A Heaping Helping of Bad

I’ve mentioned this before, but will continue to flog this horse: dining on Barracks Row and around Eastern Market ranges from mediocre to horrible. My first impressions of Cava – the new Mediterranean tapas place – were woefully off course; I refuse to ever pick over the dried-out sub-continent servings from Pennsylvania Avenue’s Aatish on the Hill again; Jordan’s 8, which just celebrated an anniversary, deserves to go out of business with its lack of service (asking for utensils three times seems a bit much, but perhaps the staff was trying to do me a favor), slapdash treatment of vegetables (is cooked spinach really quite difficult), and a ravioli that could be bested by something from a can; and to top off the list Banana Café – reputedly a “Mexican” joint – can’t even produce a decent fajita that isn’t slathered in grease or an ingredient that doesn't look as if it came from the "international" section of Walmart's food aisle.

Matchbox is a lonely exception to this drek, and now comes news that the owners will be opening up a new spot a few doors down, dubbed Ted’s Bulletin. Hill Rag reports that Ted’s, an American diner, is expected to open up in February of 2010. The owners suggested that this prime location would have been snapped up anyways, so they decided to preempt such competition. However, given the current state of dining in the neighborhood, Ted’s fiercest competition will likely be its corporate pizza- and mini-burger-serving cousin next door.

Meanwhile, closer to the ballpark, at the corner of 3rd St. and K St. SE, the Cornercopia deli and cornerstore has debuted. Check back soon for a review of its sandwich offerings…

Restauranteuring is a Tough Business

And it's even tougher when your cuisine is Indian food in the nation's capital. With so many excellent offerings in the city limits - Heritage (two locations), Rasika, Nirvana (specializing in vegetarian dishes), and White Tiger, just for starters - food and service need to stand out for this ubiquitous cuisine to make its mark. Aatish on the Hill's prime location, one block from the Eastern Market Metro stop on Pennsylvania Ave., makes this sub-continental eating destination great for a quick bite during lunch or carryout late at night; the kitchen is open until 10 or 10:30 pm most nights.

Unfortunately, the samosas and the chicken tikka masala, Indian standards, can too often come out from the kitchen dry and over cooked/baked. The yogurt dipping sauce can be served thick as molasses in January, and the check should definitely be gotten before a dessert can be proffered 'on the house'. However, vegetarian dishes such as the channa masala and vegetable pakora fare better. Well known Indian beers - Kingfisher and Taj Mahal - are served, and there is a full bar.

The dining room suffers from dated decor and plain bingo hall-type seating, but the service is reliable, if unremarkable. Worth noting is the usual tab; with the economy as it stands in Spring 2008, budget bites are taking on greater import. Aatish definitely won't break the bank. Dinner for two, including alcohol, should come in at around $60-70. With many popular destinations clocking in at $120 or more in Washington, Aatish seems to have found its niche as a cheap eats neighborhood restaurant, underselling more expensive Indian places.

Rating: 5/10
In Short: good for carryout and weeknight dining, but there's better Indian dining to be had in DC on weekends
Website: http://www.aatishonhill.com/index.htm
Location: 609 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington DC, 20003