DMV Dining

Let’s face the facts: it’s slim pickings when it comes to casual dining venues near the Kennedy Center and the adjacent Watergate complex. That is until Campono, Bob Kinkead’s fast-casual pizzeria and sandwich shop, recently opened less than two months ago.

Situated next to the James Beard award-winning chef’s full-service restaurant, Ancora (which is now closed for renovations and aims to reopen in September), Campono’s main attraction is its outstanding wood-fired pizzas. We were recently invited to sample Kinkead’s casual Italian eatery and left very impressed. Campono is serving up some seriously good pizza, and we’re here to get the good word out.

The restaurant is setup like an upscale cafeteria, where diners place their orders and pay at the counter while they wait for their made-to-order food to be served at their table. Salads are served in plastic bowls, beverages in Styrofoam cups, an abundance of plastic utensils… you get the idea. But don’t let the disposable flatware dissuade you from the cooking because Campono is not your typical downtown DC deli.

We started the evening off with their beet and goat cheese salad. Topped with fresh crumbles of goat cheese, the salad was very good, though Campono might want to implement better containers for those that opt to dine-in versus carryout.

The stars of the show, however, were the pizzas. Employing natural yeast biga (starter) and ’00” flour dough, the hand-rolled pies are cooked in a wood-fired oven at 800 degrees. The menu is divided between Rosso (tomato sauce) and Bianca (white pizza), so we tried one of each.

The first pizza we sampled was the L’Aquila. Prepared with housemade Italian sausage, broccoli rabe, mozzarella, and olives, the crust was crisp on the outside and soft in the middle without being overly chewy while the toppings were incredibly fresh and robust. And while it was more expensive than other options (pizzas range from $9 to $15), this is plenty of pizza for two people.

The same could be said for the Primavera. Topped with asparagus, favas, broccoli, leak cream, parsley, scallions, and a mozzarella blend, this is not your classic white pizza. But that’s a good thing as this was a terrific, unique combination of ingredients. Rachel enjoyed this one more while I preferred the former.

Make sure to leave some room for dessert as Campono makes all of its gelato daily in-house. The two scoops of mocha almond and strawberry sorbet made for an excellent duo of flavors and a sweet ending to a great dinner.

While there’s plenty of good pizza to be had in the District, Campono officially has the Foggy Bottom area on lockdown.

A few weeks ago, Rachel and I were trying to figure out where to eat dinner before seeing Billy Elliot at the Kennedy Center. While several restaurants in the Foggy Bottom area offered prix-fixe pre-theater menus, we weren’t necessarily looking to have a three-course dinner let alone spend over $30 per person.

We were simply looking for a venue where we could have a decent meal without breaking the bank. Rachel then suggested that we try out the newly-opened District Commons. Given its proximity to the Foggy Bottom Metro station as well as their modest prices, it made perfect sense.

Jeff Tunk’s latest venture opened back in October, and since we don’t frequent the Foggy Bottom area that much, it was an opportune time to try out the restaurant. We made our way towards the lounge area and found plenty of tables available. Even better, we made it before happy hour ended (6pm), so we were able to enjoy a couple of $4 drafts before ordering our food.

A few people suggested that we try the hot pretzel baguette, and we did just that. For only two dollars, we received a piping-hot loaf of pretzel bread, complete with their “beer mustard” butter. Warm and soft, it doesn’t get much better than pretzel bread and beer after a long day at work.

For our entrees, we decided to share the lamb sausage flatbread as well as the white mussels. The flatbread was prepared with roasted eggplant, Kalamata olives, Feta, and pomegranate molasses. The Mediterranean-style ingredients worked really well together while the crisp crust had a nice char to it.

Meanwhile, the white mussels featured house limoncello, oven-cured tomatoes, and lemon thyme cream. I enjoyed the sauce, but the overall quality of the dish fell short compared to mussel pots found at Granville Moore’s or Brasserie Beck. Then again, for only $12, you certainly get your money’s worth as it was a generous portion of mussels.

Considering that our entire meal cost under $30 for two people (excluding drinks), District Commons was exactly what we were looking for before heading down to the Kennedy Center. The food was good, the prices were modest, the atmosphere was laid-back, and the service was pleasant. For those looking for a casual dinner before a show, or just to have a few drinks for that matter, District Commons is an ideal destination.

While it has almost been a year since our New Orleans adventure, we have shockingly dined out for Cajun-style food just once since then, and that was with brunch at Acadiana. Coincidentally, a slew of new restaurants have opened up in DC offering New Orleans-style cusine within the past year. From The Cajun Experience to TruOrleans to Hot N Juicy Crawfish, the DMV has experienced a resurgence of Cajun cooking.

Because our friend was hosting a birthday party in the Foggy Bottom area, we felt it was an ample opportunity to try one of these new establishments for dinner before heading over. Bayou caught our eye only not only because of the convenient location, but also because of the appealing menu. The fact that they serve roast beef po’ boys hooked me right in.

Housed in what was formerly The Rookery, we were seated for our reservation in the restaurant’s small but homey dining room on the first floor. The interiors, adorned with purple walls and Mardi Gras masks, gave off a more authentic vibe than some New Orleans-style restaurants, making you feel like you were more in Frenchman Street than Downtown Disney.

After ordering a round of drinks for the table, which included staples such as Sazerac, Abita Amber, and a Hurricane, the waiter came by with a basket of complimentary biscuits with honey and rosemary butter. They were gone within seconds. Flaky on the outside and extremely moist inside, I regret not asking for another basket of them. They were authentically fantastic.

For our entrees, it was a no-brainer for me. I swiftly ordered The Magazine Street: a roast beef po’ boy (with debris) dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, coleslaw, and pickles, along with a side of fries and collard greens. While it was not the sandwich I fell in love with at Tracey’s in New Orleans, this po’ boy was certainly no slouch.

First of all, the combination of mayonnaise and debris gravy is one to relish while biting into the flaky, French bread. And while the roast beef stuffed inside resembled more of a brisket thanks in part to its thick slices, it was still wonderfully tender and full of flavor if not just a tad fatty. If there’s another roast beef po’ boy in DC I don’t know about or have yet to try, it will be difficult to top the one found at Bayou’s. The mayo/gravy combo is key and the kitchen got it right.

As for the sides, the fries were highly addictive due to the Cajun seasoning they throw on top while the collard greens were true to their southern roots, if not a little too vinegary.

Meanwhile, Rachel ordered the blackened catfish which was served atop a bed of dirty rice and accompanied with collard greens and green tomato chutney. The flaky white fish was well-cooked and nicely seasoned while the dirty rice was downright delicious.  She felt the greens were a little too salty for her liking, but other than that, she really enjoyed her entree.

After we finished our meals, we stayed for some more drinks which included a round of whiskey picklebacks. If you’re not familiar, it’s pretty much what it sounds like – a shot of smooth whiskey followed by a pickle juice chaser. Needless to say, Rachel was not a fan. She did, however, love the Hurricanes the bar was whipping up.

Overall, we had a really great time at Bayou. Our waitress was super friendly, the food was excellent, and the atmosphere was laid back just like the Big Easy. If we had it our way, we would have stayed throughout the entire night. It’s hard to find places you don’t want to leave, and having been to New Orleans and experienced the wondrous cuisine of the city, Bayou certainly makes you feel at home.

Having traveled the last few weekends in a row, and simply turned off to the idea of going out to dinner for Valentine’s Day along with the rest of the world, Rachel and I postponed our plans until two days after the Hallmark holiday.

It could not have worked out better.

With Groupon in hand (by far one of the better deals the website has offered), we made our way to Foggy Bottom, but not before partaking in some Happy Hour first. Kinkead’s kicked off their bar specials earlier this week, so the timing was perfect.

And how could one not resist half-priced oysters? Certainly not us. With Bass drafts for $5, a glass of their wine of the day for $8, and not to mention a very friendly bartender, it was a shame we only had a short time to enjoy it since happy hour only lasts till 6:30.

After we paid our tab, our reservation was ready and we made our way to the upstairs dining room. We started our meal off with their fresh bread basket which included some very warm and delicious pieces of cornbread, soda bread, and whole wheat.

For the first course, Rachel ordered the lobster medallions, served in an asparagus stew with a lobster “knuckle” sandwich and crispy Vidalia onion rings. While the presentation was gorgeous, it was the medallions that really stole the show. Flavorful and tender, it was hard to ration the lobster given how large the medallions were.

In fact, it might have been the dish’s only downfall as the medallions were too difficult to cut away at as we eventually wound up eating them too quickly. It might have been better if the soup was served in a shallow bowl so that one could cut the lobster instead of it being served in a deeper, smaller bowl.

The “knuckle” sandwich was a nice touch and felt like a seafood takeoff on grilled cheese and tomato soup. Rachel also had the great idea of throwing the onion rings into the broth which gave it a subtle, crunchy texture.

I went with the shrimp bisque, but had we known beforehand that Rachel’s appetizer was also primarily a soup (we overlooked that when reading the menu), I probably would have ordered something else. That’s not to say the bisque wasn’t good. In fact, it was fantastic!  Hearty but not too rich, it was the perfect dish for a winter’s eve. We just did not realize the texture of both soups would be so similar.

For our main course, I ordered the sesame seared rare tuna, served with seaweed salad, soba noodles, wasabi, and a soy dipping sauce. It turned out to be a generous portion as the tuna was perfectly cooked while the seaweed salad and noodles were fitting sides for the Asian-inspired entree. The sauce was very salty, of course, but at least it was served on the side so I could add just the right amount onto the fish.

Rachel decided to try the skate since it’s a fish she has never had before, and the crispy wing balanced out well with a lemon sabayon, grapefruit segments, and jumbo grilled asparagus. It was a beautiful presentation and she enjoyed the dish, but I could tell that she was eyeing mine more than her own. I think the sauce was a little too overpowering, and while she debated ordering the skate versus the whole black bass, the latter may have been the better choice. At least now she knows what skate tastes like.

Overall, we had a great meal, and combined with the $50 discount from Groupon, it was an even better value. Kinkead’s might be part of the “old guard” in DC, but as evidenced on Wednesday night, it has held up rather well throughout the years.

Kinkeads is located on 2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, DC.