Beuchert's Saloon, 6th and Penn SE on Capitol Hill - Chef Andrew Markert Comes from PS7s

[Choirgirl21]

I'm really looking forward to trying this place. Has anyone been yet?

Thrillest article:

http://www.thrillist.com/eat/washington-dc/20003/beucherts-saloon?utm_content=feature&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Washington%20DC&utm_campaign=2.13.13%20DC:%20Beuchert%27s%20Saloon

Restaurant website

[DonRocks]

I'm really looking forward to trying this place. Has anyone been yet?

No, but I can tell you that Andrew is a *fine* cook. During his (very) brief tenure as Chef de Cuisine at Tallula, that restaurant was as good as it has ever been.

Their Twitter account doesn't lead me to believe it's quite open - do you have information to the contrary?

[Tujague]

As of noon today, the windows are still covered over with paper, so, no, not open yet.

UPDATE: EaterDC is reporting a likely soft opening sometime next week.

[Choirgirl21]

No, but I can tell you that Andrew is a *fine* cook. During his (very) brief tenure as Chef de Cuisine at Tallula, that restaurant was as good as it has ever been.

Their Twitter account doesn't lead me to believe it's quite open - do you have information to the contrary?

Don't have to tell me. I was a big fan of PS 7's.

And no information here, just assumed because the website was up and running and I didn't see anything to the contrary that it was. I am rarely early to the party on these sorts of things.

[AMarkert]

thank you all for the kind words we are still working through the last inspection and are hoping to open late next week. that is if nothing else changes between now and then. ill try to keep you posted and i look forward to having you all as guests at Beucherts Saloon.

[collije]

Good for Andrew. The place got itself some talent in the kitchen.

[lindzjax]

Stopped by during their first "soft open" night last night. Love the space which I would describe as cozy and old school. We didn't go for any of the delightful looking cocktails, but did sample a couple plates of food. Since it was literally their first night, I don't feel right reviewing the food but will say we thoroughly enjoyed. The owners were so friendly. Think this just may become a regular spot...

[Banco]

Wow. The Hill finally gets an artisan cocktail lounge like many other parts of the city. I was in last night shortly before midnight and was still able to have some real food! Amazing! The pate I had and its condiments were delicious. The pate had a smoked quality to it that I really enjoyed. The drinks are expertly made and the space is gorgeous. Beuchert's took over a frame shop that did shitty work so Schadenfreude added to the pleasures of food and drink.

[RWBooneJr]

Wow. The Hill finally gets an artisan cocktail lounge like many other parts of the city.

That's not entirely true. The vibe is a bit different, but Gina Chersevani's Eddy Bar (the bar inside Hank's) has been open since last summer. Her cocktails are consistently excellent and are among the most inventive in DC. Harold Black also opened a few months ago, though I've heard more about their wacky reservation policy (now abandoned) than the actual cocktails.

[chefgunshow]

I went to one of the soft opening events and really enjoyed it. The space is cool, especially the blond wood on the ceiling and the the retro-futuristic light fixtures. Also, the open kitchen contained within an old delivery door (i think) that looks great. I had a beet salad, nicely dressed and the beets perfectly cooked (not overdone as often happens). Also had the gnocchi with lamb sauce. Gnocchi were light and sauce was earthy and delicious. They mentioned lunch was on the horizon.

Best of luck guys.

[Banco]

That's not entirely true. The vibe is a bit different, but Gina Chersevani's Eddy Bar (the bar inside Hank's) has been open since last summer. Her cocktails are consistently excellent and are among the most inventive in DC. Harold Black also opened a few months ago, though I've heard more about their wacky reservation policy (now abandoned) than the actual cocktails.

I was thinking more of dedicated lounges rather than bars in restaurants. I overlooked Harold Black because the barriers to entry have so far kept me out.

[Tujague]

I was thinking more of dedicated lounges rather than bars in restaurants. I overlooked Harold Black because the barriers to entry have so far kept me out.

Under this criteria, I think Wisdom deserves consideration, too, though, since I've never been there, I can't say for sure (or how you define "Capitol Hill" for that matter, since it's more "Hill East"). That said, I look forward to trying Beuchert's, which seems to have a more ambitious menu than most "artisanal" bars.

[Choirgirl21]

Nice review here:

http://www.thehillishome.com/2013/03/first-bite-beucherts-saloon/

[Banco]

Nice review here:

http://www.thehillishome.com/2013/03/first-bite-beucherts-saloon/

I'm glad to read this positive review. Not long after their soft opening began I started going to Beuchert's nearly every night for my customary post-performance rye Manhattan wind-down. I can tell you that no matter who happens to be making the drinks there, they are consistently good and well crafted. And because their kitchen stays open until 11 on weeknights, I've also been able to sample some of the food. On the excellent paté see above. The chicken the one time I had it was not successful (under-re-heated and not well roasted to begin with) but it sounds like they have since corrected that. Their salads have been winners: simple but inventive and carefully prepared. The fries are perfect and the charcuterie is some of the best I've had--sliced on a great beast of an antique slicer. The atmosphere is genuinely neighborly and friendly. Brendan, Nathan, chef Markert and their staff are making a great effort here and I hope they get the strong support from the neighborhood (and elsewhere) that they deserve.

[SeanMike]

Last Sunday I was down there to visit my buddy Anthony and was happy to see Brendan there as well - less happy to see that Chef Markert had cut himself right good while cutting butter!

But the charcuterie was awesome, as were the roasted marrow bones, and I got to make a mess doing a sherry bone luge afterwards. Also, the egg cream was fantastic, and now I need to go to Union Market and try one of Gina's.

[Choirgirl21]

Another review round-up:
http://dc.eater.com/archives/2013/03/25/the-early-word-on-capitol-hills-beucherts-saloon.php

And DR's Banco gets quoted.

[Banco]

Another review round-up:

http://dc.eater.com/archives/2013/03/25/the-early-word-on-capitol-hills-beucherts-saloon.php

And DR's Banco gets quoted.

Uh-Oh.

[Tujague]

Finished a major project today after months of toil for little recompense but much enlightenment, so decided to reward myself with drinks at Beuchert's. The Beltway Boy--rye, aperol, amaro, peychaud's bitters, and a spritz of absinthe--is a lovely, many-layered drink, though maybe just a tad dark for a hot day; Bob's No. 17 (vodka, blood orange, aperol, orange bitters) was more refreshing, if not as complex. Got talked in staying for supper and opted for the "low" end of the menu, which made me excited about what the "high" end might produce. The B Burger, made of Roseda dry-aged beef, was one of the best I've had, certainly the best on the Hill--the meat was deeply flavorful and juicy; the dry aging gave it a funky, spicy, almost sausage-y flavor (the bartender said they also add butter to the mix). Bob's Cumberland and Mash was a good housemade sausage topped with whipped potatoes, pickles and mustard, with a side of housemade chips. We also shared the GPod (?) fries, fresh, skin-on potatoes sitting on top of the sauce ravigote. Heavy for the weather, yes, but so good, who cares? Based on this admittedly limited sample, this looks like it could be the best new place on the Hill in a long time and by a long shot.

[goodeats]

I know this is such a minuscule thing to love, but I had a chance to try Chef Markert's hand at Monday's Taste of the Nation; I still cannot wipe the cellular memory of the loveliness of his housemade tomato jam. By far the best I've tasted! It may be a tad sweeter than normal tomato jams, but I think I could pair it with almost anything just so I can have some tomato jam....

[Banco]

Last night I had a Halibut special. Delicate and tender, the fish was served over a small bed of onion-spiked spinach with a sunchoke sauce. This was a simple but beautifully prepared dish--a cut above most of the food I have had at Beuchert's, though most of my diet there has been liquid. Brendan proudly showed off the things that are springing to life at the family farm, so the season will bring interesting things.

[Mark Dedrick]

I just wanted to quickly weigh in and say that this place is really, really good. Fantastic drinks, consistently good food, great service. Only complaints are that the seating at the bar looking into the kitchen can be really tight. But that's a small quibble. This place is fantastic.

[DonRocks]

This place is fantastic.

This was our impression as well when we went. SE Capitol Hill has itself a winner.

[DaRiv18]

One and a half stars by Seitsema, on par with The Green Pig and Boundary Road.

[Mark Dedrick]

You beat me to it. I have to say, I've quite disagreed with Seitsema recently, and definitely on this place. I think it is fantastic.

[SeanMike]

After a brunch date on Sunday, I went over to Beuchert's to harass Anthony. I overhead a dish that was oxtail sausage gravy and biscuits, or something like that?

HOLY CRAP I MUST HAVE THAT IN MY STOMACH

(PS they might be making the best Ramos Gin Fizz in town right now, and they use a mixer for it, so it comes out quickly.)

[cheezepowder]

After a brunch date on Sunday, I went over to Beuchert's to harass Anthony. I overhead a dish that was oxtail sausage gravy and biscuits, or something like that?

HOLY CRAP I MUST HAVE THAT IN MY STOMACH

You must not read the Where Did I Dine? thread. My slightly blurry photo of their oxtail gravy, lemon biscuits, and poached eggs dish is here. It wasn't oxtail sausage but plain oxtail (shards of meat accenting the rich gravy). The lemon flavor in the biscuits was an interesting twist. At first I thought it may be a mismatch, but I liked the bright lemon flavor contrasted against the creamy gravy.

(And, more on my wifi mission: I saw a wifi signal and asked if they offer wifi, but the answer was no.)

[Choirgirl21]

Curious if anyone has done the tasting menu here (or knows more about it, specifically pricing)? Can call tomorrow, but thought I'd get feedback here in the meantime.

[Choirgirl21]

Curious if anyone has done the tasting menu here (or knows more about it, specifically pricing)? Can call tomorrow, but thought I'd get feedback here in the meantime.

Answered my own question by speaking with Kirsten today and I am really excited to try this in the near future. If you are considering it, encourage calling to speak with her as the website doesn't convey exactly what they are doing. The gist is you have your choice of 5, 6, or 7 course with or without pairings of beer, cocktails, wine or some combo and you can be as specific or as flexible as you'd like about specifying what you want. Based on that, Andrew will create a menu just for your group.

[Pat]

This is a comfortable place, though the buffalo heads behind the bar sometimes freak me out a bit. I can't imagine quite what that vision would do to someone in a seriously altered state . They get to me more than the Tune Inn taxidermy, since they display such vivid expressions.

I really need to expand beyond their delicious skin-on delightfully salty french fries in the food offerings (one reason I haven't posted despite numerous visits). I'm not sure of the rationale for serving fries on top of the ravigote sauce, but, after my first experience, I now request the sauce on the side. I've also ordered the baby turnips, which I enjoyed. When I don't want a full meal, it's hard for me to figure which of the smaller things I want to order. Eventually, I'll have a full meal .

The rest of my orders have been beverages. I've gotten a few of the happy hour wines and beers, which are a good deal (especially the wines). The cocktails I've had have included a simple gin and tonic and the La Paloma, both of which were well-crafted. I also got a glass of the rose cava brut on my last visit when I requested the prosecco but they had sold out of it because of a heavy brunch business over the weekend. At first I expected it to be somewhat sweet but it was not. It grew on me as I drank it. I'd order it again. I liked that the bartender very specifically told me how much it was when she suggested it as an alternative. Both were coupes but the prosecco was considerably cheaper.

The bartenders are engaging and know their business. I've found the service mostly good. I like the feel of the place...and haven't had any buffalo nightmares yet .

[Banco]

...though the buffalo heads behind the bar sometimes freak me out a bit. I can't imagine quite what that vision would do to someone in a seriously altered state...

I speak from experience and can tell you that they assume an even more benign aspect.

[Pat]

I speak from experience and can tell you that they assume an even more benign aspect.

Well, that's a relief.

[Pat]

Well, that's a relief.

I'm still not finding the buffalo benign, but I finally branched out and tried the hamburger. It was moist and juicy and quite satisfying, the first restaurant burger I've had in a long time. I added some condiments (from ramekins of a pleasant spicy but not-too-spicy mustard and mayo, and a little bottled Heinz ketchup). I also ordered the fries, which upped the food total to $17 for a plain burger and fries. I'd maybe complain about pricing for the combo if I didn't like the fries so much (though they might have been a little on the "too" side of salty-but-not-too this trip).

Since I was full, I brought half the fries home, and they reheat better than any restaurant fries I've ever encountered. I just put them on a cookie sheet in a moderate oven for a short time, and they were fantastic. The saltiness somehow diminished with the reheating too. They were just perfect served with remaining half of my favorite sandwich from Seventh Hill, the spicy tuna.

[Pat]

I've taken to ignoring the hairy beasts.  Tonight I was tempted by the fava beans accompanying the chicken meal and so ordered it.

EAST OAKS CHICKEN

fava beans, chanterelles, chicken confit ravioli, garlic scape jus $25

 

I wish there had been more favas.  I know they're expensive, but I'd have paid more to get just more favas. It was proportional to the amount of the other ingredients, though.  I'm just greedy for favas. 

 

This was a moderate portion.  I had no trouble finishing it, but it wasn't skimpy either.  Each of the named ingredients was apparent.  Across the plate there were a couple of chunks of a small chicken that had been pan seared and then roasted.  It was juicy, moist, and delicious.  The ravioli (3?) were done exactly right.  It was a very well-composed dish.

 

There was so much juice, I requested bread.  Maybe 4-5 grilled pieces came out (for a $2 upcharge).  Perfectly crisped and slightly charred bread slices.  Worth ordering regardless of the entree, but this was killer with the chicken au jus.

 

The restaurant in back had been bought out for a private event, so that sounds pretty promising given a Monday in late July.

 

I also got a couple of glasses of rose at the $4 happy hour price.  The happy hour runs 4 - 6, but there is no food service until 5:30, so it does require a bit of planning to hit both.

[DonRocks]

I've taken to ignoring the hairy beasts.  Tonight I was tempted by the fava beans accompanying the chicken meal and so ordered it.

 

EAST OAKS CHICKEN

fava beans, chanterelles, chicken confit ravioli, garlic scape jus $25

 

I wish there had been more favas.  I know they're expensive, but I'd have paid more to get just more favas. It was proportional to the amount of the other ingredients, though.  I'm just greedy for favas. 

 

This was a moderate portion.  I had no trouble finishing it, but it wasn't skimpy either.  Each of the named ingredients was apparent.  Across the plate there were a couple of chunks of a small chicken that had been pan seared and then roasted.  The bone from the leg told me it was a small bird.  It was juicy, moist, and delicious.  The ravioli (3?) were done exactly right.  It was a very well-composed dish.

Wow, when I had roast chicken the first time I went, it was H-U-G-E.

[Pat]

Wow, when I had roast chicken the first time I went, it was H-U-G-E.

This was definitely not huge.  Given the price, I expected I wouldn't be able to finish it.  It was actually a good portion size for me personally, but I generally take home leftovers when I pay $25 for an entree.

And, thinking about it longer after the fact, I must be mistaken in what I wrote about the bone, as the roast chicken was white meat; dark meat went into the confit for the ravioli.  There was meat on a bone, though .

[Banco]

This was definitely not huge.  Given the price, I expected I wouldn't be able to finish it.  It was actually a good portion size for me personally, but I generally take home leftovers when I pay $25 for an entree.

And, thinking about it longer after the fact, I must be mistaken in what I wrote about the bone, as the roast chicken was white meat; dark meat went into the confit for the ravioli.  There was meat on a bone, though .

It sounds like they've changed this entree from when I (and Don, apparently) had it several months ago. At that time it was about a 1/4 chicken, not cut up, and disappointing because of insufficient sear. It tasted more poached than roasted, and since then I haven't risked ordering it again. But these changes sound like I should give it a try.

[Pat]

It sounds like they've changed this entree from when I (and Don, apparently) had it several months ago. At that time it was about a 1/4 chicken, not cut up, and disappointing because of insufficient sear. It tasted more poached than roasted, and since then I haven't risked ordering it again. But these changes sound like I should give it a try.

They must have changed it.  It's not called roasted chicken on the menu, just "East Oaks Chicken."  That's why I asked how it was prepared, and the bartender asked at the kitchen before describing it to me.

[DanielK]

Had a mixed experience on Saturday.

First, the drinks were excellent. My +1 enjoyed the Rose Mint Tea Julep, and I was very happy with a Tetley's English Ale served on tap at the proper temperature. Not happy that it was served in a small glass, rather than a pint glass, though.

We decided to nibble around the menu, rather than ordering mains. We ordered: Grilled Country Pate, Roasted Bone Marrow, a 3-veggie plate of Baby Turnips, Grilled Sweet Corn, and Summer Squash, and a side of Fries. The server asked if we wanted them in any specific order, and we said to let the kitchen choose. We did not think that meant bring all the food at once, which simply doesn't work on those tiny 2-top tables, and also meant that we were eating a lot of the hot food cold.

The pate was definitely the winner of the night. Great flavor and texture, lovely salad on the side, excellent tomato jam, and a really nice grilled bread.

The Bone Marrow bones were so blazingly hot, we had to steal a napkin off the next table to hold the bone to remove the marrow. Which is when we found that one of the bones was nearly empty. The accompanying bread was saturated with butter, and the parsley salad was far too bitter with nothing to balance it out. Not a winning dish.

All of the vegetables on the veggie plate, except the corn, were undercooked. The baby turnips were just full sized turnips quartered, but they cooked them like baby turnips, so they were not far past blanched. The crispy shallots were nice, though. The corn was cut into slices about 1" thick. Nearly impossible to pick up and eat, but the corn and sauce were excellent. They need to either cut the slices thicker, or shuck before serving. The summer squash had the best flavor and balance of the 3, but like the turnips, was also undercooked.

The fries were lovely, but putting the sauce on the bottom of the dish means you eat the first half of the fries sans sauce, and the second half with a fork because they were soggy. Just put the sauce in a ramekin.

I don't know if the kitchen just wasn't in the swing of things yet since we hit them right as they opened the doors, but our food experience definitely doesn't mirror that of others. We will go back some time to sit at the bar, explore the cocktail menu, and nibble, but not a lot of confidence in the full menu right now.

---

Edited July 30, 2013 by DonRocks

[Pat]

The fries were lovely, but putting the sauce on the bottom of the dish means you eat the first half of the fries sans sauce, and the second half with a fork because they were soggy. Just put the sauce in a ramekin.

After that discovery the first time, I always ask for the sauce on the side.  There must be other people complaining about it.  I don't know why they don't change the composition of the plate.

I'm pretty sure that when I had the baby turnips, they were actually halved tiny turnips and not quartered larger ones.

[Pat]

There is an Anson Mills Gold Rice and blue crab dish on the menu right now.  Order it!  I got the half portion ($15--the full might be $28, but I'm not sure).  The rice and crab appear in about equal amounts, and there's also fresh corn, maybe basil (?).  It is for some odd reason listed under "Snacks."  As I chowed down, I was regretting not getting the full portion, but I didn't want a lot of food.

To round things out, I ordered (for $7), one third of an heirloom tomato plate that was called Croque Provencal.  It was a small portion of grilled cheese with mozzarella and housemade tomato jam.  The jam was a little spicy.  I'm not sure what the ingredients in the jam were, but I liked it.

The more I eat here, the more I'm convinced that it's cut out to be a tasting menu kind of place. I'm irresistibly attracted to it, in any case .

[Choirgirl21]

I have been incredibly remiss to not post my review of the tasting menu we did here a couple of months ago. I always think of it when I'm in the office, where I don't have access to the photos I uploaded. Some day...

In the meantime, if anyone is considering it, I say do it. You are given as much or as little control over the experience as you want, which makes it a unique experience and the food was almost without exception outstanding.

[Pat]

My hunch that this would be a good place to do a tasting menu was correct.  We did the opposite of Restaurant Week for my birthday and explored the chef's 6 course ($85) tasting menu at Beuchert's.  I didn't take pictures.  I didn't take notes.  We just enjoyed our meal.  

 

Since we didn't want a lot to drink, we declined the beverage pairing and asked for suggestions just to have a couple of drinks each throughout the evening.  Nathan, one of the partners in the restaurant, was quite attentive and helpful with the drink suggestions.  We started with a Spanish sparkling rose from pinot noir grapes (which I think I've had there before).  About halfway through, I had a second (non-sparkling) rose and my husband had a smoky red from Missouri.  I found it smoky anyway, in the bit I had.  Possibly I was picking up oak or some other wood.  It went really well with the lamb course (#5).

 

Each of the courses had a whimsical name, which is supposed to help one remember what was served.  We'll see how I do.  The first course, called "Swimming in Oil," was mounds of flaked halibut that the name prompts me to think had been poached in olive oil.  There was a bit of a corn sauce plus corn, shaved radish, melon, and microbasil, I think. I thought the halibut was quite good and tasted very clean, for lack of a better word.  On the questionnaire they sent when we made our reservation, they asked if there were any seasonal vegetables we'd like to see on our plates, and I said corn and radishes, and there you are.

 

The next course, "Steak and Cheese," was a seared bison carpaccio with shaved (goat?) cheddar cheese, roasted peppers, cippolini onions, and (I think it was this course) dots of bechamel sauce and brioche croutons.  I much preferred this to the deconstructed cheesesteak that was on the menu at PS7's.  Where I found that overly conceptualized, this was just the right amount of deconstructed for me.  I liked the texture of the barely seared meat versus completely raw for the carpaccio.

 

"Rock and Roll," the third course, was rockfish with a nice crispy skin.  My husband especially loved the skin.  It was wonderful but I gave him some of mine since he enjoyed it so much.  it had some kind of peach and tomato relish and was plated in a thin pool of watermelon soup.  Chef Markert said that he was getting so many watermelons from the farm that he was having trouble finding things to do with them.  This may well have been my favorite course.  The melon juice kept the fish moist.  It seemed like an unlikely combination but worked well.  

 

The next course, "Eastern Shore Babe," was sliced pork tenderloin with a cured egg yolk, lobster mushrooms, and squash.  I'm not sure if the cubes of squash had been cooked or added raw.  They were very firm up against the sauteed meaty mushrooms.  The bit of jus/sauce the pork was in was delicious too.  The egg yolk was cured in salt for I forget how many hours.  It was a little weird texturally.  I'm not sure how I feel about it.  Interesting touch, though.

 

The next course, "Mary Had a Little," was rare lamb cooked on but cut off the bone and plated over potato blini, perfect little silver dollar-sized pancakes.  The blini were one of my favorite components of the whole meal.  The lamb was a little oversalted in places, which was the only significant misstep in the whole meal.  This came with ccoked cubed eggplant that had some kind of acid/vinegar taste and was covered in okra seeds.  That was really creative, as the okra seeds kind of duplicated eggplant seeds.  I never thought of eating okra seeds before.   As with so many things we had, that use of okra seeds was unusual but not bizarre, and, therefore, in our comfort zone.  There was a jalapeno sauce that I couldn't identify as such, and maybe that's what I was tasting on the eggplant.

 

Dessert was "Double O Cake,"  a mini olive oil loaf cake, which I loved, with apple melon sorbet, thinly sliced leopard melon, and a bit of lemon curd brushed on the plate.  We both especially loved the lemon curd, but the tastes and textures of all of the components worked well together.  There was no way they would have known (it wasn't a questionnaire item), but I'm not all that fond of desserts and don't go first thing for chocolate.  This was actually quite well suited to my tastes.

 

Service was quite pleasant and attentive, friendly without being overly so. Our water glasses were refilled promptly throughout.   Since we were sitting at the counter, it was a little awkward having all of the plates cleared from the back (and some brought in that way), but that's a logistic necessity given the layout.  I wasn't feeling all that chatty, but the chef was quite willing to answer any questions we had and it was enjoyable to speak to him during our interactions.  

 

We had decided on a six course (rather than five or seven) menu since my husband eats more than I do.  At five, I might have been able to finish most of it, but he would have still been hungry.  At seven, he might not have been able to finish all of it and I certainly wouldn't.  With six, he finished what I couldn't and we both left full but not stuffed.  The portions and heartiness got bigger as things went along, but not radically.  

 

I reiterate:  The type of food they are putting out is particularly well-suited to a tasting menu.

 

The end.

[porcupine]

On the questionnaire they sent when we made our reservation, they asked if there were any seasonal vegetables we'd like to see on our plates, and I said corn and radishes, and there you are.

Nothing anyone's posted in years has made me want to dine at a restaurant as much as this did.

[DonRocks]

This stub of a review is something I started writing six weeks ago - I'm not going to finish it because the visit is from a couple of months ago, but don't want to waste what I did write. I have Beuchert's strongly in Italic in the Dining Guide - I've been there twice now, and like it a lot - Andrew Market is doing a terrific job there. Written in late July about an early July visit, it's only about half-way completed (I wing all these things on-the-fly, so I have no idea what the second half would have contained).

---

 

On my second visit to Beuchert's Saloon, I enjoyed dinner with an extremely knowledgable diner - it is so refreshing to sit back and let someone else take charge of ordering everything, and I mean everything!

 

Except for the wine. Drinking at Beuchert's is not an inexpensive proposition - their well-made, high-quality cocktails are $11 (very fair considering Beuchert's' (is that how I write that?) Pennsylvania Avenue real estate combined with today's cocktail prices, inflated city-wide), draft beers are a dollar painful at $7, and wines by the glass range from 1/4 to 1/3 of the full-bottle price. That last sentence should be your guide: order a bottle of wine here.

 

And make that wine a bone-dry rosé from the south of France: a 2012 Petit Rimauresq Côes de Provence ($33). As her glass was being poured, my friend immediately remarked how pale the wine was, and my rule of thumb with the ocean of anonymous southern French rosés is: forget the shape of the bottle (there are some whacko bottles originating from these regions); buy according to color, and the paler, the better. In other words, you want this instead of this, and I pray that Gerry Dawes doesn't see this. Sure, a red, fruity Spanish rosado has its place (in a Sangria, for example), but if you want to maximize the number of different foods to match your wine, you want an acidic, bone-dry rosé from the south of France, and as an added bonus, they're almost always one of the least expensive wines on the list (these wines can be $5-10 ex-cellar - hell, people will often take empty 1.5-liter bottles of Evian into a cave de vin and fill them straight from barrel for 1-2 Euros). Rosé from Southern France is not a luxury product; it's a peasant product, and one of the great culinary treasures of the world. If I had to choose one desert-island wine to go with my fallen coconut, rock-bashed sashimi, fire-roasted tamias, and rapidly fading memories of asparagus soufflés, it might just be this.

 

This would all be for Zed, and both his noughts, were it not for the farm-fresh produce-fest unearthed at Beuchert's, which should be on anyone's short list of restaurants that support local farms and farmers. And this is the perfect season to be here, too, the transition out of spring and into summer - I suspect that last night, we had no less than twenty offerings from local farms, probably closer to thirty, the vast majority of it being simple, barely adorned produce. It's something of a Grandale Farm without the two-hour round trip, and with a better captain at the ship.

 

If this is your first visit, sampling a maximum number of small plates is the way to go (although I've heard the B Burger is quite good, I can't pull myself away from the produce to get to it). The remarkably simple Butter Head Lettuce Salad ($10) was very close to being the consensus favorite, with the half-head wedge, very clearly organic, lightly and perfectly tossed with a sherry vinaigrette, topped with a throw of pickled radish relish, and sitting atop a mixture of goat cream and some more relish which acted as quasi-shallots, providing a textural contrast (the shit's getting deep here) to the silky lettuce, the vegetarian's delight ramped up by two meaningful slices of smoked Benton's ham which I very nearly didn't get to try.

 

In direct contrast to this salad was the Pork Belly Tagliatelle ($12 for a half-portion), with a sauce of stinging nettles and fiddlehead ferns, some brown butter radishes, and shavings of Ewe's Dream cheese. This was a relatively heavy dish, extremely unctuous due to the soft pork belly having given up some of its fat. The individual components were very green and difficult to decipher, the fiddlehead ferns delightful when found, and a cache of pine nuts discovered at the bottom of the bowl turning this into a form of pesto, the nuts themselves being needed texturally to combat the pork belly (picture an angry pine nut unsheathing its sword and screaming, "En garde, swine!") There was a small debate about whether the radishes added anything to the dish, and thinking about it the next day, I personally might prefer this prepped vegetarian, or maybe with a better trim and sparer use of the pork - just a few slightly crisped, roasted bits would have been plenty for me; I can also see thinking otherwise if I were really hungry and primed for some major scarfage (you can probably already tell that this was a nibble-and-pick meal).

---

"Here the Maestro laid down his pen."

-- Arturo Toscanini, April 25, 1926

[DonRocks]

I stopped into Beuchert's last night, and grabbed the 9th and rightmost seat at the "Chef's Table" - the bar right in front of the cooks. On Tuesday through Thursday, a separate tasting menu is available in these nine seats.

A full bottle of 2008 Domaine de la Chique Côes du Rousillon ($30) only cost triple the by-the-glass price, so I sprang for it, and took the undrunk portion home with me. (I'm not sure how many people employ this strategy, but it makes *so much sense* that I hope people are taking note). This domaine at one time had the largest olive grove in all of France (!), and still maintains 40 hectares (about 100 acres) of olive trees which surround and protect their vineyard that produces (for this wine, anyway) 50% Grenache (giving the wine a lovely red color and aromatic), 20% Syrah (lending depth) and 30% Carignan (not my favorite grape, but one which certainly adds tannin and structure).

It was Andrew Markert's night off, but Sous Chef Tim Rowley (formerly of Tallula) was expediting in perfect form, and it was a pleasure to observe both him and the lightning-responsive line cooks in action. It was very hot in that kitchen (which might explain why the red wine needed to be chilled), and these cooks were *exercising*, and I mean they were *working*.

I asked one of the cooks if the Porter-Braised Bison Short Ribs ($29) were cooked sous-vide. I've become so paranoid about seeing "braised" and "slow-cooked" on menus that I ask each-and-every time now, and it is a rare occasion that I'll spring for meats cooked sous-vide. The cook said no, turned around and pointed at the stove, and said "they're done right here." As it turns out, they're pot-braised in porter for 4-6 hours - a true braise, and one that reveals itself on the palate. A wedge of three ribs with a *huge* amount of meat on them, it's served atop sweet potato dumplings and red-eye jus, and topped (yes, topped) with a little fennel and beet salad. Short ribs are everywhere, but this was an excellent rendition that was worth every penny - there wasn't a single scrap left on my plate after my leisurely, hour-long excursion through this fine entree.

It's impossible to be in my position and not become sensitive to just how hard cooks work, and I'm well-aware of how little they get paid. After the meal, I handed Tim a twenty, and asked him to buy his cooks a post-shift beer. Yes, it was a lot of money, but at this particular moment, I wanted them to have it instead of me. It is more often than not awkward to do this type of thing, but it's the only way to get real money into the pockets of cooks, dishwashers, and AGMs - three of the hardest-working, most underpaid jobs there are. I hope more people will seek out a manager, or the head bartender, hand them a five, or a ten, or whatever they're comfortable with, and ask them to make sure it gets to the cooks in one form or another. It can be done discretely and without fanfare, and I suspect it's very much appreciated - I certainly appreciate everything they do for me.

[Pat]

I felt guilty, like I'd cheated on Beuchert's when I went to Rose's, so I went to Beuchert's tonight.  It's still firing on all cylinders (and I got the stare down from the bison).  I had thought I'd go for a burger, but I was entranced by the Carolina mountain trout on the menu (crab stuffing, celery root purée, trumpet mushrooms, sorrel).  For $28, it was a full plate of comforting food on a cold night.  In the past I'd sometimes wondered about the price vs. size of the dishes, but this was exactly right.  The bartender was great about helping me navigate the happy hour specials, and I still love this place even though I haven't been going out.

[ad.mich]

Wonderful first meal for me here tonight.

Of the boards, the pate is the way to go.  I saw some other comments regarding it but after plodding through some soggy pates of late I really appreciated that the texture was nailed here.  Even with all the meat flying around the dish I'm going to remember is roasted carrots with a cheese sauce, croutons, and honey. Basically an extravagant pile of glazed carrots.  Killer stuff for the last gasp of winter, and makes me excited to see what is coming with the turn to spring.

[Mark Dedrick]

Just want to chime in that this restaurant is still firing on all cylinders. Really good meal there tonight, wonderful spring vegetables throughout. Great cocktails. And you can just walk in during prime time.

[bettyjoan]

We went to Beuchert's for dinner on Saturday night and were very pleased.  Cocktails were awesome - not only were they tasty, but they were also beautiful to look at (and fun to watch being made).  They also have things set up so you can order their better/reserve wines by the glass instead of having to buy a whole bottle - I opted to do that for my final glass of the evening, and the sommelier came over to help me make a selection (which was delicious).  Jason ordered bone marrow to start, which he liked but was the low point of the evening (and I had to resist saying "I told you so" - there were so many more interesting things on the menu than the marrow).  I had the wedge salad with goat cheese, roasted tomatoes, and ham "chips," and it was really good.  For mains, I had herb-crusted swordfish with gnocchi and roasted mushrooms - the fish was really flavorful and moist, and the accompaniments were delicious.  Jason ordered the duck breast, which was cooked and seasoned perfectly.

Service was very friendly and casual, but still knowledgeable.  It is too pricey to be an every weekend kind of place for us, but we will definitely be back for more.

[Pat]

I stopped in for an early solo dinner this weekend and enjoyed the DRY AGED PORK LOIN bacon braised collards, herbed spaetzle, crispy garlic, mustard jus 27. The sliced pork (cooked medium as requested) was nestled among the greens and some meaty bacon from the braising.  The tiny bb's of spaetzle worked for extra textural contrast in the mix, but I think somewhat longer pieces of dough might have been a better fit.  To drink, I had another coupe of one of their sparkling rosés (name lost to history).  They always seem to have something good in that category.  Beer probably would have make more sense, but that wasn't what I wanted.

Service was as good as always.  They gave me tastes of a couple of wines so I could decide which I wanted.

[Pat]

Had another wonderful meal at Beuchert's:  Pan-roasted rockfish, seafood sausage, eggplant, tomato relish, and saffron sauce; plus, a side order of grilled corn with chili lime butter, cilantro, and pickled shallots.  If I didn't have dietary limitations and money were no object, I believe I could eat here every night.  

[Banco]

We got back from Ireland last Saturday and the cupboards were bare, so I walked to Beuchert's for the first time in what must be close to a year. They seem to have really upped their game. The drinks are perfect as usual, but the food seems to have become more refined. I had the Rockfish Pat describes above it it was truly excellent in every way and at a far higher standard than what I had seen there before. Beuchert's has one of the best open wine lists around, too, but it ain't cheap.

[Pat]

 Beuchert's has one of the best open wine lists around, too, but it ain't cheap.

You're not kidding.  I usually hit the end of happy hour and drink their happy hour wine special, so I got a bit of sticker shock going there later than usual last night.  I couldn't read the wine list so asked the bartender for recommendations but without inquiring as to price (d'oh!). First I got a white (2009 Worthy Five Clones Sauvignon Blanc $10) that I enjoyed but found a little sweeter than I was expecting.  I loved the red he recommended to go with my chicken (2010 Vina Robles Cabernet Sauvignon $14!).  That tasted drier to me than the Sauvignon Blanc.  It was funny that he recommended a red because that's what I really wanted but I didn't think that would pair well with the chicken I was hankering to order. This was a good match.  That's what expert advice will get you...

The East Oaks chicken was moist and delicious ($26).  It was a quarter chicken rather than the breast listed online.  I think the accompaniments were the same (at least the carrots and gnocchi were).  I also got fried green tomatoes ($7) from the "market" section of the menu.  The woman next to me recommended the roasted cauliflower she had gotten, and it did look good.   (The menu says it comes with "apples, brown butter emulsion, hazelnut crumbs.") I almost ordered that, but I've been eating lots of cauliflower lately and tomatoes, even green ones, are about gone for the season.  My neighbor also kindly shone her cell phone flashlight on the menu so I could read it.  It was really dim in there at that hour, which isn't usually a problem I have at Beuchert's.  I guess timing is everything .

[Al Dente]

Is this the narrowest restaurant in DC?

We were seated at the "chef's table" bar area at the beginning of our meal, but our waiter was kind enough to move us to a table as soon as one opened. I wish I remembered his name-- he's an excellent waiter and made the dining experience that much more enjoyable.

Loved the food for the most part. My vegetarian dining companion felt welcomed with the choices and ordered spaghetti squash with honey, feta, and pine nuts, fried green tomatoes, and the East Oaks eggs dish. I often feel guilty when there are limited options on the menu for her, but this worked out well.

I had the roasted bone marrow to start. It was a good sized portion with grilled bread, but somehow it became really salty after a few bites. I'm not sure, because I couldn't see that well, but I think there was a small section of the dish that separated a garnish of sea salt from the remainder of the dish. I didn't see it though, so the salt got mixed in. Either that or it was seasoned 5 times on its way out to the table. The salt was an issue only on the last couple of bites so I let it slide.

The East Oaks chicken was full of flavor and moist. I can't remember the last time I had chicken that was so "full bodied" for lack of a better word. I do wish the skin had been crisper, but otherwise this was excellent-- the gnocchi were a nice touch.

Finished the evening up with a cheese board which we both enjoyed.

I'll definitely be back as there were a number of other dishes on the menu that piqued my interest. I'm curious to know if the burger's good and I'd like to dig into some charcuterie some day.

[Pat]

The *oyster chowder currently on the menu is badass.  It's some good warming-the-insides food, featuring smoked trout.  There are also rye croutons, which are mixed in, so I didn't see them but got the crunch every now and then.  This is good stuff.

There are a couple of other oyster items which I didn't try, but the chowder is great.

*Kennebec oysters

[bettyjoan]

The *oyster chowder currently on the menu is badass.  It's some good warming-the-insides food, featuring smoked trout.  There are also rye croutons, which are mixed in, so I didn't see them but got the crunch every now and then.  This is good stuff.

There are a couple of other oyster items which I didn't try, but the chowder is great.

*Kennebec oysters

Second this.  We had it a few weeks ago, and I practically licked the bowl.  I normally prefer my oysters raw and un-fussed with, but the chowder does a phenomenal job of highlighting them.

[Pat]

This has got to be the first time I've eaten at Beuchert's twice in one week, but my husband and I ate with one of his work colleagues and his wife there last night. It's the first time I think I've ever sat at a table, and the server was fabulous.  We enjoyed our meal.  There was one small thing that went amiss and the server corrected it right away.

Upfront, I'll say that the oyster chowder I loved so much and couldn't wait to order again came out with one oyster that was cool.  I'm not sure what went wrong, but that shouldn't haven't happened.  It was otherwise all toasty warm.  I still loved the chowder, but ick.

My husband got the bison osso buco and loved it.  His colleague got the chowder and also chicken (which is a different farm than it was before) and was pleased.  His wife shared this and also got the beets, which she loved.  I got the pork roast and apples as well and thought it was delicious but couldn't finish it all. It seemed to have a Chinese 5-spice seasoning, though that wasn't noted on the menu.

It would have been pretty much perfect meal except for one of the oysters in the chowder being not up to temperature.  That's really something you notice and shouldn't happen.

[DonRocks]

It would have been pretty much perfect meal except for one of the oysters in the chowder being not up to temperature.  That's really something you notice and shouldn't happen.

Is it possible you were recognized as a regular customer, and someone shucked an extra oyster on top for you?

[Pat]

Is it possible you were recognized as a regular customer, and someone shucked an extra oyster on top for you?

It didn't strike me as being on top.  I had already eaten some of the chowder before I reached it.  Obviously, they don't want the oysters to overcook, so they go in at the last minute, but that didn't seem like a special benefit.  If it was, I'm not sure how to react. If it went on top, it just dropped right down in to the mix.

ETA:  I forgot to mention in the original post the interesting egg dish that my husband got.  From the menu description, I wouldn't have ordered it, but he did and he enjoyed it.  It was EAST OAKS EGGS horseradish egg custard, pickled eggs, roasted onions, hazelnuts, radish & parsley salad 10.  It came in specially-shaped dish with indentations and such for holding eggs (kind of like a deviled egg plate but artier). That would have been a good thing to photograph.

[Pat]

Well, it turns out Don was somewhat right:  the cold bit is a garnish.  Last night I got the chowder again, and this time it was part of a fairly large wedge of smoked trout that was cold; the other part of the wedge was soup (warmish) temperature.  I asked the kitchen (the chef was not there and my question was directed to the person who must have been in charge in his absence) and mentioned both the current and previous occurrences.  I was told that it's a garnish, and it didn't sound like they'd gotten other complaints about it.  Perhaps I'm not sophisticated enough to appreciate the concept  .

Moving on...I hadn't had the fries in close to a couple of years.  I remembered them being crispy and wonderful but very salty. While I remembered to ask for the ravigote sauce on the side (otherwise it's on the bottom of the plate with the fries on top), I didn't think to ask them to go light on the salt. Yeesh!  Those are some salty fries.  I had forgotten how much salt is on them.  The sauce was great but I couldn't eat that many fries, and the salt was fine so it was hard to brush a lot off.   Fortunately, near the end of my meal, someone I hadn't seen in quite some time came in and, as we caught up, he ate some of my fries.  He didn't seem to mind the salt, and I at least didn't leave that many behind.

I also had the chicken, which was good as always, but I couldn't eat too much of it.  It made a good leftover for lunch for my husband.

[darkstar965]

Is this the narrowest restaurant in DC?

...

I'll definitely be back as there were a number of other dishes on the menu that piqued my interest. I'm curious to know if the burger's good and I'd like to dig into some charcuterie some day.

Not sure if Al made it back but, a bit shamefully, today was my first visit ever to this well-regarded spot. And, absolutely true that brunch isn't the best way to assess a restaurant. With those disclosures now out of the way...

She had the burger and quite liked it. Al, if you haven't yet had the chance to get it, I can confirm it indeed has great flavor, fine cheddar and all the rest.

Mine was more of a mixed bag. At the sever's enthusiastic suggestion, I signed on for the biscuits with oxtail gravy. "That's a great dish," exclaimed the nice waitress. I thought it just okay. The oxtail was a bit too subdued for my taste making for a slightly gloppy gravy that quickly saturated the biscuits making them tough to fully appreciate. The eggs were poached nicely. All in, fine but I'd get something different next time and, based just on all the raves above,will surely return for dinner.

[bettyjoan]

Had a delightful dinner at Beauchert's on Saturday night - great service as always.  Sad that the jerks sitting next to us sent almost everything back and were really patronizing about it (in addition to elbowing me with every movement).  There was nothing mind-blowingly original about the roasted pork dish - after all, pork + apple + shallot is a time-tested and delicious combination - but everything was executed perfectly and it was exactly what I was hoping for on a night that felt more like fall than winter.  And, I have to thank Donovan behind the bar for introducing me (not this visit, but still...) to my favorite after-dinner treat these days...cardamaro.  It made me so happy to sip a glass of that and enjoy the not-too-sweet creme brulee.  Yum!

[Pat]

And, I have to thank Donovan behind the bar for introducing me (not this visit, but still...) to my favorite after-dinner treat these days...cardamaro.  It made me so happy to sip a glass of that and enjoy the not-too-sweet creme brulee.  Yum!

 

Thank you!  I'd heard his name before but couldn't remember it.  Donovan is a great bartender (not to take anything away from the other bartenders).

She had the burger and quite liked it. Al, if you haven't yet had the chance to get it, I can confirm it indeed has great flavor, fine cheddar and all the rest.

 

Just the plain burger is fantastic.  I won't say they try to upsell it, but they kind of nudge towards getting more than just an unadorned burger (the all the way version has fried egg, etc.)  The meat is so good that when I've gotten the burger, I've been happy with the minimalist version.

All of the meats (poultry, fish) here are really good quality.  They really shine all on their own.

[darkstar965]

... Just the plain burger is fantastic.  I won't say they try to upsell it, but they kind of nudge towards getting more than just an unadorned burger (the all the way version has fried egg, etc.)  The meat is so good that when I've gotten the burger, I've been happy with the minimalist version. All of the meats (poultry, fish) here are really good quality.  They really shine all on their own.

My +1 actually had the "all the way" version but really focused her enthusiasm on the patty itself. I agreed after trying a bit. That said, we buy eggs only from a couple of local farms and the fried egg atop her burger did seem to be local and not industrial.

[Pat]

My +1 actually had the "all the way" version but really focused her enthusiasm on the patty itself. I agreed after trying a bit. That said, we buy eggs only from a couple of local farms and the fried egg atop her burger did seem to be local and not industrial.

The eggs come from East Oaks, which is the farm owned by the family of one of the owners.  I was reluctant to use "proteins" in what I wrote earlier, since I somehow find that an off-putting term, but, yeah, the basic proteins are all really high-quality.

[darkstar965]

When it comes to futbol (aka soccer), I'm much more an international fan riveted to the quadrennial World Cup than anything else. I'm also among the still painfully small number of people who pay attention to the women's game. And, also like Barca. Fairly indifferent to and ignorant of MLS except for those players who also play for their national teams. So, when some friends basically goaded me into my first MLS game in maybe 7 or 8 years tonight, I agreed and then ignored my instincts to bail at the last minute when the freezing temps became apparent as likely for game time in the dilapidated RFK.

United pulled out a 1-0 win against LA after 87 minutes of pretty sloppy play by both sides. I wasn't up for dinner at the stadium so, though we missed the only goal heading to our car (that's why it was scored) all was well once we landed a table at Beucherts for a late dinner. I like it much better for dinner than brunch. Oysters, burgers and the oxtail cavateli really hit the spot. It does feel expensive (a few glasses of wine boosted our bill higher than anticipated) but very good food on an unseasonably frigid night.

[Pat]

United pulled out a 1-0 win against LA after 87 minutes of pretty sloppy play by both sides. I wasn't up for dinner at the stadium so, though we missed the only goal heading to our car (that's why it was scored) all was well once we landed a table at Beucherts for a late dinner. I like it much better for dinner than brunch. Oysters, burgers and the oxtail cavateli really hit the spot. It does feel expensive (a few glasses of wine boosted our bill higher than anticipated) but very good food on an unseasonably frigid night.

If people can agree on a wine, it's much more affordable - at least for some of the bottles - to get a whole bottle rather than order by the glass.  At the low end of bottle pricing, a whole bottle is only three times the price of a glass.

[darkstar965]

If people can agree on a wine, it's much more affordable - at least for some of the bottles - to get a whole bottle rather than order by the glass.  At the low end of bottle pricing, a whole bottle is only three times the price of a glass.

Due to the hour and nature of the group, a full bottle wouldn't have worked for us last night but good to know that. I do wonder some if they'd actually see better wine profits by coming a bit more into line with the market on the glass pricing though. I'm not expert on wine pricing but I don't think I'd have noticed it as much (or at all) if glasses were 10-15% less.

[Pat]

The basic burger ($12) here is still really good (even on a night the chef was not in the house).  I could smell it as it was cooking .

The menu doesn't mention that it now comes with a side on the plate of some kind of spring mix (not quite sure how to describe it).  I also ordered some roasted mushrooms ($7), thinking I'd put them on the burger.  The mushrooms were cooked with creme fraiche and shallots and when smashed onto the burger made it all extra good, if a bit overly moist.  I mixed the rest of the side dish with the spring greens.  The mushrooms were a common enough type that I recognized them but cannot recall the name - maybe enoki?  Anyway, great meal.  I'm now hardly fazed at all by the bison .

[Pat]

I had my first soft shell crab of the season here last night, an interesting preparation: pan-fried, over a pork pupusa.   The contrasting textures and flavors worked even better together than I expected.

The description on the online menu had intrigued me, but I didn't know if I wanted to spring for a $30 entree.  When I got to the restaurant, I discovered that they have a half portion listed on the print menu for $16, which suited me just fine, as I wasn't super hungry.  That was one crab and one pupusa, each cut in half.

Menu description:

PAN FRIED SOFT SHELLS

smoked pork belly pupusas, celery & radish curtido, green tomato relish 30

[Pat]

For the first time in the last three occasions I have dined here, the chef was in the house tonight.  The food quality has been equally good on every visit.  He has a solid team in place.

This time I chowed down on GREEN CIRCLE CHICKEN twice baked potatoes, maittake mushrooms, cheddar crumble, scallion butter ($26).  The cheddar came out just like cheesy croutons.  The potatoes were two halves of one medium red potato, which was just the right amount for me.  The scallion pieces and mushrooms were wonderful accompaniments to the whole thing. At first I thought some of the green scallion parts were green beans. There was also a gravy/sauce that almost tasted beefy but it was probably from some kind of caramelization, maybe of the mushrooms.

I feel like I'm dominating the thread, but I love this place.  The food is creative but not way out there, and it is very reliably good.

[Pat]

Chef was there tonight and sitting on the other side of the counter while his crew handled dinner. I loved the saffron cauliflower and  also the crab bucantini (whoa, spicy; I got the app portion for $16). I also got the deviled egg plate, which was a little awkward since it was 4 halves in one of those dishes that has indentations for six halves. There was a cole slaw type thing over the top and eating this was a little clumsy. Eggs and accompaniments were good, though. Brewer's Kolsch was $5 for happy hour.

[Pat]

I haven't been in a while and was getting a hankering so I checked the website for the current menu and discovered that Beuchert's is now open for lunch, Tuesday - Friday from 11 to 2:30.  It also looks like bar happy hour is from 11-7 Tuesday - Friday.

Pasted in from website:

LUNCH: TUES-FRI 11AM-2:30PM
DINNER: SUN-THU 5:30-10PM | FRI-SAT 5:30PM-11PM
BRUNCH: SAT + SUN 11AM-2:30PM
BAR HH: MON 4-7PM | T-F 11AM - 7PM | SUN 4PM-CLOSE

[Pat]

I haven't made it in during lunchtime yet but had another satisfying dinner at the bar during the tail end of happy hour last night  I had two items from the "Snacks" portion of the menu:  the butter lettuce "wedge" salad and the house made tagliatelle. I ordered a half portion of the pasta for $14, and it's hard to imagine something that comes in a full-sized portion for $26 constituting a snack. The menu categories here have always puzzled me a bit. 

The pasta involved morels, peas, favas, poached egg, and green almonds.  I mostly noticed the peas (which were fantastic) and the egg.  The salad had egg too.  It was a good version of a wedge, even though it didn't use iceberg. I'm usually kind of picky about that substitution, but had no problem with this one.

Service was excellent, and the bartender remembered me even though I haven't been in for ages.  I intended to order a half portion of pasta but just asked for the tagliatelle, and he responded by asking if I wanted a half portion.

I love this place.  (I guess that's kind of obvious, since I seem to be the only person posting in the thread...)

 

[Pool Boy]

Went here for brunch today (pre-theater Sense & Sensibility play for us - great fun). The latkes that come with the breakfast sandwich ( I refuse to call it a 'sammie') were over the top perfection. Everything else was tasty. Based on what I have been reading here, I will have to get back at other times of the day and try their cocktails out too.

[Pat]

Me again . Last night for dinner I almost ordered the same thing I did last time but decided instead to try out one of the sandwiches to go with the butter lettuce wedge:  The Dr. Lawrence, an open-faced sandwich with meatballs, sarvecchio cheese, fried egg, garlic bread, with a side of italian dressed salad. Yes, I got two salads. I felt a little silly about that and appeased myself by topping the sandwich with the greens.   Very good combo.

One of the women sitting near me (I got the last seat at the chef's counter) ordered the ginger ice cream and I couldn't resist copying, even though it was $10 . That was a couple decent-sized oval scoops of ice cream with a ginger snap.  I thought the texture was a little off--too soft--probably because of all the honey in it.  It didn't seem like it froze hard enough.  It was a satisfying indulgence at the end of a rough week, though. Really creamy, with the bite from the ginger and the liquid candy from the ribbons of honey.  Ice creeeeaaaam </homer simpson>.

The women next to me were from out-of-town and hadn't been able to get into Barrel because it was too crowded.  They were quite pleased with their meal, so I hope they spread the word. I wish this place got more love. 

 

[eatruneat]

@MichaelBDC and I went here for a post-run brunch several weeks ago. I had the chicken and waffles while @MichaelBDC had an omelette and a side of bacon. I usually go for eggs at breakfast/brunch but ordered the chicken and waffles. I really enjoyed them even though they were a touch on the sweet side. Waffles and chicken were done perfectly. @MichaelBDC seemed to enjoy his omelette but the bacon was too crisp and he didn't finish it. We are not often on that side of town, but would go back for another meal if we are on that end of town. 

[Pat]

Belated thanks to Tujague for mentioning elsewhere on the boards that Beuchert's has half-price burgers on Tuesdays.  I've availed myself of this special a couple times now, including last night, and it's a great deal. Not that the regular $12 burger is overpriced--it's a good value for an excellent quality product and comes with a bit of salad on the plate. Add-ons (bacon, cheese, fried egg) can take it from $12 up to $17, but I rarely want more than cheese. On Tuesdays, though, I can get a $6 burger (+$1 for cheese) and also order fries for $8 and have a food total of $15. Hard to beat that for the quality of the food.

The first time I went, they had a sign outside advertising the special, but this last time they didn't. Maybe because it was rainy?  I have wondered but neglected to ask if this is dinner only or if it applies at lunch too. Does anyone know?

I have also finally learned to ask for the fries here without added salt. They're delicious, but the salted ones are way too intensely salty for me. This way I can order and enjoy them. 

[Genevieve]

I've somehow missed this place and not noticed this thread before - will have to try it next time I go to the Folger, since pre-Folger dinner is often tricky to find something good (I've eaten at La Lomita Dos for hole-in-the-wall Mexican and Sonoma for fancier, and both were fine).

[Pat]

1 hour ago, Genevieve said:

I've somehow missed this place and not noticed this thread before - will have to try it next time I go to the Folger, since pre-Folger dinner is often tricky to find something good (I've eaten at La Lomita Dos for hole-in-the-wall Mexican and Sonoma for fancier, and both were fine).

I think they've begun serving some snackier things earlier, but they don't start dinner service until 5:30. That's probably fine for an 8 PM show but something earlier might conflict.

[Genevieve]

Very good to know, thank you!

[Tujague]

7 hours ago, Pat said:

Belated thanks to Tujague for mentioning elsewhere on the boards that Beuchert's has half-price burgers on Tuesdays.

I honestly don't remember ever saying that--I've never been for the Tuesday special, though I always intend to go--but Yay, me! It's got to be one of the best burgers on the Hill.

[Pat]

Since I post so many glowing comments about Beuchert's, it's only fair that I mention the most disappointing meal I've ever had there.  I went with several friends for lunch, and it was (aside from the company) not such a great experience.  For whatever reason, they were understaffed. The same person functioned as the bartender and server, plus bused the tables. It wasn't that full, but all of the tables were 3 tops or larger and there were approximately 15 people seated in the dining room at one time. There were two cooks in the kitchen and someone who appeared to be a manager working at a computer. (One of my friends noticed her. I didn't realize she was an employee, but my friend seemed quite sure.)  

We ordered deviled eggs. It was clear they were to share. The server told us there would be 5 halves. They came out in a different plate than I recall from before, covered in shredded salad and very hard to extract from a central plate. We fumbled trying to lift shredded salad with our forks to our individual plates.  A comment on how these might not be the best item for sharing would have been very helpful. There were only 4 halves. This cost $11, I think, but it might have been more. (Digression to point out here that I was being treated and so didn't see the bill up close. I was the one who wanted to complain about things, but no one else did, so we awkwardly said nothing.)

The person who seemed to enjoy his plate the most got the bucatini with bottarga. It looked good and he had no complaints.  The person who got the baby chard and greens salad liked it okay but was surprised that the advertised quinoa was sparsely applied.  I got a house made half smoke with chili, cheese, and mustard. There did not seem to be any cheese, and if it was there it was minimal. The actual half smoke was pretty good and the bit of chili was okay, but the bread was overly toasted and this was extremely sloppy to eat. After tackling as much as I could with a knife and fork so I wouldn't spill any more chili on myself, I left much of the hard bread. This was, at least in part, a poor ordering decision.  I don't think I would order it again. 

The person who got shrimp and grits thought they were bad, not just in the "I don't like this" way but in the "something does not taste right about this sausage" (which the menu says is salami) way. This is where I got into the most heated argument over saying something.  

It took a very long time to get the check, but apparently their computer crashed (which seems to be a recurrent problem there, even though they got a new POS system a while back). If this had been my first visit to the restaurant, I would have no reason to return. As it is, I think I'll stick to dinner.  

[Deborah Lee]

On Saturday, March 30, 2019, my dining companion and I enjoyed an extraordinary evening celebrating the arrival of Spring with phenomenal creations by Chef Andrew Markert at Beuchert’s Saloon.  Every dish was so delectable we didn't want the evening to end. New Spring Menu is one of the best in the city right now.  Exceptional hospitality, bar service and the brightest Springtime vibes.

Dishes appear in the order we were served:

• SPRING DUG ROOT
  Lemon-Whipped Ricotta, Miner's Lettuce, Toasted Oats, Rhubarb Jam
• SCALLOP AGUACHILE
  Shiso, Strawberry-Verjus Ice, Black Lime, Cucumber, Fresno Chile
• SMOKE TROUT TOAST 
  Cultured Butter, Chive, Spring Radish, Sesame, Pickled Chilies
• CRISPY BABY ARTICHOKES
  Ramp Gribiche, Porcini Powder, Candied Lemon, Garlic Chips
• SWEET PEA CAVATELLI
  Scallions, Dill, English Peas, Crispy Capers, Rock Shrimp, Tarragon Crema
• XO GRILLED LAMB RIBS
  Shiso, Red Chillies, Puffed Amaranth, Fermented Garlic Honey, Cilantro
• PORK MILANESE
  Cured Egg Yolk, Lemon, Pickled Onions, Tonnato Sauce, Petit Arugula
• WHITE GAZPACHO
  Toasted Almonds, Grapes, Pickled Fiddlehead Ferns, Black Lime, Cucumbers, Sour Dough Croutons 
• BISON TARTARE
  Onion Jam, Buffalo Ricotta, Mustard Seed, Petit Celery, Rye Toast
• FOIE GRAS
  Strawberry Sofrito, Pistachio Jam, Wild Rice, Black Pepper Shortbread
• {continued in second post}

 

[Deborah Lee]

• {continued from previous post}

• PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS
  Saffron-Carrot Puree, Vanilla Truffle Jus, Baby Carrots, Fava Beans, Carrot-Top Salsa Verde

• CAROLINA GOLD RICE
  Cacio e Pepe Nettle Purée, Morel Mushrooms, Shepherd's Delight, Crispy Nettles

[Ericandblueboy]

Beuchert's Saloon has a really interesting menu of medium plates.  

We started with roasted bone marrow and foie gras.  Their herb salad consists of mint and parsley.  I kinda preferred just parsley (like at St. John in London).  They also gave you some pickled pistachios and sauteed garlic/onions.  

2nd round were Huitlecoche Campanelle and Blue Crab Spaghetti.  The handmade pastas were lovely but the campanelle was definitely a little too salty.  The spaghetti on the other hand was fantastic.  There's really not much crab meat in the dish but there's an intense crab fat (tomalley) flavor.  I've had crab fat pasta at Bad Saint and Jackie but they never matched the intensity of this dish in terms of flavor.  The dish also had noticeable heat from the Calabrian chiles.  If you get a chance, go try this dish.  

Third round was their grilled scallops  and miso roasted honey butter squash.  Both dishes were very good but not quite as interesting as the medium plates.  Had I been alone or with my kids, I probably would've ordered the little neck clams pozole and the bucatini.

The picture only shows 2 marrow bones but they brought out 2 more later.  Unfortunately my photo of the pastas were super blurry so there's no point posting it.