My only quibble is how long it took for the esteemed chef, Peter Chang, to feed the District as superbly as he’s done over the years in his many restaurants in Maryland, Virginia and beyond.ĭishes you’ve tried in other Chinese places taste like truer, elevated versions here. No sooner did Chang Chang open in Dupont Circle last fall than it became the top spot for Chinese in Washington. Here’s why you should book a trip to either attraction: Nobody in this country is cooking Peruvian at this level, with as much dedication and craftsmanship, as Delgado.ĭreams do come true at Amazonia and Causa - his and diners’. Supplements can send your bill skyward, but even the base dinner here is as much a master class in Peruvian history and geography as celebration of one of the world’s finest pantries. The list of piscos seems endless, like the varieties of potatoes in Peru, and you have to admire priorities like the newly acquired $15,000 dryer - just for aging fish. Another course, Delgado explains the ancient practice of cooking layers of food underground over hot stones - pachamanca - as we slice into succulent Wagyu beef short ribs lapped with a reduction of black mint, beef stock and soy sauce and served with a modern whip of cauliflower. Here he is, adding liquid nitrogen to yellowtail and sweet potato, a sparkling ceviche (and a reminder he once worked for José Andrés). Here’s what I love about the fine dining: Once a parade of exquisite small bites are cleared at Causa, Delgado makes it his mission to spend as much time as possible with his audience. Throw in smart service and plush seating and you get a line outside before the door opens. The kitchen gives fresh meaning to “bar food.” Skewered salmon belly melts on the tongue a morsel of garlicky plantain topped with pork tallow becomes irresistible nigiri and hearts of palm and creamy avocado make for a fetching salad when they’re carpeted with fried plantain coins. The pisco-spirited Anticuchería, hinting of smoke and fruit, shows up in a terra-cotta vessel with spiced pineapple and a banana leaf. Here’s what I love about the bar: pretty much everything? Drinks are not just balanced, they’re beautiful. The latter - off the entrance and opening with a pristine display of fish - showcases a six-course tasting menu that your guide introduces as if it were a trip: “We’re going to touch on coastal cooking, then the Andes, and finish in the Amazon.” The former is a rakish bar and dining room with a jungle of an outdoor terrace on the rooftop and snacks including skewers. Given high prices in general, some people are opting to let others do the cooking.Ĭarlos Delgado says he wanted to “build a new way of Peruvian eating,” and that’s exactly what he’s accomplished with two restaurants under one roof in Blagden Alley, Amazonia and Causa. Sign of the times: Americans spent 20.7 percent more at restaurants than they spent on groceries last year, Axios reported last month. “We missed gathering,” says Rose Previte, owner of the spirited new Kirby Club in Fairfax, Va., where the demand for group bookings represents “a new appreciation” among diners. (Thank you, José Andrés, Peter Chang and others.)Īre dining rooms more crowded these days? It sure feels that way, judging from all the hard-to-book restaurants - and the din within. If you’ve been following my restaurant rounds in and around Washington, you know your ravenous guide has been eating a lot of baguettes, hoisting more than a few chopsticks and frequenting spinoffs of popular dining establishments. Here’s hoping you like French food, Asian flavors and brand extensions, because my spring collection of new places to eat brims with opportunities to taste the top trends of the past year or so.
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