1789

Location: Washington DC-Georgetown

Cuisine: American, French

Website: https://www.1789restaurant.com/

Last stop of the week for DC restaurant week and I am so glad I saved this place for last because it truly blew me away, by far the best restaurant I visited all week in every way possible.

Food: 10/10
Ambiance: 10/10
Service: 11/10
Drinks: 10/10

Food:

Restaurant week $55 3 course menu:

-Hokkaido scallops, Duck Breast, Ice Cream/Sorbet
-Hiramasa Crudo, Wagyu Short Rib, Apple Frangipine Tart

Both appetizers were done perfectly; the scallops were very fresh and large, with an excellent pairing of trout roe, marinated chorizo, and mojo verde, which added a perfect little spice kick to the dish. It was plated beautifully and every bit of the dish was perfection.

The Hiramasa Crudo was also beautifully plated, the crudo paired with a scoop of Mandarin-Miso sorbet which offered a nice contrast to the more tart crudo. The sugar pumpkin also paired well with the crudo, added a differing texture to the dish.

The duck breast was cooked to perfection, I went with the chef-recommended doneness of medium rare and although I had doubts when it came out since it was quite red, it was perfectly seasoned and amazingly tender. The dish also came with charred endives and sunchoke which were also perfectly cooked and added color and some vegetables to the dish. The duck confit roulade was the second highlight of the dish next to the duck breast itself, bursting with flavor and contrasted well with the more mellow tasting duck breast.

The wagyu short rib was perfectly tender, though a bit leaner than I expected, but nevertheless cooked to perfection. Paired with an excellent side of polenta and some watercress and topped with lemon myrtle, it was also beautifully plated. The polenta was seasoned well and smooth, not gritty at all, and added a nice contrast in texture to the short rib.

I had no complaints about the sorbet/ice cream, i went with the white chocolate, mandarin, and lemon. The white chocolate ice cream was very light and very subtly sweet, and the two sorbets were also nice and light, although the lemon was a very pure lemon sorbet hence very sour. But overall I enjoyed all three flavors.

The apple tart was also excellently made paired with delectable toppings. No complaints about it at all, it was not overly sweet and portion was not overwhelming either. The kitchen also gave us free lemon Madelines which were also well made, enjoyed it just as much as the other two desserts.

Drinks:
Drinks were well made, we ordered the That’s Life and Pomegranate-Apple Cosmopolitan, both were very tasty and had no complaints about either cocktail.

Overall:

The dinner was excellent, my favorite from this week and I will definitely return. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who enjoys either French or American cuisine, and especially if you enjoy both. Bread service was excellent, a very fluffy dinner role with a slice of a baguette served with a sweet whipped butter, unlimited refills. The ambiance was very cozy, with an overall feel of a colonial-era tavern in America. Service was above and beyond what I expected, and it serves as no surprise that this restaurant is also featured in the Michelin guide.

Cost: $205 with tax and tip (~20%), 2 3 course meals with 2 drinks