Birch & Barley (@BirchBarleyDC) was a must try on our weekend trip in Washington. With an attempt to make reservations way in advance, we ended up with a 9:30 pm reservation on a Saturday night. We arrived at the eatery in hope of an opening. But no luck, a huge crowd was waiting on their second floor in the bar.
We were finally seated at our original reservation time. The menu here changes almost daily.
Bread to start: one of the best breads I ever heard because they were fresh out of the oven I loved the soft pretzel– very fluffly on the inside especially when slathered with spicy mustard and butter.
Arctic Char Tartare ($13.00)
- Yuzu Gelee, Candied Ginger, Soy-Mirin, Sesame Crisp, Micro Celery
- This tartare was phenomenal. Its probably not good to share it with more than 2 people. The dish comes with 5 crackers – the flavour of the arctic char was superb
- Simple ingredients used to bring out simple flavours.
Honey Glazed Duck Breast ($31.00)
- Leg Confit, Wild Rice, Brandied Cherries, Radishes, Hazelnut
- The duck was cooked and served medium to medium rare – very juicy.
- thick layer of fat along the side had a crispy, sweet honey glaze baked into it
- The combination of the savoury meat and sweet – crispy fat was amazing.
Hand-cut Pappardelle ($19.00)
- Braised Goat, House Curry & Yogurt, Mustard Greens, Cauliflower
- The flavours and balance of the braised goat were amazing however I thought the hand cut pappardelle was a tad overcooked – bit chewy for my personal liking.
Passion Creme Brulee ($10.00)
- coconut-kaffir tapioca, rhubarb sorbet, basil, coconut dacquoise
- The desserts at Birch & Barley are like a piece of art. But ultimately gave into the temptation of the perfectly prepared creme bruelee. Very refreshing way to end out meal
Peanut Butter Parfait ($10.00)
- cocoa meringue, berry sorbet, buckeye, raspberry
Really friendly but not overly attentive service. In terms of the meal overall, I thought it was a tasty and carefully executed meal. Man, the dessert was magnificent. – Perfect refreshing way to finish our dinner. I overheard their pastry chef has won quite a few awards for the beautiful work of art. Also, Quite a few local food bloggers from DC had recommended the brunch @ Birch & Barley. Might give it a try if I visit in the near future!
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