Duck, "Blue Duck," Goose

C Says...

I hadn't heard about Blue Duck when J proposed this for his monthly selection. After asking around for opinions from coworkers and friends, I heard nothing but rave reviews. Needless to say, I was quite excited for what lay ahead as I walked through the doors.

Well that proved to be an experience in and of itself; I almost walked right by it -- no neon signs here. The restaurant is located on the ground level of a hotel and is quite literally rectangular in shape -- maximizing the space.

I have to confess I was a bit confused by the decor and tone the designers were trying to set. Scattered throughout are glass "boxes" that separate booths -- which are really wicker love seats -- from the rest of the dining space. The seating was a nice rustic touch, as were the rocking chairs spread throughout, but they didn't mesh well with the modern feel to all the glass. There were cheese stations and wine stations also throughout the space. I love seeing food as much as eating it, so I liked this added experience.

We were a bit early for our reservations, so decided to have a drink at the bar (a pricey drink at that; thanks for paying J) before we were seated at a lovely row on banquettes. I had taken a gander at the menu a day or two before, and was excited to see a selection of seasonal proteins, fruit and and vegetables. In this regard, I wasn't disappointed; the menu reflects the wonderful products grown/raised by
farmers across the country.

I wish I could say the same for my entire dining experience. There weren't any specials on this particular evening, and I was left trying to decide whether to have crab cakes or the chicken. The waitress, who was lovely, explained that the menu
was "family style" and items were meant to be shared. Now, don't take family style in the Maggiano's meaning of the term. This is not a mound of pasta thrown on your table like you're a pig at the trough. But with each side dish priced separately and the entrees not accompanied with any vegetable, I can see why they'd encourage you to
have just 1 or 2 sides.

We placed our order, J ordered an appetizer that was NOT shellfish -- I was stunned, stunned!!! After polishing off a bottle of wine and an hour later, our food finally arrived (see J's theory here). J and I settled on another bottle of wine to curb
hunger pangs, and the garlic mashed potatoes as our side. There were definitely enough for both of us. I just wish I could figure out how to get my mashers to be that creamy at home -- but hey, I think lumps scream "home cooked." I ended up going with the chicken, and was sadly underwhelmed.

The chicken (a breast and two drumsticks) is prepared skin-on after marinating in a buttermilk concoction for a few hours. While this made the chicken extremely moist, it was under-seasoned, and lacking in flavor. Thank god the mashed potatoes were there. Despite the un-wow factor, I did manage to eat the entire breast, but mainly because I was paying $28 for it and was half of two bottles of wine into the evening.

Now, you loyal readers know I don't typically eat dessert, but I made an exception this time to see if Blue Duck could step up and turn "blah" into "yeah!!!" Well they came close. I decided on the apple pie with a scoop of ice cream (warning to readers, if the waiter asks if you want a bucket of ice cream, they mean 3 large scoops of vanilla in a glass bucket with a wooden spoon -- soooo cute, but so much ice cream. I think the couple next to us wished they hadn't gone with the bucket o' ice cream by the looks on their faces after plowing their way through). The pie itself was great and made with fresh apples and presented more as a tart. I
would have preferred a bit more cinnamon, but that's just me and didn't take away from it's overall goodness.

Overall dear readers, Blue Duck is not a place I would recommend for those of you looking to splurge on a dinner, as much as I really wanted to love it (because hey, who doesn't love ducks??).

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J Says...

Branching out to another part of DC, C and I headed over to Blue Duck on the border of Georgetown and Foggy Bottom. Arriving early, I enjoyed a drink at the bar which is not only segregated from the dining area, it is dissected into cubes of sitting areas with glass walls separating patrons. While the atmosphere is chic, the drink prices are steep at $11 a pop.

After a cocktail, we promptly moved to our reserved table. The wine list was plentiful and reasonably priced while the service was the triple A's: attentive, accurate and attractive. I was already liking Blue Duck even before moving to the menu, which continued to impress.

For starters and much to C's dismay, I dined on the braised rabbit which I dubbed "Fluffy." It was excellent, lush with flavors and leaving me excited for my main course: Kansas City Rib Eye. It did not disappoint...and did not last long, as I quickly devoured it upon its arrival. Equally delicious was the mashed potatoes, which C and I shared given that they are presented "family style" as with everything on the menu. The only critique I have of the food is that C's organic chicken was underwhelming, losing points for being less than flavorful or memorable. As you read above, C was more enthrawled with dessert than I was.

My one hesitation about returning to Blue Duck Tavern is legitimate and what I dubbed my "conspiracy theory." From the initial seating, the service was attentive and swift: water poured quickly, wine delivered promptly, appetizers presented in a timely manner. But after the rabbit disappeared (into my watering mouth), the clock-watching began. It continued for about 45 minutes, at a minimum. In the meantime, we finished the bottle of Sauvigon Blanc that we had ordered and...and here is where I believe the conspiracy comes into play...forced to open a second bottle to have when our main course was finally served. Now that I think about it, it was promptly after the second bottle arrived and was uncorked that our meals also came out from the black hole that was the kitchen.

After finishing, the check was quickly presented as to put an end to our 2.5 hour dining experience. For the record, this was our most expensive dinner to date by far.

Without question, I recommend Blue Duck Tavern for a more formal, but relaxed dining experience. I just don't recommend it on a night that you are in a rush...or don't want to be hungover the next day.


Blue Duck Tavern - 24th & M Streets NW, 202.419.6755, www.blueducktavern.com