C Says...
I. Love. Granville. Moore's. So imagine my surprise when I learned that J had never been to this establishment that was featured in an episode of "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" and is one of H Street's "go to" dining establishments.
I love everything about this place. The story behind the restaurant. The dark lighting and dark wood. The beer list. Oh, and the food. The mussels are divine. The fries are sublime. And the dipping sauces are a condiment lover's idea of heaven.
This time, I opted for the bison burger, as should you, after eating my way through the mussel options on numerous previous trips. Don't believe whatever J writes. Go. To. Granville's. Now.
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J Says...
C was very excited about taking me to Granville Moore's, which clearly unnerved me a bit. As we drove to the land that time forgot (or was really really bad too), I became a bit more nervous but was determined to give it a fair hearing. Standing outside the "restaurant"...a renovated townhouse you would simply walk-by typically...the hearing was off to a poor start.
To be fair, I had been warned that my gut reaction to the exterior would be quickly replaced once inside (people know me too well). Inside, the decor reminded me of an underground Irish gay bar, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Dim lighting, exposed beams, unruly and unkempt crowd...this felt like one of my many trips to Dublin.
Having heard rave reviews about the mussels, I opted for that (though I would try to bison burger that C had on a repeat visit). Not my favorite mussels in the city, but not bad. The accompanying frites were tasty and plentiful. And the beer selection was as expected from a Belgian, not Irish, restaurant.
All in all, get past the neighborhood and exterior to find a gem inside. Just go when there is plenty of light outside.
Granville Moore's - 1238 H Street NE, 202.399.2546, www.granvillemoores.com
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
It's "Social" But That's About All It Is
C Says...
I’m going to write this as though we actually had our May dinner in May; due to some unfortunate events with his Saturn (there’s a reason they’re out of business), J had to cancel our May dinner and reschedule for week 1 of June. After a week of unbearable DC heat – it’s June! – we scored with a nice summer evening for outdoor dining at Social.
Pretty far north in DC’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, Social brings a bit of flavor to a neighborhood that’s been booming over the past 3 years. Offering a plethora of small plates, Social encourages their diners to be social, by sharing meals, which is exactly what J and I did. While we chose to eat al fresco, Social’s décor screams comfort: big leather couches, dark wood furniture, and comfy art on the walls.
For our meal, we opted for the meatballs, the chicken parmesan sliders, fish tacos, and garlic French fries. Sure, a mélange, but whatever. The meatballs were tasty as were the fish tacos with an awesome smoked tomato aioli. The fries were pretty standard, and while I was excited for the sliders, I was a bit disappointed by the dryness of the bread, which overpowered any flavor in the chicken.
Overall, Social is a great place to get together with friends for a drink and a snack, especially after a quick trip to Target or Best Buy.
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J Says...
Now that my wheels are back (public transportation = fear), we ventured up to essentially Maryland for our May-adjacent dinner. It was my choice and I was feeling Social...apparently, so were the interns at the next table who incidentally used to work for C in a previous life. Oh DC, you are sometimes too small to be charming.
As C discussed the dishes, I'll remark on the drinks. Her Manhattan looked more like Brooklyn, but she seemed to enjoy it. My first attempt at a Mojito with pineapple twist (per their menu) failed when the mint was "not as fresh as we'd like." Worried that a Dark & Stormy would end up being a Partly Cloudy, I went with the Riesling.
All in all, Social is a cute gem in a semi-rough neighborhood setting. I'd go back, particularly if I lived nearby, with a group of friends for after work happy hour. The outdoor arrangements are a nice touch indeed.
Social - 1400 Meridian Place NW, 202.797.1100, www.social14.com
I’m going to write this as though we actually had our May dinner in May; due to some unfortunate events with his Saturn (there’s a reason they’re out of business), J had to cancel our May dinner and reschedule for week 1 of June. After a week of unbearable DC heat – it’s June! – we scored with a nice summer evening for outdoor dining at Social.
Pretty far north in DC’s Columbia Heights neighborhood, Social brings a bit of flavor to a neighborhood that’s been booming over the past 3 years. Offering a plethora of small plates, Social encourages their diners to be social, by sharing meals, which is exactly what J and I did. While we chose to eat al fresco, Social’s décor screams comfort: big leather couches, dark wood furniture, and comfy art on the walls.
For our meal, we opted for the meatballs, the chicken parmesan sliders, fish tacos, and garlic French fries. Sure, a mélange, but whatever. The meatballs were tasty as were the fish tacos with an awesome smoked tomato aioli. The fries were pretty standard, and while I was excited for the sliders, I was a bit disappointed by the dryness of the bread, which overpowered any flavor in the chicken.
Overall, Social is a great place to get together with friends for a drink and a snack, especially after a quick trip to Target or Best Buy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
J Says...
Now that my wheels are back (public transportation = fear), we ventured up to essentially Maryland for our May-adjacent dinner. It was my choice and I was feeling Social...apparently, so were the interns at the next table who incidentally used to work for C in a previous life. Oh DC, you are sometimes too small to be charming.
As C discussed the dishes, I'll remark on the drinks. Her Manhattan looked more like Brooklyn, but she seemed to enjoy it. My first attempt at a Mojito with pineapple twist (per their menu) failed when the mint was "not as fresh as we'd like." Worried that a Dark & Stormy would end up being a Partly Cloudy, I went with the Riesling.
All in all, Social is a cute gem in a semi-rough neighborhood setting. I'd go back, particularly if I lived nearby, with a group of friends for after work happy hour. The outdoor arrangements are a nice touch indeed.
Social - 1400 Meridian Place NW, 202.797.1100, www.social14.com
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