Best Meal Ever

Last week I went to one of DC's most famous restaurants, 1789 in Georgetown. I don't usually go to "fancy feast" (yes, I'm referencing the lady from the cat food commercials) places, because (1) I don't have endless funds and (2) I believe you can find delicious food at reasonable prices, BUT it was restaurant week so I decided that I could afford the $35 prix fixe menu. In typical fashion, I didn't actually order a god damn thing from the prix fixe menu and wound up spending a fortune, but it was totally worth it.

I went with my friends Chris and Patterson who share my love of fine dining and "flavor bombs", as they affectionately refer to satisfying dishes. My initial impression of the restaurant was mixed. The decor and building were typical Georgetown (not my style, but nice), but the hostesses were over the top nice/forcibly polite which I found annoying and insincere. Our server was initially a bit cold, but warmed up towards the end of the meal. Anyway, none of this really matters because the food is the real subject of interest.

The three of us ordered different things then shared all of the dishes which included tuna tar tar, snail and broccoli soup, braised quail, rib eye steak, lamb, branzino (fish), creme caramel, chocolate cherry cake, and a cheese platter. They were all excellent, but there were a few stand outs!

The snail and broccoli soup was delicious; it was hearty and rich without being overpowering. Every snail was like a little star burst of flavor. The soup was topped which small dollops of creme fraiche and sprinkled with a hard cheese (Parmesan most likely), which are a few of my favorite things.

The quail was incredible. I'm usually NOT into anything gamey, but the quail was prepared in a way that balanced the flavors perfectly to the extent that I enjoyed the gamey taste. The skin was crisp and and breast meat was incredibly juicy for being so tiny. There was something very earthy about this dish...as Patterson stated, "The first bite made him picture walking through the forest on a fall day."

The lamb was by far the best thing that any of us had at dinner. The meat itself had a wonderful flavor and, as a result, it was minimally seasoned. The lamb was served medium rare which made every bite tender and flavorful with just the right amount of fat. It was so good that I didn't even try the sides, which I'm sure were delicious, but next to the lamb looked like fillers.

I KNOW that my descriptions of the food fail to do it justice, but these are the three dishes I would go back for!