Eating Out in Washington, D.C.

I travel with a special GPS, better known as my voracious appetite. Good news is I married a man with the same traveling sonar. So on a quick trip to Washington, D.C., in February, we found two gems worth sharing.

A quick ride from Union Station and we were at our hotel, The Tabard Inn, located a few blocks from the White House and on a quiet street near Dupont Circle. This historic hotel comprises three joined townhouses that date back to the late 1800s—and the owners have kept the feel of that time with 40 sleeping rooms, each decorated in Victorian style. It’s probably not for those who prefer cloned modern hotel rooms, but if you want to feel that you’ve gone back in time with modern amenities, you’ll enjoy your stay. Employees say there’s a ghost who walks through walls, but we never encountered him. What we did find was an excellent restaurant hidden away on the ground floor where Washingtonians flock for breakfast, lunch and dinner—but primarily for the legendary brunch on Saturday and Sunday. (View video on right)

In warmer weather you can sit in the brick-walled garden but we sat inside in the cozy dining room, where we started with warm homemade doughnuts with vanilla-scented whipped cream (pictured left). How can you go wrong? Then I made the good choice of the quiche with smoked bacon, caramelized onion, spinach and Fontina cheese served with mixed greens. Not your usual flat piece of quiche, this was a substantial one-and-a-half inches thick and a perfect balance of smoky bacon and caramelized onions in a flaky, buttery crust. My husband had the Huevos Rancheros on house-made tortillas with two salsas, refried black beans and avocado, which came in second place, but was delicious nonetheless.  

The other notable find that makes me excited to plan another trip to D.C. was Birch & Barley near Logan Circle. Chef Kyle Bailey brings all of his talent and knowledge from his time at New York City’s Cru, Michelin-starred Allen & Delancey, and Blue Hill at Stone Barns in Tarrytown, N.Y., to his own venture.

Though wine is served, beer is the main focus. But it’s not your typical beer list: The menu, composed by beer director Greg Engert, reads like an elite wine list with more than 500 artisan beers. You can try smaller tastes or choose the chef’s menu, for which he pairs a specific beer with each course.

Lest you think it’s all about beer, the food is exceptional. The slow-roasted pork belly with kimchi cabbage, scallion pancake and pickled daikon was exceptional, as was the ricotta cavatelli with roasted pork, broccoli rabe, pine nuts and aged provolone. I also had to order the side of truffled herbed mac ’n cheese because I can’t read the words “truffle” and “mac’n’cheese” without saying “Yes, please.” We opted for Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac’s dessert tasting menu. While her homespun ice creams and sorbets were delicious and innovative, with flavors like buttermilk, cranberry and exotic spice, it was the sweet cream french toast with oatmeal ice cream, caramelized banana and smoked bacon caramel that sealed the deal.

If you want to be in on the action, grab a seat at the table bordering the kitchen. But no matter where you sit, you’ll be comfortable, treated by a supremely nice and knowledgeable staff and you’ll eat food that deserves to win awards. —Denise Shoukas

Denise Shoukas is a regular foodspring.com contributor
and is the author of foodspring’s food forager blog.

0 comments