Suna

Just left suna SO under impressed. I have paid more than $ 450 for a dinner of 4 before and this meal was not worth that price. Sadly, our party left so underwhelmed that we picked up pizzas from pizza boli to satisfy our hunger. It wasn’t the lack of food so much but the plates were lacking in flavor and texture. We all chose the 4 course meal and nothin about any plate was amazing. In fact, our favorite part of the night’s meal was the Dutch black bread we randomly received mid-​meal. I hate writing this review because I really wanted to love tonight’s meal.

One of the best dining experiences I ever had. If you have the $$$ — go for the 8 course tasting menu — small portions but by the end you are full. Everything was unique and different from what I ever tasted before. The reviews on the tasting menu were very helfpful. Awesome place.

Seriously?
How could anyone ever give this place less than five stars? I’m just in shock here. In shock b/​c this is one of the best meals I’ve ever had. Every dish is so incredibly clean, inventive, delicious and different. I get really tired of the typical tasting menu repertoire. Heavy meats, thick buttery sauces… played out fois and fats… this is NOTHING like that. Nothing. I am consistently underwhelmed by the DC food scene. Everything is as expensive, if not more so than other «comparable» cities but then the quality and preparations don’t match up. This meal had a feel reminiscent of Coi in SF for me; it has a very similar clean style. Delicious and memorable. Great service but nothing too pretentious or too much. It’s just stupid how good Suna is. I am definitely going back as soon as the season changes and I can’t wait. I also need to go back before everyone starts to catch on and realize this is one of the best places in the city.

Tasting menu restaurants are great because it really does take the thought process out of things. You just relinquish control.
I have been to Suna once so I guess it’s not really fair for me to base this Unilocal review on 1 visit. I went to their visiting chef dinner on January 15^th. I really enjoyed the décor striped down and a raw vibe so nothing on the walls, the mainfocus would be the food, and only «it» as the decoration.
Each individual dish that I had was good not phenomenal not mind blowing but very good and the plating is definitely a nod to the dishes from jobs past. This establishment seems to be an excellent effort to keep the gastronomes content. It is an excellent addition to the Eastern Market neighborhood.
I will be back to Suna again to focus on just the chefs food. But I really did enjoy the meal.
Cheers and Happy eats!

I was very excited to try Suna since Aqua Al 2 (downstairs) is one of my favorite places to eat in DC. I was surprised to see how empty the dining room was on a Thursday night with only two other tables occupied.
The design and finish selection in the restaurant is outstanding. I absolutely love the use of reclaimed materials and rustic/​natural feel.
The food on the other hand was less than outstanding. We were there with another couple and chose the 4-​course option with wine pairings. Personally, when I am served a tasting menu (especially with only 4 courses), I expect each dish to be outstanding. These simply weren’t. Each course was somewhat bland, lacked distinctive flavor, combined too many different (odd) consistencies, and left me thinking… I hope the next one is better. I understand and respect the concept of showcasing each dish’s earthy ingredients, but here it’s taken to an extreme gave the dishes a «dirt» like taste.
We had planned on a post-​dinner drink at the restaurants bar since we all loved the design and atmosphere. We were told the bar (a speak easy) is reservation only by text, and must be made several days in advance. Although I think it’s a great marketing gimmick and it left me intrigued, it was annoying that we had spent roughly $ 500 on dinner and weren’t allowed to have a drink at the bar after.
Bottom line: The ambiance and design are great but the food is just okay. Unfortunately «just okay» simply does not justify their pricing, portions and «ordering rules» (see other reviews). For $ 100 — $ 150 /​person, there are many other fantastic restaurants nearby.

I went here for a birthday dinner and could not have felt more special. Everyone wished me a happy birthday and the staff signed a card for me too.
The décor is very low-​key and natural. I wanted to take the cute little center piece of wood and mini plants home with me, but resisted. We had a pretty early seating, which I like doing. I like seeing the restaurant calmer, but staying to see the busy vibe later in the night when we’re getting our last course.
We had the 4 course, but it turned into more courses because we ended up getting all the desserts by accident (I mean, awesome??) and there was an amuse of a caraway seed cracker.
I agree with the above poster that I wish I knew more of what I was getting on the menu instead of categories, but I appreciate the mystery and surprise.
From what I heard, the larger course menu has the same dishes as the 4 course menu but in smaller sizes. I could definitely see how these 4 dishes could be made smaller.
The best thing about suna was the focus on ingredients. Root vegetables? Okay, I’ll give you one course just of beets and in three different ways. Pickled, roasted, and candied.
Dashi course? This custard will taste like the ocean in your mouth. My boyfriend got the pumpkin dish and it was like a pumpkin steak (with blood pudding). The protein dishes were great as well — pork & guinea hen, but the dishes were balanced well with a good amount of grain as well. This is where we discovered that we loved sunchokes. We got all 3 desserts — the charred apple & cilantro as a bonus birthday gift, the hazelnut rice krispie-​ish awesomeness that is now our favorite dessert in DC, and the thai basil hibiscus dessert that comes with the 4 course.
On the way back from the bathroom at the end of the night, I stopped by the kitchen to let them know everything tasted amazing.
The attention to focus on different realms (earth, ocean, land) and the quality of the ingredients is great. I think this will be the closest I can ever get to Noma-​style food.
I also really liked the plates, which were very natural yet beautiful (think wabi sabi).
One note: They didn’t have their liquor license yet, though that didn’t stop a neighboring table from ordering «vodka on the rocks» *raises eyebrow*. But, no need! go next door to Harold Black for a night cap (or maybe some more suna snacks).

Absolutely loved this place. We ate here on New Year’s Eve and enjoyed their 8-​part tasting menu, created specially for the evening. The food was spectacular, the ambiance was terrific, and overall we had a very memorable meal here.
This place is great for dates, enjoying a great (albeit expensive) meal with friends, and if you enjoy tasting menus (apparently they only serve a 4 or an 8-​part… but check that, I could be wrong).

No doubt hands down 5 start to me. You don’t get this kind of curinaly technical foods in DC for this price. Not by the price, by the value, Suna could be the number one place in DC right now. Don’t worry about couple of negative rating (still they gave 3 stars). I red those and are just personal issues. Nobody possibly can serve everybody. Of course there will be someone who hate what Suna does, but so what? It’s just a person’s opinion. Again, Suna is best place for tasting for it’s price.
One review that gave 3 stars, they had 4 course tasting. That sound amature already. Who’s gonna come 4 course tasting for dinner? Do they think this is afternoon tea? Oh, here is good example. KOMI used have short course at begining, like till 4 years ago, maybe. Before everybody get it. Now they don’t.
Rouge 24 started only 24 course but now they are adding more short course choices. But only to survive. Basically there not enough real foodies in DC.
All Unilocal people, they think they know something, but they don’t know they know nothing about foods or restaurant or restaurant business. (well, at this point i can’t justify myself posting on Unilocal)
Anyways, I don’t like Unilocaling but food was so good i couldn’t help myself posting this rating. Sorry, it is not about detail review like other people do.
Good luck for Suna!

Being a big fan of restaurants with tasting menus, I eagerly waited on Suna’s premier opening only to be somewhat disappointed. Suna was supposed to be the alternative to the more expensive options but I felt it strayed too far from the norm.
The décor was comprised from reclaimed lumber which gave the restaurant an earthy feel, decorated with a moss plant at each table.
An item in the tasting was Kampachi which was raw fish paired with eggplant and husk cherries which worked together with their fiberous texture but lacked any distinct flavor. Again, I found the shellfish component (mussels) and the dashi custard worked well texturally with the other ingredients but the fishy taste was overpowering. The custard was smooth and creamy but maybe it had too much sea bean and seaweed?
The pork and fowl dishes somewhat made up for the seafood items with their visual presentation and texture including the crispy skin of the guinea hen but the flavors did not pop.
The tasting concluded with a hazelnut /​cocoa dessert which was very interesting and delicious, having the consistency of the insides of a malted ball.
I can understand Suna’s goal of wanting to showcase the natural flavor of each ingredient but I realize I prefer traditional seasonings and sauces.

I had the pleasure of experiencing Suna in December 2012.
Lost in the wine menu, our table challenged Suna’s wine connoisseur to present a bottle that would pair well with our dinner and one that would be enjoyed by four different palates. With potential to seem pretentious, he humbly explained the options on the rather lengthy wine menu with demonstrated knowledge. It was easy to realize his passion and willingness to share information to help us make our selection. We ended up with Morgon, a red from the Beaujolais region of France. Needless to say, we loved it.
Our table chose the four-​course menu option. The course options I chose included a root vegetable mixture, pumpkin with black pudding, pork with kale and daikon and a Hibiscus dessert.
I wouldn’t say Suna is for everyone. It is not for the 400-​lb man who frequents all-​you-​can-​eat buffets. It’s not for the picky eater. And it’s not for the fast food freak.
Suna is for a diner who likes to experience bold flavors. Someone who enjoys unique experiences and keeps an open mind. The food is art — almost too pretty to eat. Beware: you may find yourself taking photos of every course.
Will I go back? I am counting down the days … but next time, I will bring a larger appetite and try the 8 course option.
Bön appetit!

I had been anxiously awaiting the chance to try Suna. And undoubtedly Johnny Spero did not disappoint. The restaurant occupies the 2^nd floor of the building housing Aqua al 2, and itself is beautifully designed. This is a different and unique dining experience with the options of either a 4 or 8 course chef’s tasting menu. As other reviewers have noted, they «encourage» the table to all go with the same dinner. We went with the 4 course menu. Of note the 4 course menu gives you options of 2 of the courses. The food is creative, gorgeously plated and superb in taste.
Review of the food:
First course was the root vegetables, and unexpectedly a variety of candied veggies arrived: definitely a favorite.
Next came out either the dashi custard with scallops: sweet with a light saltiness that does evoke the sea (very different and delicious) or the roasted pumpkin. The pumpkin was outstanding.
The next course was the meat: options of roast pork or fowl (guinea hen). Both were outstanding. The meat moist, juicy and perfectly cooked. The fowl came out accompanied by sunchoke (potato like veggie), crispy strips of the skin and a grain. The pork was accompanied by kale and daikon. Suffice to say the meat dishes dd not disappoint.
The finale was a dessert that is truly hard to describe: a dish that is just as unique and surprising as the rest of the menu. Light, sweet and delicious!
Definitely looking forward to returning for the full 8 course menu!

My fiancé had been following Suna’s opening for a long time. He jumped at the chance to have dinner there for his birthday a few weeks ago (his review is below, «lu d»). We had a party of four and were treated to one of the best dinners I have had.
While rich, heavy dinners have a time and place, I also enjoy a cuisine that has more reflection and thought behind it. Suna’s dishes were amazingly composed and delicious. The candied root vegetables were a favorite as was the custard and fowl. The progression of dishes works very well.
The décor is beautiful with rustic, earthy tones and exposed brick.
The menu offers a 4 and 8 course tasting menu and is worth every penny. My fiancé noted throughout the dinner how seamless the front of the house staff and kitchen worked. Our server was kind, patient and attentive, and the GM provided detailed explanations of each pairing. Both of our families are restauranteurs (Georgetown/​Union Station) and we appreciate the details Suna delivers to each guest. It’s no easy task to have everything work like a well-​oiled machine.
DC is changing. Younger chefs that respect and honor tradition are now having an opportunity to take charge. We need this. It’s a natural evolution. Suna is on the vanguard of this change. I am so glad we went here and will be back very shortly.

We were eagerly anticipating our meal at Suna and while we enjoyed it, it’s obvious that the restaurant is just starting out.
Service was friendly, knowledgeable, and attentive.
The design is fantastic for anything from a romantic dinner to a business meal to just a good casual meal with friends. Definitely take a trip to the bathroom at some point — you walk right through the kitchen where you can watch a large team work on intricate, beautiful platings. The whole place feels very connected with nature — from the recycled wood, to the plants (in lieu of cut flowers), to the ceramic dishes, to the food itself, which often resembles a scene from nature with broccoli clippings subbing for moss and microgreens for flowers.
Onto the food. We did the 8 course option.
First, the really good: the fowl course was outstanding, with excellent crispy skin, moist breast meat, and fabulous farro/​bulgar wheat, sunchokes, and broccoli that worked very well with the guinea hen. The dashi chawanmushi custard with scallops and mushrooms was fabulous as long as you got bits of the fish and vegetables with the rich custard. The dessert courses were our favorites, though. The caramelized apple ice cream with malted crumble and cilantro was a standout but the hazelnut parfait was superb as well.
Now, the not as successful: root vegetables would have been great if not for overly sweet candied celery root that threw the dish off balance (the brown butter emulsion was awesome but combined with the celery, it was almost a dessert). The mackerel and mussel courses were overly fishy and unbalanced (not enough acid in the mackerel dish, and mussels were just blech). Purple potatoes accompanying the mussels were gummy, and the whole thing was topped by a nori cracker meant, I think, to add crisp texture but the fishy taste of which only made matters worse alongside fishy mussels.
Finally, a note to the chef (s): My companion was mostly vegetarian. We alerted the restaurant when we made the reservation a few weeks ago, and they said it would not be a problem. Although the staff made it seem as though they would be happy to adapt courses for vegetarians, in practice the adaptations were woefully lacking. The vegetarian versions of many dishes were just the sides and garnishes that came with my dish, minus the protein and sauce. Subbing an onion and a leek for pork is just not ok. If you are going to act like you are veg-​friendly, you can’t fake it.
I recommend checking it out and giving Suna a chance to grow. Someday soon it may be spectacular.

Walking on 7^th street, one can easily walk past Suna. In fact, I did one evening last Wednesday, although you do so at your own peril. Located above Aqua al 2, look for the semi-​nondescript door beside it for Suna. This is, in my opinion, Washington DC’s most exciting restaurant of the moment.
The DC foodie marketing machine has leaked tantalizing tidbits over the past year of Spero’s project: the announcement of Spero’s concept, partnerships, menu focus, target launch date, and lastly the location.
In the meanwhile, many have wondered if Spero is too green to helm the kitchen of a fine dining establishment. Although he staged at Noma in Copenhagen, the world’s #1 restaurant for the past two years, and cut his teeth at the acclaimed, Townhouse, and Toki Underground; ultimately, can Spero lead his own kitchen in one of the most difficult restaurant markets? And. a 4 or 8 course tasting menu? No a la carte? The audacity!
Everyone can relax. Suna delivers. In fact, the precision of each dish reflects a restaurant well beyond its years.
My table chose the 8 course tasting menu with one diner selecting the full wine pairing. The first dish of candied root vegetables set the tone: sweet, crunchy, with a centered brown butter foam emulsion that added the perfect level of delectable richness. Had Chef served this one dish for the remaining 7, I would have welcomed it with open arms.
Suna’s menu focus is the antithesis of traditional elevated DC cuisine. A bold, risky move, but one to be applauded. It doesn’t hide behind thick sauces or large portions. It doesn’t need to. Spero’s flavors are bold, direct and clean, even in the proteins of gorgeous fowl and pork. It opens the diner to new techniques and flavor compositions.
A highlight was the dashi chawanmushi custard. Topped with delicate bites of scallops, the custard revealed the perfect amount of subtle salinity. With each bite, I found myself closing my eyes, transported to my childhood vacations in the outer banks of North Carolina, playing and bobbing up and down in the ocean. These brief diversions from present moment to a nostalgic past from a single bite are the ultimate compliment to any chef.
Although I selected wine by the glass, I thoroughly enjoyed their GM/sommelier’s descriptions of each pairing for my brother in law. Without a hint of pretentiousness, Sean described fun tales of how they sourced their products, why he and Spero selected each bottle, and what flavors might be enhanced with each new pour.
I had the blessing of dining very well in 2012, including two visits to Minibar. Suna is one of my top three experiences for the entire year. From the attention to detail in the ceramic dishes (think: Noma inspired), to each thoughtful dish, the staff, and décor; this is fine dining in a beautiful, relaxed rustic setting.
Welcome to DC, Suna. We’ve been waiting for you.

For a new establishment, this place has all the right fixings to be great. They have a young chef/​owner who produces several rounds of food served in ways DC hasn’t experienced yet. Overall, this was a really good meal. Out of eight courses, I enjoyed seven of them. The root veggie course and the guinea hen were my two favorite courses. The mussels served in a broth was a miss — not because it wasn’t cooked well, but the favors never came together. We made mention of this to the staff and hope upon a return visit it will be improved. As for the wine pairings, we found it interesting, but not what we expected. Overall, the pairing were fine but not a great value considering the by-​the-​glass pricing of similar pairings. Additionally, there was a beer paired with a couple of courses that was fun, but odd to see in a ‘wine’ pairing. The next time we eat here, we’ll probably just stick with doing a white glass and red glass a la carte to enjoy through the meal. Overall, it was yummy and different for DC. We’ll return and be interested to see where the chef takes things as they become well established.

I was fortunate enough to attend the soft opening and was blown away! The entire dining experience — from the atmosphere to the service and, of course, the food and drink — was unique. I really enjoyed the ambiance the reclaimed wood and handmade pottery gave. Even on the first night, they were able to accommodate me as a vegetarian! The sunchokes were my favorite dish, which went really well with the wine suggested by the sommelier. Can’t wait to go back and try out the bar space!

The décor is quaint, a lot like Little Serow, feels homey but refined. had dinner with another couple here, wine list is simple, bar/​liquor TBD, and menu offers two options. 4 courses or 8 courses.
The good: the 4 courses we had were tasty (innovative but spot on). Root veggies, then a dashi with scallops, Fowl, pork with crispy skin, and a beauftul dessert. The service was very attentive.
The Bad: NOWHERE on the menu does it ask the full table to participate in the 4 or 8 course option. It presents it as a choice. Its not, our group had different hunger levels and wanted (2) of the four and (2) of the eight course. We were looked at with disdain and informed, «They kindly ask the whole table pick one of the other». Thats a fine policy but it should be on the menu or told in advance, it caused our group to be awkward when ordering to accomodate others. We mentioned and were basically told «Tough luck»
Bottom line: the food has greta potential, but the arrogance should raise red flag. Little Serow is delightful for so many reasons, food, service, and clarity (no subs). Suna tried to mimic a little but should take note of what makes it work. Our experience was their lack of clarity hurt.
,
Will give it another try
five star food, a 3 and half star experience.

Lovely experience. Did the 8 course tasting menu with one party member eating only veggies and fish-​no problem whatsoever, the chefs easily accommodated us. Service was excellent. Zero negatives about the evening. If you enjoy gourmet tasting menus, I highly recommend Suna!

Finally someone opened a modern, tasting menu restaurant in DC and it’s EXCEPTIONAL! Johnny Spero pulls of an impressive display of aesthetically beautiful and delicious dishes that are as unique as they are dazzling. Kona Kampachi smoked over ginger tops with husk cherries and eggplant are a high point, smokey and laden with depth, as is a chawanmushi dish with sweet, perfectly plump bay scallops and caramelized maitake mushrooms and radish. His time at Townhouse and Noma, two of the best restaurants, anywhere, period, show with plates that are organic, intricate, and creative; if you’re going to be a food geek in DC, this is the restaurant to do it in!
Sperro’s time as pastry chef at the esteemed Komi are paying dividends; a hazelnut parfait with dulce de leche and cocoa/​chocolate crumble and a caramelized apple ice cream with a savory brioche crumble and cilantro are in fact two of the best desserts I’ve had in DC. Period.
While some courses do outshine others; you will walk away having had an excellent experience. Spero is 26 years old, making him extremely young to be taking on an executive chef role, however if my meal was any indication; he’s already more than prepared for it! I have no doubt that in a few years we’ll be hearing about Spero as being one of the best chefs in the district.
Trust me on this: you can’t get there fast enough.

The creators of Aqua al due have created an upscale dining room that is awesome! Very cozy, exciting and a culinary masterpiece in your neighborhood, it’s so nice to have haute cuisine on The Hill.