Taberna del Alabardero
Taberna del Alabardero, web site, 1776 Eye Street NW, Washington, DC, entrance on 18th Street, 202-429-2200, opens at 6:00 (affiliated with a Spanish restaurant group, Grupo Lezama) (Metro Trip Planner - opens in new window) [Washingtonian | WaPo | City Paper | food-plan | Don Rockwell | openlist | Yelp | Gayot]
Very yummy. They often have regional specialties cooked by visiting chefs. A superior dining experience. Not cheap, but the price is high for a good reason. Good paella. Stuffier than it needs to be, but often I feel this is the very best place in town right now. It has shown a remarkably ability to reinvent itself when needed.