Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. Her views are strictly her own and do not in any way represent those of her employer. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova Ask anyone what makes a great dining experience, and you are likely to hear that only half of it has to do with food. Much of the rest comes from…

Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova No restaurant custom may appear as vague to the infrequent or uninitiated diner as “bring your own bottle” — also known as the corkage policy. The fact is, most restaurants will allow guests to bring a bottle of wine to enjoy with their dinner for a fee…

Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova It’s probably been awhile since you wrote a check — because you pay all your bills online. You look up directions on MapQuest instead of looking at a paper map all the time. You might have even met your sweetie on match.com. So, it’s no surprise that…

Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova A perfectly paced meal is like a smooth commute to the office in the morning. The engine purrs, the green lights come on obligingly when you approach, every car road tools along smoothly, and you are at your desk slurping your java by two minutes to nine….

Inside the House is a DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova As you probably know by now, a positive dining experience is a two-way street between the diner and the establishment. And the first step toward that is a phone call you make when asking for a reservation. Sounds simple, right? It is. But anyone who has ever…

Inside the House is a new DCist feature offering an insider’s view of fine dining issues by the hostess at a D.C. restaurant. By DCist contributor Nadya S. Nikiforova You’ve been there before. You walk into a restaurant with someone you want to impress. You’re looking forward to a great evening. And you have a perfect table in mind. Your perfect table may be tucked in a dimly lit corner away from the noise. Or…