Food

An Early Look at Irish Whiskey (Pictures)

A neighborhood restaurant and bar opens in Dupont, with an ambitious chef in the kitchen and a plaid-accented interior by Maggie O’Neill.

Irish Whiskey debuts in Dupont with design by Maggie O’Neill. Photographs by Jeff Martin.

Three-story restaurant and watering hole Irish Whiskey debuted last week in the 19th Street rowhouse formerly home to Porter’s. Helming the kitchen is Sean McIntosh, who has created a menu featuring dishes like pan-seared filet mignon with Irish-cheddar-potato cake, and lamb pastitsio on a bed of carrots, peas, pearl onions, and sweet potatoes, finished with a thyme demi-glace and rosemary aioli.

Responsible for the decor is Maggie O’Neill of O’Neill Studios, who created interiors for Hank’s Oyster Bar and Lounge and Sax. The designer used custom stencils, repurposed wood, and plaid leather upholstery to give an Emerald Isle vibe to the space, and even hung up one of her own original paintings. Check out the slideshow to see it, along with some of McIntosh’s Irish-inspired culinary offerings.

Irish Whiskey. 1207 19th St., NW; 202-463-3010; irishwhiskeydc.com. Open Monday through Thursday 11 AM to 2 AM, Saturday 9 AM to 3 AM, and Sunday 9 AM to 2 AM (brunch is set to begin in coming weeks).

Food Editor

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.