Rasika West EndBest Indian in DC?Rasika West End is a bit loud [unless you are tucked into the back, which is a good idea], but the food is terrific, the service is excellent, and it's actually a pretty good value. One of the best restaurants in the West End, and perhaps the best [certainly the best looking] Indian restaurants in DC.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat total experiencedThree adults and one child went on Saturday to celibate Mother's Day!
Besides the food being the best I have had in a Resturant in years, the staff went out of thier way to be nice to the child.
The whole experience was without equal. We live a hundred miles away and will return.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat foodGreat Indian food with modern touch. Using fresh ingredients, combining the familiar tastes with new presentation. The space is newly decorated. Loved it!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMRasika West End for lunchFood is yummy, get the crispy spinach. portions are pretty generous. not cheap! the main dining room gets noisy, so if you prefer a conversation ask to eat at the tables near the bar. servers are excellent, stop by often. For a break from the quick bite, consider Rasika West End!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMEverything was absolutelyEverything was absolutely delicious! Service excellent too.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Indian Food in TownRasika and Rasika West End are by far the two best fine-dining Indian restaurants in town.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Indian I've found thisBest Indian I've found this side of The Atlantic (or Pacific, depending on your perspective).5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently excellentStill my favorite DC restaurant. Like the atmosphere at West End Rasika better than original -- airier and more open. I often recommend it. Service always first rate.5/6/2013 12:00:00 AMQuite a findRasika was a very pleasant experience. Great food and service. The prices are reasonable considering the quality of the food.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my second time eatingThis was my second time eating at Raskka - the first was total chance when I was down for an NIH study section meeting and I could not wait to come back! The food is amazing- wonderful small plates available for sharing or more substantial entrees if desired. I am hard of hearing and they have wonderful tables that have partial curtains that really reduce the nosie level.
Will come back every time I am back in DC from NYC!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMGo for the grand menuWe had the four course grand menu with wine pairings, which was outstanding. Each course was quite good and the wines were well chosen. The main course includes a good variety of dishes and will help you plan for future visits. Be sure to include the optional black cod. Service was friendly and attentive.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious and Unique DinnerWe selected the tasting menu and were not disappointed. Each dish was fabulous.
Cudos to the chef and the Rasika West team. We will not be strangers.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellentEverything about this restaurant is excellent. All the traditional flavors are there but with a modern twist. The food is delicious, service impeccable and the dining room is beautiful.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Indian food i have hadBest Indian food i have had in DC and probably the best i have had anywhere.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptionalThe food and the flavors are undoubtedly Indian but there is a twist in the interpretation, which makes it even more interesting and palatable4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMOutstanding updated/fusionOutstanding updated/fusion Indian. Probably a disappointment for purists - I have no idea - but all the food is impeccably prepared and the service is outstanding. No complaints whatsoever.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMI have been to Rasika in PennI have been to Rasika in Penn Quarter, so I knew what to expect, but Rasika West End went above and beyond. Although some of the food was the same, there were new and different items on this menu, like wild mushroom uttapam with beetroot chutney, WOW! Spice levels were right on and the shrimp dishes were also outstanding. Service was outstanding as were the rest of the dishes we ordered. We went after theater and the restaurant was still buzzing. No one rushed us out even though we were there until almost midnight. We loved it and plan to go back again and again.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDelayed by the inevitableDelayed by the inevitable DC traffic, the restaurant graciously honored our reservation though we were 15 minutes late in arriving. The menu had some favorites from Rasika but featured grilled and griddled foods which offered a variety of new things to try. We enjoyed the mushroom uttapam and found the mahi mahi curry delicious! The bebinca is not to be missed. The service was excellent with our server making good suggestions on how to pick among the many tempting dishes.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMEating at Rasika was an adventure.Eating at Rasika was an adventure. Didn't really know what we were ordering, but everything was delicious. Flavors were incredibly deep and complex. Yum!4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMIndia has arrived in Washington, DCAll I'm going to say is that my grandmother grew up in India.... and was telling me that it was the best samosa she ever tasted. Uttapam was a bit too oily for my taste, but I certainly couldn't stop eating the beetroot puree on top (almost asked for some to take home...). When it comes to dessert, I wouldn't say the chocolate one is anything special, so if you want to be wowed then you MUST ORDER the Gulab Jamun. Best I've ever had and so refreshing with the cardamom ice cream! Chef knows what he's doing.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Palak Chaat is wonderful!The Palak Chaat is wonderful! I also liked the goat cheese Naan (Kulcha?) bread.There are plenty of excellent choices for those who do *not* like spicy (hot) food, as well as things to satisfy those who do like hot chilis.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways spectacular --The crispyAlways spectacular --The crispy spinach is divine!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMImpressive!Simply perfect. I took a special young woman here for her birthday dinner. She loved it. We started with a few delicious cocktails, she the Nandita (Fusion Whiskey) and mine the Divya (Beefeater). They were gone quickly. We then ordered a bottle of Grenache, that the sommelier delivered quickly and elegantly. We decided on a Tapas style sampling of the smaller plates. We had 6 and they were all extremely delicious, especially the Palak Chaat, the Scallops, the Duck Narangi Seekh, and the Mango Shrimp. For dessert we shared a glass of Port and the Chai Tiramisu. The Port was great and the Tiramisu was fantastic, the Chai gave it a bit of a ginger snap flavor. The service was outstanding and the decor unique and fun. We'll definitely be back!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful as usual. We'veWonderful as usual. We've been to the other Rasika in Penn Quarter and were excited to try this one. Great food, service terrific. Dont miss the palak chaat- the fried spinach.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMYUM YUM DELICIOUS RASIKA WESTWaiter was very helpful with suggestions...we opted for pre-theatre menu..
EVERY dish was fabulous....next visit will order 2 of the fabulous Crispy Spinach.
Very tasty delicious gourmet Indian food! Thanks4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMWe came here on our anniversaryWe came here on our anniversary and had an amazing dinner. Our server was great! He picked our dishes for us and we couldn't have been happier!!!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMLoved the food, the ambiance,Loved the food, the ambiance, service. We will definitely go back!4/22/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food was simply delicious!The food was simply delicious! The mahi-mahi melted in my mouth, the servers were extremely attentive and patient as my +1 bombarded her with questions about various dishes.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat and innovative menuGreat and innovative menu prepared extraordinarily well4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFantastic Dining ExperienceThis was my third time at Rasika. Second time to West End. We loved it. Best experience yet. The service was fantastic. The food was more fantastic. We were very happy with our dining experience. Highly recommend it to everyone.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMAll of us agreed that theAll of us agreed that the food was outstanding, as was the service. We also agreed that this was one of the best meals (top 5) any one of us had ever had, and we're all foodies who pride ourselves on outdoing one another in finding great restaurants (and have made a point of going to The French Laundry, e.g.). FABULOUS!!! Oh, and the restaurant had to accommodate a very late arrival (plane delays) and did so with grace. . . .4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMI have always really enjoyedI have always really enjoyed the original Rasika (the non-West End location), and I have been there many times. The food that I had from Rasika West End tasted pretty much the same as the original Rasika (probably the best compliment I can make). The West End location has a more fancy/upscale decor whereas the original Rasika has a more or a cozy feel to it.4/17/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good dinner. We hadVery good dinner. We had the tasting menue without wine. Meal was very good. But i would still rate Rasika in Penn Quarter a bit higher. The environment of Rasika West is just not as comfortable or relaxing. It was a busy night and many people, customers and staff running all over the place. Service was excellent and they served an excellent gin martini. Overall we ate too much but we enjoyed the meal and especially the service.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed a fabulous meal.Enjoyed a fabulous meal. Of course, the palak chaat was delicious as were the several other small plates we shared. We also had the lamb chops which were phenomenal. Our server was excellent and very knowledgeable and helpful with menu selections. A wonderful dining experience!4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous lunch. ExcellentFabulous lunch. Excellent service and delicious food.4/16/2013 12:00:00 AMRaiska never disappoints.Raiska never disappoints. The palaat chaak is amazing as is the rest of their menu.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMI have been to Rasika WestI have been to Rasika West End twice as well as the original location and am always impressed. The food is delicious and you can't beat the decor and ambiance. My only gripes: the portions are ridiculously small for the price, common sides like rice and naan must be purchased separately and it seems as if the staff here are coached on their demeanor, as in every one I've had has been very stilted, impersonal, and overly formal to the point of awkwardness. One even called me "Madame." Really? Otherwise completely recommend particularly for pre-Kennedy Center dinners4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMI've eaten at Rasika WestI've eaten at Rasika West End twice now. The first time was an exceptional experience. This time, it was good, but not great (particularly considering the exhorbitant prices they charge). If the restaurant insists on charging top dollar for its food, they need to be EXCEPTIONAL, not just good. I've eaten better Indian food at many small Indian restaurants in northern Virginia. Not sure I'll rush back.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMRasika complements West EndRasika complements West End elegance in a world of exotic haute cuisine. We celebrated at a cosy late night dinner after ballet theater at the Kennedy Center with our son visiting from La Jolla CA. The ginger chicken(adraki) was superb as was the garlic chilli paneer (cottage cheese)- a blend of fresh hot spices tastefully chosen and cooked with finesse. We had an attentive server who replenished our glasses well. It is my husband's favorite Indian dine-out,and since we live just down the road we will revisit and re-appreciate on our next special occasion.4/9/2013 12:00:00 AMRasika West and the originalRasika West and the original Rasika are the two best Indian restaurants in the area. If you go, order the crispy spinach appetizer, which has become a signature plate.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMIt was so good that I am takingIt was so good that I am taking another group back only three days later.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food! Some of the bestGreat food! Some of the best gourmet Indian food we have eaten. Outré waiter was very helpful in selecting our menu. Highly recommend.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMRasika West End lived up toRasika West End lived up to all the superlative things I had heard about it - often, when a restaurant is built up like that, expectations rise and one is disappointed in the actual experience, but not with Rasika. We decided to have a series of appetizers and small plates rather than an entree - and each dish had its own special cachet and character. The Palak Chaat is by now well known amongst aficionados of Indian food in DC, and it was delicious. As was the duck seekh kabab, and the scallops, and the eggplant... My wife and I love okra, and this version, cooked with lentils, was sublime. We were celebrating our anniversary, and the kitchen sent out a complimentary dessert - a warm date pudding which was just right to end our meal.4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMHad a wonderful dinner. MyHad a wonderful dinner. My friend was visiting from Chicago and we came here for dinner. Every single thing we ordered was delicious, and our waiter timed things well so that we were not rushed and had time to talk and catch up. This is now my favorite Indian restaurant in the DC area!4/8/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Palak Chat is amazing,The Palak Chat is amazing, as is noted by most people. The Paneer Khati Roll and Lamb Biriyani were also VERY good. It'd been awhile since I'd order Chicken Tikka at a restaurant, but this one was definitely worth ordering again and again.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a great date night forWhat a great date night for my husband and I. We absolutely loved it!4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMMy second dinner in 4 daysMy second dinner in 4 days at this restaurant confirmed my impression after my first visit to Rasika West End, that this is a very good restaurant, but not quite up to the outstanding level of the original Rasika in Penn Quarter.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMAs a frequent visitor to DC,As a frequent visitor to DC, it was a pleasure to take my family to one of my favorite restaurants--
The food --especially the avocado/banana appetite and spinach pakoras were gobbled up by my 2 daughters. They also liked the main meals but found it a bit spicy (chicken tikka masala, okra, and eggplant) but with a bit of raita and naan, we were rolling out of the restaurant. I must say, I have been disappointed by the wine (red) collection every time I attend--so I stick to beer.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMI needed a special place toI needed a special place to take out-of-town business associates who were here for three days of heavy meetings. Rasika was wonderful on many levels. In addition to incredible food and service our meetings ran late and we were 45 minutes late for our reservation. The Maître D asked if we were in a rush and if not, we could wait he would see what he could do to accommodate us. As we settled in to the bar enjoy the wine and beer list, it was only a few minutes when he returned and asked if we were comfortable to eat in the lounge he could accommodate us. After formal meetings, the informal lounge was a tremendous location to unwind and enjoy each other as well as the food. the spinach chips were a favored treat. Well done.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMExceptional Indian CuisineWe love Rasika in Penn Quarter/Chinatown, and we are equally enthusiastic about Rasika's West End location. We had a lovely corner booth at lunch and a superlative server who assisted us throughout. The food at Rasika is a far cry from the usual curry buckets around town; Rasika's Indian dishes are light, flavorful, complex, and familiar yet new. Excellent Indian cuisine4/3/2013 12:00:00 AM