Good Public "Policy"

C Says...

I picked Policy on 14th Street for my birthday dinner thinking it was the new kid on the block – apparently it’s been in my ‘hood for about a year…oops. The restaurant itself seems very out of place in DC – one of those “we’re trying to be a NYC trendy diner/bar/club/place to be seen” establishments. But when everyone there is wearing a tie or a government ID badge, it doesn’t quite work.

What Policy lacks in ambiance (sorry, I’m just not partial to red leatherette booths unless I’m getting a shake or malt), it makes up for in some of their small plate selections. We opted to sample a variety of dishes, including: red pepper hummus, lamb sliders, beet and goat cheese raviolis, and duck spring rolls. The spring rolls and sliders were great – so much so we ordered a second helping of the sliders (there are 2 per dish). Paired with their red wine flight, the meal was satisfying, but not mind blowing.

I’d probably hit up Policy again for a glass of wine or a drink, but I’ll leave the small plates to Jose Andres’ Jaleo or Zatinya.

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J Says...

C wanted to stay local to her hood, so I happily picked her up (those 5 blocks to walk were just too much) and we proceeded to Policy. By all accounts (or just C's above), we had driven 5 states to NYC. While chic, it wasn't anything I hadn't actually seen in NYC before so the visual excitement quickly wore off.

The small plate idea paired with wine flights is the perfect - and unexpected - concept for Policy. Reasonably priced, each dish burst with flavor and intrigue. What C forgot to mention (must be old age) was the organic chicken dish that we also included in our second round. I do, however, agree with her assessment of both the duck spring rolls and the lamb sliders...brilliant.

Service was reliable if forgettable, which after our luck is quite welcome.

I'd probably go back to Policy, if only to check out the upstairs lounge that seems to be the hub of energy for the restaurant. Clearly this is a welcome addition to the 14th Street/U Street resurgence...and it certainly makes you forget that you are in DC, if only for a few fleeting moments.


Policy - 1904 14th Street NW, 202.387.7654, www.policydc.oom