Panache (Washington, DC)

So this awesome site Groupon (like "group coupon") recently launched in Washington, DC. The short of it is that they offer a great deal per day and if enough people sign up for the deal, then everyone gets it. The maiden offer at Groupon was a $25 groupon to Panache restaurant for $10 - which I promptly signed up for! It didn't take me long to make use of my Panache groupon. R. and I went there on a rainy Wednesday night before a show at the DC Improv nearby. We wanted to try the tapas and didn't want a large meal since we had planned on eating more later, so the two of us shared three hot tapas (and please excuse the phone camera photos!):

Carciofi Ripeni Al Prociutto ($7.95)

Long stem artichoke hearts in white wine with proscuitto and Italian roasted red peppers.

Funghi Portobello Alla Griglian ($8.95)
Marinated and grilled portobello topped with herb whipped goat cheese and basil.

Petite Crab Croquettes ($10.50)
Over a crip sweet potato nest with avocado butter & pomeray roumulade sauce.

Everything was delicious! My favorite was probably the crab croquettes; the sweet potato nest was a really nice touch. I really liked the other two dishes as well though. Really, I have no complaints about my meal, though if I was going to have a full dinner I would have gone with at least two tapas per person. The entrees range from about $18-28 which is a bit pricey for a casual evening but just fine for a special occasion. The atmosphere in the restaurant was great as well, with a happy-hour-perfect bar area and a patio. I'd definitely be inclined to go back at some point. So Groupon ended up being a win-win situation for both myself and the restaurant: I got a cheap meal out of it and Panache gained a new customer. :)

Pertinent info:
Address: 1725 DeSales St NW, Washington DC
Phone: 202-293-7760
Nearest Metro station: Farrugut North (Red line)