Unum in Georgetown, DC

Okay, okay. I know this post is late, but hey - better late than never, right?

I had initially planned on only visiting Bibiana for DC Restaurant Week, but when another food-loving friend asked me if I had mid-week dinner plans to try a new place out I just couldn't pass it down and especially not Unum's deal: appetizers, two small plates, and dessert for 35.15 a head. Between the two of us, we managed to try out everything we were interested in the menu and walked waddled out agreeing that it was possibly one of the best dining experiences we have had in a long time.

Lobster bisque // grilled pineapple + chilli + tarragon 

With four giant lobster tail pieces plucked out of the shell for our own lazy enjoyment swimming (pun intended) in a delicate, milky broth it was much lighter than the typical bisque which was much appreciated as an opener. And the sweet pineapple + licorice-y tarragon gave it so much depth. Read: flavor complexity = winner.

Chorizo stuffed squid // saffron-lemon risotto + fried calamari + honey-line sriracha sauce 

I'm not much of a ground meat person so the chorizo didn't quite swing well with me but the moderately tender squid + creamy risotto + briny (what I think is) squid ink sauce were absolutely delicious. After the rather disappointing risotto experience at Seasons 52, Unum restored my faith.

Pan seared duck breast // roasted sun choke puree + kale with figs and pine nuts + kumquat chutney + aged balsamic 

I love sunchokes. I think. Earthy/milk sunchoke puree + perfectly seared duck + sweet chutney, possibly my favorite dish of the night. I've never had western preparations of duck but oh wow, where has this been my entire life? Mind completely blown.

Grilled branzino // celery root puree + basil-mint fennel slaw + crack green olive vinaigrette 

Crispy. Perfectly crispy. So crispy that I had to hold back my tears of joy for fear of the moisture messing up that perfectly prepared branzino skin (okay, that was a tiiiiinnnyyyy exaggeration). I tend to shy away from ordering branzino because it is so expensive, but of course all bets were off for restaurant week. Not too big of the fan of the slaw, but the green olives were spot on for contrasting with the fish's sweetness.

Boneless short rib pasta // baby root vegetables + red wine braising jus

I make it a rule to never order pasta in restaurant but because all rules are thrown out for restaurant week (see branzino above) and after reading all the rave reviews on Yelp, I had to order it. Wow. Falling apart short ribs + crunchy/earthy vegetables livened up with an acidic kick from the red wine. I swear, this is probably a never-ending bowl of pasta. My friend and I ate and ate and ate but it looked like we barely made a dent!

Pan roasted grouper // oysters + mussels + fennel + leeks + whipped potatoes + curry broth + fried oyster 

After so many amazing dishes, the group was a complete disappointment. The flavors were muddled and not clearly defined or developed and while I like the coconut-y broth there was nothing about the rest of the dish that particularly jumped out at me. I'd pass on this.

Blackberry-apple crisp // salted caramel-toffee crumble + vanilla ice cream

Unum sundae // chocolate cake + cocoa-marshmallow cream + banana ice cream + sour cherries + caramel popcorn

Even after three courses each of course we still had room for dessert. And yes, they were as good as they looked.

In typical Georgetown fashion there is not much of Unum (definition: small), but it's an intimate setting well worth paying a visit to. I'd be more than happy to come back.

Unum 

2917 M St NW
 Washington, DC 20007

Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca in Downtown, DC

I've always been slightly fascinated by fine-dining. You know - big plates, tiny food, stuffy atmosphere, not being able to pronounce let alone understand anything on the menu. It's a running joke amongst my friends and I that the hungrier you feel after a meal, the fancier it was.

That being said, it's not surprise that my fine-dining experience is very, very limited being a broke college student and all, but luckily DC Restaurant Week lets me branch out a bit and try some of the places that have been on my radar, but I normally would never go dine in (on my own budget at least).

This year, over 200 restaurants participated, offering 3 course prix-fixe meals at $20.15 for lunch and $35.15 for dinner. The first stop on my list was Bibiana. 

Bibiana is an award-winning restaurant that specializes in modern takes on Italian fare. The setting is sleek and modern, service is impeccable, and despite its trendy tendencies Bibiana has a distinctly rustic soul.

I arrived at the later half of the lunch service and was surprised to find still a good amount of people dining. Nonetheless, service was still prompt, courteous, and attentive. 

 Bibiana's Restaurant Week menu offered a thorough sample of their standard menu with meat, pasta, poultry, and seafood options along sizable starter and dessert options. I'll shamelessly admit it, but I went into the restaurant armed and ready with my complete meal order prepared days in advance. Hey, I don't mess around with my food.

 Bread service // complementary 

A bread basket and its accompanying oil arrived at my table about 2.789 seconds after our server took our orders. Of course, my rule with bread has always been to limit myself to one single piece to avoid filling myself up with "filler" before my main meal, but my gosh, this bread as a life altering experience. A strong, snappy crust topped with subtly fragrant seeds contrasted with an elastic interior with hints of fermented, yeasty goodness - this stuff is totally my jam.

Baccala mantecato // whipped salted cod fish & potatoes + saffron + focaccia crisp

Served with a roasted garlic paste, the baccala mantecato is an intensely flavorful bite. It was a bit too salty for me, but I can see it as a delightful opener for someone with a stronger palate.

Insalata di calamari // grilled​ calamari salad + spicy cherry peppers + herb salad + tonnato vinaigrette

I was pleasantly surprised to find my salad absolutely brimming with calamari and perfectly cooked calamari at that - springy yet tender enough to easily cut with a dinner knife. While I wish that the vinaigrette was a bit more acidic to brighten up the salad and better wet my appetite for the meal, I did enjoy this dish.

Coda alla vaccinara // roman style oxtail stew + red wine + tomato spices + white polenta

Tender, fatty, and flavorful, oxtail is a beautiful cut of meat and when prepared well it will just absolutely melt in your mouth. Bibiana's preparation brightened the oxtail's flavors that were muddled  from the long cooking process with hints of sweetness and acid from both the red wine and tomato and served on a bed of creamy polenta, this was a hearty stick-to-yo-ribs kind of dish.

Razza // plancha seared skate + braised escarole + cannellini beans + chilies

 Skate is a more tough, lean, mild flavored fish and something I rarely ever find on menus so of course I jumped at ordering it and was presented with a fork tender, beautifully cooked piece - soft and stringy with a slight golden sear on top. Unfortunately the braised escaroles were a bit too salty and overpowered the delicate flavor of the fish.

Zuccotto // chocolate coated semifreddo + toasted hazelnuts

 By the time dessert came rolling around my friend and I were both starting to slip into food comas, but hey - that's why we have a separate dessert stomach! The zuccotto was intensely chocolatey with hints of coffee that just absolutely screamed decadence. Obviously no amount of fat or sugar was spared here and I'm not complaining at all.

Ciambella // crema di pistacchio + blood orange gelato

 Of the two desserts, while I liked the flavor of the zuccotto more, as a whole I found the ciambella much more enjoyable to eat. The zuccotto was decadently rich which is nice on the first few bites, but after such a large meal I was looking for a good palate cleanser, which the blood orange gelato did perfectly for me.

Overall I was pretty pleased with my experience at Bibiana though I do wish that the chef was just a bit more light-handed with the salt. What really won me over was the exceptional service. My meal moved at the perfect pace, we were checked on often without feeling like we were being intruded upon, and my server made an effort to explain every course as it was brought out. They truly made me feel like I was taken care of.

Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca

1100 New York Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20005