Eat on at "Eatonville"

C Says...

For our last review of 2009, and for the decade (where oh where have 10 years gone!), I picked Eatonville based on the recommendation from a co-worker. I was a tad bit early thanks to the Circulator, so I arrived in time to partake in happy hour.

For those of you who know me, you know that I have been able to make perhaps two happy hours (for drink specials, not the DC-defined happy hour of drink when you get there) in 5 years, so this was a treat. The bar boasts some nice microbrews from across the U.S. and particularly the south, in keeping with the overall feel of the restaurant.

Once seated, we went a bit overboard with the ordering because there really was a lot on the menu we wanted to try. We started with hush puppies and the fried green tomatoes ordered by our guest reviewer. The hush puppies were not at all what I expected, but didn’t disappoint. Stuffed with rock shrimp and leek fondue with a creole sauce, it was a great way to start off the meal. The fried green tomatoes were good, but I strongly prefer the ones served up at Art & Soul.

For the main course I opted for the fish and grits. The fish part of this option changes regularly, and on this date it happened to be catfish, which I love. The fish was delightfully prepared and the jalapeno cheddar grits were absolutely to die for. Now, this dish comes with collard greens, which I’m not a big fan of mainly because of the washed out color they take on when cooked, but I tried them and they weren’t bad. I mean not something I’d order on a regular basis, but worth a try.

All in all I think Eatonville was a lovely choice to cap off the year, and I recommend it for a group of friends looking for comfort food in a comfortable setting. Here’s wishing you all health and happiness in 2010!

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The Other J Says...(see October 2008 for explanation)

After inviting myself to C&J’s monthly dinner, my (punishment) reward is to be the guest reviewer for y’all (I only use that term since we were eating southern style food). Call me J-2 or J2. But anyway, this month C chose Eatonville… a Southern/Cajun/Creole restaurant in NW. Upon walking in, the first thing that stands out is the décor. In the vast amount of open space there are giant murals painted on the walls (very colorful), rocking chairs at select tables, and jazz music! I could see how some might think it’s a bit overwhelming, but I found that it all contributed to the southern charm the restaurant is going for.

After sitting down, I eagerly dove into the menu. Though to be honest, I had already peaked at it online before arriving so I already had an idea of what I wanted. It’s not a very large menu but there were still plenty of appetizing options. We started with the fried green tomatoes (topped with corn salsa, red pepper aioli, goat cheese, and arugula) and the biggest hush puppy I have ever seen (stuffed with shrimp, leek fondue, and creole sauce). Yes, there is plenty of fried food to choose from! The tomatoes were outstanding and I think I was a bit greedy on my part devouring most of them. I also thoroughly enjoyed the hollowed out hush puppy, as it had quite a kick to it! And I think there was cornbread as well… but to me all cornbread tastes the same.

For dinner, I opted for the shrimp creole with long grain rice. I was hoping that it would be a bit spicier than it was as I’ve been on a spicy food kick lately. However, that problem was easily solved with a bottle of hot sauce (of which I added quite a bit). The shrimp were cooked to perfection and the dish was very flavorful. We also ordered a couple of side dishes for the table including mashed potatoes (which I didn’t touch as that belonged solely to J-1) and my personal favorite – mac and cheese. And this version did not disappoint. It was salted well, rich and creamy, and had a baked layer of cheese on top that added the perfect crunch. I just wish there was a dinner portion!

Overall, I had a very good experience at Eatonville. Our service was great as our waiter was quite funny and very attentive. The food provided that southern style comfort that I was looking for. And the ambiance was quite charming.


Eatonville - 2121 14th Street NW, 202.332.9672, www.eatonvillerestaurant.com