Matsutake in Ballston

On a random trip, stopped by Matsutake in Ballston, just across from the mall and Frontpage. The restaurant has a lot of competition in the area from the likes of Kabuki, Boru Asian Bistro, and Temple Lounge.

I liked the atmosphere, and there was much more room inside than I expected. The hibachi grill seating was loud, but I thought would be a good spot for a first or second date. That way you have something to talk about and helps avoid awkward pauses, since you are facing the cook and not each other. The other tables were friendly to dinner conversations.


The food is decent, as I enjoyed the shrimp and chicken combo but the sushi was nothing special. Despite the ratings online, I think this small asian chain is worth checking out once.

Restaurant Week in Clarendon

We are now in the middle of DC Restaurant Week which ends this Sunday, August 22. All participating restaurants, and there are many of them in the city, offer a $20 "three course" lunch and a $35 "three course" dinner. I use quotes here because some restaurants count your drink choice as a "course."

I'm proud to add that many Clarendon restaurants are also taking part in this annual tradition, such as:

• Lyon Hall
• La Tasca
• Liberty Tavern
• Restaurant 3
• Sushi Rock
• Willow
• Sette Bello
• Tallula
• Harry's Tap Room
  

Happy Hour for Haiti @ Current Sushi

Another DC area venue is helping raise funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Current on Connecticut Avenue,known for its cool atmosphere and great sushi, is hosting a happy hour for Haiti Tuesday night from 5:30 – 8:00 PM. 100% of all proceeds benefit the Oxfam American Haitian Earthquake Response Fund.

Current Sushi

Lucky Bar was surprisingly packed for a cold Tuesday night. Immediately south of Lucky is a great sushi lounge named Current.

Current boasts both a trendy atmosphere and an exquisite sushi selection. I'm not a big fan of the raw stuff, but others have told me this is the best sushi joint in the city.

The decor was modern and impressive, and a projector displaying movies of dolphins swimming in the ocean on the wall kept the "current" theme lively. I didn't get the chance to explore the upstairs dining hall.

The red snapper is highly recommended for any sushi lover!

Endo Sushi‎

Tried out Endo Sushi tonight located at 3000 Washington Blvd in the Reserve apartment bulding. Its tucked away in the corner and easy to miss, but it offers decent food at good prices.

Unfortunately they close at 10:30pm, which is exactly when we arrived. They were nice enough to give us our order to go.

A malt liquor 40 oz is the recommended accompaniment to sushi by the way.