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.
I don't need to tell you that Chicken is typically an uneventful dish at any restaurant, but don't shy away from the spice roast chicken as it's very much a star player, the golden brown skin breaks off to the touch which is perfect for dipping in the bowl of chili sauce, and the meat is packed full of flavor and is incredibly moist(!), served with a mix of Vietnamese greens, it's a hefty dish but you won't get bored should you order it for yourself.
It was the grilled pork chop that caught us by surprise, initially intimidated by the portion size we dived in to find tender meat with little to no fat served with potatoes and chili. You see a theme here, chili peppers feature heavily across the menu and while some dishes carry more heat than others the pork chop isn't one of them, a classic with a little flare. A notable mention has to be made to the coconut roasted cod, flaky chunks of white fish over a subtle curry sauce, surprisingly much lighter than most of the other dishes we ordered.
Obviously I didn't try everything on the menu and perhaps I got lucky with what I did, so I'm sure there are misses although I doubt it, and if on my next visit I hit those I'll be sure to let you know.
Restaurant Chloe: 1331 4th Street, SE Washington, DC (closest metro: Nay Yard)