DMV Dining

It’s very rare that the first visit to a brand new restaurant can leave such a joyous first impression. In fact, I almost feel guilty blogging about it because I want it all to myself. Rose’s Luxury, the newest addition to Capitol Hill, is already one of my favorite restaurants. I feel confident in saying that because every aspect, from the food to the service to the atmosphere, made our evening special.

We were able to procure a table for four in the upstairs part of the restaurant without a wait on a Saturday night, something I sincerely doubt will happen anytime soon once the word gets out on this place.  I loved the cozy, unpretentious vibe of Rose’s – from the antique chandeliers hanging from the ceiling to the dining room soundtrack that featured Divine Fits. Everything just felt so homey while the crisp, autumn breeze drifted through the open windows.

Chef Aaron Silverman’s menu focuses around small plates and is broken down into several categories such as cold dishes, pasta, and grilled items. On top of that, the restaurant offers two family-style entrees to share amongst the table. What really impressed us was that nearly half of the dishes were either vegetarian or could be prepared as vegetarian-friendly (the pork sausage, for instance). Considering we had a vegetarian in our party, this was music to our friend’s ears.

Before we had even placed our order, our waiter brought over what I thought was our first dish. Instead, it was actually an amuse bouche of grilled octopus, compliments of the chef. And I should use the term “amuse bouche” loosely as this was a portion large enough to share for the entire table.  Gorgeously presented and garnished with a burnt lemon puree, the fresh octopus was a real treat.

Up next was a fresh loaf of potato bread from the kitchen. Served on antique china, which would make several appearances throughout the meal, the bread was so warm, soft, and delicious that I almost asked a second loaf. When you pair it up with the accompanying butter, which was topped with fried pieces of potato skin, it almost feels like you’re eating a loaded baked potato.  (Side note: Jessica Sidman of the Washington City Paper wrote a fantastic article on the resurgence of bread baskets in the area).

The dish that followed was Rachel’s favorite of the night: popcorn soup with grilled lobster. One of the most creative dishes we have tried this year, it’s exactly how it sounds – creamy soup that tastes like movie butter popcorn. Blended with bits of lobster, the soup was able to achieve its buttery flavor without being overpowering. Our waiter was even kind enough to provide them in separate jars as each couple was sharing their respective soup. Very nice gesture.

The burnt romaine with avocado, poblano, and Cotija cheese was another hit amongst the table. The poblano gave the charred romaine a subtle kick while the crumbled Cotija added a good amount of texture to it. I also appreciated how the kitchen was able to take something as bland as a romaine salad and transform it into such an inventive dish.

The caramelized cauliflower, which was situated under a bed of Greek yogurt and raisins and topped with breadcrumbs, was also fantastic.

After that came our first pasta dish, Cacio e Pepe, which literally means cheese and pepper. As minimalist as it gets, the execution was flawless. The homemade pasta seamlessly blended with the cheesy, peppery sauce. In fact, it was so good that we ordered a second helping of it!

Just as good was the strawberry spaghetti. Prepared with ricotta and black pepper, there was more a hint of strawberry in this dish than a burst of it, and that’s a good thing.

Then came the main event. We decided (well, at least three of us) to conclude dinner with the family-style serving of smoked brisket. Served with slices of Texas toast, pickled cabbage, and horseradish cream, the incredibly tender brisket rivaled that of barbecue you’ll find in Kansas City, or anywhere else for that matter. It was so soft that you didn’t even need a knife. And while it was a little fatty, it didn’t matter. I loved every bite of it. For $28, it’s one of the better values at Rose’s considering the generous portion as it was more than enough for the three of us.

Just when we thought we were full, our waiter ran down a trio of dessert options available, with the homemade brioche battered in cinnamon toast ice cream sounding the most tantalizing. Originally topped with foie gras, our waiter was able to take it off for half the price so that all four of us could share it.  Instead, it was topped with the cinnamon toast ice cream. And yes, it was just as amazing as it sounded.

As for the service, it was impeccable.  Our waiter was not only very knowledgeable about the menu but also had a great personality to boot. Everyone was so warm and inviting, and the positive vibes kept flowing throughout the evening. Each and every one of us was very happy not only with the meal, but also the overall experience. It’s hard to find a flaw in Rose’s Luxury, and considering they have only been open less than a month, that is pretty darn impressive.

A few weeks ago, my friend and I decided to try somewhere fun and new for dinner on a Saturday night. Lately, this seems to be easier said than done, especially if you want a reservation and don’t want to wait hours for a table.

While scanning OpenTable, the listing Maketto at Hanoi House piqued my interest. I didn’t realize that Erik Bruner-Yang of Toki Underground was doing a three-month residency there to test out the menu for his new restaurant on H Street, slated to open later this year.

The concept was $30 per person for a prix-fixe meal of seven courses, in the cuisine of Cambodian and Taiwanese food. This seemed similar to Little Serow, but with actual reservations available, and online no less. We couldn’t pass up the chance to try Bruner-Yang’s food without waiting hours for a table, so off we went!

We started out with simple udon noodles with a salted egg and a separate bowl of ponzu sauce for dipping. These were some of the freshest noodles I have tasted – thick but also light at the same time.

The second dish was called Okonomoiyaki, which was a Japanese fish cake. It was also prepared with pork belly, shrimp and some shaved mackerel on top.  It packed incredible flavor and was a great indication of what was to come. I loved how the spice gave the dish a kick but didn’t completely overwhelm it either.

The third and fourth dishes came together. The first was Prahok Kh’Tih, which was like a spicy dip blended with ground chicken and came with a side of fresh raw vegetables for dipping as well as some white rice to help soak up the sauce. I only wished there were more vegetables for us to dip with. The other dish was called Samlah Machu Kroueng, and it was a big bowl of soup with chicken wings, vegetables, and lemongrass. It was delicious, but not my favorite dish of the night.

While we were eating these two plates, the dim sum cart rolled by. We were on our way to getting full with even more food coming, but it was hard to pass up on at least trying one or two items at only two dollars a piece. We wound up ordering a steamed pork bun and a spicy corn dish that the server recommended.

Moving on, the last two savory dishes that came together were Mapo Tofu and Taiwanese fried chicken. The fermented tofu dish was probably the only one that was a little too spicy for me, so I didn’t eat too much of it. At that point, I realized that they would pack home anything we didn’t finish, so Brett got to enjoy that one later. If only I knew that with some of the other dishes, too!

The fried chicken was incredible. They were small, boneless pieces that were tender and worked wonderfully well with the accompanying dipping sauce. We both remarked how we would order the fried chicken as a separate to-go order.

Just when we couldn’t eat any more, out came dessert. I didn’t know what to expect since the dish was called Vigilante Coffee. It was actually beignets served over coffee beans and came with a foamy dipping sauce. It was the perfect ending to a fun and adventurous meal.

If our outing to Maketto was any indication for how the real restaurant will be on H Street, then DC is in for a treat and another blockbuster hit from Erik Bruner-Yang. Go while you still can – the residency ends October 31.