First Look: Brasserie Beck
For the last few weeks you couldn't read any D.C.-area food publication without seeing something about Robert Wiedmaier's Brasserie Beck. And all before it even opened. From Wiedmaier guest hosting Todd Kliman's chog, two pre-opening mentions in DCist's Weekly Feed, and frequent but casual mentions by The Washington Post and the blogosphere. And here Beck's is being written about yet again. Whoever the restaurant's publicist is, she's sure earning her keep.
The best way to start at Beck's is an order of moules frites, choosing from three options: white wine, parsley and garlic; curry & apple; and fennel & chorizo sausage. If you're feeling a little flush, throw in the charcuterie: a collection of rabbit rillettes, country pate, prosciutto, salami and speck.
The moules frites in white wine were excellent, though my party was disappointed to find size variations from large and plump to almost non-existent. I did find myself spooning the broth onto the excellent baguettes and enjoying every bit of brininess, however. The dish was accompanied by three flavors of mayonnaise – regular, rose marie (ketchup mixed with mayo), and curry. The curry mayo was so good I wish I could get a big tub to take home and eat with a spoon when I'm feeling a little down.
Beck has a beer sommelier to navigate folks through the list of over 50--predominantly Belgian--beers. There are some treats on tap like Delirium Tremens, De Koninck, and Houblon Chouffe. Our sommelier recommended the Lindeman's Gueuze Cuvée René, which is a lambic. Its small bubbles and golden lightness are why gueuzes are called the champagne of beers. It was a great palate cleanser to wash away the richness of the charcuterie, and it paired nicely with the mussels as well.
Instead of ordering an entree, I decided to go with two appetizers, the pea soup with veal cheek meatballs, and duck confit with pomme (apple) puree. The meatballs are presented in a bowl with a separate copper pot of pea soup, which the server poured over the top. It was exceedingly fragrant, and the meatballs were flavorful independent of the creamy, delicious soup. The duck confit was one of the highlights of the meal. The first taste is sweet and fruity and finishes with a mellow, salty duck flavor without the strong gameyness that is sometimes present in the fowl.
Every entree that our group tried , which included the choucroute en croute and the lamb shank with cannellonicannellini beans, received rave reviews. Our side of potato gratin with pork belly was disappointing, however: the potatoes were a bit too firm, and the pork belly lacked the fatty richness usually associated with it.
After the heights of the savory dishes, dessert was a bit of a letdown. Flemish rice pudding with its bruleed top was too sweet, and the Belgian bread pudding was not as custardy as had been hoped for, although we did like its use of dark chocolate rather than milk. The one highlight was the pear tarte tatin with its buttery crust and caramelized pears. The crust strikes a fine balance between flaky on the outside and toothsome on the inside.
The service was pleasant and friendly, but there were a few minor kinks that need to be worked out. The charcuterie was brought out to the table without explanation of the items, and there were a few issues with getting the appropriate silverware. It's still in its early days, and it may be that they just need a little time to figure out their rhythm. Hopefully it's nothing a little training won't fix.
It has been noted by both WaPo and the Washingtonian that there is a trend in the area of high-profile chefs going back to basics. Cathal Armstrong (Restaurant Eve) started the trend in the area with Eamonn's, a Dublin Chipper. He was followed closely by Michel Richard (Citronelle) with Central, and soon Ris Lacoste (1789) will be opening an unnamed bistro. If the delightful first week of Brasserie Beck says anything, Robert Wiedmaier might just be giving the rest of them a real run for their money.
Entrees average $20, appetizers $12 and desserts $7.
Brasserie Beck
1101 K St. NW
202.408.1717
Metro: McPherson Square, Metro Center