If you follow me on social you’ll have noticed I’ve been spending a lot of time in Phoenix, AZ so I thought I’d share the places I frequent and enjoy the most. If you have any questions on restaurants here send me a message or hit me up on twitter, DM’s are always open.
Dining: Republic Cantina
Republic Cantina has ended its preview phase and is all glownup, as previews go it was long, at seven or so weeks it almost lasted as long as summer. No matter, because it felt very much like a restaurant from day one, on the occasions I visited not once did I get the sense that they were new to the game. The service was always good, the food excellent, the space charming and fresh. Situated in a new upscale condo building on a small block just off New York Ave in Truxton Circle, RC has definitely taken the neighborhood, if not city, by storm, landing on plenty of summer best of lists already. And rightly so.
Read MoreDining: Little Pearl
I was recently comparing notes on new restaurants with a friend, he's adventurous and probably eats out more than I do. I offered up Little Pearl (new to me) on Capitol Hill, but instead of an enthusiastic thumbs up it was met with a snarl, a pretty harsh, and perhaps unwarranted one at that.
Little Pearl is a cafe by day, wine bar at night. It's a beautiful restaurant on the grounds of The Hill Center at the Old Naval Hospital, set-back among the trees behind the wrought-iron fence. The double moniker of cafe-wine bar might confuse some, expectations of what is in store, it's much more casual cafe than it is a wine bar, perhaps too much so. Run by Aaron Silverman of Rose's Luxury and Pineapple & Pearls, the menu is a mix of serious but playful, which shouldn't be a shock to anyone.
Read MoreDining: Chloe by Haidar Karoum
The photos don't do it any justice, one of the most enjoyable restaurant experiences I've had in a long time was at Chloe by Haidar Karoum in Navy Yard. From the dish of olives with pickled garlic to the crispy cauliflower to the cobia crudo, which we ordered twice, there wasn't a dish that disappointed. The service was spot on too.
If you've dined at Estadio, Proof or Doi Moi then you'll be familiar with Karoum who served as executive chef prior to opening Chloe. In true DC fashion the menu is designed for sharing, because of course it is, but if you're a larger table, here I actually recommend it as you're going to want to order as many of the dishes as you can stuff in your face. There are more dishes that are smaller than those that are larger, so you may order more than one like we did with the crudo - which has the right blend of thai chilies and lime to balance each other out, topped with crispy shallots to add that much expected crunch. A stand out dish.
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