Dining Minis

Chris’s Charcoal Pit, 1946 West St., Annapolis; www.chrischarcoalpit.com, 410/266-5200. Greek. An Annapolis institution for more than 30 years, Chris’s has never changed the heart of its menu.

The chicken rice soup is considered legendary — some say it has medicinal benefits.

For dessert: baklava, kataifi, krema Katalana, rice pudding. — Scott Haring

Marvin, 2007 14th St. NW; www.marvindc.com, 202/797-7171. Belgian-American with Southern accents. Marvin is named for Marvin Gaye, a District native who once lived in Belgium. The dishes are imaginative and always good. Start with a terrific dish of baby back ribs or shrimp with creamy and lightly cheesy grits. Mussels are a house specialty.

The ultimate international combination: Southern-fried chicken and Belgian waffles. — Corinna Lothar

Overwood, 220 N. Lee St., Alexandria; www.theoverwood.com; 703/535-3340. American.

Executive chef Boubker “Rami” Errami takes old favorites and enhances them by adding unexpected flavor, color and presentation twists.

Service is attentive and knowledgeable without being too familiar and chatty.

Overwood is unpretentious and offers great fare at a fair price. — Gabriella Boston

L’oustalet, 302 King Farm Blvd., Rockville; www.loustaletrest.com 301/963-3400. French. The menu is ambitious; the cooking emphasizes solid bourgeois dishes with an occasional flight of fancy with spices and seasonings.

Profiteroles come as a not-so-classic-French first course: filled with avocado and crabmeat.

The menu offers a wide choice of entrees from farm and field. Desserts include a splendid souffle. — Corinna Lothar

Greystone Grill, 200 Westgate Circle, Annapolis; www.greystonegrill.com, 410/349-5052. American.

The blue crab and roasted corn soup lives up to the medal it won at the 2006 Maryland Seafood Festival.

Steak lovers have a choice of five cuts; all meats are char-grilled at 1,800 degrees and can be topped with steak butter upon request. Seafood dishes include flavorful pecan-crusted tilapia. — Scott Haring