Last week was Restaurant Week in Washington, D.C. For those that don’t know, this means that restaurants in the city and surrounding area that wish to participate put together a prix fixe menu from their normal offerings and have this available at a reduced price. It is a way for the restaurants to entice new customers as it is typically cheaper to visit during these special weeks.
Ms Cocktail and I try to visit at least one new restaurant during this week as it is an opportunity to explore something new without breaking the bank. The restaurants post their special menus on a web site where one can browse the offerings before making a choice of place to try. This year, Ms Cocktail and I along with a couple of her co-workers decided to try Café Atlántico in downtown DC.
At first the place looks very small, with on a short bar visible inside with several tables placed for outside dining. However it quickly became apparent that the large staircase leading upwards lead to the main dining area. In fact, the restaurant has three levels with a small molecular gastronomy bar on the second floor.
Ah yes, I should probably explain that term, molecular gastronomy. This is the science part of food science. From Wikipedia:
Molecular gastronomy is a scientific discipline involving the study of physical and chemical processes that occur in cooking. It pertains to the mechanisms behind the transformation of ingredients in cooking and the social, artistic and technical components of culinary and gastronomic phenomena in general (from a scientific point of view).
Ok I'll say it, that's a mouthful.
Anyway, back to the food. Given the Restaurant Week menu, one is allowed to select an appetizer, a entree and a dessert for the price. I chose the Dominican Conch Fritters, the Duck Confit and the Sorbet. Ms Cocktail had the Carrot Soup, the Salmon Veracruz Style and the Sorbet. The Carrot Soup was pureed and strained so that the texture was like silk. The carrot flavor was intense but not overwhelming with the spices adding a touch of zest. The Salmon was something altogether different. It was a nicely cooked salmon fillet with lemon sea foam on top with tomatos. olives, onion and capers on the side to make it Veracruz style. The only way I can describe the sea foam is a very bubbly lemon meringue. It was a bit gimmicky if you ask me but that is part of what molecular gastronomy brings to the table.
I can't say enough good things about my selections. The Conch Fritters were a deep fried shell around what amounted to conch bisque inside with a little packet of guacamole next to each one. The combination of textures was delightful. The Duck was cooked absolutely perfectly with just a touch of crispyness to the skin and all the fat gone all over a bed of Brussel Sprouts, apples and raisins. The Sorbet was wonderful and just the right touch after a rich meal. This was paired with a 2007 Legon Roble Tempranillo that hit the spot nicely.
All in all, I would give this restaurant 4 out of 5 stars. The atmosphere was nice, the service impeccable and my foods were a huge hit. However the salmon left a bit to be desired.
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