Off the top of my head I count more than 20 restaurants within two blocks of my Woodley Park home, but I could count on one hand the number where I want to eat. Conventional wisdom has it that because the two large hotels in the neighborhood send a steady supply of one-time-only diners to restaurants here, the restaurants needn't be good to survive. So I'm happy Drew Trautmann and Jawaad Saadaoui decided to open their newest restaurant, District Kitchen, here. The team counts Sonoma on Capitol Hill and the former Mendocino Grille in Georgetown among their credits, so I'm sure I wasn't the only neighbor pressing my nose against the window waiting for them to open. The menu is largely upscale down-home food, including such items as house-made jerky, deviled country ham (it tastes like a borgasmord!), and a riff on Cincinnati-style chili with fusilli and lamb ragu. The menu changes frequently. I had a fluke dish right after the restaurant opened that included several thin pieces of seared fish stacked on top of each other and served with greens dressed with an Asian-style vinaigrette and gingered squash puree. When I returned a couple of weeks ago the fluke was gone, but scallops were served with the same sides. I opted instead for the Amish chicken "a la king" -- white and dark meat chicken cooked in a cream sauce with carrots and beech mushrooms served over grilled bread that got soggy with the sauce. This was hearty and comforting, not least because it reminded me both of my mother's chicken a la king, and of when she would serve leftover pot roast on toast with gravy, and I'd skip the pot roast entirely.
After my first meal we had the chocolate pot du creme with salted caramel whipped cream, which was delicious, though even better was the chocolate shortbread alongside it. Last time I was dying to try the German chocolate cake with coconut and pecan frosting and espresso Irish cream, but that chicken a la king didn't leave me room. Next time I'll have to go easy on the main course to try the chocolate cream cheese parfait with pecan crust and chocolate sprinkles. Chocolate sprinkles! It's as if they've been reading my diary.
Tom Sietsema is giving District Kitchen 2 stars in a review this Sunday. Here's my favorite line (in case you thought I was exaggerating above): "The light mood is surely also the result of grateful neighbors, relieved to get an alternative to all the middling menus between Dupont Circle and Cleveland Park."
District Kitchen
2606 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 238-9408
Reservations at opentable.com.
photo from http://www.districtkitchen.com
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