The first thing you notice when you enter the Grillfish D.C. restaurant is the glittering chandeliers which set the romantic ambiance — and then you smell garlicky seafood and suddenly realize you’re ravenous. As it turns out, you made the right choice coming to this popular West end spot.
Known for sourcing sustainable and hyper-local ingredients, if the seafood were any fresher you’d be swimming in the ocean. We order the bourbon-based ‘Woodsman Cocktail’ with its’ homemade honey syrup which is the perfect kick-start to the night.
On the recommendation of our server, we start with half a dozen local oysters in a mignonette and cocktail sauce which still lets the briny taste shine through. ($16.)
Then comes the hard decision — either the Mixed Grill of Swordfish, salmon, mahi-mahi, scallops, and shrimp ($29 for one) or the Grilled Shrimp Scampi Over Linguine ($22.50.)
We also have a vegetarian with us, who declares themselves delighted with the risotto balls with manchego cheese (10.50) and the crispy tofu with rice, sauteed veggies, spicy maple sauce (23.) For the mussels and clams, you can choose your own sauce — creamy garlic and wine, spicy marinara or coconut red curry.
We opt for an order of the crab cakes as well which are unbelievably fresh and scrumptious.
When our gigantic order of grilled Lobster over linguine arrives, other tables peer over enviously. (MP) It was as good as it looks.
For those angling for steak, there’s a NY STRIP (12 oz) with Parmesan fries and choice of vegetable ($38) which the local patrons at the next table told us was ‘perfect.’
After eating our body weight in seafood, we worked off some of the meal with a stroll around the leafy neighborhood.
No question this was our best meal in D.C. and next trip we’ll start with the Grillfish. After all, the White House isn’t going anywhere.