Logan Cox’s cooking at this Woodley Park veteran aims to challenge diners with unexpected combinations of ingredients in a way few chefs dare. He doesn’t always succeed, but at its best, his cooking is as satisfying as it is playful.
Cox apprenticed under exacting Palena chef Frank Ruta, and it shows in the clarity and precision of his dishes, whether it’s his dim-sum-gone-mad-scientist scallop dumpling, his house-made agnolotti filled with bitter greens, or his preparations of braised or poached fish.
New Heights is among a shrinking group of independent fine-dining restaurants, which means portions tend to be small, and the dining room seems dated in comparison with the chef’s daring. But longtime owner Umbi Singh runs the operation with a steady hand and the drinking is as good as the eating thanks to a first-rate by-the-glass wine list, a creative cocktail program, and one of the best gin selections anywhere.
Also good: Cod croquettes; pan-roasted guinea hen; sugar-and-masala-spiced doughnuts.
Open daily for dinner. Expensive.
>> See all of 2011's Best Restaurants
Ann Limpert joined Washingtonian in late 2003. She was previously an editorial assistant at Entertainment Weekly and a cook in New York restaurant kitchens, and she is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. She lives in Petworth.
