About Charlie Palmer Steak
This glass-walled power scene in the shadow of the Capitol has
always flouted steakhouse clichés. But since opening chef Bryan Voltaggio
left in 2007, the kitchen has had its ups and downs. That is, until last
year, when chef Jeffery Russell took over. Marvelous meat is a given. More
of a surprise are Russell’s smart flavor match-ups—think roasted shrimp
with Banyuls vinegar—and his way with vegetables. Then there’s the dining
room, elegant yet unabashedly modern with a giant glass cube in which the
restaurant’s 3,000-plus wines are stashed.
Up front, the bar makes for fun people-watching. It’s schmooze
central for media types and politicians (plus their arm candy).
Don’t miss: Oysters with Bloody Mary sorbet; mini-burgers
with bacon marmalade; bone-in Angus rib eye; smoked pork porterhouse with
preserved cherries; pancetta-braised fingerlings; seasonal fruit cobbler;
frozen custards and sorbets.
Open: Monday through Friday
for lunch and dinner, Saturday for dinner. Very
expensive.
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.
