Chefs love to brag about their house-made charcuterie, but no one does it quite as well as butcher/chef Nate Anda. His checklist menu of offbeat meats such as Negroni-inspired salami or wild-boar pâté is easily the highlight of this moody dining room. Meaty small plates make for hearty grazing alongside a well-curated selection of quirky wines, tart and funky beers, and bitter cocktails. But the best way to please a crowd is the crispy pork pata, a hunk of tender leg meat served with salted Thai chilies, pickles, and warm lard tortillas for assemble-your-own tacos. Moderate.
Also great: pho-braised pig head; pickled half-smoke; “red menace” spread; wild-mushroom-and-kale salad; beef-fat fries; Wagyu brisket with Taleggio fondue.
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.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
