Walking down M Street, you might catch a glimpse of a small white sign advertising Cilantro, the only tapas bar in Georgetown. The best thing to do is to keep walking; Cilantro has little to offer.
It appears Cilantro hasn’t escaped the sad history of Firehook Bakery, the coffeehouse that used to be housed in the space. Cilantro’s layout, red walls and decor look strikingly similar to the interior of the previous tenant. Despite its prime location in the middle of M Street and exclusive hold on the tapas market, Cilantro seems empty, dull and doomed to failure.
Most of the tapas range in price from $7-$10, including an eclectic mix of fried calamari, coconut shrimp and quesadillas. There is a wide selection of meat to choose from as well, including filet mignon, quail, lamb, duck and beef. Unfortunately, in mixing Spanish flair with Middle Eastern and Italian cuisine, Cilantro falls short of mastering any of the Mediterranean dishes.
If you want a seat by the windows looking out onto M Street, be sure to ask the hostess or she’ll seat you in the barren back area. The persistent service can get slightly annoying, with apparently impatient servers approaching the table more often than necessary. It’s also not a good sign when the waitress asks how you heard about the restaurant and seems surprised that you’re actually choosing to eat there. Even the presentation of the food itself, served on stark white china, adds to the restaurant’s bland and boring feel.
On Monday and Tuesday nights Cilantro advertises a special of half-priced entrees and mojitos. Don’t be deceived by the ad, which limits your options to about a fifth of the menu. The tapas bar’s special is to buy one entree and get the second at half price, but doesn’t even include any tapas.
If you decide to go with the deal, you’re left with only a handful of choices, and might want to try something totally different, such as a Middle Eastern beef dish called Kibbeh Asado, around $18. Ground beef, onions and pine nuts are meshed together and surrounded by a cracked wheat shell, deep-fried to create an unusual flavor. Its side salad of lettuce, tomatoes, radishes and tortilla strips with a light dressing complements the beef well.
Stay away from the tilapia, which is drowned in a cilantro sauce with too many green and red peppers, destroying the white fish’s delicate flavor. The equally smothered risotto is impossible to distinguish from the tilapia.
Unfortunately, the best part of your entire meal might be the price of your mojito ($3.95), not its flavor. The liquor is overpowering and the drink requires constant stirring. You might want to go with a safe Miller Lite, a refreshingly mainstream choice to contrast the unusual menu.
If you just can’t resist the entree special, be prepared for disappointment. Come to Cilantro on a weekend night instead to try some of their excellent tapas. The restaurant recommends getting three per person, which could get pricy, and with such small portions, you might leave feeling hungry. If you don’t want to head to Thomas Sweet’s afterwards to satisfy your appetite, Cilantro might not be an appropriate first stop for your evening.
Cilantro, 3241 M Street NW (202) 625-6247. Hours: Sunday through Thursday, 11:30 to 10 pm. Friday and Saturday, 11:30 to 11 pm, bar open until 2 am.
