It’s hard to say if Tapatini’s owner Jordan Cappolla should be commended for bringing sleek style and superior sushi to a neighborhood where it was previously impossible to get a decent raw fish fix, or if he should get 80 lashes with a wet noodle for everything else on the menu at Jordan’s 8. The white leather banquette that stretches the length of the downstairs of the former World Cuisine is elegant (though some friends…

Capitol Hill is finally moving up in the District’s hierarchy of Places to Eat, and Locanda is helping the neighborhood make that move with its adventures in noodles. Not since the long-gone days of Roberto Donna’s Il Radicchio has Pennsylvania Avenue seen pasta this perfectly cooked. Filled with ricotta and asparagus, braised leeks and cheeses or whatever else chef Brian Barszcz (an Oblelisk and Tallula alum) wants to stuff them with, count me in for…

Washington resident Dr. Haleh Esfandiari, director of the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Middle East Program, has been released from prison, the Associated Press and the Washington Post are both reporting. Even after family members turned over 3 billion rials (nearly $325,000) in bail money, it remains unclear if the espionage charge still stand or if Esfandiari, 67, is allowed to leave Iran. Since May 8, Esfandiari has been held at Evin prison north of Tehran, a…

Post by DCist staff writer Gayle Putrich It’s great to see the paper removed from the huge plate glass window of Old Town’s landmark Majestic Café, and even better to walk through the door and still get that welcoming, neighborhood diner vibe. And while I had a great time at my visit back to the un-fussy institution, I fear I may have jumped the gun a little in showing up so soon after opening. Cathal…

Written by DCist contributor Gayle Putrich We might get the shaft in Congress, but there is at least one place your vote counts, Washington: the 2007 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington Awards; the Associations 25th (Happy Anniversary!). Of the myriad categories for the annual awards, affectionately known as the RAMMYs, three are determined by vox populi from a list of nominees. There’s also a write-in free-for-all for the “People’s Favorite,” where you just type the…

Written by DCist Contributor Gayle S. Putrich It’s springtime in D.C. and apparently, if you’re a rock star chef, that means it’s time to open a moderately priced, bistro/brasserie/kinda casual place. Thanks to this little trend, I’ve managed to score some seriously good eats without going broke. But if you haven’t got the cash or the time to take the Tour of Bistros right now, stick with one of many reasonably priced delectable dishes at…