Grade: B+
4920 Elm St., Bethesda Metro: Bethesda 301-654-8986 $15 - $20
Students looking for a romantic restaurant should look no further than Green Papaya in Bethesda. Green Papaya specializes in Vietnamese cuisine and is endowed with an ambiance that just screams "date night."
The dishes mainly consist of Vietnamese food. Entr?es bear their ethnic names with English descriptions of what the platter entails. However, while many of the items are traditional Vietnamese meals, most of them have been spiced up with a French flair that makes them culturally palatable to famished tongues.
The selection of courses is large, with nearly five pages of appetizers and entr?es from which to choose. While many of the dishes seem to include the same ingredients, they still offer variation, so everyone involved can try something different at the table.
Green Papaya also has a great location. Located on Elm Street, the eatery sits in the middle of one of the metro area's most restaurant-saturated corners. Likewise, it is only a few short blocks from the Regal Bethesda 10 movie theater and Landmark Theatres, the nation's largest theater chain dedicated to independent films, making the restaurant a perfect place to eat either before or after a movie. It's also a short distance from the Bethesda Metro station, making it accessible to students without a car.
However, the greatest asset of Papaya is its ambiance. Nothing seems out of place, nor is any of the decor overwhelming. Dim amber lighting provides an intimate setting for romance. The walls are lined with various South Asian decorations, trinkets and a panoply of Buddha statues, landscape paintings and ornate swords. While many of the decorations aren't any different from most Asian cuisine restaurants, they set the tone and don't distract customers from their table conversations.
Other large, aesthetic fixtures complement these smaller decorations for a pleasant dining experience. A small palm tree separates several tables at the center of the restaurant, emulating the lush forests of Vietnam. Additionally, the well-stocked bar faces a waterfall, which has its own niche against a tile wall.
Unfortunately, the restaurant suffers from bad acoustics. While the visual aspects of the establishment are intimate, the close proximity of tables makes it hard for low-key conversation. Instead, diners have to resort to speaking too loudly. The music didn't fit either, as it consisted of Spanish beats in a primarily Vietnamese establishment.
The prices at Green Papaya are also prohibitive at times. Appetizers, designed for one person, cost around $5, while main courses cost $10 or more, such as a bowl of Ph?, a traditional Vietnamese noodle and soup dish. A beef and noodle dish averaged around $15. The tab for two people will probably run $40, making the dining experience a rather hefty blow to most college wallets.
Green Papaya is an excellent restaurant to bring a date to. The price, while not unaffordable, ensures that the establishment isn't for casual dining, but instead for bringing a significant other on a romantic outing. The location is superb for students looking to either catch a movie or hang out in one of the metro area's more cosmopolitan neighborhoods, and the cornucopia of other establishments surrounding it make sure that no date is a bore.
