By It’s the first of the month….. (Que Bone Thugs n Harmony song) I have a love hate relationship with the first of the month. First, my social security check comes, which I love! (Wait, am I telling my age?) But then, rent is due. Ahhh! I hate paying rent. (Or a mortgage for those that think they’re better than people who pay rent) I love when I have the opportunity to try a new restaurant (which is every time I dine out, because I don’t believe in dining at the same restaurants. With the exception of chain restaurants of course) because it gives me a better sense of how different things are made.
Blue Duck Tavern, which is a One-Michelin Star restaurant located off of 24th St. in Washington, D.C., offers locally sourced ingredients served around “updated” furnishing. They’re located inside of the Hyatt so you know the interior is upscale. During my visit I was able to indulge in four different dishes. Biscuits and Gravy, French Toast, Short Rib Hash, and White Corn Cheese Grits.
I’ll start off by giving you details of the Biscuits and Gravy. Two Buttermilk biscuits to go with a side of Chicken Sausage Gravy. Now, I’ve had Sausage Gravy before, but never Chicken Sausage Gravy. This dish tasted so much like Sausage Gravy, Louis Farrakhan would argue that sausage is actually included. It has the right amount of seasonings, pepper, salt, and a dash of cayenne. I literally had to catch myself from not licking the bowl, like I was an untrained pet, because that’s how good it was.
The next dish I had was the French Toast. Lemon Toast with Blueberry Compote, Poppy Seeds, Honey Greek Yogurt, and Candied Meyer Lemon. Think of Pound Cake but with absolutely more flavor. The Blueberry Compote to go with the Honey Greek Yogurt will send your taste buds beyond outer space. The French Toast was moist, delicate, and savory. As soon as you put the French Toast in your mouth it literally melts on your tongue. This dish was so good, I thought I would literally shed a tear. If you do nothing in life, make sure you get this dish.
The third dish that was ordered was the Short Rib Hash to go along with a bowl of grits. The Short Rib Hash consisted of Olive Oil Poached Egg, Horseradish Sauce, and a biscuit. I could literally count the amount of potatoes that were in this dish because it was nothing but Short Ribs. This is one of those hearty dishes where it can fill you up until dinner time. The Short Ribs were cooked to perfection, as they were moist, lean, and had the right amount of char on them. The Horseradish sauce gave this dish the kick it needed. It won’t clear up your nostrils, but it’ll definitely give you a sharp after taste. The egg was perfect too. I can’t tell you how many times a poached egg was over-cooked or under-cooked. The White Corn Cheese Grits were maybe the third best I’ve ever had. The first being in San Francisco, the second being from my grandmother (who makes the best grits in the world when she’s not complaining about being old), and then this place. They were buttery, cheesy, and didn’t have a grainy taste to them.
Overall, this restaurant is a stop what you’re doing and get to it now. I’m not sure if it’s worth two stars, but I’ve been to a two-star restaurant and my experience here was a bit better. But, every place has its own category.
SavoryTravels 