Well Fed On the Town

The word “organic” sends icky shivers up my spine.While it’s noble, indeed, to seek out vegetables, meat and eggs that were raised without being sullied by chemicals, etc., it’s expensive to eat like that all the time. The self-righteousness of places that do serve organic dishes can get on my nerves. Executive Chef Robert Weland makes the medium the message, by serving organic dishes so delicious that you’ll not only want to come back for more, but you’ll start thinking more about what you eat.

Poste, located near Chinatown in the heart of Washington, DC’s Gallery Place, is a work of art in itself from the moment you walk in the door. One entrance gives you a view of the atrium, a large glass and chrome structure, that you will not forget. High ceilings, funky Asian-inspired light fixtures and clean lines are the perfect setting for a drink or a meal at the main bar. Booths are stationed in front of the kitchen, where the pass through is large enough that you can see all that is going on. Even the kitchen is delightfully shiny and deco. Weland’s food is both beautiful and clean itself.

To start, we sampled the Backyard Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with a perfect oval of Dijon mustard ice cream in the center. When stirred gently, the ice cream imparts the gazpacho with a delightful creaminess that somehow accentuates the freshness of the tomatoes, which taste like sun - slightly tangy and bright. We also indulged in the Garden Arugula Salad: a leafy concoction of arugula, basil, mind and marigold leaves studded with fresh figs, sheets of fresh shaved Parmesan and drizzled with an aged sherry vinaigrette that had me saying “Oh my God!” so many times that other patrons must have thought I was speaking in tongues. The combination of ingredients were a revelation - the mint and basil played nicely off of each other and the marigold leaves provided a gentle bite that was in keeping with the flavor of the Parmesan. The figs were something else entirely: beautiful, creamy, slightly sweet, heaven.

Thus far well pleased with the recommendations of our waiter (who also answered our questions politely and thoroughly) we moved onto entrees with barely disguised glee. My friend tried the Crispy Skin Tobago Snapper, a straightforward fish dish. Snapper has never been a favorite of mine, but one bite and I nearly wrenched the plate away from her. The cut of Snapper was served with champ potatoes (mashed) and topped with a red wine poached farm egg. It was served with caper beurre noisette, which apparently is a sauce, (My first thought was that my new favorite band, The Noisettes, must surely know this?) and garnished with plenty of fresh dill. I’ve never had fresh dill, and the farm egg poached in wine was inspiring. The fish was moist, with a mild flavor, and delicious.

My own entree was more than satisfying: Pan Roasted Organic Chicken with Buckwheat Crepes. Well, one crepe and it was stuffed full of chicken, gravy and vegetables and folded in quarters. The crepe was arranged next to the half chicken which was flanked by bright orange napoli carrots, flowery chanterelles, crispy snow peas and garnished with fresh rosemary. It was almost too beautiful to eat but a once that hurdle was overcome there was nothing but reward. The chicken was tender but not too moist. It was well-flavored with reduced pan juices and complemented nicely by the carrots and chanterelles.

At this point we could have walked out completely satisfied even though we had forgone the happy hour truffled frites, it was a marvelous meal. But there was still dessert to come. I’m a sucker for dessert. My friend had the Chocolate Pot de Creme with espresso, chili, milk jam and fresh cream. I went for the Bing Cherry Cobbler with Lemon Verbena ice cream. It was, I admit, the ice cream that did it for me. The Pot de Creme was delicious, however the espresso overpowered the chili and both flavors were so subtle it was like an arm wrestling match between two grandmothers. You really had to be patient for the taste to happen on your tongue. First the espresso hit, and then moments later the chili. It was a little weird, but if you like delayed taste gratification then I’d recommend it. The texture was pure velvet. Mine was good, but it wasn’t really cobbler, rather warmed cherries with sweet, gooey liquid and sprinkled with a bit of streusel topping. I will not say “canned pie filling” but I’m thinking it. The ice cream was divinely refreshing and creamy. Overall, not amazing, but a nice ending. Maybe that’s something that will even out in future. In the meantime, I’d just as soon indulge in a lavender martini, or something else from their amazing drinks list, and leave dessert out.

The restaurant is light and airy but yet has the feeling of an old-fashioned apothecary (an impression further sold by busboys in labcoats). The staff is helpful and overall the service is fantastic. Chef Weland graciously took a few minutes to talk to us, which was nice of him. Overall, a very good meal full of bright, fresh flavors and a wonderful experience.

Note: On Thursday Chef Weland hosts the “To Market, To Market Dinner” in which attendees accompany him shopping for organic ingredients, after which he cooks and serves a meal using said items all from local farms know for growing organic veggies, etc. The meal is served with biodynamic wines and comes to $65 per person. See the website for details.

Poste Brasserie is also open for breakfast, Monday through Friday, and brunch on Saturday and Sunday.