MXDC, Chef Juan Carlos Pavlovich's Modern Mexican in the old Galileo III Space on 14th and F Street Downtown

[lekkerwijn]

Given all the recent hype about big name restaurateur/chefs coming to the DC area and the prominent location, I am going to assume that the opening of MXDC by Todd English has been quiet on purpose.  Aside from some very recent blogosphere and local media mentions over the past week around the June 19^th opening, there really hasn't been much chatter.  You'd think this restaurant sprang out of the recent 14th street sink hole- it seems to have popped up overnight.  There is also no website for the restaurant, no online menu to be found, and no owned social media presence.

MXDC is located in the space formerly occupied by Galileo III and Butterfield 9. English's team made only minor cosmetic changes to the interior of the space.  There is now a bar on the second floor and the kitchen is closed off.  The security cameras are still up.  For a place that just opened the service was efficient, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu.

The two of us had dinner there on Saturday night kind of on a whim.  I walked by on Friday and saw that it was open (I work around the corner and didn't even realize anything was going on in the space), googled and read the recent minimal commentary,  and then found an 8:30 reservation on Opentable. The restaurant was never more than 2/3 full the entire time we were there which was about 90 minutes.

Since it isn't online some details about the menu. The menu is broken up into a series of sections of small plates designed to be shared: soups, ceviches, guacamoles, quesadillas (also described as flatbreads), tacos, bocadillos (per the waiter the other stuff that didn't fit into the aforementioned categories) and family style entrees all served with rice and beans.  The menu is both seafood and vegetarian heavy.  There are also sides and desserts along  with a tequila list, beers, wine by the glass and cocktails.  Small plates ranged in price from $8 to $18. Entrees were $25 to $35. Cocktails the now standard $10 +/-. 

Here's what we ordered and some brief tasting notes:

Chips and three kinds of salsa (chipotle tomato, tomatillo jalapeno, habanero ginger):  Served to every table. The chips taste industrial. The salsas are thin and aside from the third pack relatively little heat. They're fine, nothing to write home about.  You can tell he's thinking "I could bottle these".

Crab Guacamole $14:  Crab meat, onions, a little jalapeno over oddly thin/smooth guacamole like it was made ahead in a robot coupe. Why don't they make it in a molcajete tableside? As this seems to be industry standard at this point.

Tropical Ceviche $14: Good sized portion of tuna and crab with watermelon, coconut milk, jalapeno and onions.  This was better when you got some watermelon in a bite otherwise it was just ok.

Jicama Ensalada $9: Jicama and smoked watermelon over arugula.  This could have been a lot better than it was. The smokey watermelon was really the standout.

Pork Belly Tacos $13: Three small pork belly tacos topped with some pickled onions and a cilantro sprig. A respectable dish but nothing to write home about.

Cochinita Pibil Arepas $14: Hands down this was the standout dish of the night and what you think really great Mexican food should taste like. The spice was well balanced the pork a texture perfect. The little arepa "sliders" were crispy delicious.  Only problem is that you get two per order. These are awesome.

Chocolate Semifreddo $10: Our waiter talked us into this one. We had been thinking of getting the rosemary tres leches cake. But he said he just didn't like it at all.   Semifreddo is a misnomer based on what we got (it wasn't anywhere close to frozen). A good sized bar of chocolate mousse scented with orange over a crispy dark chocolate base.  Tasty with a nice light texture.  Plating was sloppy.

Churros and Cajeta $8: My understanding is that cajeta is goat milk dulce de leche.  Having spent time in Argentina, I now make my own dulce de leche.  I wish this cajeta had that kind of thick, creamy texture instead it was warm and liquidy.  The churros come hot, S-shaped, and with a very light dusting of cinnamon and sugar.

Summer Smash Cocktail $10: Tequila, pineapple syrup, lemon, dolin blanc.  Basically a Mexican style sangria with big pieces of fruit. Sweet, but not cloying and refreshing.

Mexican Mule $12: Tequila, home brewed ginger beer, lime.  Listed as a "house bottled" cocktail this had no ginger taste to speak of nor did it come in a bottle.  If they skipped the home bottled BS and just use a good bottled product like Fentimans, this could be a really solid cocktail.

Cocoa Picante $10: Cocoa tequila, lime, agave, jalapeno water and Cointreau.  This drink is mind-blowingly good.

There is a camp who believes it isn't entirely fair to judge a place by the food produced during the first week it is open. But given the provenance of MXDC it doesn't seem entirely unreasonable to expect them to be able to hit the ground running.  Certainly the quality of service suggested a pro was running the place. Good Mexican food is deeply flavorful, complex, and soulful. Unfortunately, the flavors of the food at MXDC are muted and insipid.The food at MXDC is attractive but lacks any sort of depth, soul or personality. Not unlike the impression Todd English leaves when you see him interviewed.  It feels like he is testing out a new high end casual dining concept to take nationwide like his pub at City Center in Vegas (which is actually pretty good).  The menu screams replicable corporate concept.

I expect people will compare this restaurant to Oyamel or some of the other higher minded Mexican casual dining concepts popping up along 14th street or in Arlington. This restaurant won't compete with the likes of Oyamel. It doesn't even close to being as good nor does it have the same convivial atmosphere. Nor is this anything like what you'd get at a Rick Bayless outpost in Chicago or O'hare. I won't describe the meal as a waste of either money or calories but I see no reason to go back except to sit at the bar and get a cocoa picante cocktail and the arepas.

[zoramargolis]

Interesting that the best dish is arepas, which are Colombian (and Venezuelan), not Mexican. Another case of an American chef not bothering to spend time in Mexico before opening a Mexican restaurant?

[Rieux]

Interesting that the best dish is arepas, which are Colombian (and Venezuelan), not Mexican. Another case of an American chef not bothering to spend time in Mexico before opening a Mexican restaurant?

I thought the same thing. While I love a good Arepa, the fact that they are coming from a nominally Mexican place gives me great pause. Plus, this location is a block from the Inter-American Development Bank (where I work) - you can bet that the people who work here know where Arepas come from and will be none too pleased that they are being called Mexican!

(On a side note, for good empanadas, and rotating latin food, try to get an invite to the IDB cafeteria. Some of the food is dreck, but as they rotate through countries and cuisines, there are some truly great latin foods coming out of the kitchen. And the Pao de Queijo at breakfast is as good as any you'd get in Brasil.)

[DonRocks]

Interesting that the best dish is arepas, which are Colombian (and Venezuelan), not Mexican. Another case of an American chef not bothering to spend time in Mexico before opening a Mexican restaurant?

I read that Chef Pavlovich is a native Mexican.

[zoramargolis]

Todd English is not. Perhaps I should have said "restaurateur" instead of chef. I wouldn't be surprised if there are not some guys from Puebla in the kitchen at Bandolero, either. But it doesn't change the fact that Mike Isabella created the menu at Bandolero after visiting Mexican restaurants in American cities, not by going to Mexico.

[Kibbee Nayee]

I wasn't going to jump in on this, but I'm glad Zora did. Todd English is about as reputable at delivering a Mexican concept as Bobby Flay would be at delivering an African concept, or Paula Deen at delivering an Asian concept.

His Olives restaurant just plain sucked, give or take a rare highlight, and his television presence was cringe-worthy. I recall a woefully mis-informed 30 minute telecast of him in Israel touting all manner of Lebanese, Jordanian and Palestinian fare as genuine Israeli cuisine. Please, just make him go away....

As for Mexican, why can't we attract a Rick Bayless outpost here?

[DonRocks]

It is amazing to me that people of this caliber are talking about Todd English and Mike Isabella, as related to MXDC and Bandolero.

That's just what the PR flacks want you to talk about. You guys knock yourselves out; I'll have none of it.

[RWBooneJr]

Ouch.

[Barbara]

Ouch.

Since I prefer the guac I make to anything I've had, at any price point , I won't need to try this place. Bad Mexican food is just not worth the calories or the $$$.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Ouch.

A much-deserved bashing. Todd English is to Mexican food as Rachel Ray is to towering intellect.

[DonRocks]

It is amazing to me that people of this caliber are talking about Todd English and Mike Isabella, as related to MXDC and Bandolero.

That's just what the PR flacks want you to talk about. You guys knock yourselves out; I'll have none of it.

But, I have thought about the name.

MXDC is obviously "Mex DC."

Or is it a word play on "Ecstasy?"

What it isn't, is a legitimate Roman Numeral, despite all four characters being legitimate Roman Numerals.

However (and this is somewhat interesting), the address is 600 14th St. NW, and DC in Roman Numerals is 600.

[darkstar965]

I wasn't going to jump in on this, but I'm glad Zora did. Todd English is about as reputable at delivering a Mexican concept as Bobby Flay would be at delivering an African concept, or Paula Deen at delivering an Asian concept.

His Olives restaurant just plain sucked, give or take a rare highlight, and his television presence was cringe-worthy. I recall a woefully mis-informed 30 minute telecast of him in Israel touting all manner of Lebanese, Jordanian and Palestinian fare as genuine Israeli cuisine. Please, just make him go away....

...

It is amazing to me that people of this caliber are talking about Todd English and Mike Isabella, as related to MXDC and Bandolero.

That's just what the PR flacks want you to talk about. You guys knock yourselves out; I'll have none of it.

Fully agree on the above though might point to English as Exhibit A when explaining the term "sell out" to someone not already aware of it.  That said, I lived in Boston when he just had one restaurant, the original Olives in Charlestown.  Back then (early 90s), that place was well regarded locally by critics and others with some basis to assess good food.  That is, until it wasn't and ran afoul of the local health department...and had great fires...and eventually closed in 2013 or so, by which time, reckless and wanton expansion had long ago ensued, leaving any kind of seriousness about quality or authenticity far behind.  Sad but not so unusual.

A much-deserved bashing. Todd English is to Mexican food as Rachel Ray is to towering intellect.

I just liked this line so wanted to bump it.  

[lhollers]

Not to be a dick, but...still sucks.

Girlfriend had a $50 gift card she won from work, so we figured we'd give it a shot. Whoops.

Tuna and crab ceviche had no heat, the addition of soggy watermelon overpowered with sweetness, and the "coconut" mentioned in the description is what seemed to be a can of coconut milk (easily, and horrifyingly, similar texturally and taste-wise to mayonnaise) dumped on the fish and fruit. Hey chef? Please study this for a bit. Thanks.

Jicama salad was dressed with a cloying "orange red chili vinaigrette". Naah. It was this, with some added sugar. At least the pieces of undressed arugula were good.

Neither dish was finished.

Cochinita pibil tacos were ok - nothing offensive. That said, one can easily find throughout the DC area vastly superior, more filling tacos for less than the $11 you'll pay here.

Chilean seabass a la parilla was actually good...can't hate *everything* you order, right? Very well-cooked fish, meaty and moist, resting on a pile of charred sweet corn. Lime and smoked chili really shined through - good use of acid to help offset the rich fish. Minor quibble: $28 for (ballparking here, and erring on the side of overestimating) 4-5 oz. of fish and a cob's worth of corn. Tasty, yes, but a good value? Maybe not.

These dishes, a Pacifico on tap, and a sangria (which was, admittedly, really good) came out to $96. Absurd. Used the gift card, paid our $46, dropped a $20 bill, and got the hell out of there.

Sorry to have wasted your time (and ours) with this visit / review, but suffice to say - spending too much money on shitty food sucks, especially in a badass dining city like DC. Nothing's changed here. Skip it.

Cheers!

[The Hersch]

Hard to believe that it was nine years ago, but I shared my one encounter with a Todd English restaurant here. I'm not planning to try MXDC.

[Mark Dedrick]

Yes, Ceiba, thanks Mark. Also, not sure how well the Todd English texymexy place, MXDC, is doing across the street. I had one meal there with colleagues and was underwhelmed.

Yeah, I'm in the same building as MXDC, and I've only eaten there once and thought it was OK, but nothing special. I'm having lunch there on Friday, however, so I'll report back on my experience.

[DonRocks]

Yeah, I'm in the same building as MXDC, and I've only eaten there once and thought it was OK, but nothing special. I'm having lunch there on Friday, however, so I'll report back on my experience.

Here's a rhetorical question for everyone, which is more of a "point to ponder" rather than an actual question where I'm seeking an answer:

Why do we know, or think, that Todd English has something to do with this restaurant?

[Lydia R]

Here's a rhetorical question for everyone, which is more of a "point to ponder" rather than an actual question where I'm seeking an answer:

Why do we know, or think, that Todd English has something to do with this restaurant?

So,  here's the first line of narrative text currently at the website:

A Destination

MXDC Cocina Mexicana by Todd English offers Mexican cuisine with a modern touch. We're located on 14th St, a block from the White House and a short walk from the Washington Monument.

But, in 2013 Missy Frederick reported on a press release stating Todd English's consultancy with MXDC had "been fufilled."

I just wish the food was better.

[JPW]

Why do we know, or think, that Todd English has something to do with this restaurant?

Because the food is stacked 5 inches high?

[DonRocks]

Because the food is stacked 5 inches high?

That's Alfred Portale!

[Mark Dedrick]

Here's a rhetorical question for everyone, which is more of a "point to ponder" rather than an actual question where I'm seeking an answer:

Why do we know, or think, that Todd English has something to do with this restaurant?

Had lunch here today. Meh. Nothing was actively bad, so it remains a place that I'll go if somebody else suggest it/insists on it. But I'll never choose it myself. It's too bad that none of the three restaurants in my building are great.

[saxdrop]

Had a group dinner in the 2nd floor dining room last night. This was my first return since I had lunch there some time in the restaurant's first couple months. My general impression is exactly the same as it was (3 years ago!). So thumbs up for consistency, but as @lekkerwijn said in the thread's initial post, it just never measures up to anything, The bar was extremely busy for a Monday night - possibly spillover from the ticket line next door at The Hamilton - and the main dining room moderately busy.

On 6/23/2013 at 3:09 PM, lekkerwijn said:

Unfortunately, the flavors of the food at MXDC are muted and insipid.

Had Ensalada de Jicama, Roasted Pork Shoulder, and Margarita Pura (tequila reposada, agave, lime). Only that last item really sang.

N.B. Though others have confirmed Todd English is no longer actively involved, his book(s) and merchandise is still prominently displayed.

[StarStraf]

Having driven by MXDC a number of times and had hubby say 'we need to try that' it was a natural choice when an out of town friend wanted to meet in that area for dinner.

When we arrived Hubby went to bar to order cocktails as we waited for our third, and half way thru making the second drink they ran out of Pyrat XO Rum so instead of getting a new bottle he substituted Captain Morgans. Sorry if you are going to have the brand name in the drink name (PYRATS TREASRUE) and list the brand in the menu you should use that brand.  The drinks were un-inspired, we switched to water for diner.

Once seated we had chips and Salsa and ordered the Lobster & Corn Guacamole.  The chips were a bit oily but the salsa was pretty tasty though mild.  Either there is not much lobster and corn or we got the Traditional and it was below average guacamole being almost smooth and fairly bland. 

Pooch had the Taco mix and match, I had the Mariscada Quesadilla.  The food was good but not great, could have been at Chevy's or San Antonio and had the same quality (and better guacamole)

For some reason when I stepped away the guys ordered Tres Leches for Dessert - it was dry and bland.

Won't be going back again.

[hm212]

Hope it is better tonight than the reviews on here.  Going tonight pre Theatre (have 8pm show tickets at the National Theatre)

[The Hersch]

My one "experience" with a Todd E. establishment was wretched, trying to get a properly cooked steak in some airport place. I posted here about it years ago (q.v.). However, an "ethnic" restaurant need not be thoroughly authentic to be  good. Witness Jaleo, with spectacular food, in my meek and humble. You won't find a huge slab of ribeye sliced and served with a potato purée and a delicious, intense gravy-like sauce at a bar in Catalonia.

PS: Go to Jaleo tonight. Best restaurant in that part of town.

---

Dining near National Theatre (saxdrop)