokkaido Scallops
Right: Hiramasa CrudoThe duck breast was cooked to perfection, I went with the chef-recommended doneness of medium rare and although I had doubts when it came out since it was quite red, it was perfectly seasoned and amazingly tender. The dish also came with charred endives and sunchoke which were also perfectly cooked and added color and some vegetables to the dish. The duck confit roulade was the second highlight of the dish next to the duck breast itself, bursting with flavor and contrasted well with the more mellow tasting duck breast.
The wagyu short rib was perfectly tender, though a bit leaner than I expected, but nevertheless cooked to perfection. Paired with an excellent side of polenta and some watercress and topped with lemon myrtle, it was also beautifully plated. The polenta was seasoned well and smooth, not gritty at all, and added a nice contrast in texture to the short rib.
Left: Duck Breast
Right: Wagyu Short RibI had no complaints about the sorbet/ice cream, i went with the white chocolate, mandarin, and lemon. The white chocolate ice cream was very light and very subtly sweet, and the two sorbets were also nice and light, although the lemon was a very pure lemon sorbet hence very sour. But overall I enjoyed all three flavors.
The apple tart was also excellently made paired with delectable toppings. No complaints about it at all, it was not overly sweet and portion was not overwhelming either. The kitchen also gave us free lemon Madelines which were also well made, enjoyed it just as much as the other two desserts.
Top: Apple Frangipine Tart
Middle: Lemon Madeleines
Bottom: Mandarin Sorbet, White chocolate Ice Cream, Lemon Sorbet (From left to right)Drinks:
Drinks were well made, we ordered the That’s Life and Pomegranate-Apple Cosmopolitan, both were very tasty and had no complaints about either cocktail.
Left: That’s Life
Right: Pomegranate-Apple CosmopolitanOverall:
The dinner was excellent, my favorite from this week and I will definitely return. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who enjoys either French or American cuisine, and especially if you enjoy both. Bread service was excellent, a very fluffy dinner role with a slice of a baguette served with a sweet whipped butter, unlimited refills. The ambiance was very cozy, with an overall feel of a colonial-era tavern in America. Service was above and beyond what I expected, and it serves as no surprise that this restaurant is also featured in the Michelin guide.
Cost: $205 with tax and tip (~20%), 2 3 course meals with 2 drinks
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El Secreto de Rosita
Location: Washington DC-U street Corridor/Adams Morgan
Cuisine: Peruvian-Japanese
Website: https://www.elsecretoderosita.com/
With all the options that DC Restaurant week offered, I picked out a few that stood out to me and El Secreto de Rosita, being featured in the Michelin guide for DC, caught my eye. After all, Peruvian cuisine can be hard to come by. Located on U-street, it is placed a bit further from a lot of major DC attractions, though it is not very far from the National Zoo, which is a short drive away.
Food: 7/10
Drinks: 8/10
Ambiance: 9/10
Service: 10/10
Value: 7/10Food:
We again each ordered the Restaurant week special, $55 for dinner:
-Ceviche Clasico, Pescado a lo macho, Peruvian Doughnuts (replacement for Alfajores on the menu)-Anticuchos, Kam Lu Wanton, Carrot Cake
The Ceviche Clasico was decent, though it was overly sour, couldn’t really taste the fish. Especially with the added peppers for the spice, I felt the fish just wasn’t present at all and did not feel like a balanced dish. Fish was nice and fresh, nothing wrong with it, just was overpowered by the garnishes and the dish was a bit heavy flavored for a ceviche.
The Anticucho, beef heart kebab, was great, only small complaint was that it came out only lukewarm, like it had been sitting for a bit and not under a heat lamp. The beef heart was bursting in flavor and very tender. I definitely enjoyed it more than the ceviche.
Left: Ceviche clasico
Right: AnticuchoPescado a lo macho was an excellent dish, the mahi mahi was made perfectly, the sauce did not overpower anything on the plate, and everything came together very well. I enjoyed the slight kick to the sauce, and the consistency was perfect, not too thick or watery.
Kam Lu Wanton as a dish was excellent, just the menu description is slightly misleading. The dish’s description had “tempura shrimp” but the shrimp on the dish was more like Bonefish’s bang bang shrimp rather than shrimp tempura you would get at a Japanese restaurant. Other than that, the dish was very flavorful, shrimp was seasoned and cooked well.
Left: Pescado a lo macho
Right: Kam Lu WantonPeruvian doughnuts were tasty, no complaints about them, lightly sugared and came with a rich chocolate dipping sauce.
Carrot cake was made well, not too sweet with plenty of flavor. Overall both desserts were excellent.
Left: Carrot cake
Right: Peruvian doughnutsDrink: I went with the La Buena Vida, as I enjoy sour drinks as well as citrus flavors and grapefruit fits right in that category. It indeed was very sour, but no complaints about it, I enjoyed the drink with the rest of my meal.
Overall:
We enjoyed the meal overall, with the ceviche being a bit disappointing but both entrees were excellent and I will seriously consider returning to try some of the other dishes on the menu, though I will probably skip trying the other ceviches. Although the meal was very enjoyable, for $55 a person I would have expected bigger portion sizes for a 3 course dinner, especially the entree. I do wonder if portion sizes in their regular menu would be larger and the reduced portion size was for the special 3-course menu. Ambiance was very cozy, though in the room we were in, it did feel a bit cramped with the table arrangement, more space could have been given to each table area.
Cost: $165 with tax+tip for 2 people, 2 3 course meals and one alcoholic drink
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Dirty Habit
Location: Washington DC-Penn Quarter
Cuisine: Modern, International
Website: https://dirtyhabitdc.com/
Stumbled upon this place while looking for places to go eat during Washington DC’s restaurant week. Located inside Hotel Monaco in Penn Quarter, it’s pretty close to a lot of major DC attractions such as Capital One arena and CityCenter DC. It’s also just a short walk from many of the Smithsonian Museums.
Food: 8/10
Ambiance: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Value: 10/10Food:
We each ordered the restaurant week $25 special:
-Greens Salad, Fish Sando, Sorbet
-Flamed Ambered Romaine, Torta de Birria, Churros
The Greens Salad was great, well balanced with high quality greens and not drenched in dressing, no complaints about it. The Flamed Ambered Romaine was very unique, the chicharrons were a great addition, and the romaine wasn’t overly flamed/torched, not complains about it either.
Left: Greens Salad
Right: Flamed Ambered RomaineThe Fish Sando was slightly disappointing, the ratio of fish to the kimchi slaw was poor, the apple kimchi was great but overpowered the fish too much. There wasn’t much fish to begin with, the fish filet was pretty thin, but all I could taste was the kimchi and yuzu aioli. The fries that came with it however, was perfectly fried and seasoned, no complaints about it.
The Torta de Birria however, was made to perfection; the sandwich was well balanced, the cilantro crema and avocado were subtle enough to not cover up the birria but added a layer of texture and taste to it. The consumé was a great addition to the sandwich and was bursting with flavor. Would definitely recommend this over the Fish Sando.
Left: Fish Sando
Right: Torta de BirriaDessert:
Both desserts were great, no complaints about either. The sorbet selection offered was: Mango, Raspberry, Passionfruit and came with an assortment of berries on top. The Churros were fried very nicely and came out hot and fresh and the three dipping sauces it came with complemented it nicely.
Left: Sorbet
Right: ChurrosOverall:
Although the Fish Sando disappointed, we enjoyed the meal very much and will certainly be returning to try the rest of the menu. Beyond the Restaurant Week menu, they have a very diverse menu that that is priced very moderately for the quality of food presented.
Note: Dirty Habit does add a mandatory 20% service charge.
Cost: $66 with tax + service charge for 2 people
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About Myself
Hi everyone, this is my personal food blog, documenting and rating restaurants in the DMV area, as well as anywhere I venture to during my travels around the country and world. I will be including all the details, including location, my personal rating, cost, and of course, pictures.
From Left to Right: Shōtō (DC), Mizumi (Las Vegas), Vestry (NYC), Metier (DC)
DMV Eats 