Well to do drunken sailors and elite social media moguls rejoice at the notion of a hazy night spent in the Yards, Washington DC’s brand spanking new adult playground that is just lousy with world class eats and hyperactive watering holes. For a sublime time above the chaos one would be wise to swim upstream to Anchovy Social, located on the roof of the uber swank Thompson hotel. Toted as having year-round waterfront vibes, after-work spritzes, and the occasional seafood tower, the master mixologist here will blur your definition between heaven and earth and pour it in a glass for you. Once properly libated, head out to the parapet where you can watch the Emmy award winning show “what’s my neighbor doing up?”. It’s a gas.
While exploring The Yards district nestled in the District of Columbia we discovered what would be our new most favorite dining experience, Albi. And when I say experience, I mean it. Here you journey through the rich complex flavors of Levantine cooking with chef/owner Michael Rafidi guiding the way. Drawing on home cooked Palestinian dishes, Rafidi gifts you with an unbelievable authentic fine dining experience while wrapped in a womb of warm architectural beauty.
Every Albi seat is enchanted by the traditional wood burning open hearth that adds palatable drama to every course, and their chef table offers more show then Cirque du Solei. While Albi is known for its ambrosia, their nectar game is as on point with a very serious wine program crafted by William Simons that brings eclectic eastern Mediterranean grape direct to your pallet. I was more interested in the small batch Syrian arak, whose ceremonial preparation and astringent bouquet puts your meal in hyperdrive, both complementing these desert flavors while serving as physician on duty as a slowly administered digestif. Simply genius. All this sensory conditioning is perfect to prepare you for the epicurean tidal wave that’s about to crash on your palate.
Equipped with a handy user manual to these unique flavors, these onslaught of playful dishes that come in waves rave in your mouth, each more complex and soothing than the next. Best yet, the entire experience is elevated by the super friendly and knowledgeable staff that seem to be as excited as you are to feast on such unique and perfectly prepared dishes, and why wouldn’t they be? Embered mushroom and black garlic hummus, smoked beef cheek dolma, apple and pear fattoush with pomegranate molasses, and smoked belly lamb kebabs with habanada honey are a few magical dishes that if said out loud have a truly spell-like effect. While the menu is not vast, it is profound, right down to the deserts, and while not what I would consider cheap by any measure, every bite is worth every penny for this extraordinarily special experience. Bravo Albi, shukran lakum.
CINECLAST: GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN IN FILM, FOOD, & FOREIGN PLACES. 