Remember when TBD used to publish all sorts of lists? Although that's less true now — photo galleries are the new lists! — we still have a soft spot for the form.

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We also like to dine out, which means this has been the greatest week of our brief life.*

It began on Monday, when Eater DC unveiled its inaugural edition of "the Eater 38," their list of the 38 "essential Washington restaurants." And then, today, City Paper published its own list: "D.C.'s 44 Most Powerful Restaurants." Two massive restaurant lists in one week — can you even stand it? We can!

We could frame this as Eater vs. City Paper, but their respective lists have divergent criteria. Eater's "highly elite group covers the entire city, spans myriad cuisines and collectively satisfies all of your restaurant needs, save for those occasions when you absolutely must spend half a paycheck (i.e. no Minibar, Komi and their ilk)." City Paper, meanwhile, lists "places that flex their muscles in ways ranging from culinary influence to market supremacy to televisual ubiquity."

But do the twain meet? Which is my annoying way of wondering: Is there any overlap? Well, thanks to the dutiful work of intern Michelle Moodhe, we have found that ten D.C. restaurants are considered both essential and powerful. So, basically, you can't go there unless you have precious taste buds and stare over the tops of people's heads when you're talking to them.

Here are the restaurants in which I will not be running into you:

Belga Cafe (City Paper: #42; Eater: #31)
Zaytinya (#31; #16)
Ardeo + Bardeo (#30; #28)
Birch & Barley (#29; #8)
Rasika (#19; #7)
Central Michel Richard (#17; #34)
Equinox (#16; #33)
The Source by Wolfgang Puck (#12; #35)
Ben's Chili Bowl (#9; #11)
Cashion's Eat Place (#4; #15)

(UPDATE: Eater's list is in random order. I'm going to assume City Paper's is ranked because the very expensive and beloved Minibar is #1 — that cannot possibly be random.)

*No, we can't be serious.