Little Serow is still one of the hottest restaurants in DC, from Komi chef/owner Johnny Monis and partner Anne Marler. For those hoping to get a Komi experience for less dough, just note that the two restaurants are as different as famous twins Laverne Cox and M Lamar. So arm yourself with some information, and you’ll have a very pleasant meal.
- “Serow” rhymes with “sparrow,” according to the website.
- There is no phone number.
- They don’t take reservations but will text you when your table is ready.
- If you can’t handle hot peppers, think twice. Thai food is hot.
- They like to blast Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx, Depeche Mode and Peter, Bjorn and John.
- Nibble on fresh greens and sticky rice with dinner.
- Everything comes family-style, but you may not want to share.
- The green curry shrimp are bigger than your head.
- Don’t expect coconut milk on everything. This is Northern Thai.
- Unless you need the rice as a neutralizer, don’t fill up. There’s a lot of food.
- The catfish doesn’t look or taste like catfish, and I like that just fine.
- The crispy nam tok tow hu tofu with soft peanuts will blow your mind.
- There is a healthy use of lime juice.
- You’ll daydream about eating your way out of a bowl of smoky duck ped grapao.
- The whiskey ribs fall right off the bone, because they are divine and not of this world.
- The Tiffany blue walls are not adorned. They don’t have to be.
- There is soft candlelight. Bring a date.
- Don’t take photos, and certainly don’t take elaborate videos with your selfie light.
- The 7-course tasting menu is $54 per person.
- There are no substitutions, so don’t ask.
Little Serow
1511 17th Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Feature photo courtesy of Little Serow.
Mary was born and raised in New York City where her family owned restaurants. Instead of eating dirt on the playground, she ate duck blood, beef tripe and pork belly. She cut her teeth at The Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton hotels, working with Barbra Streisand, Vanessa Williams, Michael Stipe, LeVar Burton, Jane Krakowski and others. Mary founded Girl Meets Food in 2009 as a cover for her debilitating addiction to fried chicken and was named Washington Post’s “Favorite Local Foodie.” After 13 years in hospitality, she started freelance writing for USA Today, The Washington Post, Eater, Washington City Paper, and more. Today, she provides digital marketing for hospitality clients as a content creator who’s contently creating content.