Restaurants in Crystal City

Shirlington Village was asked to review a restaurant in Crystal City, and while we were at it, here's a list of a few others:

1. Cafe Italia - This place was voted best neighborhood restaurant for a reason, metal name plates mark tables and pictures of famous people are everywhere.  The food is reasonably priced, consistent, the servers are congenial, and I think it's the best every day Italian restaurant I've been to in Northern VA or DC.  It's not "fancy" like Kora, but expect red and white checkered tablecloths a la Disney's Lady and the Tramp.   We've already raved about it in a previous post on Italian Restaurants Rating: 4.5 of 5 "Circles"

2.  Kora - Chef Morou's new restaurant.  The menu is  Italian, somewhat seasonal, and very good.  Bebo Trattoria, the restaurant before Kora, suffered from overpriced food and uppity servers.  Kora is more reasonably priced and family oriented. It just recently began a $15 per person family dinner.  It's also great for a power lunch.  ShirlingtonCircle Rating: 4 of 5 Circles

3. Jaleo- It's a tapas bar from a Beard Award winner, there are multiple locations in the DC area.  The small plate style menu is extensive, but be warned it will take 3-4 plates to fill a person up.  The ingredients are high quality and drinks are a specialty.  The service is also good.  I consider this a place to catch up with friends or for meeting people after work, but not a place for lunch or dinner.  Rating 3.5 of 5 Circles

4. McCormick and Schmicks - This national restaurant has a nice Crystal City location.  The fish is fresh and the meat is nicely paired.  The service is above average.  It's reliable, but there's nothing special.  Rating: 3 of 5 Circles

5. Ted's Montana Grill - This is also another national restaurant chain know for its Buffalo steaks and burgers. It's also another family-oriented restaurant serving heartier fare.  Every time we go there, its usually crowded.  There's nothing special about this place either, but its worth a visit if you feel like a rustic meal, burger or bison-steak.  Rating 3 of 5 Circles

We'll review other neighborhood restaurants in upcoming weeks.  Thanks for reading.