Landmark Restaurant

Their maxim is “elegant comfort cuisine” and chef Doug Brown has created a menu that diners will find reasonable in price and outstanding in quality. The atmosphere of this newly-opened restaurant is welcoming and relaxing, much like its menu options that range from foie gras to macaroni and cheese. A standout dish that will win many fans in the summer months is the Trout Meuniere, two boneless fillets from North Carolina waters blanketed in a grapefruit-browned butter sauce, sautéed fennel and crushed hazelnuts, with haricot verts on the side. Next time someone posits the age-old query, “where can I go for really good food that is not outrageously priced?” you have the answer. 2430 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW 202-955-6400

Café Lombardy

Springtime is beautiful in Washington, and to celebrate the explosion of flowers that grace our nation’s capital, Chef Laurent Hollaender concieved a French inspired menu that utilizes edible flowers in nearly every dish. He has created an enviable and delectable creamy seafood dish that manages to be light and flavorful, by preparing open-ended raviolis stuffed with halibut, atop a fillet of halibut, and covering them in an onion compote with white truffle emulsion. For the final touch they are decorated with the ubiquitous edible flowers. 2019 I Street, NW 202-857-3912

Mie N Yu

Washington’s newest hip hotspot is winning rave reviews for its lavish décor, consisting of gauzy tents, endless pillows, and intensely color-themed rooms. One item on the menu, the blueberry foie gras, tastes as good as the interior looks. This appetizer by chef Timothy Elliott is served on a crispy wonton topped with a generous helping of tender foie gras that rest upon blueberry compote. The sweet and tart flavors of the blueberry perfectly complement the rich and salty duck liver, and the texture contrasts nicely with the thin crunchy wonton. 3125 M Street, NW 202-333-6122

Poste

Poste-modern Nicoise salad is more than just a cute name, it is an idea that is long overdue. What arrives on the plate may not have been what you were expecting, but the lobster salad with its sherry vanilla vinaigrette is what you never knew you always wanted. The expertly prepared Maine lobster tail and the burst of flavor from the creamy yet light dressing are the stars of this dish, accompanied by a small portion of mache, minutely chopped sides of egg and onion, capers, tomatoes, haricots verts, and Moroccan cured olives. Chef Jay Comfort has created the ultimate summer salad, dainty yet delectable. 555 8th Street, NW 202-783-6060