Rasika West End

Wow! What a gem. Incredible Indian food in a beautifully designed restaurant that transforms you to a secret place full of delicious spices and perfect service. You’ll have to start with their famous Palak Chaat crispy spinach covered in goodness. The smoked eggplant vegetable side was to die for - smooth babaganoosh with a touch of Indian spice and peas. The truffle dosa was a great starter for two people - and very generous slices of truffle stuffed inside! The chicken dish we had was also perfectly spiced and perfectly cooked and came with a small side of rice that was plenty!

Really phenomenal dinner. It ended up being pretty windy outside so we were offered seats in the bar area instead. I appreciated the gesture and we had a cozy corner - it was a little noisier than the main dining room and the tables were small, but the servers did a great job making it work. Our server was lovely, attentive and made some fantastic recommendations. I ended up trying the tasting menu and adding a black cod dish which was honestly the standout. Looking back, all of the fish dishes ended up being our favorites. The only downside was the desserts which were just overwhelmingly sweet to the point where we couldn't eat them. Otherwise an absolutely fantastic time and we look forward to going back.

Rasika is a high end Indian restaurant in the heart of NW Washington DC. It is also popular with the movers and shakers of country and boasts an impressive “whos who” among its clientele. The restaurant has patio seating for when the weather is warm. Inside there is a bar where you order drinks and also eat if you so desire. The ambience of the restaurant inside is subdued and sober. A sharp contrast to the typical chatter in restaurants. Maybe too many secrets being shared! But the environment rubbed on us and we found ourselves talking in hushed conspiratorial tones about our commute! Their Palaka chat was awesome. Deep fried spinach leaves smothered in yogurt, tamarind chutney and a sprinkle of diced tomatoes. I loved it! We ordered their paneer musallam, something of a speciality. It’s paneer (cottage cheese) stuffed with nuts (I think cashew, walnuts) smothered is tomato, yogurt, cream gravy. Very rich and heavy. A little bland for my palate but I guess they have adapted it to suit the western tastes. The paneer comes with a piece of edible silver foil, which is not uncommon in India (especially for sweets) but not common in America. Our waiter reminded us a couple of times that it is silver and safe to eat. I am guessing they had guests scrapping it away as aluminum foil. These things tend to be expensive. We also ordered their baigan bharta. A innocuous looking dish that is actually not easy to make. The eggplants are first roasted over charcoal braziers till they are slightly charred and imbibe a smoky aroma. They are then peeled, mashed and cooked in a assortment of spices. The result is a delectable blend of tastes and aromas best eaten with Naan (which is what we did). Enjoyed the dish tremendously! The prices are not for the faint hearted but worth the experience!

The food was phenomenal! We enjoyed everything: 1) Palak chaat is perfectly lightly deep fried spinach like a greasy healthy snack? I could eat that from a bag all day! 2) Fish chili garlic is so unbelievably tender. You don’t taste the spiciness until the bite is over, subtle and fragrant. 3) Lamb chops are lamb chops! You can’t go wrong. 4) Duck makhani is AMAZING. Perfectly confit’d tandoori duck legs smothered in a rich lightly sweet creamy sauce that’s simply heaven in a bite. 5) Desserts (warm black rice pudding and choc samosas) are delectable on a sweeter side.

Great atmosphere and the service was impeccable! The person waiting on us was extremely nice and gave us complimentary dessert of gulab jamun and cardamom ice cream. The palak chaat does live up to the hype, the goat cheese kulcha is also phenomenal. Besides that the food is alright but I don’t think it’s particularly revolutionary.