Cuisine:

• American
• New American
• Brew, Pubs, Microbreweries
• Bar
• Regional

Blue Duck Tavern Description:
Executive chef Brian McBride---who masterminded the menu of the very upscale Melrose restaurant in the same Park Hyatt Washington location---takes on American farmland fare with a zeal that epicures will appreciate. In a few words, the whole redone restaurant, with its slate floors, large windows and open kitchen, is outstanding. Note that the menu undergoes seasonal changes, so your best-loved salad or side dish in July may be gone in October. The waitstaff explains it all, but you can order family-style---everything is à la carte and can be ordered to share---and indulge your inner child with such entrées as the slow-braised beef short ribs, so tender that they fall apart with a fork. Even better, assuming you can get someone to share, is the roasted Prime bone-in rib-eye steak, slated for two. Then order the heirloom tomato, basil and goat cheese salad to start, or ask for it with the entrée, a good fit with meat or seafood. The pea soup with a poached egg, or the smoked and cured country pork terrine also merit consideration as appetizers, but perhaps saving enough room for the pastry chef's dessert makes sense: apple pie or molten chocolate cake with flamed brandy. Wine aficionados will appreciate the extensive wine list, created with an eye to pleasing a very wide audience. It's comprised of two lists, the first one of all-American labels priced from $28 to $200 and chosen to work within the tavern concept. The second list is far more comprehensive, with wines arranged by country and by price, with a $350 bottle meriting the biggest price tag.


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