Rasika West End — Restaurant in Washington

Among the best upscale Indian restaurants I’ve eaten at anywhere in the world (I make a distinction between fancy Indian eateries like this and no-frills Indian eateries - some of which are called dhabas in northern India - where the food CAN be excellent and the service rude to non-existent). Great option for a date night or special occasion. Reservations for a Friday or Saturday night can take two months to get. Prices are appropriate (and maybe less than comparable Indian places in NYC, London, etc). If you can get a table, GO, GO, GO!

We were a party of four Indian folks: me + my sister-in-law (world traveler, whose taste in all things I trust) + one teen who eats a lot of Indian food and another who doesn’t). Each one of us agreed that the food was beyond delicious.

We asked to sit outside on a beautiful summer evening. The menu is relatively simple and laid out well and is easy to navigate.

We ordered three appetizers and three entrees to eat family-style (the only way to eat at most Indian places, except some types of southern Indian where you order your own self-contained meals, such as dosas, idlies, etc).

Our order, which I can list from memory the next morning: reshmi kebab, sev batata puri, tandoori paneer, shrimp Mangalore, lamb pepper masala; mushroom korma. We also ordered four breads, including two I’d never heard of, chili olive naan and goat cheese kulcha (along with two more common garlic naans).

We were hungry, so we asked for the appetizers to be delivered as they were ready. They started arriving one at a time and we were able to savor each one. The batata puri was extra tangy; the paneer was spicy; the reshmi kabab was moist and well-flavored (unlike most which are too dry elsewhere).

Each of our entrees was excellent and not a disappointment in the bunch. It was spicier than I’ve come to expect at fancy spots, so we we added an order of raita (yogurt with cucumbers) midway to cool things down. I presume that they’d have asked a non-Indian family for a choice of spice levels. If I had to nitpick, I’d say the individual shrimp pieces were somewhat overcooked, but I didn’t mind at all. Besides, its gravy was excellent.

We skipped dessert so we could walk to Larry’s Homemade ice cream store, but Rasika does have a sophisticated dessert menu (next time!).

A word about the service. Our waiter, Prashant, was knowledgable and guided us expertly through the menu and orchestrated the evening superbly.

Pricing: Our bill came to $139, including tax (we left a $28 tip) for four full, satisfied diners and that included a $13 rosé. It was less than I’d expect to pay at an equivalent Indian restaurant in NYC or London.

This is of two Rasika restaurants in DC. We’d been told multiple times to try both. Since we live in NYC and get to DC only 3-4 times a year, I’d been trying, without success, to get last-minute reservations for a couple of years now. This trip, I was determined to get in, so we got brunch reservations Sunday (pretty wide open). On a whim, I called on Saturday at 4:30 pm and asked about cancellations and, by magic, we scored a table for four at 8:15 pm.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I’ve been lucky enough to get to know many celebrated Indian chefs in NYC (and some owners), so my impressions of their cooking maybe biased. But I know nothing about Rasika, its history, chef or owner.

A great meal lingers in your mind and I know this will for a long, long, time. It was a perfect dinner and, as you can see, I can’t recommend it enough.

You may come across the occasional Indian friend who is not a fan of places like Rasika. Their attitude is that such restaurants are overrated, too fancy and not authentic enough compared to the no-frills places I mentioned in the opening para. Of course, you can get as good or even better meals at some of those more earthy places. But what I’d tell these folks (I call them reverse Indian food snobs) is that every cuisine has this dichotomy: authentic, cheap eateries and fancy expensive ones. They have to be considered and...

To Management:

I hope this message finds you well. I recently dined at your establishment with my team, and I wanted to share my feedback regarding our experience. I want to emphasize that my intention is to provide constructive feedback, and I hope it can help improve the overall dining experience at your restaurant.

I made reservations for my team, and I was genuinely excited about our visit. The initial interactions with the host were pleasant, and we were looking forward to enjoying the menu. However, our experience took a disappointing turn when our assigned server, an older gentleman with a ponytail and a grey and white mustache, approached us to take our order. Please note we did not get his name as he did not introduce himself.

We were in a bit of a hurry as we hadn't had the chance to fully explore the menu due to our work discussions. As someone who enjoys skipping appetizers and getting straight to the main course after a long day, I found it disheartening that our server made a snide remark about our choice. He seemed impatient and inconvenienced as he explained the appetizer options. Feeling uncomfortable, we ended up following his recommendations, even though sensing his tone was far from welcoming.

Throughout our meal, our server continuously interrupted our conversation to inquire about our satisfaction with our food. While I appreciate attentiveness, his approach was slightly intense. For example when he asked about my nan, I smiled and replied positively, as I was in the middle of cutting it to taste it. I’m not new to nan so I just gave that standard good answer. However, his condescending remark about me answering before finishing my meal was entirely unnecessary and unprofessional. Questioning if I am always like this to give false answers before trying my food? That was quite a statement from his end that I found entirely unnecessary as I politely smiled it off.

Furthermore, he singled out one of my colleagues for having a small water bottle on the table, asking her to hide it behind her bag. I understand the importance of maintaining a certain atmosphere, but this could have been handled more discreetly and politely, perhaps by offering to take care of the bottle as it was close to empty would have been a better approach.

I also couldn't help but notice a difference in our server's behavior when interacting with the men seated next to us. There appeared to be a more relaxed and friendly demeanor in their interactions, which contrasted sharply with his stern attitude towards us.

Our reservation was for 5 pm, and as the very first guests to be seated, it becomes evident that the quality of service was not influenced by a busy evening. I believe it's crucial to initiate a collective discussion about the mannerisms and service standards expected from your servers, ensuring that all guests are treated with respect and courtesy, regardless of their background.

While the food was satisfactory, it did not stand out to me, considering my familiarity with Indian cuisine. However, it was the behavior of our server that left a lasting negative impression, making my dining experience uncomfortable. Regrettably, I have decided not to revisit your establishment due to this encounter.

In summary, I recommend that your staff receive additional training in providing polite, attentive service, answering questions with respect, and allowing guests to enjoy their meals in peace without unnecessary interruptions. I believe such improvements will contribute to a more positive dining experience for all your...

Review for the guests: stop reading these reviews and just go here. Your other choices for tonight do not compare, so make that reservation and head over. (The bad reviews are from diners who don't understand how busy restaurants work anyways)but if you must continue- All of the reviews about this lovely restaurant are absolutely warranted. The food is divine, the service is incredible, and my gosh is this a beautifully designed location. James beard awards are no joke in this industry and I am so glad we were able to get a reservation. Even though our reservation was at 9:45 pm no one missed a beat or seemed tired even though you know they all must be after a full day of service. Our table was lovely and I am glad to have spent our anniversary weekend dinner date here. They even brought us dessert on the house with a candle to celebrate our love 🥰

Review for my industry peeps: we dined here on Saturday 9/23. Thank you so much to the entire team at Rasika (West end) FOH and BOH. Your team is a WELL OILED MACHINE! Servers, bussers, bartenders, food runners, and especially the sweet hostess (blonde hair great outfit). I didn't catch our servers name but she was efficient and everything she needed to be even though she was clearly finishing service for quite a few other tables when we were beginning dinner and that is always impressive. Uninterrupted flow. Our water glasses never passed half full and the table was bussed and reset so efficiently. Being served instead of serving or bartending is wonderful and believe me I couldn't help but watch you all kill it! That central POS terminal is genius. I wish we all had that, it's impossible to miss anything when you're ringing stuff through in the best location to see all of your tables.

BOH crew: To the culinary wonders working their butts off to get every dish out, a standing ovation. The palak Chaat was savory, crunchy, tangy, sweet, and it's obvious why it's a crowd favorite. The naan and kulcha was so fresh and flavorful I wish I could eat it every day. The Tikka masala was decadent I can't believe how evenly spiced it was. Most importantly the chicken was expertly prepared, not a single overcooked piece even though I'm sure those were flying through the pass at inhuman rates all night long. The best I have ever had. The heat was perfect enough for anyone to enjoy. The biryani was remarkable. The rice was perfect and the raita exquisite. I'm so impressed that even at 9:45 when the tickets flying in likely felt neverending and your bodies probably ached with every move, it was not visible in the food in front of me.

Thank you all. I WILL be back next time I'm in...