Bethesda Flocks to Nest

With so many choices in downtown Bethesda, which restaurants keep you coming back for more? One place is Nest Wine Bar & Café. When I meet a friend for lunch, I often suggest it. If you haven’t seen Nest, it’s probably because you don’t frequent the north side of Bethesda Avenue. Nest is across from an upscale car dealership, where several small restaurants are nestled beside one another.

If you’ve been to Nest more than once, don’t be surprised if the staff remembers you. The servers are friendly and welcoming—they’ll gladly chat about the menu, Nest’s special events, or inquire about your life. It doesn’t take long to understand why this cozy neighborhood cafe was voted by Bethesda Magazine readers 2010’s Best New Restaurant and was a Top Vote Getter in 2011.

One reason I enjoy Nest at lunchtime is the volume is low, and the food is particularly female-friendly. You won’t break your diet unless you want to. They have the “Bento Box” on Monday through Friday for $9.95---three small dishes on a tray—soup, salad and a half sandwich. Although the box is awkward, it’s fun to have three choices. They also sell wines by the glass for $3 on weekdays at lunchtime.

Nest has a few mouthwatering sandwiches. My favorite is their smoked salmon, mozzarella and avocado on a soft bun. I also like to try Nest’s fluctuating “grilled cheese sandwich”--this week, it was goat cheese with raw spinach and bacon on grilled sourdough. Deliciously creamy on the inside and toasted crisp on the outside. My daughter ordered the steak and cheese sub--caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, white cheddar and tender steak—she gave it the thumbs up.

Both of us love their Caesar salad--crisp romaine, lightly dressed with shaved parmesan. My daughter raved about her French onion soup with sautéed Vidalia onions, a chunk of ciabatta and melted Swiss cheese, saying, “these onions melt in my mouth.” I can also recommend the caprese salad--a tower of fragrant yellow and red heirloom tomatoes, with soft mozzarella cheese and sprigs of basil.

Although I haven’t been to Nest for brunch, my friend Deb says this is her family’s favorite breakfast place on weekends.

In its quest to be interesting, sometimes Nest’s dishes fall short. This week, they served chilled avocado soup with a swirl of Tabasco and a dollop of yogurt. I can’t say I liked it, but it was interesting. The Sonora salad paired bitter arugula with candied pecans and honey citrus dressing; again, interesting, but not satisfying. After visiting Nashville recently and eating hearty Southern food, Nest’s menu seems like a science experiment.

Both the food menu and the wine list change regularly at Nest, so you might not find what you had last time. I loved their wagu sliders, but they’re off the menu at the moment. They also sell hearty pastas, sweet potato fries, risotto balls, fried fish and barbeque, so it’s not all low calorie food. I’ve never tried the brick oven pizzas, but I’ve heard positive reviews.

Although you’ll see a variety of folks dining here during the week, Nest’s weekend evenings are popular with a younger crowd for the live acoustic music performed on the outdoor patio from 8:30 until 11:30 pm. Nest offers craft brews on tap for $3, including Flying Dog, Stella Artois and Old Dominion Baltic Porter. They sell half price bottles of wine on Monday and Tuesday nights. “Martini Monday” includes freshly prepared Martini’s for $6, and they feature pitchers of sangria on Friday and Saturday nights.

Nest’s flagstone patio is usually pretty comfortable in summer with an awning and fans moving the air around. They fire up the heat lamps and roll down canvas covers for those cool nights. The restaurant is dark and intimate, with a few tables, a small bar and two televisions airing sports. They no longer take reservations.

By the way, last week, Nest was the site where Joey “Jaws” Chestnut, the competitive-eating champion, filmed a commercial. The servers mentioned to me that they closed down the restaurant for a few hours so Chestnut could pound some of their hot wings.

Since so many Bethesda residents claim Nest as a favorite, you might see a familiar face there. I think the owners hoped it would be a place we’d all flock to, and it is.