When The Black Squirrel opened in late February, it seemed at first glance that the new dining spot would be a standout among the restaurants and bars along Adams Morgan's 18th Street strip. An early review by the Washington Post was positive and it appeared that diners in the area had a place that would provide food as enticing as their extensive beer list.

Several visits in April confirmed the early praise. The menu offered interesting choices ranging from traditional Belgian fare like mussels in a shallot, bacon, and curry cream sauce with frites to classic Southern 24-hour ribs, braised until the meat fell right off the bone. In addition to the food, The Black Squirrel offered some great specials including half-priced burgers on Thursday nights – although what area bar/restaurant doesn’t have a half price burger night? – and, more notably, half-priced Tuesdays on the entire menu.

However, The Squirrel may have hit a bit of a shakeup. Gone are the half-priced Tuesdays, instead now offering half-priced appetizers from 5 - 8 p.m. Discounted burgers are still available on Thursdays, but only from 5 - 7 p.m., and Wednesdays offer half off bottles of wine all night. But it’s the loss of the Tuesday special that stings the most. The deal offered customers a great way to try various items on the menu while feeling financially comfortable ordering a $12 or $14 beer.

Maybe the restaurant changed the specials due to pressures from rising food prices that, according to the Post, are affecting many area restaurants. But that doesn't account for other noticeable changes, particularly on the menu. Gone are the grilled trout, pan-seared swordfish, and braised lamb shanks. New entreés include lemon-crusted tilapia, lasagna, and house-made German bratwurst. They have kept the fantastic brie-stuffed, bacon cheeseburger and have added two new sandwich options: a club and a Reuben.

Photo by furcafe

Some of the menu changes are confusing. An appetizer of mussels and frites used to be available in single ($8) and double ($16) portions. Now they offer a single portion of mussels (in a new white wine sauce) for $10 and frites for an extra $4. The new sauce lacked a distinctive, or any, flavor and many of the mussels – described as rope grown from Prince Edward Island on the earlier menu, but are now missing a specific source – were full of sand and grit. Another presence that will be missed is the creamy and spicy slaw that accompanied the ribs, which have been replaced with white baked beans. Also, the port wine barbecue sauced has been replaced with a smoked chile sauce.

The beer list is still quite good and there have been few changes in staff, décor, and overall feel, suggesting the changes are the result of a new presence in the kitchen rather than new management. All previous reviews and articles had Gene Sohn, formerly of Marcel’s, listed as chef/owner and creative force behind the restaurant’s menu. But the new version of the menu indicates the offerings are “the creative vision of Chefs Gene Sohn and Andrew Kern.”

It’s not uncommon for a new restaurant to take some time to find an identity and figure out what works and what doesn't. The Black Squirrel plans to change its menu seasonally, and Chef Gene Sohn will be preparing daily specials in addition to the standard menu. Hopefully the folks at The Black Squirrel will continue to search for the right formula and return some of the previous menus' standouts.