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Washington, D.C. restaurants
Washington, D.C.'s dining scene has come a long way since the days when lobbyists and lawmakers peddled influence in wood-paneled steak houses and fussy French restaurants. Today, deals are still brokered over meals, but food no longer takes a backseat: A young professional workforce has demanded fresher, more innovative fare. Ferran Adrià protégé José Andrés jump-started the scene in 1993 with the opening of his tapas restaurant, Jaleo; his local empire now runs the gamut from lively taco spot to eight-seat, 30-course molecular gastronomic experience. These, as well as other standouts, such as Rasika and Proof, are mostly downtown and in the Penn Quarter. Dupont Circle and the emerging U Street corridor are home to neighborhood spots such as Hank's Oyster Bar and the Belgian soul food restaurant Marvin, where Obama staffers often congregate.
D.C. is the province of the power lunch, and at spots like the Oval Room and Central, it's tougher to score a table in the afternoon than at night. You can reserve a table a few days in advance at all but the most popular restaurants (CityZen, Minibar). Prime dinner hours run from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, a little later on weekends. Washington is also a big brunch town: On weekends, the eggs Benedict and Bloody Mary crowd descend on Dupont Circle, U Street, and Capitol Hill.
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