This past weekend I have been in DC for a board meeting for an organization that I belong too. This was a pretty quick trip, I left Friday morning and am sitting in the airport waiting for my flight home now. Most of my time for this trip was spent in the meeting, but I did have time to make it to a couple nice restaurants - I get an $85 meal per diem that I lose if I don't use it up. In the past I have always just eaten in Chinatown and I usually only spent about $20 of my $85. However, last time I was here I ended up going to a great restaurant on my last night and spending the whole thing just on dinner. I decided to do the same thing this time.
I found this list online (http://www.washingtonian.com/projects/dining/100-very-best-restaurants/2015/) of the 100 best restaurants in DC. I discovered that the place I went to last time was ranked #82 (DGBG). Before coming, I was really debating whether I should just eat there again because I liked it so much or if I should try some place new higher on the list. So the first two places on this list cost either $250 or $175 per meal and you didn't get to pick what you ate, just whatever the chef made that night. The next place looked really promising and within my per diem price range, but it was hard to tell and their menu didn't have very many options. The next few places after that were either Asian or Italian and although I like both, I never feel like the restaurants are all that much better than what Rebecca and I can make at home.
I ended up going to #12 Del Campo a South American steak place. It was pretty nice. The restaurant was fancy, but it was louder inside, the tables were a little more squished together, and I didn't get a nice window seat like last time. They started with some warm grilled flat bread that I dipped in oil and their smoked sea salt. I was definitely wanting more of that! I contemplated a dry-aged 18 ounce rib eye, but ended up going with the 12 ounce rolled wagyu skirt steak that is pictured below. They served it with a big piece of the bone on top spit in half and told me that I should eat the marrow. I did eat it, but that seemed kind of weird. It was white and kind of a pudding/jello texture, but it didn't have much flavor to it. The stake itself was really good. It was very tender, especially the middle pieces. But in the end I didn't think it was seasoned as flavorful as the steak that I had at the #82 restaurant last time. I did get some steak fries on the side that were like jojo's and really good. The bill ended up being $79.
The next night the dinner was planned as a group event by the organization. It was at the #83 restaurant on the list, Johnny's Half Shell. Since it was a group dinner thing we only got two different entree options for the meal. It started with some really good bread that I wished I could share with Rebecca. It was crusty on the outside and then really soft a chewing in the middle. I think I had five or six slices because they just kept bringing it out. The salad that they served had beats in it and it wasn't very good at all. Rather than dressing they served it with a soft cheese on top and the cheese was really good. For the main dish I had the Crabmeat Imperial. Below is a picture of it that I found online. I wish I new how to describe it better, but basically it was Maryland crab that was shredded and mixed in a really delicious cheesy cream sauce. I was wishing that I had a double portion on it. Then there was a piece of lemon pie for dessert. I think the total for the full meal was a bit cheaper (maybe about $50), but I think I preferred it to the #12 restaurant too.
I feel really spoiled getting to eat at these fancy restaurants for free once or twice a year.
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