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Stopped by Sweet Science for a coffee this morning in NoMa, and saw this on the neighboring storefront.
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Steel Plate opened recently in Brookland from the owner of Rustik. It's located on 12th between Monroe and Newton (right across the street from Smith Public Trust, which is in it's World Cup soft opening phase). +1 and I went childless last night to check it out, although it's apparently quite child-friendly (high-chairs and what not and we saw 3 kids while we were there). We didn't get to check out the upstairs, but the downstairs space is nice. A bit dark with the dark wood everywhere, but a nice long bar down the right side, booths on the left, and tables up front by the window. Exposed brick wall, Edison lights...not atypical from a lot of new openings, but I liked the space. Our server was also very friendly and helpful with suggestions. It wasn't too busy when we were there (6:30-7:30 or so on a Thursday night with maybe 6 people at the bar and 8-10 at tables). They also have HH from 5-7pm that apparently is good a the tables as well as the bar ($2 off Rose, Malbec, and draft beers). As for the food, I didn't think it was out of this world, but we definitely liked it, look forward to going back, and are very happy to have another "nicer" option in the hood. We started with the Corn Cobblets (miso butter, herbs, mojama - $4) and the Pork Cheek Tonkatsu (tonkatsu sauce, mustard greens - $8). The corn was one cob cut into four pieces and coated with the butter and seasoning. Good summer appetizer with a little twist from the miso flavor. My +1 loves miso and liked this a lot. The pork cheek was two good-sized chunks with Japanese BBQ sauce and some greens on the side. Very rich and meaty with a nice tang from the sauce. We had a hard time deciding on entrees (the waitress recommended the lamb burger and beet catsup, which wasn't up our alley, but apparently is quite good). But we ended up splitting the Sloppy Jose (pork shoulder, tomatillo sauce, chayote apple slaw - $12) with fries and the 'Shroom Ravioli (shitake, bean sprouts, broth - $14). The sandwich was large and good. We couldn't taste the tomatillo really, but the pork and sauce plus the slaw were quite tasty. And the fries were thin cut and hot and crispy. They are served with mayo here (which I believe is homemade) unless you ask for ketchup. I liked, but did not love, the ravioli. 5-6 ravioli in a well-seasoned broth topped with mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, and some other veggies, and swimming alongside ginger pearls. Definitely seemed like a good light pasta dish for the season and had some interesting flavor. We had to ask for spoons to get at the broth. Dessert might have been my favorite part of the meal. We split the Uber Chocolate Trifle (dark chocolate cake, milk pudding, hazelnut crisp - $7). Served in a stemless wine glass, this was a rich and delicious end to the meal. The hazelnut crisps (almost like a cross between rice krispies and a brittle) on top were a nice contrast to the soft cake and sauce. Other menu options included Doro Wat Wings, tots, 3 salads (charred caesar, house, and mustard green), chef's board (soft goat, cow/goat blue, and firm sheep with duck prosciutto, camel sausage, and cured catfish), lamb and lentil burger, beef burger, daily flatbread, fried chicken and dumplings, veggie hotbrown, BBQ brisket, spiced catfish, and scallops, and some other sides. Definitely some interesting sounding and eclectic dishes with most things in the $11-15 range and the most expensive being the scallops at $18. -
Opening in mid-April by self-proclaimed beer nerd Leland Estes, and maestro pizzaiolo Ettore Rusciano from Naples, Menomalé promises 20 draft beers and traditional pizza from a 900 degree oven. Even a vegan "cheese" option is promised for those who want it. A little more info here on the Brookland blog: http://brooklandaven...om/blog/?p=4988 2711 12th St NE, Washington DC -
Website They are on Amazon delivery, so I am a bit surprised the only mention is on a thread for another restaurant. We ordered one of the spiciest chicken vindaloos I have ever eaten from here. I like spicy food, normally food has to be pretty spicy for me to even register it- this was spicy. Not bad at all. We also got chicken kadai - which I really liked, it had a nice mix of chicken and veggies. We got a side of spinach- fine not special, but I like a little more veg- and some veggie samosas, which were very large, and had a nice filling. We also got some naan and kulcha- to be honest, I couldn't tell a difference and I think maybe we just got 3 naan, they weren't super light, more dense, but not bad. They delivered via Amazon very quickly inside Arlington. I would order from them again. -
I can't complain about another new restaurant opening in Brookland. Keep 'em coming! Little Ricky's is actually doing a two weekend soft opening before the general opening in December. It is on the main stretch of 12th St in Brookland (between Newton and Monroe). You can see a sample menu here. Although for the soft opening they are doing a rotating 4-course prix-fixe menu for $25 (with a couple of choices per course). I really like the restaurant's decor and layout. There are maybe 7 or 8 four-tops, 2 tall two-tops, and then perhaps 12 or so stools at the bar. Large paintings from a Cuban artist cover the walls. And they bring your check in a Cuban guidebook, which I thought was cute. We went last night, and despite a few expected new restaurant hiccups, enjoyed our experience. We had made a 7pm reservation, but they were running way behind by the time we got there. We got a seat at the bar to wait, but we didn't get seated until around 7:40. They were very nice and apologetic, bringing us each a complimentary glass of wine at the table once we were seated, and we were certainly willing to overlook something like this on one of the first nights open. Our choices last night were (What we had doesn't necessarily show up on the proposed official menu, but it sounds like they may be changing some things around): Sunday Nov 11th Pre-Fixe Menu Soup Course "“ Sopa de Marisco (fish and shrimp soup) or Caldo Gallego Soup (white bean soup) Appetizer Course - Garbanzo Refrito con Chorizo, Ham and Cheese Croquettas, or Picadillo Sliders Main Course "“ Tio Pio's Grilled Chicken, Grilled Fish of the day or Masa de Puerco (fried pork with onions) Sides "“ Black beans & rice, plus choice of 1 (Maduros, Yuca con Mojo, Tater Tots, and Grilled veggie medley) Dessert Course - Cuban bread pudding, Mango Ice Cream, or Rice pudding Between the four of us I think we tried most everything available. I really liked the Caldo Gallego Soup, which was a thick white bean soup made smoky with ham. The Garbanzo Refrito was a ridiculously large serving, and although I didn't get that much flavor from the chorizo, it was still tasty. I think the best appetizer we tried though were the Croquettas. Perfectly fried and gooey on the inside. These are on the regular menu and we would certainly get them again. Our server was the owners' brother/brother-in-law, and the namesake of Tio Pio's grilled chicken, so after explaining to us how it is cooked, he actually brought out a gratis portion for us between our soup and appetizer to share. He chargrills it with a closed lid to keep in the juices, and marinates it in Cuban spices. Then makes a sauce out of those same spices to top it. We all liked it a lot. I had the Masa de Puerco, which I thought was delicious. Hard to go wrong with fried pork. The Maduros (fried sweet plantains) were also great. Dessert was the one course that none of us loved. The Cuban bread pudding was too cold and dense. I am not a huge fan of Rice Pudding, but others thought it was ok. The mango ice cream got the best reviews (especially when the leftover fruit from the sangria carafe was poured on top). I can't speak to the authenticity of the Cuban food, but I can say that I liked it and am glad to have it in the neighborhood. The owners and servers were all very nice and friendly, the food was good, the space was lovely, and I'm looking forward to returning.
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I walked into Brookland Pint - the sibling restaurant to John Andrade's Meridian Pint and Smoke and Barrel - last night, not realizing just how much publicity it had gotten pre-opening. Well, it's safe to say, "The word got out." (#FunFacts) The bar was a mob scene, and I walked through a completely full (but not at all raucous) dining area to wash my hands. Brookland Pint has a completely co-ed restroom area, with individual, private toilet rooms for either sex, and communal sinks and hand dryers (which is very European). There are only a handful of restaurants like this in DC, and every time I come across one, I'm taken out of my element for a brief moment - I like it! Walking back to the large bar area (with a patio that was also completely full), I couldn't get a seat, so I stood and waited for my drink order to be taken. Brookland Pint has draft beer only (save for two bottled, gluten free beers), and there are fully 24 of them, all in a row, and none of them had obvious labels on the taps last night - it was remarkable that the bartenders could tell them apart, but they did. I ordered a Riot Rye (6.2% ABV, $6 for a nonic pint) by Monocacy Brewing Company in Frederick, and grabbed a stool at one of the tables near the bar. Sipping my beer, watching the Nats (who pulled out their third straight walk-off!), and waiting for a bar seat to open, I kicked myself for yet again ordering a "Rye P A," always thinking that the rye will somehow compensate for the IPA hoppiness, and it never does. I am just not a hophead, and am starting to think I have a character flaw for disliking hop-heavy beers as much as I do. With this whole "American Craft Beer movement," there really isn't much for someone like me to drink - get me to Munich, London, or Prague, please. Personal foibles aside, the Riot Rye was well-stored, well-poured, and exactly what it should have been, with a wonderfully clean, refreshing aroma - I could have just sat there and whiffed the glass, but the Nats were doing enough whiffing for me, heh, heh. Just as I finished my beer and was ready to order another, a bar seat opened up, and I nabbed it. Determined to find something malty, I ordered a 10-ounce tulip glass of 2012 Oxbow Oxtoberfest (5.5% ABV), a barrel-aged saison from Oxbow Brewing Company in Newcastle, Maine. At the same time, I ordered my dinner because I knew that the kitchen would be slammed, and things were going to be backed up (if someone told me that 750 people had walked through the door yesterday, I would believe them). Although I expected a hint of smoke from the beer, I wasn't prepared for what hit me - the beer smelled of aged ham, and although it was pleasant, I had to really work to get through the glass. I sipped, I watched the Nats go into extra innings, I sipped some more, I overheard bartenders warning customers that the kitchen was backed up with open tickets, and I sipped some more. I was thoroughly enjoying just being there, in such a vibrant setting, but I could also see that the bartenders were under duress. That makes sense, I suppose, but I would hope that customers could see and understand just how crowded they were, and there was no way for the restaurant to know this was going to happen - you don't predict crowds like this, you just can't. My meaty, ham-like beer was growing wearisome, and just as I was about to choke down my last few sips and order an Apple! Cider!, something terrible happened: my bartender - as nice as could be - came over and apologized that the food was taking so long (it really wasn't taking that long - I hadn't even noticed!). He then placed a beer in front of me, and said, "This one's on us." "Oh, you didn't have to do that," I said, "but thank you very much. Which beer is it?" "It's the one you just had." Ark. My food arrived shortly thereafter, and it was a mixture of interesting and very good - very good especially considering that I guarantee the kitchen, from a distance, looked like everyone in it had been bitten by fire ants. Some people I respect say that, while most Banh Mi in Falls Church aren't worth the trouble, the ones at Bí¡nh Mi DC Sandwich stand apart from the crowd (they don't; they're the same crap you get everywhere else). The best Banh Mi I've had in the area have been at Ba Bay (now closed) and Dickson Wine Bar, with a nod to the old Dino for their Tuscan Banh Mi which I respected, but ultimately didn't care for. At Brookland Pint, The Banh Mi ($13) with roasted pork, chicken liver páté, pickled veggies, cilantro, and chiles on a baguette, was not very authentic. Then again, neither were the ones I've had at Dickson Wine Bar or Dino, but they were honorable ... and so is this. In fact, it's not just "honorable"; it's very good, with roast pork you would actually look at (when's the last time you've dared to have a face-off with the meats in an Eden Center Banh Mi? You just don't. You eat it with the bread closed, and say to yourself, 'this is really tasty!' (And then you finish it and begin your next one - to quote Jake Parrott, "The only filling banh mi, is a second banh mi.")) The chicken liver páté is house-made, and works well in this sandwich (it's also available as an appetizer, and based on this, I would certainly recommend getting it). That said, it's something of a dominator because they spread a generous portion, and it finished longer than even the chiles did - if you like chicken liver páté, and don't mind it being at the forefront, you'll like this sandwich. The roast pork was quite fatty, but at least it wasn't processed (there's that "authenticity" thing again). With any sandwich, the diner can choose from fries, sweet potato wedges, coleslaw, or side salad, and based on my one experience, I would urge everyone to get the sweet potato wedges. They arrived at room temperature (remember, the kitchen was backed up), but the quality was clearly there, and I would be shocked to find out these weren't fresh. In fact, if these are frozen, I want to know the source so I can buy some for myself (the vast majority of sweet potato fries (not wedges; fries) you get in this area are frozen). Serve these hotter, and you have a $13 meal that I can heartily recommend to everyone except Banh Mi purists. The baguette, I believe, comes from Gold Crust Baking Company, and is not a hindrance in the least. This would have been plenty of food, but I also ordered some Deviled Eggs ($7), primarily because I was intrigued by the toppings of garam masala [NB: check menu spelling] and toasted coconut flakes. These added a kick, but not a kick in the nuts - the deviled eggs were zingy, but still within acceptable parameters. The only criticism I have (and it's one that can be easily addressed) is that they were most likely taken from the refrigerator, and hadn't thrown off their chill, but they did throw off some condensation in the form of water on the plate. I am quite certain this will not be a long-term problem. Congratulations to Brookland Pint for what was surely one of the busiest opening nights in Washington, DC history. Apparently, they hit capacity at 7 PM, and God only knows what time the crowds began to thin. At one point, late in the meal, I looked up to my bartender - busy, frazzled, and without time to even think - and said to him, "You're going to be tired when this night's over." "I'm already tired," he said.- 6 replies
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And the neighborhood joints keep coming! Brookland's Finest in WaPo Main menu Brookland's Finest FINALLY opened this past week at 12th and Jackson. From the guys who run The Pug and Solly's. We went for drinks at the soft opening last Sunday, drinks on Saturday night, and finally back for food yesterday for dinner. The space is pretty nice inside. Not huge, but maybe 6-7 4-tops and a row of 10ish 2-tops along a side bench. The bar is decent-sized, and there's a roll top to the outside with 6 additional bar seats. Once the patio is populated it'll seat about 20 I think. They're also very family-friendly - plenty of high chairs and booster seats, stroller parking outside, coloring books and crayons, etc. Great news for us since we live 3 blocks away and have a one-year old! The menu looks pretty good, but we were hoping it would be slightly cheaper (kids' meals for $6-8 seems like a lot...and all the sandwiches are $12+). Also no HH We started with the Crispy Brussels Sprouts Chips (sea salt, lemon, dill cream sauce - $4), which were addicting. A pretty good sized bowl of leaves that we think had been flash fried. Our daughter loved the dipping sauce. This would be an easy thing to order on every visit. Then we split the Colonel Burger (certified Angus beef, pickled onions, tillamook cheddar, apple wood smoked bacon, brioche bun, tempora onion rings - $14) and Baltimore Style Pit Beef Sandwich (certified Angus beef, tiger sauce, pickled ramps, brioche bun, hand cut fries - $14). Despite being overcooked beyond the requested medium, the burger was pretty tasty. The brioche left a lot of butter/grease on our hands, but was a good compliment to the burger in both flavor and not being overwhelmingly bready (it's nice to let the burger and toppings shine over a dense and dry bun). There were two GIANT onion rings served alongside that were kind of meh. I'd prefer smaller and crispier onion rings instead. The pit beef sandwich was good as well, but not outstanding. Probably should've gone with a non-beef for one of the sandwiches, but the manager talked us into this one. The fries, however, were excellent. Piping hot and crisp and obviously fresh cut. Overall I probably wouldn't travel out of my way or across the city to hit it up, but I'm certainly happy to have it a 5 min walk from my house.
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Don asked me to post this in the "Dining in Brookland" thread, but I don't think there is one, so I'm starting this (please merge if appropriate)... We've lived in the neighborhood for over 4 years now, and it is quite different than even a few short years ago. I included some of the nearby neighborhoods in this as well since what gets referred to as "Brookland' isn't always quite accurate (especially with the new Monroe Street Market development on Monroe between Michigan and the railroad tracks by 8th). I haven't been to all the places listed below, but based on Don't rankings and some of my own preferences, here's a rough order. Greater Brookland (Brookland, Catholic University, Edgewood, North Michigan Park, Woodridge) Menomalé - Authentic Neopolitan pies. Just added a nice covered awning (with roll down walls) to the patio out front that will allow them to serve a much larger audience into the cooler weather. Brookland Pint - Opened this summer from the Meridian Pint folks. Great patio and nice open feel. Just ate there for the first time yesterday for brunch and enjoyed everything. Some good stuff for kids as well. Steel Plate - Newish place on 12th from the folks at Rustik. Had a couple dinners and brunch there that were good. A little dark inside, but friendly staff and not too crowded. Brookland's Finest - Opened early in the summer from the Pug and Solly's guys. Nice patio, frequently packed, kid-friendly. Smith Public Trust - From the Smith Commons folks, more of a bar with food than a restaurant. Ecclectic decor and enormous bar. Service has been slow on my visits, but decent grub. Zeke's Coffee House - I don't drink coffee, but this stuff is supposed to be great. Roastery on Rhode Island and always has a stand at the Monroe St Market Saturday farmer's market. San Antonio Bar and Grill - decent option for Tex-Mex and margaritas. Good HH and friendly staff. Brookland Cafe - Only been once long ago and know there have been some neighborhood dust ups with the owner, but seems to stay busy. Little Ricky's - Was pretty good Cuban. Then changed to Southern. Has been "closed for the summer" and not sure if it's re-opened yet (or will). The Public Option is supposed to open up on Rhode Island (soon?) and Busboys and Poets is slated for Monroe Street Market as well. As Don mentioned, Colonel Brooks has been closed for a couple years now and the whole block is in fact bulldozed. Progress has been halted on the re-build, and not sure what restaurants are planned in that development.
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Despite a search and a look through the Dining Guide, I didn't see a thread on Colonel Brooks. I'm not 100% sure it deserves one (especially since it may not be long for this world), but since I ate there last night, and live only a few blocks away, I thought it worth posting. There's not a lot too choose from in Brookland if you want to sit down to dinner in the neighborhood (San Antonio, B Cafe, Colonel Brooks), so this place is usually pretty busy on both weeknights and weekends. Service is frequently quite slow, although usually pretty friendly. After 4-5 dinners there, I have to recommend sticking with the appetizers, burgers, and sandwiches and more or less avoiding the entrees (the two we had were decent, but nothing we couldn't make at home). The pub grub has been pretty satisfying every time. Last night I went with the California Turkey Burger (seasoned, grilled, fresh ground turkey topped with roasted red pepper and guacamole) and my only complaint was that the burger was a little small for the oversized bun. But it was well-seasoned and the guac was a nice addition. I don't really care if the fries here are fresh or frozen because the spice they season them with is ridiculously addicting. I wasn't that hungry and still ended up polishing mine off. Yum. My +1 had their Steak & Cheese Po Boy, which was basically a normal steak and cheese but on "New Orleans French bread." The bite I had was really tasty (more brisket than normal ribeye or whatever is in steak and cheese). Our other friend had the Hickory Burger (with canadian bacon, melted cheddar cheese and bbq sauce) and seemed to like it as well. I noticed that it was even cooked to his medium rare specifications. Colonel Brooks isn't going to win any fine dining or service awards, and I do think their beer is a bit overpriced ($19 for a pitcher of Bud Light?!), but when I want to walk somewhere in the neighborhood for burger and fries, it's nice to have a decent option.
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And I am once again starting a new thread about a Brookland restaurant! Smith Public Trust (in the space that used to be The Library, Kitty O'Shea's, and something else?), is in soft opening mode in Brookland right now on 12th St between Monroe and Newton. It's a sister restaurant to Smith Commons on H. I believe the soft opening runs through the World Cup and they have a limited menu available (I've been told the menu will be about 3 times as large upon full opening). The space is pretty interesting (see pics in the link above), with exposed brick, unfinished floors, murals, mismatched vintage furniture, etc. But they do have high chairs! I went during last week's USA vs Germany game for lunch and again last night for dinner with mixed results. Service has not been great either time. The servers and the GM have been very nice, but not necessarily the most attentive. Of the food I tried, my favorites have been the Edamame Hummus, the Nachos, and the Duck Spring Rolls. The Burger looked pretty good, but I didn't taste it. It's served with super thin cut matchstick fries that were pleasantly salty and crunchy. The bite I had of the Tacos tasted good, but there was way too much liquid (the tortillas fell apart and the plate was covered with a layer of juice at the end). My friend did not care for the Ramen (although he admitted Toki and Daikaya have spoiled him). The Fried Chicken and Red Velvet Waffle were ok (the chicken was piping hot and well seasoned, but the waffle was not hot...and I would've preferred some variety instead of two drumsticks). I'm unsure if they will expand their drink menu later. They have a good selection of beers on draft and in cans, but only 4 wines to choose from, and the two whites were chardonnay and riesling (meh). At this point I don't plan to rush back, but would like to return once the full menu is unveiled.
