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Girlfriend Getaway Weekend in Georgetown
By Peggy Sijswerda
Hugs were out of the question. As taxi drivers honked behind us, I dove into Beth's minivan on a recent Friday afternoon, tossing my bag onto the backseat. Beth joined the flow of traffic in front of Union Station in downtown D.C., handed me a map, and said, "Help me find Massachusetts Avenue." Then, "They're dark chocolate M & M's. They're yummy." ...
...After checking into the Latham, a classy comfortable executive-style hotel right on M Street, Beth and I headed over to 1789, Georgetown's premier restaurant, boasting historic charm and a reputation for serving some of D.C.'s finest food. Chef Ris Lacoste, who's at the helm in the kitchen, trained in Paris, so Beth and I knew we were in for an evening of fine dining. We weren't disappointed.
Housed in a Federal-style home dating from the mid-1800's, the restaurant promises diners the quintessential D.C. experience. Beth and I were seated in the main dining room, which exudes Old-World ambiance complete with fireplace and Currier and Ives prints on the walls. Surrounded by tables of well-dressed men and women, I began to feel more at home in this sophisticated city. Pungo's cornfields receded from my mind as I let the city's vibe enter my soul. ...
O.K. so the talking was good, but the food was even better. At 1789, I ordered the signature appetizer, the scallop margarita, a delightful blend of lime-marinated scallops, avocados, and chiles topped with a scoop of orange and tequila ice. The scallops burst with flavor, and the various textures of the dish hamonized well. Beth tried the Prince Edward Island mussels, which were plump and sweet, surrounded by a fennel garlic broth, served with saffron aioli and grilled crostoni.
For our entrees, I tried the rack of American lamb alongside creamy feta potatoes, garlic spinach, and rosemary Shiraz sauce. The lamb chops, succulent and juicy, were complemented perfectly by the sides, especially the spinach cooked just right with a hint of garlic. Beth ordered the vegetable sampler, which featured wild mushroom strudel, goat cheeses flan, celery root remoulade, Dijon lentils, wilted greens, and sweet potato gratin. For dessert, Beth tried the warm rhubarb gallette, it's flaky puff pastry a perfect background for the tart-sweet rhubarb. My dessert was sinfully good; the palette of chocolate included warm chocolate almonds financieres, which are upscale brownies; pot de creme, a light creamy chocolate armagnac sorbet, which was a dark brown rich concoction that sent me over the moon. A fine French Codes du Rhone provided an excellent accompaniment to the meal. All told, 1789 delivered on its promise to provide a premier food and wine experience.
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