Chef Geoff’s
Washington, D.C.
December 2006
4 ½ stars out of 5

My husband, Adam, and I entered Chef Geoff’s Downtown Diner on 13th Street between E & F on a Thursday night around 6:00 pm and we were greeted by two lovely hostesses, joking and smiling.  Adam, being the charmer that he is, imposed a variety of introductory questions and we were quickly seated in the back room of the somewhat empty restaurant.  Our waiter, Jason – timid and stammering for words with his quick breathes and even speedier speech, introduced himself and produced an array of menus and books lined with appetizers, entrees of many varieties, and a large selection of wines as well as a miniature portfolio of martinis, spritzers and cocktails.  I was greatly intrigued by the introduction of the menu with the Lil’ Snacks section.  These are smaller portioned appetizers that suit the lighter appetites as well as the tighter wallets.  Adam and I immediately chose the Fried Green Tomatoes stuffed with Goat Cheese as our starter.

While awaiting our appetizer, Jason delivered a basket of fresh white bread and butter alongside the evening’s first round of libations. I enjoyed a delightfully rich Chocolate Covered Cherry martini while Adam partook in Chef Geoff’s Amber.  Though the bread was warm and delightful, it was almost unbearable to bite into the hard outer crust.  I conceded to digging out the middle of the bread and devouring that instead.  My martini was definitely a treat; an appropriately mixed combination of Black Cherry Smirnoff vodka, Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur and a splash of half and half.  After a rotation of sampling the beverage, admiring its sweet, smooth richness, we concluded that, though the beverage was definitely a “must have”, if a heavy cream or whipping cream had been used, it would have hit the fifth star it needed.  The signature amber had a strong resemblance to Killian’s Red or Murphy’s Irish Red; a little hoppier than the aforementioned, but with a better after taste.  A delightful choice rated at 3 ½ stars.

Our appetizer arrived, three golden fried green tomatoes arranged on a rectangular white dish.  Splendid presentation of each crusty, golf ball sized treat topped with a teaspoon sized dollop of aioli and sprinkled with fresh minced parsley.  As I cut into the crust, I was surprised with a glorious vision of warm goat cheese oozing from the center of two perfectly ripe green medallions.  The first bite was impressive; the bread crumb exterior perfectly seasoned and not to heavy for the sweetness of the tomatoes and the pungency of the goat cheese.  The aioli was tinted pink, probably from a pinch of cayenne pepper or paprika.  I savored the waterfall of cheese that dispersed after my knife slid through the tomatoes.  My only complaint about the dish was that there were only three portions forcing me to share my indulgence with my husband.  If I had left then, I would have been content with my five-star purchase.

Our dinners were served shortly after with both Adam and I enjoying the larger portion sizes that our entrees displayed.  He had the Lump Crab Cakes with Whipped Potatoes, Garlic Spinach, and Frizzled Onions served in a Roe Butter.  The presentation was impressive with the two crab cakes slanted on either side of the mound of potatoes looking like white ½ lb. hamburgers.  The crab meat was fresh, flaky, and mixed with cubed bread dipped in a mixture of eggs and milk.  The crab cakes were not breaded, instead seared on the exterior and, though I appreciated the tenderness of the flesh mixed with the rich butter across the bottom of the plate and the miniature black pearls of roe, I was not as impressed with flavor as I had imagined I would be.  I felt it lacked a little seasoning of some kind.  With every slight sprinkling of salt, each bite improved. Though the bites were improving, I still felt that something was missing.  The sides were above average with the fairly common potatoes being compensated by the full flavor of the garlic spinach and crunchy frizzled onions

Unfortunately, my dish was much more desired by the both of us.  I had a beautiful presentation laid in front of me consisting of a full sized, bone-in pork chop smothered in an array of wild mushrooms and tilted slightly above a complimenting pair of side dishes.  I immediately scooped up a bite of the much anticipated white truffle risotto; each little morsel rich and creamy with a slight al dente bite.  I was delightfully surprised to see a small portion of the garlic spinach that I had admired from across the white linens.  I sliced into the tender pork, cooked to a perfect medium and toppled over an assortment of morel buds, Portobello quarters, shitake slivers, and crispy bites of bacon, and lifted the heavenly morsel to my mouth.  I had struck it rich. I grinned, closed my eyes, nodding with content, and then mumbled, through pierced lips, “Five, baby. You gotta try this.”  I gave Adam a bite and then graced myself with an even bigger one.  I fed him yet again and then he tilted his head and furrowed his brow.  “I must admit, I like yours much more,” he said.  Well, obviously I love him dearly, because I traded, but don’t be discouraged, I repetitively stole the mushrooms and other scraps from across the table.  We finished our meal and I continued jotting notes down over many discussions of food and beverages.

Ah, yes, beverages… through the mid portion of the meal, we both switched gears and chose an alternative beverage.  He continued with the choice of beers on tap, trying the Magic Hat #9.  This pale ale had an interesting flavor with a fruity but not pungent aftertaste.  The apricot flavoring that Jason had mentioned was noticeable but delightful.  Adam gave this a gracious 3 ½ stars and continued devouring “my” meal. I had reversed directions and went back to one of my fail-safes: raspberries.  I chose the Raspberry Sling; a vodka based cocktail much like a concoction I often times make in my own home. Absolut Raspberry, raspberry liqueur, lime juice and ginger beer, which Adam insisted is what gave it its pinkish-amber color.  I enjoyed the beverage; however I waited until after I completed my meal since its pungency took away from the subtle flavor of the crab cakes.

The evening came to a close and we finished up our meals leaving remnants of crab cakes as the only survivor.  I wished I could have stayed to try other choices on their ever-changing menu, but I had many other places to try before my five-day honeymoon ended.  We left the restaurant without trying a dessert, an aperitif, or the $35 glass of 150-year Grand Marnier that Adam had mentioned more than once.  The staff being as wonderfully attentive and courteous as they were and even the least-liked dish was still beyond the above average point, I would definitely return to this establishment.    Yes, Chef Geoff has created a warm, semi-casual atmosphere, with diverse food choices, at reasonable prices in a very lovely city.  This is a must try restaurant.

For reservations visit http://www.chefgeoff.com/main/

Brandy