The Weekly Dish - excerpt for the Washington Post

By Tom Sietsema
Wednesday, October 8, 2003; Page F07=20


THE NAME GAME: Despite a chorus of neighborhood objections,
Logan Tavern (1423 P St. NW; 202-332-3710) opened recently with the
billing its owner always wanted. The problem? People feared the word
"tavern" might sully the neighborhood's image, says owner David Winer,
who also owns Grillfish in Washington's West End. "I explained that some
of the best places had tavern as part of their title," including
Gramercy Tavern and Tavern on the Green, two popular New York City
destinations. Besides, the restaurateur hopes that any negative
connotation would be "dispelled by the decor and the food." Located in
the new Hudson building across from Whole Foods Market, the 100-seat
dining room is a welcoming retreat, dressed with roomy booths, a
communal wood table and outsized black-and-white photographs of the area from photographer Geoffrey Hodgdon. From the open kitchen in the rear comes an eclectic parade of homey meatloaf shored up with mashed
potatoes, scallops atop red-sauced pasta and (my favorite) sliced roast
pork edged in sweet Asian mustard. Chef San Varith, born in Cambodia and formerly of Grillfish, brought eight or so of that restaurant's
best-sellers with him, including ginger calamari and crab cakes.
Entrees $12-$22.