Cathal Armstrong pulls all sorts of influences together at his Old Town flagship—highly technical Continental dishes, family-style Filipino plates, even a strapping lasagna. It reads a little unfocused, but it’s to Armstrong’s—and deputy Paolo Dungca’s—credit that somehow the results don’t feel chaotic. Pastry chef Joshua Jarvis continues to give diners plenty of reasons to look beyond the cutesy “birthday cake” that has been on the menu since the early days. Expensive. Also great:scallops with parsnip-root purée; bouillabaisse; skate with cardamom yogurt; Honeycrisp-apple custard.
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
