BlackSalt

We have eaten at Black Salt literally dozens of times. We know the manager, Joe. We dutifully make reservations weeks in advance. We re-confirm those reservations. Yet every time we show up, we have difficulty with reservations Last Saturday night, we'd invited friends. We made reservations the week before for 7:00 pm. My wife called to reconfirm on Friday. Yes, we had the table we'd requested- - -at 10:00 pm! After much to-and-fro, "Hallie" confirmed us for 7:00. The next night, we get there and, guess what? "Who are you?" asked the young man at the computer We finally got seated. But we aren't going back. As good as the food is, the service at reservations leaves a bad taste which shouldn't be there, given the prices. (For 4, $490 with tip)

The food is fantastic. You'd be hard pressed to find another seafood restaurant anywhere within a 50 mile radius that offers such exquisite creations. Each dish is memorable and is prepared and presented as if royalty were being served. Think you know clam chowder? Think again. Even people in Connecticut and Rhode Island would be hard pressed to find "chowda" this delicious. The downside: Black Salt is expensive. Really expensive. You got to have cash to roll into this place ladies and gentleman. The clientele is a bit snobby too (the Georgetown set <yawn>). Expect the aroma of elitism to mingle with the scent of fresh seafood.

I have dined at Black Salt several times. I've never been disappointed! Now that they have been named the best new restaurant in the area by both the Washingtonian's Readers' poll and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (the "Rammy" award for 2006), I just hope I can get reservations in the future. The only problem is that I can no longer eat seafood anywhere else without comparing it to the quality of Black Salt's cuisine. Very simply, Black Salt has the very best quality seafood expertly prepared. If you prefer bland dishes, then this is not the place for you; everything is full of layers of flavor, while still allowing the taste of the fresh seafood to shine through. For example, the New England clam chowder is a memorable dish -- forget everything you think you know about clam chowder. This is sublime! The addition of fresh clams (cockles) and fried Ipswich clams (each soup is prepared individually to order) puts it over the top! Even if you don't consider yourself a "seafood lover" you should go there just to find out what real seafood should taste like. Warning: you might get spoiled!