By DCist food contributor Melissa McCart.

Pretend you’re visiting a good New York restaurant. You slip into your “black is the new black” fall attire. You ratchet up the attitude. You reach deeper into your wallet to pay the bill. You sit back and admire the beautiful people.

You may choose to embrace these rituals when visiting Washington’s CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Despite that it’s off the beaten path, CityZen is where it’s at for D.C. dining. Should you commit to the dining room, be prepared to shell out $125 a head for a seven-course prix fix and an additional $82 for wine pairing with dinner.

For noncommittal types — and those on a budget — DCist suggests a visit to the CityZen lounge for a drink and a taste of what’s the fuss. And what a sublime visit it will be.

CityZen lounge is a mix of warmth and cool. Upon entering the room, your focus is drawn to the backlit bottles and the sleek minimalism of the marble bar. The room is dressed in the light of seemingly hundreds of votives. The good looking staff is helpful without lurking. In our recent visit, the bartenders were enthusiastic in explaining the wine list, the entrees, the dining room menu. Expect to be pampered.