An Anniversary Dinner at Kinship

I still can’t believe it was eight years ago when we celebrated our engagement with a wonderful dinner at Eric Ziebold’s CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental. So it was only fitting to celebrate seven years of marriage (and two kids) with an equally excellent meal at his latest restaurant, Kinship.

We started the evening off with their lentil rasam. Prepared with roasted garlic custard, mango, coconut, and a sweet and savory tamarind broth, the rasam was terrific and rivaled Indian dishes we’ve had at local restaurants in the D.C. area.

Up next was arguably one of the best dishes you will find in the District: the Maine lobster French toast. Quintessentially indulgent and topped with a sesame mousse, the buttery lobster is worth the hefty $30 price tag (it was a special occasion, after all).

For our entrée, we decided to share the Kinship Roast Chicken. In fact, we ordered this right as we sat down since it takes an hour to cook as our waiter had informed us, and boy was it worth the wait!

First of all, this might be one of the best fine dining values in the city. For $56, you receive a beautiful whole-roasted chicken, a side of crispy roasted potatoes, a frisse salad, and the legendary Parker House rolls that first made their debut at CityZen.

But back to the chicken itself – this is the stuff that dreams are made out of. Remember the fabled Palena chicken? This is better. Incredibly juicy with an oh-so-crispy skin, you’re guaranteed to leave with leftovers. In fact, we were so full that we had to unfortunately pass on dessert. Little did we know that they would give us a wonderful complimentary treat in honor of our anniversary. It was such a nice touch and a great way to the end the evening.

It’s great to see Eric Ziebold continue his outstanding cooking at Kinship. Between the exceptional food and service, I’m so glad that Rachel and I decided to spend our anniversary dinner here. It really is one of the best restaurants going in D.C. right now.