A photo I took while they were putting the finishing touches on the dining room
Boundary Road (414 H Street) officially opens tomorrow. I was lucky enough to attend one of their soft opening events last week. It's still early, so this is NOT a review. I went with a friend, which was great because it meant I was able to try twice as much stuff. Here's what we ordered:
To drink (all cocktails were $9):
Praha City Represent: Becherovka, Wodka Vodka, Lime, Muddled Rosemary, Ginger Beer
I really dug the ginger beer aspect. Tasty and easy to drink.
El Luchador: Tequila, Jalapeño-Lemongrass Syrup, Lime, OJ, Salt and Chipotle Powder Rim
This cocktail was my favorite. Nice and spicy, but balanced by a little sweetness. Smoky and outright delicious. I would have ordered two, except that I wanted to try other menu options.
Seelbach: Bourbon, Cointreau, Sparkling Wine, Peychaud’s and Angostura Bitters
I didn't try this one because my friend with a cold took the first sip, but she enjoyed it.
Lion’s Tail: Rye, Allspice Dram, Lime, Simple Syrup, Angostura Bitters
A good drink for winter. If you like mulled cider (or any similarly spiced beverage) you will really like this because you definitely get the allspice. That said, I didn't find it at all too sweet (and I am not a sweet drink girl).
To eat:
Endive Salad: endives and iceberg with a creamy Stilton dressing, apples, and toasted walnuts . . . $7 Very tasty. We were both big fans.
Grilled Venison: chestnut purée, spicy kale, juniper sauce . . . $22
This was really great. I was slightly apprehensive about the juniper sauce, but I ended up loving it. The meat was perfectly cooked, and we absolutely devoured the chestnut purée. Somehow even the humble kale seemed special. The serving was ample, but not huge. If you order this, you should probably get a salad, or an appetizer.
Paprika Dusted Flounder over a Spanish fishermen's stew: $20
Very good. I would definitely order this again. Perfect for cold weather, but not heavy.
The dessert sounded great, but we passed as we were both stuffed by the end of the meal.
I think this is going to be a great addition to the neighborhood. It would be good for a date, or just a nice dinner out. The setting is casual. It is family friendly in that they have highchairs, and can feed kids. There is no official children's menu, but each day they will have a child's plate that you can order.
You can see the full food menu here, and the drink menu is over at H Street Great Street.
10 comments:
Do they have a bar you can eat at?
Yep.
I tried the flounder and hanger steak on Saturday and I was really impressed. Food was great as well as the service.
Huh, We were there on Thursday also, and venison wasn't on the menu. Carlos said it hadn't come in yet. I joked that it hadn't come in because hs's a bad shot. Or maybe the had a different menu for the harvest table so they coudl try out a variety of menu items.
Rgardless, it's a great place!
Wow! Went last night for the opening and was blown away. We've been to quite a few first nights along H Street and this one blows them all away. Karlos and Brad bring a wealth of experience to this place. It did not feel like an opening night at all--the service, food, drinks, everything was to perfection. I could go on and on but it's probably just better if you try it yourself. We're lucky to have such a fine establishment close by. Welcome to the West End!
I went last night for Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, it was an underwhelming experience - small portions, kinda pricey, and some of the worst-tasting cocktails I've ever had. It also didn't help that the two entrees were had been planning to order (based on menus that had been posted on this blog) weren't actually on the menu. I will say the service was good.
1:53,
That's unfortunate. I do know that the menu changes frequently, and they may have changed thing based on sourcing availability. What food and drink did you order?
We were sort of bummed with our entrees last night as well. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails, wine, decor, salad, and service (especially the service--very knowledgeable and friendly) were all great. I ordered the flounder and though the fish filet was nice and crispy, the stew was sort of a throw-away. Like salty tomato juice with potatoes and just a dash of fresh parsley. It needed more complexity (shrimp stock, more parsley, white wine??). Our medium rare hangar steak came out so thickly charred, so it was sort of like eating charcoal. We chalked it up to "good concept, problems with execution," which are to be expected. Here's hoping they clear the execution problems up over the next month or so. NOTE: Also, try to sit in the front of the restaurant if there are tables available. The bright glare and the smoke/noise from the unnecessarily-open, crowded kitchen (they use another window to expedite food) overwhelmed the ambiance a bit in the back of the restaurant.
e. lee,
I've heard the the window to the dining room is for reservations only chef tasting seats in the future.
I like the food, the atmosphere, the attitude of the people. Went last night for Valentine's and went back tonight. Lokking forward for brunch!
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