Chloe - The Return of Chef Haidar Karoum, 1331 4th Street SE at the Navy Yard

[Tweaked]

Story from Washingtonian.   

"Most of all, though, the restaurant will be devoted to foods that Karoum loves to eat—from pastas to shrimp banh mi. Crispy cauliflower with lemon, tahini, toasted pine nuts, and mint will be reminiscent of a dish that his father used to always make for potlucks. Meanwhile, roast chicken is one of his favorite meals, period.

The menu will mostly consist of “medium-sized plates,” along with a few larger family-style platters like whole fried fish with chilies, lime, and herbs. “I’m a pisces, so I’m like a fish fanatic,” Karoum says."

Opening "this Fall"  but you know how that goes. 

[cheezepowder]

Opened on Jan. 5, 2018 (via Washingtonian).  Website.

[reedm]

On 1/6/2018 at 10:32 PM, reedm said:

Four of us enjoyed Chloe this evening. More to follow, but it was phenomenal. Book a table soon! 

Some may consider walking into a restaurant opening week a bit of a gamble. However, nothing ventured, nothing gained, particularly in this case. I know the chef-owner has led a number of well-regarded restaurants, so I had a feeling things were going to be just fine.

I snagged a very early reservation for our party of four, so when arrived just after opening, there were only a handful of customers. The restaurant interior looks terrific--I'm sure others will do justice to the layout, furnishing, etc., but the space looks beautiful, and it is obvious someone spent a lot of time designing this restaurant. 

We enjoyed cocktails at the bar, which is stocked with some fairly unique labels, and the the cocktails and service were great. You can't go wrong with any of the choices. 

Before we knew it, it was time to be seated. In a classy touch, the hostess gathered our drinks and walked with us to the table. Our server, who was quite skilled and very engaging, did a nice job of walking use through the menu. Nearly everything is meant to be shared, and portion sizes are not necessarily apparent on the menu. That said, our server provided excellent advice about the number of dishes to order. (Of note, the four of us consisted of two married couples and close friends. Keep that in mind if you are averse to sharing and/or are worried about germs)

Here's a rundown. 

Nibbles (my term): 

"Roasted Marcona Almonds" with Espelette chili; a wonderful accompaniment to our remaining cocktails. Plenty to share.

"Plate of Pickles"; the portion was perfect for sharing, and featured fairly quick-pickled cornichons, olives, garlic, and slightly spicy long, narrow green peppers. 

"Sheep's Milk Ricotta"; Impossibly light, and somewhat mild cheese topped with honey and herbs. As a minor quibble, it arrived with only three pieces of toasted bread. We forgave them, since the bread was out of this world. No doubt it would have been easy enough to get another piece or two.

A bit larger; (my description again)

"Roasted Kabocha Salad:; this dish, served cool, was light and refreshing. The roasted kabocha squash was dressed lightly with a vinaigrette and served with arugula and crunchy pepitas.

"Roasted Kaleidoscope Carrots and Parsnips"; simply roasted vegetables served over a fragrant and delicious vadouvan-spiced yogurt. Wonderful.

"Crispy Cauliflower"; until our server told us this had been flash fried, I would have sworn it had been slow roasted. The flavors of tahini, lemon, garlic, and mint were not unexpected, but the puffed black rice was. Another hit.

"House Bavarian White Sausage"; my friend said his standard is the Boudin Blanc at Marcel's. While I know the sausages are not the same, my friend was extremely impressed. Actually, we all were. The sausage was impossibly light, and the spaetzli accompanying it were wonderful. Fantastic. 

The "Russet Potato Gnocchi" appeared to be a simple dish of gnocchi, roasted mushrooms, and some greens, but this was another terrific dish. The gnocchi were like soft, fluffy pillows--I've never had gnocchi as soft and light as these.

The "Spiced Beef Hummus" carried a bit of heat courtesy of some harissa. To be honest, I don't recall if it was mixed into the hummus. I do remember the accompanying naan was impossibly soft, and it was the best I've ever enjoyed. That's saying a lot considering the number of times I've had Indian food. 

Entree- sized dishes:

Our favorite entree was a toss-up, as both were outstanding examples of the respective proteins.

The "Spice Roasted Chicken" consisted of a half chicken that arrived in one piece. The skin was mahogany and impossibly crisp, while the meat was juicy and tender beyond belief. It was served with greens and a dipping sauce somewhat resembling nuac cham. This has to be in the running for the best roast chicken in DC. (And yes, that includes Kinship's version)

The "Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop" was a beautiful double-cut pork chop which was close to the color of the chicken (at least it appeared that way in the light). It was served with a handful of roasted fingerling potatoes as well as some greens. It may seem like I'm using hyperbole to describe some of these dishes, but I assure you I'm not. The chop was virtually fork tender, juicy, and fantastically flavorful. Despite the amount and variety and amount of food we'd consumed, the pork was devoured. 

Dessert? At this point there was simply no turning back, because everything was so delicious. The four of us split a meyer lemon torte as well as a winter panna cotta, the latter of which was topped with roasted fruit topping and some crunchy bits as well. (My memory fails me).  The pannacotta was a bit awkward to share, but we managed.

I don't have the background or memory to describe the wines, other than to say we had a lovely white Burgundy, as well as a remarkably good un-oaked Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley. 

The variety of flavors, textures, and ingredients was memorable. While we did perhaps slightly over-order, none of the items were heavy in the least, and we felt nothing but joy when we departed. 

Without a doubt, we had a tremendous time, and unanimously agreed that this was one of the best meals in memory. Not to sound the least bit pretentious, but for comparison's sake, we've all eaten at many of the top DC restaurants, and our friends have eaten at some of the best places in NYC and California, etc. We all agreed that Chloe was phenomenal. How they pulled this off on night two was even more impressive.

Highly recommended, and I hope to read about the experience of others soon!

P.S. No pictures, but there was a table full of very polite bloggers next to us who were taking picture with some fairly serious looking lighting, so I imagine you'll be able to find some nice photos on Instagram soon. 

[Keithstg]

On 1/8/2018 at 5:21 PM, reedm said:

No pictures, but there was a table full of very polite bloggers next to us who were taking picture with some fairly serious looking lighting, so I imagine you'll be able to find some nice photos on Instagram soon. 

Psyched to hear that Chloe is firing on all cylinders out of the gate, but nothing about the above sounds polite. I'm beginning to find myself in the Carole Greenwood camp when it comes to restaurant photography. #fyourinstagram

[reedm]

By “polite”, I meant they asked me if it was bothersome, and I said no. That wasn’t a unanimous sentiment at my table. The light they used was about the same as an iPad, and since they weren’t taking pictures non-stop, it wasn’t intrusive. They were also sitting at a corner table. 

I certainly see your point, though. 

[DonRocks]

Here is the opening menu for Chloe: 

We had a reservation at Chloe, and were cordially greeted, and given the option of sitting at a table, or the Food Bar - the tables seemed a bit close together, so we opted for the latter, mostly to optimize side-by-side sharing (everything at Chloe is designed to be shared, our server told us).

Having just sat down, we were given the option of house-filtered still or sparkling water - we ordered still, and each began with a cocktail not on the menu: My friend ordered a French 75 ($12, with which our friendly server was unfamiliar, but he was fairly certain that the bartender would be familiar with), and I ordered a Gimlet ($14) with a neutral gin (Plymouth?) - I said that to avoid the dreaded Vodka Gimlet. I was then asked if I wanted my Gimlet up, or on the rocks (up!), which was much-appreciated, and when the cocktails arrived, they were very good, if perhaps just a touch towards the sweet side (but not over the edge by any means).

The menu, top-to-bottom, features dishes which increase in size as you progress downward. We were very much in a fishy mood, so one thing we definitely wanted was the Crispy Whole Sea Bream, which our neighbors at the bar seemed to be enjoying - alas, we were told that they'd just served the last portion. (Chloe had just opened about one-week before, and on a Tuesday evening, the restaurant was fairly well packed, so I suspect they're selling more product than they had guesstimated - a good thing for them). As good as the Spice-Roasted Chicken sounded - and it sounded wonderful, marinated in Pho-like seasoning - we were "Chickened Out" over the past few days, so decided instead to go with an armada of smaller plates for our meal, and we're glad we did, because every single dish was good, and one in particular was earth-shattering.

Cobia Crudo ($14) with avocado, Thai chiles, lime, fish sauce, crispy shallots, and puffed black rice was the first dish to arrive, and it went *perfectly* with my Gimlet (the lime in both the drink and the dish really complemented the other ingredients). Raw cobia is a rubbery fish, not unlike raw octopus, and this dish was textural heaven with the crispy shallots and puffed black rice, but it was also wonderfully acidic in nature with the lime and Thai chilis - everything cut by the avocado and the firm, assertive, spanking-fresh cobia. This was a great dish, perfectly balanced, and the pieces of cobia were ample enough to cut in half (although that isn't necessary) - I got chills thinking about Chef Karoum, and what he had been doing at Asia Nora (which I once had ranked in Bold in the Dining Guide - read the first post in the Asia Nora link: You'll get a kick out of it) - would Haidar Karoum feel liberated enough from Proof to let his wilder side shine through once again? This dish gave me hope (which was to be completely fulfilled a couple of dishes later). Notice also how well and proportioned everything is cut here:

In the interim, we'd finished our cocktails, and ordered a bottle of Fleuriet Renaissance Sancerre "La Magie des Caillotes" (a painful $50) which, primarily to its moderate oaking, won't win any awards in my house, but was well-made, correct both for the varietal and region, and ushered us throughout the entire meal (or could have). Thankfully, beverage director Tyler Mitchell seems not to have been indoctrinated by Mark Kuller's proclivity for 16%-alcohol Chardonnays that were beaten with the Oak Stick (Mark and I got along famously, but I could never reconcile our tastes in wine - when Proof opened, I gave him a bottle of 1966 Lafite-Rothschild, and to this day, I'm left wondering if that incredible wine was completely overwhelmed by an Aussie Shiraz - ack).

Broiled Local Oysters ($13) with horseradish glaze, rutabaga kraut, brown bread crumble was an interesting dish. It arrived on a large tray, fancifully served on small, white stones, and looking like a bigger dish than it actually was. But as long as you don't mind paying $3.25 per oyster, you'll be well-rewarded with this: Assuming you eat the oyster in a single bite (which you must), you'll be greeted with all four flavors clearly delineated, as well as a downright symphonic combination - this is a fabulous melange of flavors and textures, with the simple brown-bread crumble taking it over the top.

Spiced Beef Hummus ($14) with pickled radish, harissa, buttered almonds, and snow-shoe naan was the dish of the night for me. Haidar has some Lebanon in his ethnicity, and this dish is running through his blood - there was something about it that said, "This is my soul." While I've never been to the Middle East and tried the magnificent-looking Hummus at the amazing restaurants there, this set a new standard for me in the DC area. Not only was it the best hummus I've had locally (and I've had dozens), but the beef turned it from a very good dish into an "Oh my God!" dish, and the almonds lent an almost-thrilling texture atop the beef. If you love hummus, and don't mind eating beef, this is one course you absolutely must order at Chloe - and to scoop it up with, the snow-shoe looking naan was hot from the oven. This may not have been the best bread I've had (it was firm on the outside, and very bready on the inside - more so than almost all naans I've had - not that there's anything wrong with that); nevertheless, it was a great vehicle for scooping up the plate of awesome sitting in front of us. Chloe's Hummus is the one dish that has been calling to me, and even as I write this, I would drive down there *right now* for another plate of this magnificent cuisine.

Roasted Kabocha Salad ($11) with kabocha squash, green apple, watercress, pepitas, and cider vinaigrette was served alongside the Hummus, but since it was cold, and the beef and the bread in the Hummus course were hot, we saved it for something of a trou Normand, plowing through the Hummus with only an occasional bite of watercress. Although this was the least fascinating dish in a fascinating meal, it served its purpose very well, as it transitioned us into what would be a very rich, flavorful gnocchi. A perfectly dressed watercress-based salad, I would recommend doing a little more with the kabocha, rather than laying it atop the salad - if the kabocha had been served hot and seasoned (maybe even with a small dotting of yogurt), the dish might have been transcendent; as it was, it was merely very good and pleasant, with the apples and pepitas adding slight sweetness and texture, and the cidar vinaigrette adding acidity - I again emphasize this was perfectly dressed. We'd forgotten to take a picture, so instead, when we remembered, we made a smiley face to show our approval.

Russet Potato Gnocchi ($16) with smoked king oyster mushrooms, kale, black pepper, and pecorino was to die for, and a deceptively rich, filling dish. I'm well-aware of how good that picture looks, and I promise you this dish was every bit as good as it appears. I consider this to be more of a mushroom dish than a gnocchi dish, due to the attention the smoked king oysters commanded, but the gnocchi - a rather robust gnocchi - wasn't afraid to stand with it, side-by-side. Even the kale, which might sound extraneous, made the dish better (the butter didn't hurt either), and the pecorino as a generous finishing agent was just perfect. If you're a vegetarian who eats dairy, and are looking for a meat substitute, then get a double-order of this, and you'll die happy (perhaps literally).

Maine Scallops ($17) with celery root, pomegranate relish, wilted greens, and celery salad was a dish of four *perfectly cooked* scallops resting atop puréed celery root, and was just about a peer to the gnocchi dish. This dish, in addition to the scallops, really played with and showed off the aspects of celery, and the pomegranate relish again added the texture that was a theme throughout this tremendous meal. If you like scallops, you'll *love* this dish - rich, satisfying, but also playful and cognitive (who would think to put pomegranate relish on scallops with celeriac?) - a wonderful finish to a wonderful dinner.

Well, not quite ...

Meyer Lemon Tart ($10), and these were definitely Meyer Lemons, was topped with a homemade type of blueberry compote, and stars of lightly blowtorched meringue, all in a graham cracker crust. The consensus was that this was a wonderful tart, and could only be approved upon by a thinner graham cracker crust if possible - I even had the thought that it would be in keeping with the evening to serve it in phyllo dough instead of graham cracker crust - this would highlight, rather than compete with, the other ingredients, and allow them to show their formidable flavors. We were stuffed before we ordered this, but it looked *so* good when we saw one come out that we threw caution to the wind, ordered two glasses of Calvados ($12 each), and ordered this very good tart.

It's amazing that Chloe had been open for about a week when we dined here - it was bustling with people, and if we hadn't gotten a reservation, we probably wouldn't have gotten a table, and this was on a chilly Tuesday night. You can assume Chloe will be packed in the near future, and count your blessings when you get a reservation here, although I do recommend sitting at the food bar - it was a wonderful place to eat, stay warm, and watch the show, although prices do add up quickly here for two people. That massive Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop is in grave danger the next time I darken this door - or should I get that Chicken? An excellent beginning for the restaurant, and a welcome return for Haidar Karoum - Chloe is comfortably ranked #1 in its neighborhood, and easily meets the criteria for an Italic ranking in the DC Dining Guide.

[funkyfood]

Based on these reviews, I've made a reservation for Valentine's Day!

[reedm]

Wonderful write-up Don! Thanks for providing your eloquent and descriptive review. Chloe certainly deserves your professional accolades. 

[lotus125]

In the mood to try something new, we dropped in on Saturday night.  The place was quite full but had a few seats in the bar and at the kitchen counter.  The short version is good space, good service, high-variance food with several stunners and lots of potential.  We ordered:

-Broiled Oysters, horseradish glaze, rutabaga kraut, brown bread crumble.  Absolutely delicious. They hit the magic spot where you can still taste juicy, briny oysters, but there is a ton of warm, flavorful goodness.  Best broiled oyster I've had in awhile.  

-Cobia Crudo, avocado, Thai chilies, lime, fish sauce, crispy shallots, puffed black rice.  Great fresh fish.  The puffed black rice added a terrific nutty flavor that contrasted well with the fish and spice.  We agreed, however, that the avocado should come off.  It seems like a nod to so many asian-flavored  crudo dishes that aren't as good.  And it  added no flavor.  (It was also slightly underripe, but I'd feel the same way if it were riper.) 

-Roasted Kabocha Salad, green apple, watercress, arugula, pepitas, cider vinaigrette.  This was an unfortunate fail.  The squash was almost inedibly starchy.  I've had kabocha many, many times and never seen anything like this. Either the squash was underripe or undercooked. But it was tough and mealy.  (Also unfortunately adding to the dish was our discovery, after we stopped eating it, of a short, translucent worm-type thing swimming in the dressing.  No big deal.  It happens, and our server handled it with grace.)   Hopefully just a one-off glitch. 

-Roasted Kaleidoscope Carrots & Parsnips, vadouvan labne, dill, crispy amaranth.  Delicious labne that went well with the root veg.

-Maine Scallops, celery root, pomegranate relish, wilted greens, celery salad.  This was generic.  The scallops were cooked well and went fine with the celeriac.  But the dish just didn't come together for me.

-Roasted Cod, papadam, coconut, fenugreek, curry leaf, ginger greens.  Great dish. The fish was perfectly cooked and covered in a thin crust that gave it a nice texture.  The curry was delicious and just a bit spicy.

-Russet Potato Gnocchi, smoked king trumpet mushrooms, kale, black pepper, pecorino.  Ok but not great.  We didn't get any smoke flavor from the mushrooms.  Maybe slightly undersalted.  

[Pat]

The Vietnamese-themed spice-roasted chicken is worth the half hour lead time it takes for it to be prepared.  Whoa, that was good. My husband has been forgoing chicken skin to reduce saturated fat in his diet, but he made an exception for the skin on this chicken. This was beautifully prepared, crisp on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. The sticky rice underneath was wonderful too, as were the greens and the chili-lime dipping sauce.. 

We enjoyed four smaller plates while the chicken was being cooked. The timing worked out just right. I think I might have eaten the broiled oysters too quickly to appreciate them fully.  They arrived first and I was famished. We loved the Bavarian white sausage, with the spaeztli, savoy cabbage, and golden raisins. That was my second favorite plate of the night, after the chicken. We enjoyed the quinoa-crusted salmon, and the accompaniments mitigated a bit of the crunchiness of the crust. I guess I'm not sure how I feel about quinoa as a crust. The salmon was excellent, and I liked the combination of ingredients (lentils, etc.).  We also ordered the carrots and parsnips, and the labne does work well with them.

I really wanted to order the blue cheese dessert plate but was just too full.

Waiting for my husband to arrive, I ordered a bottle of the Prairie Standard at the bar, and that took me all the way through dinner. That's a rather robust beer.

Neighborhood-wise, it's amazing how built up the area back there is now. I hadn't been down near the Yards in a while.

[DonRocks]

29 minutes ago, Pat said:

The Vietnamese-themed spice-roasted chicken is worth the half hour lead time it takes for it to be prepared.  Whoa, that was good. My husband has been forgoing chicken skin to reduce saturated fat in his diet, but he made an exception for the skin on this chicken. This was beautifully prepared, crisp on the outside, moist and tender on the inside. The sticky rice underneath was wonderful too, as were the greens and the chili-lime dipping sauce.. 

We enjoyed four smaller plates while the chicken was being cooked. The timing worked out just right. I think I might have eaten the broiled oysters too quickly to appreciate them fully.  They arrived first and I was famished. We loved the Bavarian white sausage, with the spaeztli, savoy cabbage, and golden raisins. That was my second favorite plate of the night, after the chicken. We enjoyed the quinoa-crusted salmon, and the accompaniments mitigated a bit of the crunchiness of the crust. I guess I'm not sure how I feel about quinoa as a crust. The salmon was excellent, and I liked the combination of ingredients (lentils, etc.).  We also ordered the carrots and parsnips, and the labne does work well with them.

I really wanted to order the blue cheese dessert plate but was just too full.

Waiting for my husband to arrive, I ordered a bottle of the Prairie Standard at the bar, and that took me all the way through dinner. That's a rather robust beer.

Neighborhood-wise, it's amazing how built up the area back there is now. I hadn't been down near the Yards in a while.

Just as Verizon Center pulled everything east, Nationals Park is pulling everything south. I worked at Waterside Mall for years and years - when I'm there now, I literally don't know where I am - I sort-of recognize the old east- and west-towers (which are still there, but redone), but nothing else. 

I guess it would be sorta silly to say I miss Negril there, when the only other options were Blimpie's and Jenny's. Interestingly, I bought my first "real" wine - 1982 Beychevelle - at a little deli there named Harry's (where, believe it or not, Elliott Staren worked for a time).

If anyone here knows Elliott, please pass on my regards. Sergio Toni (or his son-in-law, Luigi) of Sergio's, also.

PS - Why isn't anyone listening to me about the hummus?! This will assuredly change by the end of March, but that may be the single best dish I've had so far in 2018.

reedm, thanks for the compliment, but there are now people in this community who know more than I do (I guess I'm not supposed to say that, huh? Everyone needs a hero.) I organize a good, albeit runaway, website, and do what I can, but in the past several years, DC has exploded - damned near a complete turnover - and I haven't caught up to it yet because of my doggone injuries. The economy is slowing down, I'm getting better, (I think) and I hope to be caught up in a year.

[funkyfood]

I forgot to write-up our Valentine's Day meal at Chloe, but I suppose better late than never.  In all, we liked the place a lot, but aren't desperate to go back.  Per my request, we were seated at the chef's counter, which provides one of the best views of an open kitchen in the city.  In fact, I can't think of a DC restaurant with a better view of the kitchen--even including omakase bars.  Everything we had was good to very good, including the beef hummus (which, as some others have mentioned, tasted like delicious "taco beef", but the hummus we had recently had a Shaya in New Orleans was far superior, in our opinion).  Our waiter said the chicken was the best he had ever had, so we ordered that as our large dish.  It was good, but a tiny bit dry, even when pouring the Vietnamese-inspired sauce over the top.  Kinship's version still reigns supreme.  Our pannacotta dessert may have been the best part of the meal. 

One small note: we did notice the waiter's attitude seem to take a noticeable turn for the worse after we let him know we wouldn't be getting a second drink.  May have just been coincidental but we both noticed it. 

[reedm]

Three of us enjoyed Chloe for an early dinner a couple of weeks ago. Two of us had been before, shortly after the restaurant opened in January, and we'd been waiting for the opportunity for a return visit. If you read no further, I'll simply say the restaurant has only gotten better. The food and service were simply outstanding. This must be one of DC's best spots. 

The menu still consists primarily of small plates, in addition to three entree-sized dishes, as well as a handful of dessert options. We began with a couple of cocktails, one of which I had to order as soon as I saw its name--"Kabbadi Highball". I learned about Kabbadi after a recent trip to India, when one of my colleagues told me he had become a fan of the sport after watching too much of it during sleepless nights. The cocktail, consisting of Scotch, Garam Masala, Star Anise, Orange, Angostura, was delicious, and it certainly evoked memories of some of the flavors of India.  

Our server was excellent, and even though I was pleased to hear her recommendation of ordering all of our dishes and letting them course them, I was a bit skeptical. Of course, I shouldn't have been, since the pacing of the dishes was just about perfect. (They arrived a bit quickly, and I suspect I could have slowed the pace a bit, but I opted not to.)

Between the three of us, I was the only omnivore. (One pescatarian and one less adventurous eater who doesn't eat fish). As a result, we ordered snacks and small plates only, most of which were vegetarian. Without exception, each dish was delicious.

Roasted Marcona Almonds -- Espelette chile

Plate of Pickles -- Piparra peppers, garlic, olives, cornichons, fennel pollen

Cobia Crudo -- Avocado, Thai chilies, lime, fish sauce, crispy shallots, puffed black rice

Sheep's Milk Ricotta -- Grilled house made bread, really raw honey, rosemary, olive oil

Roasted Asparagus & Hen of the Woods Mushrooms -- Bernaise

Grilled Ramps -- Romesco sauce, aged manchego, marcona almonds

Housemade Spicy Garlic Sausage -- Eye of the tiger beans, crushed cornbread, pickled kale

Russet Potato Gnocchi -- ramps, asparagus, wild mushrooms, snow peas, parmesan

The flavors, textures, and aromas of each dish were wonderful in their own right. For my tastes, I appreciate how the menu offers a diverse choice of options, which certainly seem to be globally influenced. I can't think of many restaurants similar to Chloe.

I would feel comfortable putting a blindfold on and making selections, knowing that I would get a fantastic meal. 

Grilled Ramps with romesco was a unanimous favorite. I think it's the first time I've tasted ramps, and they lived up to the hype. The other favorite was the incredible roasted asparagus dish. The asparagus was bright green, but impossibly tender, and the roasted mushrooms were a treat. The surprise was the incredibly light (whipped?) bernaise, which made for a delicious combination.

The Chai panna cotta and the Chocolate Sundae provided a perfect finish to a wonderful dinner. 

Looking forward to a return visit!

[DIShGo]

I went back to Chloe for a second visit last night, and it was even better than my first (and I loved Chloe when I first tried it last January). Standout dishes were the gnocchi, beef hummus and Chesapeake soft-shell crab. Also exceptional were the burrata and the crispy whole fish. The summer version of the gnocchi features the addition of sweet corn, making it even richer and more delicious than when I savored it in winter.

My son and I enjoyed sitting at the Food Bar, watching skillful, busy cooks create gorgeous plates of food. The service was outstanding, and the meal was fantastic. I am looking forward to going back!

[beachgirl54]

Long overdue post but went there about a month ago with a food writer friend who was visiting from Chicago.  Can't remember everything we ordered but OH MY GOD was it good.  Especially the sable and the other fish (think it was cod or black cod).  Also the burrata and the ricotta.  And the drinks.  And the dessert.  It was all spot-on.  I don't get to go out much so I really appreciated everything about this place.

[reedm]

I've got a bit of the dreaded spring time crud, so I'm not up to posting about our recent experience at Chloe, but I will say it was better than ever. Every dish was a hit, and the service was wonderful. Sounds identical to beachgirl54's experience!

I posted a few pictures on instagram, and you can find them if you search for the hashtag #donrockwelldotcom

 

[eatruneat]

We never got around to writing about dinner at Chloe months ago, but it was phenomenal. I forgot everything we ordered but we definitely had the crispy whole fish, the roasted mushroom hummus, and the cobia crudo. As we were settling up, we realized we did not eat meat at all during the meal, an anomaly for us and a pleasant surprise. As two devoted carnivores, it takes a lot to draw us away from ordering meat but Chloe did it and we didn't notice until the end. We left stuffed and had to cancel the brussels sprouts as we were filling up fast. 

[Lorenzo Figliuoli]

We have returned to Chloe after a few months and we liked it perhaps even more than the first time, if at all possible. Chef Karoum (previously at the now shuttered Proof as well as at Estadio and Doi Moi) is presiding over a smooth-functioning establishment, both for the food and the overall experience.

Nested in the vibrant Navy Yard District, Chloe delivers excellent new American food with a twist. The restaurant mainly serves small to medium plates (like tapas), which range from the hamachi crudo to grilled Path Valley scallions with romesco sauce  (a close relative of the typical Catalan Calçots), from the seafood gumbo to roasted cod, from white sausage to veal hummus. But Chloe excels also in main dishes such as the grilled Berkshire Porkchop and the Crispy whole Fish. The atmosphere is lively but not too loud, the servers charming.

This time, we had the Hamachi collar, Utica style greens, grilled scallions, seafood gumbo, gem lettuce, the cheese plate and  the grilled Berkshire pork chop (the big dish). Everything was great, though we were particularly fond of the grilled scallions and the seafood gumbo.

The servers are always very nice and competent. We actually have known some of them from our past visits to Proof and Ray’s the Steaks. It was nice to see them in Chloe.

The restaurant is full of light with a contemporary décor, notably a prevalence of glass and windows throughout.

Prices are in line with other comparable restaurants in DC.

[Ericandblueboy]

Chloe is a nice place for outdoors brunch.  From 11-12, the outdoor seating area was completely shaded by the building.  The pedestrians on the sidewalk were mostly masked and don't come close to the diners.

We started with some Crispy Cauliflower, sauced with tahini, lemon, and garlic.  This is a good dish, just don't double it up by ordering the Mediterranean Hero, which has the same cauliflower and falafel with a harrisa sauce.  Skip the hero, you can get better falafel at Amsterdam.

The best dish was Penne Pork Bolognese, with excellent execution on the pasta and sauce.  The next best dish was the chunk of Crispy Pork Belly with pipian rojo served on top of a masa tortilla.  Maybe it's a bit too heavy for brunch, or not.  The dish that really didn't wow was the bitterly charred Spice Grilled Chicken with jalapeno-cilantro emulsion served over jasmine rice.  The rice with green sauce was delicious though.  The slaw was just undressed raw cabbage.

We finished with some Crispy Churros.