19 replies to this topic

[ferment everything]

I walked by this place yesterday and it looked like they were coming along with construction/decor sort of stuff.

This was the only thing I could find about it.

1214 U St.
Anybody got more information than the link above does?

[Pat]

I walked by this place yesterday and it looked like they were coming along with construction/decor sort of stuff.

This was the only thing I could find about it.

1214 U St.
Anybody got more information than the link above does?

http://www.donrockwe...?showtopic=8283

They've been planning the opening for some time and have finished at least some of their inspections, if not all at this point. I know they have some good people working in management (from Tunnicliffs and Stoney's). I'm looking forward to it, though I don't know that I'll get there when it first opens. Unless things get the way things get, they're hoping for a quiet opening on Sunday, the 17th.

[Andrew Rose]

http://www.donrockwe...?showtopic=8283

They've been planning the opening for some time and have finished at least some of their inspections, if not all at this point. I know they have some good people working in management (from Tunnicliffs and Stoney's). I'm looking forward to it, though I don't know that I'll get there when it first opens. Unless things get the way things get, they're hoping for a quiet opening on Sunday, the 17th.

FYI here is the menu for anyone interested. If you would like to come by and look, feel free anytime. Sunday the 17th at 5pm is (as Pat already said) the scheduled opening, witha grand opening scheduled sometime in March.

APPETIZERS

Crab & Artichoke Dip
Topped with herbs Parmesan
and Provolone cheeses with brick oven flat bread $8

Fried Calamari
Served with bistro sauce $8

Ahi Tuna Tartar
Fresh Tuna loin with Asian flavor seaweed salad and
wasabi cream sauce $10

Mini Crab Cakes
Three savory broiled pieces served with cocktail sauce $9

Steamed Mussels
Prepared with white varietal wine, garlic butter and fresh herbs $9

Maryland Shrimp
Five peeled jumbo size, poached with
traditional Maryland seasonings $10

Bistro Wings
Connoisseur recipe with homemade bleu cheese sauce,
celery and carrot $8

SALADS & SOUPS

Soup of the Day
Served with crostinis $5 French Onion Soup
Topped with gruyere cheese $6

Ulah Salad
Arugula lettuce blend, pine nut herb crumb crusted gorgonzola, Portobello mushrooms and lemon vinaigrette $12

Black and Bleu Salad
Blackened beef loin steak on a bed of romaine, diced tomatoes, crumbled bleu cheese, and Caesar dressing $13

Sesame Tuna Salad
Pan-seared tuna, mixed field greens, red peppers, scallions, and mushrooms tossed in Asian dressing $13

Mediterranean Salad
Romaine, field greens, feta, grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onions, cucumbers and pepperoncini dressed in vinaigrette $10

Tex Mex Chicken Salad
Warm bread base with romaine, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and grilled chicken topped with salsa and sour cream then finished with a spiced ranch $12

Caesar Salad
Romaine lettuce, shaved Parmesan and herb roasted croutons
with creamy Caesar dressing $9
Add chicken $3
Add steak, salmon, shrimp, or tuna $5

PIZZAS

Carnivale
Mozzarella, sundried tomato Fresh basil, shaved
parmesan and prosciutto $12

Ulah
Cherry tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, fresh basil lump crab meat, topped with shaved Parmesan $14

Chicken and Artichoke
Grilled chicken, marinated artichokes, mozzarella and cream cheeses brushed with garlic infused olive oil $12

Margharita
Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced tomatoes, parmesan
cheese and fresh basil $12

Mediterranean
Kalamata olives, feta and mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes,
spinach and fresh basil $11

Ratatouille
Sautéed eggplant, tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers, zucchini, squash, topped with Mozzarella cheese $11

Make Your Own $10
Choose your base
Garlic and oil Marinara
Then your toppings 50 cents each:
pepperoni, prosciutto, sausage, bacon, Gorgonzola, Feta, shaved Parmesan, onion, red and green peppers, anchovies, tomatoes, spinach, kalamata olives, mushroom, artichoke

ENTREES

N.Y. Strip Steak
Hand cut fourteen ounce USDA choice with herb butter and
potatoes au gratin $22

Grilled Atlantic Salmon
Herb crusted, served with ratatouille and red potatoes $16

Shrimp and Scallop Linguine
Tossed in a pesto sauce with sun-dried tomatoes topped with
toasted pine nuts $18

American Paté
Homemade meatloaf and gravy served with bistro
fries and vegetables $13

Seared Tuna
Fresh loin filet served rare with tapenade and ratatouille $18

Mojito Chicken
Sautéed breast filets in a light rum sauce
with fresh mint over risotto verde $14

Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Broiled, served with bistro fries and cocktail sauce $20

Pork Chops
Double rib center cut herb marinated served with seasonal vegetable and risotto verde $18

Seasonal Ravioli
With toasted pine nuts and parmesan $14

SANDWICHES
Served with Bistro fries

Bistro Burger
Flame grilled one half pound of lean fresh ground beef with lettuce tomato, mayo and pickle $8

Turkey Burger
With lettuce, tomato, mayo, pickle and bistro sauce $8

Toppings: Cheddar, Bleu, Mozzarella, Provolone, American, Swiss, bacon, caramelized onions, mushrooms ($1 each)

Tuna Burger
Fresh Ahi tuna topped with tapenade $10

Crab Cake Burger
Jumbo lump crab cake with tartar sauce $12

Grilled Steak & Cheese
Eight ounce sliced sirloin with bleu cheese and arugula
on baguette $10

Mediterranean Panino
Fresh tuna salad, kalamata olives, marinated artichokes and
tomatoes on baguette $8

Bistro Turkey Melt
Sliced turkey, gruyere cheese and caramelized onions
on multi grain bread $8

Salmon BLT
Grilled salmon, bacon, lettuce, tomato and
Dijon on baguette $10

Vegetable Panino
Select farm fresh grilled vegetables topped with mozzarella
and pesto on baguette $8

Chicken Panino
Grilled marinated chicken breast, mozzarella and caramelized
onions on baguette $9

MTB
Fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil drizzled with
extra virgin olive oil on baguette $8

SIDES

Bistro Fries
Served with Aioli $3

Seasonal Vegetable $3

Risotto Verde
Spinach and parsley risotto $7

Potatoes Au Gratin
Thinly sliced potatoes baked with cream and shallot $3

[wjm526]

So...anyone eat here and is it any good?

[Rhone1998]

So...anyone eat here and is it any good?

I had dinner at the bar last Thursday night. It's a nice looking place, that offers a friendly and welcoming environment. As you can see from the menu above, nothing earth shattering or even particularly exciting about the offerings. The Fullers ESB on tap put a smile on my face right to start. I only tried 2 things from the menu - a crab cake appetizer, and a burger. The crab cakes were well made with little filler, but maybe a bit underspiced. The burger was a burger. Cooked the way I asked for it (nothing to sneeze at) but nothing all that exciting.

Just one visit, and I'd certainly go back and try a few other things, but my overall impression is - a nice addition to the neighborhood for a casual, good quality meal, but it's not a destination place.

[Andrew Rose]

We have been open one week now, and as with any new restaurant, we have been steadily working out the kinks.
For those of you who live around the U street corridor, thank you for your support, we are very happy to be a part of this neighborhood.

[rbh]

Was here on Saturday night with a couple friends before the Hives show at 930 Club. It's definitely a nice space. While there was a 30 minute wait for a table ~815pm, we were able to wander up to the second floor and grab a couch in the front lounge area by the windows. I don't know why the comfy couch was empty... the bars were pretty full, but none of them felt like wandering over to sit on the couch. And they served us food there. Food was good (btn the 3 of us, there was the turkey melt, the steak and cheese, and the chicken panino) but nothing that makes you go wow (or hmm). The service was very attentive, moving around tables for us and such to make it easier for us to eat on the couch. Hoegaarden on draft.

I agree with Rhone, not a destination place, but if you're in the area (which I am quite a bit), it's a great addition to the neighborhood... there aren't many places right on U Street doing this type of food... good pre-show place. Maybe even post-show.. noticed something on the web page about a late night menu with $5 after 11pm.... would also like to try brunch.

[Pat]

Tom's First Bite

[AlexC]

Hung out at Ulah for the first time last night... impressions:

- Warm and friendly staff.
- Comfortable, classy interior.
- Good variety of beers on tap.
- Unremarkable, inexpensive bar food.

For me, this will be a place to watch a game at the bar and have a beer, maybe a place to stop in for drinks when I find myself at that end of U St, but not a place that I'd go to for a dinner. I appear to be one of just a few who hold that opinion... because the place was packed with diners last night.

Alex

[MBK]

Hung out at Ulah for the first time last night... impressions:

- Warm and friendly staff.
- Comfortable, classy interior.
- Good variety of beers on tap.
- Unremarkable, inexpensive bar food.

For me, this will be a place to watch a game at the bar and have a beer, maybe a place to stop in for drinks when I find myself at that end of U St, but not a place that I'd go to for a dinner. I appear to be one of just a few who hold that opinion... because the place was packed with diners last night.

Alex

This is funny, you must've been right down the bar from me. We wound up picking Ulah last night for the pre-930 club/able to keep an eye on hoops meal. And while I thought the staff was kind and the decor inviting, I was unfortunately really underwhelmed by the food. My chicken panino was bad (flavorless, and something was off with the proportion of bread to filling), and the mojito chicken over risotto was also disappointing - flavorless "rum" sauce and the "risotto" was really just a gloppy pile of starchy rice. I wanted to like this place, and might like it just for a drink, but probably won't eat there again.

[Tweaked]

My first impression was, wow, classy considering it is across the street from Ben's Chili Bowl. Second impression was, wow, Crate&Barrel meets Pottery Barn and opened a restaurant. A hip, good looking staff...nice large bar upstairs...a couple loungey sitting areas...trendy without being tragically hip.

As you can see from the menu posted above your usual (dare I say trite) selection of tartars, crab cakes, calamari, salads and sandwiches. Certainly not treading into new culinary ground here but everything was servicable. Probably the best was the fried calamari, very tender. The sesame tuna salad was ok. The ravioli of the day (mushroom) was tasty but oddly dry even though it had been sauced squirt bottle style. We didn't try the pizza but the ones that went by looked good.

I wouldn't go out of my way to go back, but wouldn't be opposed. I think it is a nice looking place that is a decent option when dining with non-foodies or the culinary challenged, prices are reasonable.

[Joe Riley]

I visited there for the first time Saturday night and I enjoyed the following:

French Onion Soup with Gruyere $6

Grilled Steak and Cheese $11
(sliced sirloin w/bleu cheese and arugula on ciabatta)

All washed down with a Hoegaarten.

Lovely little place, I like that it has two levels (and two bars) and if I lived anywhere within that neighborhood I'm sure that I'd go there frequently. Heck, you can green-line Metro it there and it's RIGHT THERE next to the station.

Their brunch looks tasty, too.

It may not be a so-called "destination" place, but to paraphrase Terry Theise, I don't always need to be overwhelmed - sometimes I like my whelm just fine the way it is.

Ulah Bistro "whelms" me. I have no problems recommending it. Next time, I'm going to try some pizza.

[darkstar965]

Went here for the first time tonight. Overall thought it good for what it is, surprising in a few respects, more an appreciated neighborhood spot than destination, elevated bar food and good value.

1. (Not so great) Pita basket with a mustardy olive tapenade. Tapenade ok but a bit strong, pita was thick and tasted packaged.

2. (Good) Mac 'n Cheese. $8. Enjoyed this. Not at the level of Central or the other standouts but suprisingly good with al dente pasta, gouda and parmesan. A bit heavier than it needed to be but tasty.

3. (Surprisingly Good). Tuna tartare. $12. Rated by my SO who really enjoyed it. To my taste, really one of several items that drove me to modify "bar food" with "elevated." A pedestrian grade of tuna but fresh. Generous portion. Topped with avocado, cilantro.

4. (Good). Crab Cake. $12. Blue fin crab meet. Very little if any filler. Agree with a poster from 3 years ago that this could be seasoned more to boost flavor. Probably the lowest on the value scale of all we ordered. Smaller size cake.

5. (Surprisingly good). Cod cake sandwich. $11. For my money, Cathal Armstrong's Eammons in Alexandria does the best fried cod around and this doesn't rival that. But, it was fresh, flavorful, nicely white and flaky, well seasoned and paired with a fresh challah roll, some tomato marmalade and maybe tartar. Really enjoyed it. Probably the single best value on an item by item basis.

6. (Fine). Goose Island Ale on tap. Pint at $5.75. No complaints. Seemed like a pretty good beer selection between the taps and bottles but I'm not a beer expert.

7. (Just OK). Apple & berry cobbler with vanilla ice cream. To be fair, ordering this wasn't my idea and I can't really knock anything about it. The ice cream may have been house made or may have just been a better quality 3rd party product. Apples and berries were discernable and tasted as they should. Other desserts are probably more interesting but, then again, no pastry chef here.

All together for two of us with the one pint and one dessert: $56 before tax. Good value and decidedly better than most bar food I know.

[darkstar965]

Generally pleased with Ulah the last time we went in April, we bought a GroupOn and went back again tonight.

Less successful outing than our first. Beyond food, the place had more of a chaotic feel than I remembered from our last visit. Service was very friendly and patient but a bit too harried. On service, props to our waitress who dealt patiently with my sending my dinner back twice for the same reason (more below). That may have been the first time I'd ever done that but felt I had no choice. Lots more noise than I'd have expected given the place was half full and we were seated outside.

We had:

- Tuna tartare: had this last time and liked it. Very generous portion of decent quality tuna with avocado, micro greens and a mustard avocado aioli.

- Mussels: Pretty good. Plump with a nice broth and seasoning.

- Burger: Very ordinary. Cooked nicely to the requested medium. Underseasoned. Fries were served hot and crispy with a pure white garlic aioli.

- Center cut double Pork Chop: This is what went back twice before I gave up. The travesty is that it seemed like a good cut of pork but it was overcooked enough that I couldn't eat it. Too dry. Incredibly, the second attempt came back identical to the first. No trace of pink in either and simply no way I could have eaten it so it was either no dinner or get something else. I decided on the latter. After the second attempt, the waitress told us that's "how they normally serve it" (gosh, that line needs to be on a list with "still working?" and other hated server phrases) and that she'd asked the kitchen to "undercook" the second one. Sorry, dry and totally white to the core is overcooked by any accepted standard.

- Cod sandwich: This was my plan B given the pork chop setback and I couldn't justify getting a third one. I go a different way on this dish than Rocks did in his review. It was exactly as I remembered from April. Pretty hungry by this point, I went for something I thought more likely to be successful and it was: good size, flaky and moist.

Overall, a few good things and very reasonably priced across the board but too inconsistent and the chops were a big disappointment that made me feel the kitchen wasn't paying close attention to what they were doing. More inexpensive than great value when consistency and quality are considered.

[Pat]

Less successful outing than our first. Beyond food, the place had more of a chaotic feel than I remembered from our last visit.

Just a guess, but if it wasn't only a fluke of a night, this might be due to some management/staff being shifted to Station 4.

[DonRocks]

Well, Well - look who's on U Street (now those half-priced coupons you all bought are looking like a better deal!)

---


Hello,

Ulah Bistro has recently added a new Executive Chef to our team! Eddie Moran, most recently of the Sou'Wester in the Mandarin Hotel, brings an outstanding variety of experience and culinary knowledge to the table. His array of experience ranges from the Four Seasons San Francisco, Bacar Restaurant, and Cantinetta Luca on the West Coast to Mercato in Charleston, South Carolina to his current location in Washington, D.C. since 2011. We are excited that Chef Moran decided to bring his talents to Ulah Bistro. Our new menu reflects his inspirations and skills, and we hope that you will join us for dinner soon! Please visit our website at www.ulahbistro.com to get a taste of what Chef Moran has prepared for your enjoyment.

Thank you,
The Ulah Bistro Team

[mtureck]

Please visit our website at www.ulahbistro.com to get a taste of what Chef Moran has prepared for your enjoyment.

Thank you,
The Ulah Bistro Team

And yet another overblown, flash based website that can't be viewed on a iPhone or iPad. Why restaurants have websites that millions of potential customers can't see is beyond me.
Rant done.

[qwertyy]

And yet another overblown, flash based website that can't be viewed on a iPhone or iPad. Why restaurants have websites that millions of potential customers can't see is beyond me.
Rant done.

Rant extension: it's got music too, so don't get that "taste" at the office or coffeehouse.

[AlexC]

The food wasn't very good on Friday night. Overall, I think the dishes are well-conceived and I hope my experience was a case of many new dishes hitting the menu and the kitchen not yet having figured out how to do the chef's vision justice. The service was also a little wonky and uneven, with a laissez-faire waiter and an eager but not very experienced manager. Given the new chef with good pedigree and the elevated menu, I was hoping for the Ulah Bistro experience to have been upgraded. That is not yet the case.

The wood-fired octopus ($14) came as single 8" tentacle on a bed of greens. The taste and the texture were good, more creamy than chewy, but there's something about a single, uncut, nickel-wide octopus tentacle that isn't very appealing. A few quick bias cuts would have helped.

The crust of the Roasted Pork Belly Pizza ($15) was so squishy-soft and doughy that no one went back for a second piece. I've long thought the pizza at Ulah was generally undercooked, but between the wet toppings and the thick dough, this one was especially gooey and unappetizing.

The Double-cut Grilled Porkchop ($22) was cooked through and tough, a real shame because it was a great-looking piece of meat on a pretty plate with grilled peaches and a tasty mac and cheese.

The Cote de Bouef for Two ($48) was a little over, but I think this dish was the most successfully executed of those we ordered. I should have ordered it rare, went medium rare and it was decidedly medium. That being said, it was a good steak and was presented on the bone, but sliced into strips so that sharing was easy. Both the accompanying salad and smashed potatoes were simple and tasty.

The duck fat fries are thin, crisp and delicious, and I've always liked the burger at Ulah... so that's probably what I'll stick with for the next few weeks.

[Rhone1998]

Well, Well - look who's on U Street (now those half-priced coupons you all bought are looking like a better deal!)

That didn't last long. Moran is gone, according to the bartender tonight.