KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNN('s Mongolian BBQ)

Mongolian BBQ is neither Mongolian nor BBQ. Are you surprised? Yeah, I was too. Yet, the misnomer didn’t stop me from enjoying Khan’s BBQ on H Street NE.

The great thing about this type of cuisine is it’s completely customizable, allowing you to satisfy the cravings of a large group or just a couple of picky eaters. When you walk into Kahn’s BBQ, your eyes are immediately drawn to the large griddle by the front door where your food is cooked. Directly behind that is where you are given the tools to make your perfect meal.

Each person approaches the food bar and takes a bowl that can be filled to the brim with all sorts of fresh vegetables, noodles and pineapple. Then you move down the line to concoct your own sauce. You can choose to mix everything from soy sauce to mustard to teriyaki to buffalo(!) sauce and then take that along with your veggies to the griddle. The chefs behind the counter will ask you if you would like chicken, beef or shrimp and then proceed to cook your meal to order. Once it is handed back to you there is the option getting a scoop of fresh rice to eat alongside your main dish. You can grab a drink from the soda fountain, pay for your food (no more than $10) and then proceed to find a seat.

Khan’s is trying to position itself as somewhat of a sports bar with a number of gigantic flat-screens stationed around the restaurant with a well stocked bar. It is my understanding that the owners are working on a bar menu that will allow restaurant goers and bar buddies to eat without the “fuss” of making their own creation.

This restaurant is a great addition to the ever-expanding food options on H Street. Although the concept can be considered gimmicky, the food is fresh and cooked with an expert touch and the owners and made it clear that they want to be a part of the neighborhood culture. Kudos to that.

First Bite - Smith Commons

Smith Commons is named for the most ubiquitous surname in England and the US. Luckily, this new H Street restaurant is anything but common; instead it stands out from the other food options along this corridor. Chef Frederik De Pue has created a menu full of that is full of creative, yet approachable cuisine and has stocked the bar with plenty of craft beers and imaginative cocktails that can satisfy any palate.

Even though Smith Commons is the new kid on the block, they appear to operating like an old pro. We were seated for our reservation in a timely manner, even though the bar was bustling and there was a large group of people gathering around the hostess stand. The waitress seemed well versed on the menu and was happy to make recommendations.

The night we went, the kitchen was offering a limited menu because they had been open less than a week. Yet, the menu still felt more than adequate with a nice selection of appetizers, salads, a soup, entrees, various cuts of meat and sides. Both Elliot and I are suckers for macaroni and cheese. I also happen to think that it can say a lot about the quality of ingredients that are being used in the kitchen. The manchego cheese was full of flavor, and I was pleasantly surprised to find little oil at the bottom of the ramekin. Was it may favorite dish of the night? No, not really. But I do have to give the kitchen credit for doing justice to a comfort food favorite.

For our main meal Elliot ordered the half-pound burger and I opted for the wood-grilled tiger prawns. My giant shrimp were served with a watermelon and tomato chutney (the menu refers to it as a dressing, but I think it’s an inaccurate description). The shrimp were well seasoned and the “dressing” was good enough to ask for extra bread to absorb the remaining juices on the plate.

I know that a burger seems boring, especially considering the long list of places in DC where you can get a way above average version. This one absolutely stood out with the grilled portabellas and miso mayo. The meat was juicy and the brioche bun absorbed all the exceptional flavors that came from it. It was this dish that reinforced to both Elliot and I that this is going to be a great neighborhood place to watch a game while enjoying a pint and a burger.

Speaking of places to hang out, Smith Commons has 3 floors with 3 bars and 2 lounge areas. These cozy nooks will soon be serving small plates alongside the beer, cocktails and wine that they are already offering. This will be a perfect location to come on a date or with a group of lively group of friends. Though it is worth noting that you can't order every drink at every bar; some of the beer taps don't extend all the way.

And so even though Smith Commons is still in its infancy, I have a good feeling that this will quickly become one an acclaimed place to eat on H Street.

A Band"Wagon" Fan at Chuck's BBQ

A few weeks ago, Elyse asked me on a random Saturday if I wanted to go out to a new place on H Street. "Not today," I told her. "I kind of just want to stay at home." The next day, though, I was getting hungry and feeling adventurous. So I asked her if she wanted to go out to the new place then. "We can't. It's only open on Fridays and Saturdays." That got my attention.

The place in question was Chuck's Wagon, a new barbecue outfit that opened on H Street about a month ago. It's a minimal outfit, only a walk up counter with no seating provided. And though the Wagon hasn't fully settled in to its new surroundings (the former tenant's decor still lines the walls), it's already producing food well worth attention.

When Elyse and I visited this weekend, we decided to eschew sides in the hopes of eating more barbecue itself. I ordered the chopped brisket sandwich while Elyse opted for the rib sandwich; each costs $7. Our orders arrived in white foam to-go boxes (a good sign) and we headed off. When we got home, we opened our boxes to discover that while our sandwiches were on the smaller side, they looked delicious and, importantly, came on plain white bread! I was elated.

Biting into our sandwiches provided another good perspective. The meat was mildly sweet with a good balance of smoke. The ribs were coated in a sweet crust and cooked incredibly well, proven by the fact that the meat fell off the bone. The sauce wasn't necessarily my cup of tea, but I still appreciated the fact that it was barbecue sauce. (An explanatory parallel: Sierra Nevada may not be among my favorite beers, but I still acknowledge that it is beer.) The meat was a bit cooler than is customary, but we'd walked home from the restaurant before eating it, so that was to be expected. In the future, ordering a full slab of ribs or order of brisket ahead of time might be a good idea.

So while having the ability to dine in would be nice (how great would it be to have a picnic table or two on H Street during service?), I am still quite content to have located an actual barbecue place so close to the heart of the city!

ADDENDUM: As of this weekend, Chuck's Wagon appears to be extending its operating hours into the week. So if you're on or near H Street during your lunch hour, stop by!

Capital City Diner is not a Drive-In, but it is a Dive

Not far from the shadow of the Capitol, right past the Atlas District is a classic 1940’s diner that has been plopped in an abandoned used car parking lot. If you didn’t know it was there, you'd completely overlook this small, silver modular structure; if you can even call it that. Despite everything stacked against this restaurant, Capital City Diner fills a neighborhood need and goes above and beyond expectations.

I didn’t grow up on diners in Ohio, the closest things that we had were the Waffle Houses and Steak and Shake locations. Elliot grew up with a hometown favorite called Winsteads, but it wasn't really a true diner, architecturally speaking. Our friends who grew up on the East coast, however, speak of diners in hushed tones as if they are holy houses of food that need to be revered by one and all. They live for scoops of ice cream on top of fluffy waffles and slices of meatloaf served with mashed potatoes (that may or may not have come from a box).

My first trip to Capital City Diner was with Elliot and our friend Abby, who is product of New Jersey. She tells me that she grew up with a handful of diners within 10 minutes of her childhood home. To Abby, diners are a part of life, as integral to NJ life as traffic and the smell of Newark. Luckily, this old-school diner off of Bladensburg won over Abby’s NJ heart and my Midwestern one.

I knew that dinner was going to be a success from the moment we walked in the door. The place is what my dad would call “sticky,” aka it’s been lived in and loved. There was tape over rips in the cloth on the booths. Even the waffle irons look like they came out of Donna Reed’s kitchen.

I find it to be a “best practice” to ask any waiter what their favorite items are on the menu. More than likely they will be able to tell you what they personally enjoy as well as the crowd pleasing dishes that other patrons have tried. Our waiter suggested the ever popular chicken and waffles and the chicken fried steak. Abby chose to go for the steak, Elliot opted for the chicken and waffles and I decided to try Capital City Diner’s version of the BLT. Needless to say, we were a clean plate club.

The waffles had the perfect ratio of crust to fluffy insides and the chicken was seasoned to perfection, allowing it pair perfectly with the sweetness of the maple syrup. All 3 ingredients in the BLT were fresh and married wonderfully with the toasted white bread to make up the classic sandwich. Even though Abby didn’t love her collared greens, she enjoyed every last bite of the steak.

We got the bill and it came to less than $25 with tax. I don’t know how you can beat that. This diner is perfect for an easy dinner, a late night snack, brunch or just a good milkshake. Your mouth and your wallet will thank you.

Dr. Granville's Mussels

I’ve now lived in the H Street corridor (or Atlas District or NoMa or Trinidad or whatever you want to call it) for over a year. I’ve eaten my way down the street, consuming plenty of pie, pizza, Italian ice and sushi along the way. Yet I somehow have missed going to what may be H Street’s most famous establishment – Granville Moore’s.

Granville Moore’s, a gastropub, is named for a neighborhood doctor that worked pro-bono a couple times a week to care for the neighborhood’s less fortunate members. This little hole-in-the-wall has been attracting neighbors, area residents and TV cameras since it opened in 2007. The restaurant has been named one of the best restaurants numerous years in a row by both the Washingtonian and Washington City Paper. In addition to that, Teddy Folkman, the restaurant's chef, was challenged to a “throwdown” by Bobby Flay and was a competitor on the Next Food Network Star. That is a lot of publicity for a restaurant that is barely larger than my one bedroom apartment.

I went into this dining experience with high expectations and thankfully was not let down. My friend Jess and I started with the risotto cakes. The outsides were crunchy and the insides were fluffy and warm. Each bite contained all the flavors of the risotto, cheese and balsamic vinegar reduction. The portion was far from huge but - needless to say - it was a wonderful palette teaser.

Our waiter was quite knowledgeable about the menu and steered us toward his favorite mussel preparations. Unfortunately, neither of us like blue cheese (a main ingredient in Chef Teddy’s most famous preparation) so I went for the traditional marinere with white wine, garlic, herbs and butter. Jess chose the jalfrezi with onions, red peppers, tomato, coconut milk and red curry. We also got a small order of frites and one of the house-made dipping sauces. Deciding which sauce to order was a hard decision, but I think choosing the truffle aioli was the way to go.

We were both served a generous portion of mussels. The sauces they were served in were flavorful and perfect when sopped up with the soft bread. With only a few exceptions, most of the mussels were open and ready to eat. The frites had clearly been hand cut and went well with the very truffle-y aioli.

Although I chose not to try one of the many Belgian beers that fill an entire menu, I plan to return soon and take advantage of their happy hour. Monday- Thursday they offer specials on mussels from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., leaving a few extra dollars in my pocket for a beer.

Straight Outta Philly

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I am a Mid-Westerner. I grew up learned what cornfields looked like by driving past them on long car trips. Trains were things that carried freight, not people. My idea of a quick meal was Skyline chili or a Chicago hotdog. Yet, my friends from the East Coast lovingly spoke of their eight-lane highways, train rides, New York style pizza and Philadelphia hoagies – things that I knew of in a mythical way.


Recently, I was introduced to Taylor Gourmet, a hoagie shop that was opened by two former residents of Philadelphia who now live inside the Beltway. They missed their beloved hoagies so much that it seemed almost natural to introduce them to District residents, myself included. I have fallen under the spell of the fresh bread (trucked in from Pennsylvania on a daily basis), the fresh ingredients and the gigantic portions.

The menu is large enough to satisfy meat-lovers and vegetarians alike. Each sandwich is named for a street in Philly, but it is far easier for me to remember the delicious components that make up the hoagie. I’m a fan of the Island Avenue (breaded chicken cutlets, arugula, pesto, brie) and the Cherry Street (house cured roast beef, brie, roasted garlic spread). Elliot salivates just thinking about the 9th Street Italian, which combines genoa salami, capicola, prosciutto and sharp provolone. He claims that this is the perfect sandwich. I think that most of the combos on the menu come pretty close, especially considering how big and flavorful they are. (Each 12 inch sub could easily feed you for 2 meals.)


Taylor Gourmet also serves fried treats such as ravioli and risotto balls. The risotto balls were a bit spicy for our taste - and not nearly as good as 2 Amy’s version, suppli - but the fried ravioli could make a terrific snack or the perfect palate pleaser prior to your meal.


Currently, you can find Taylor Gourmet locations on H Street NE and at Mt. Vernon Square, but there is a location opening in Bethesda at the beginning of September. For those of you that don’t live within walking distance of one of the locations, Taylor offers delivery within a limited area. But I can guarantee you that it is worth the trip to this Philadelphia style hoagie outpost.

Down By The River

When I tell people I live in the Northeast quadrant of the District, I have been known to get some funny looks. Yes, Northwest is the best known and considered to be the "safest" part of the city, but I am mere blocks from the capitol building and I feel plenty safe.

Michael Landrum of Ray's Hell Burger fame wants to help shatter that misconception, and he decided not to just talk the talk but to also walk the walk. After going through many concepts, Landrum opened Ray’s the Steaks at East River in Ward 7, with the hope of employing people from the community and feeding good, honest, well-priced food to everyone else.
Although Ray’s bills itself as a steak house, this isn’t your senator’s Capital Grille. The prices are extremely modest, with the most expensive item topping out at $22. A party of 4 can easily eat here for well under $100 (with drinks, tax and tip) and I can pretty much guarantee that you will have days upon days of leftovers.

The menu isn’t huge, but it is also large enough that just about everybody can find something that tempts their taste buds. My eyes (and stomach) immediately gravitated toward the crab bisque. The soup came out of the kitchen piping hot with bits of crab meat floating on the top. My boyfriend pretty much died over the concept of chili mac. He says that is undeniably delicious and unbelievable balanced. The creaminess of the mac tempers the heat of the chili and complements it beautifully.

Each entrée is served with your choice of a salad and 2 sides, and all of them could have come right out of your southern grandmother’s kitchen. They include sweet potato fries, cole slaw, baked potato and the fresh vegetable of the day. Each side and entree comes on its own plate, allowing the flavors of each individual dish to be showcased. All of the main dishes could be considered a home run. Each prime rib slice was oozing with juices that capture all of the delicious flavors that were already in the meat, but waiting to be discovered. Each steak that comes out of the kitchen will make you wonder why anyone ever paid over $20 for a good piece of meat that is over 5 oz. The portions served at Ray's are HUGE, giving you yet another reason to think that Granny is back in the kitchen and scheming to fatten you up before you leave her house.

I had few complaints about our evening or our service (especially knowing that this was the first restaurant job that many of the servers have had), but the number of extra serving plates does prevent an issue when it comes to room on the table. Ketchup bottles and water glasses are shoved to the windowsill and quickly forgotten, especially when there is food on the plates to be devoured.

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Ice Ice Baby

I'm not from the east coast. I'm just a good ol' midwesterner who knows and loves her ice cream Yet, when I moved out to DC I kept hearing about this mythical thing known as "water ice" from all of my friends from New Jersey and Philadelphia. I found the term to be a bit repetitively redundant considering water that is frozen is ice, but then again what do I know.

Well, last week a Rita's Water Ice opened just a few blocks away from me on H Street, meaning that I could no longer deny the existence of this supposedly amazing dessert. So on Monday night, after we hit 100 degrees in the District, I decided to take a little walk down the street to reward myself for surviving the heat (and give myself a reason to continue to deal with it).

Rita's first location opened in 1984 in Philadelphia, and has been expanding ever since. This small Italian ice concept has won the hearts (and taste buds) of people across the country. And, as of last night I am a convert as well. At Rita's they not only serve the Italian ice in the traditional way, they also serve it sandwiched between vanilla custard or blended with the custard. Holy gelati is that stuff good! The staff at the Rita's on H Street were friendly and helpful. I couldn't make up my mind about what to get, so the man behind the counter allowed me to try about half the flavors they had. I also was sad that they no longer had the famous "Alex's lemonade," so they gave me a coupon to come back and try it for free!

I walked away with Island Infusion (it had hints of mango, pineapple and peaches) and vanilla custard and the person I was with had the black cherry with custard. We both agreed that it incredibly refreshing while still being light on the stomach. When I threw out my regular sized cup I felt like I had just had the perfect sized summer treat.

Country Club Living

The Washingtonian recently published its annual "Best-Of" issue. There were the usual 'bests' including cupcakes, golf courses and the best tailor. As I'm sure you can expect, I was most interested in the best places to eat. So, when skimming the magazine's pages for potential double-date locales, I took the advice of the Washingtonian readers and made a reservation for 4 at H Street Country Club.

Before the doors of H Street Country Club first opened in 2009, there was no where to play mini-golf inside the district. If you wanted to enjoy some friendly competition - and maybe some flirting - while lining up the perfect putt, you would have to get in a car, drive somewhere and probably play behind whiny kids. Luckily, that is no longer the case. At this country club you can rest assured that everyone is 21 or over, that the food will be more sophisticated than french fries and the drinks will include some adult beverages - sounds like the makings of a perfect date to me.

The creative mind behind the Mexican-influenced food is Chef Ann Cashion, a James Beard Award winner. Her fresh and authentic cuisine is executed by Pablo Cardoso. Between the four of us, we were able to sample a number of the dishes off the menu and more than a couple of the specialty drinks. (Full disclosure: we had a LivingSocial deal that helped pay for all the food that we ordered). We started with the calamari, which was battered and fried to perfection. I am not one for spicy foods, but it was a nice change of pace to have hints of chiles coming through to give the flavors a bit more depth.

The two boys at the table chose to order the lamb enchiladas for their main course, and I think both of them were about ready to leave their significant other's cooking behind for the juicy and tender meat. My good friend chose to try to Steak Tampiqueno, which was outstanding. The skirt steak was marinated with lime juice and served with all the proper 'upscale' fixings - including guacamole and rajas. Following dinner, my boyfriend commented that "the first surprise [of the evening] was that there was Mexican food on the menu in the first place. The second surprise was that it was good quality Mexican food." Yes, some of the main dishes on the menu can be a bit pricey, but they do offer happy hour specials every night weeknight and on Tuesday nights they offer $1 tacos. Not too shabby...

But what sets H Street Country Club apart (read: what makes it such an amazing place to take a date) is its Washington-inspired, indoor 9-hole mini golf course. The sites, people and jokes of the beltway are all at your feet. I honestly don't think I know a single person who doesn't enjoy a good game of mini-golf (especially if they can have drinks served to them on the course). It's a great way to hang out with a date without feeling the pressure to keep a conversation going for a full evening, but it's also a great activity to spice up an evening with your significant other or friends. A quick word to the wise - the later it gets the more crowded the course gets. I would recommend putting your name in at the "caddy shack" when you arrive and head downstairs to play some skeeball while you wait. For some, my boyfriend included, that is the most exciting thing the Country Club has to offer. They even have skeeball leagues throughout the year.

Oh - one more tip: don't forget your camera. You will want to capture the (inevitably) hilarious evening in photos so you can show your friends what a great time you had. And, lest we forget, golf is the path to enlightenment.

image: culturemob.com

Initial Review - Biergarten Haus

It's been a few years since I was in Europe but that doesn't mean that I have forgotten what it is like to sit outside and drink a pint of good beer. That's why I had been trying to wait patiently (without much luck) for the much anticipated opening of the Biergarten Haus on H Street NE.

As soon as I found out the exact opening date I called to make a reservation for Sunday evening. I had been hoping that some of the craziness from the World Cup would have died down without any games currently going on. I was also hoping that after a few days they would have a good rhythm going in the kitchen and with the staff. Well, I was wrong - extremely wrong.

When I walked in the door and gave the hostess my name she proceed to tell me that they have been unable to honor reservations because they have been unable to control the crowds. I then asked if we could sit at the table in the front window that was occupied by a tray of silverware. The hostess informed me that they needed that table and wouldn't be able to give it up. I found this to be quite surprising when I walked around the corner and saw another table occupied by more silverware. If this was a game of soccer - that would have been a yellow card.

My dining companion and I went upstairs to see if we could find seating. Instead we found drunk soccer fans who could barely stand up straight. Now, I understand that part of the fun of going to a beer garden is getting to drink the beer, but that is really no excuse for the number of people that were falling over their own two feet because they are drunk. There comes a point where any self-respecting bar tender will cut off someone when they have had too much to drink.

After wandering around we finally found 2 spots at the bar downstairs. After speaking to the bartender we come to find that not only is the kitchen closed, but their taps aren't working (everything is coming out with tons of foam) and there are only 2 types of beer that are cold. I am willing to bet that my jaw dropped because it just sounded so crazy. No food and barely any drinks at a restaurant? I think that may qualify as a red card.

The bartender had a good point - there is nowhere to go but up. I just hope that they get their act together sooner rather than later, because if they don't they will loose a lot of customers. Believe me, I'm not going to abandon a restaurant in my neighborhood after a single bad experience, but I think the management just needs to take time to train their staff a bit better, get the kitchen under control and (maybe most importantly) get more beer. This is a place that has a ton of potential so I am looking forward to them continuing to reach beyond where they are now and get back into the game.

image: frozentropics.blogspot.com / flicker: inked78

Living Dangerously

Restaurants keep popping up on H Street like tulips in the spring time. I feel like every time I turn around, there is a new place to try in the Atlas District. Believe me, I'm not complaining. Now that it is nicer out I can easily walk there, get something to eat and walk back without feeling too guilty.

The first time I heard about Dangerously Delicious Pies I was watching Best Thing I Ever Ate on the Food Network when Duff Goldman (of Ace of Cakes fame) was talking about his favorite guilty pleasure - the Baltimore Bomb. It has a sweet vanilla custard and is filled with Berger Cookies, a local Baltimore speciality. Not long after seeing that episode I found out that Dangerously Delicious was opening a location in DC, not far from my apartment. Mind you, this was back in the winter, so it has been quite some time since the original opening date. After an "elaborate maze of red tape" (courtesy of the DC government) this pie mecca is finally open for business.

Chef Rodney came up with the idea for the original Dangerously Delicious Pies 10 years ago when he realized that rock and roll wasn't going to pay the bills forever. But he realized that "pies could pay for rock and roll." The small storefront certainly is rocking. You walk in and just know that you have arrived someplace unlike any other. The temptingly luscious smells of pies and quiche waft out of the oven - bringing a sharp contrast to the many pie-and-crossbones designs that grace the interior decorations.

The shop serves sweet and savory pies which cater to all dietary needs, including vegetarians and vegans. When I was in there, I was told that there isn't a set schedule quite yet but what they make will be decided based on what the customers enjoy. If you have trouble deciding what to order the helpful staff will be more than happy to assist you. The morning that I was there they absolutely pointed me in the right direction. I walked out of there with a slice of spinach and goat cheese quiche and an oversized sliver of the Baltimore bomb.

My roommate and I thought that both kinds of pie were winners. The quiche was fluffy and seasoned to perfection, allowing the flavor of creamy goat cheese to come through. The Baltimore bomb precisely what its name suggests, d'bomb. The woman working at the shop told us that slices of it fly off the shelves almost as soon as it comes out of the oven. The crust was buttery and flakey and combined with the vanilla custard and cookies it was absolute dynamite.

Pie here isn't cheap. Slices range from $6 to $8 and whole pies can set you back almost $30, which can quickly leave a hole in your wallet. Yet, I think that you could go with a friend for lunch and order 3 slices and leave full. This isn't an everyday treat, but it is a place that deserves recognition and your patronage.

image: pul.se

Meet Me In the Piazza

It's no secret that I love Italian food. I spent a semester of college studying in Rome, which was wonderful. The downside? It affects my opinion of Italian food in the States. Every pizza, pasta and antipasti will be compared with the pizza shop around the corner from school or the trattoria down the street from my apartment.

Luckily, some of my problems may have been solved since I just discovered Toscana Cafe, which is a mere two blocks from my apartment. Toscana is owned by Daniele Catalani who came to DC from Florence about 10 years ago. When he left his post at Il Laboratorio and chose to open his own place, he brought with him the feel and taste of a true Italian restaurant to Capitol Hill.

Toscana is located in a row house on the corner of 2nd and F St NE. It's hard to miss due to the brick that has been painted yellow and orange and the line that always seems to be spilling out the door. There is no doubt in my mind that the line is there for all the right reasons. Picnic tables line the outdoor patio and the smell of fresh pasta comes spilling out the door. If you aren't drawn in by that, I don't know what else could entice you.

You may be intrigued in by smells and sights, but what you taste will bring you back again and again. The lasagna is gooey and hot out of the oven. Ground beef peeks out from all the corners. The gnocchi is fluffy... as if Italian grandmothers made it. You really can't go wrong. Just about everything that comes out of the kitchen is homemade and tastes like it's been made with love.

The restaurant also runs a swift carry-out business. They serve up perfectly-portioned pasta for less than it would cost to sit down in the restaurant itself. There are plenty of places to sit and eat around Union Station as well, making it easier to avoid the romantic atmosphere on the patio and save some money in the process if that's not what you're looking for.

images: princeofpetworth.com

A Tree Grows on H Street

Recently, a group my friends decided to spend an evening in the Atlas District, the up-and-coming neighborhood on H Street, NE. We opted to begin with dinner at the newly-opened Liberty Tree and then walking a few blocks for some Dangerously Delicious pie.

Liberty Tree was hard to spot among the construction that has overtaken H St. The only way to know that we were at the restaurant was the neon "Open" sign perched in the window. When we walked in, I was surprised at how small and intimate the space is. We were led to the only open space, a cozy table in the front of the restaurant, where the late afternoon sun was streaming in.

Immediately, I was drawn to the well-edited wine and beer list. Nothing was over $10 a glass or $30 a bottle, which I personally found very reasonable. All four of us were hungry, so we perused the small plates and appetizers and were intrigued by the potato fritters. I was not expecting to enjoy these little bites of perfection as much as I did. We ordered the potato fritters - basically mashed potatoes with bacon that were covered in panko crumbs and then fried - along with some drinks. Yummm. If you go to Liberty Tree, you must try them.

For main dishes, seafood dominated the menu. I chose to have a pizza called the Cape Cod Casino. Generally I never would have ordered a pizza concocted with clams, garlic, bacon and spinach... but it was very good. Am I daydreaming about eating it again? No. But, it was very fresh and creative. And I think Liberty Tree deserves points for that.

My dining companions ordered the lobster roll, knife and fork meatball grinder and the clams. No one was blown away by their meals, but there also weren't any major complaints... expect for our those concerning our waiter, who wouldn't stop hovering. I left that evening feeling as if Liberty Tree needs a bit more time to get into the swing of things, but that it does have the potential to turn into a solid neighborhood hangout.

Note: Dangerously Delicious was closed due to some DC red tape that they were still working out with the city. They should be opening on April 2nd barring any unforeseen circumstances.

images: tastingtable.com