Ripple

Of course the big joke about the name of this restaurant for people my age is that before the wine revolution in this country, Ripple, a rotgut sold in plastic bottles, was probably the best-known wine in the country.

The wine here is certainly not rotgut, though the offerings by the glass are extraordinarily expensive, in the 12-15 range. Maybe that's what the Cleveland Park after-work market will bear. It is a bright and warm restaurant with a long, inviting bar made of colorful segments of polished tile. We came early, sat at a bar table and watched the place fill up.

We split a cheese plate for starters. Like cheese plates everywhere, the portions were very skimpy but the cheeses were good. I had the venison, which came with things like apple tahini and salted beef stems. It was tender and tasty, cooked to a nice medium rare with the emphasis on rare. Andrea had the stuffed lamb shoulder, which was also good though a little mushy for my taste. The entrees without extra sides make for a meager meal, but we like to pretend we're on a diet so that was OK.

An overall positive experience but probably overpriced for what you get. I'll go again, but won't rush back.