Not ever having had the luxury of taking anyone to an expense account meal at Taberna Del Alabardero—and having failed on more than one occasion to convince my boss that he should take our staff there for a holiday party or birthday celebration—I chose the Old-World Spanish cuisine restaurant for last week's Restaurant Week pilgrimage. Taking almuerzo there Sunday was a decision that proved delightful at nearly every turn, from the grinning, attentive service to three inspired, perfectly executed courses.

One big key to our enjoyment of this RW experience was certainly the fact that we had weekend lunch reservations, an option that may have flown under the radar because the restaurant is not usually open for lunch on Saturday and Sunday. Adding my own fond memories of living in Madrid, with its long, lazy Sunday lunches followed by a late afternoon siesta—a tradition that thankfully has not fallen by the wayside on weekends in Spain— to Taberna Del Alabardero’s uncrowded dining room and reliable service, and Restaurant Week was, at least this year, all I could hope for.

Although in the past Taberna earned a reputation for offering a very limited menu for Restaurant Week, this was not the case on this season’s menu, which included four first course choices and six second course choices, with an additional three entree choices on a vegetarian menu. Only two items had upcharges: $3 for a scallop, strawberry and green pea appetizer that was worth the money for the hefty portion (three scallops) and $7 for an entree that included a certified Angus beef steak with impeccably marinated piquillo peppers and asparagus.

Fish factored heavily into the RW menu (PDF), with the scallops stealing the show for appetizers—although the Gazpacho Andaluz, named for the rural farming region in Spain where Spaniards claim the cold soup originated, boasted a smooth texture unmatched by any I’ve eaten before and a well-balanced array of tomato, cucumber and garlic flavors. Three of the six entrees offered were fish, and all three wowed members of our party, especially the grilled monkfish (pictured) with sweet cream of carrot and French beans. Elegantly yet whimsically presented, with streaks of black squid ink topping the dish and decorating the plate, the fish was complemented so beautifully by the nutmeg-spiced carrot cream that it prompted the unfailingly carnivorous member of our party that ordered it to exclaim, “I can’t believe the carrot is my favorite thing on this plate.”

Skin-on pan-seared rockfish was also a star, with its savory accompaniment of sauteed artichoke, tomato and sweet Spanish chorizo, and a grilled tuna steak was cooked perfectly with a healthy inch of warm, raw fish in the middle and served with a very common Spanish dish of cooked spinach, raisins, pine nuts and tomatoes. Non-fish choices included the aforementioned steak, which was delicious, garlic chicken and roasted baby goat. The goat was extremely well prepared—the meat was not at all dry or tough, common ailments for goat when it is not braised, and the dish highlighted the meat’s distinct flavor by including the feather-light cheese sauce around the side of the meat/zucchini arrangement, rather than on top, smothering the main attraction.

Dessert was delivered without delay—my only criticism is we could have waited slightly longer for the third course, in order for our entree to settle—and continued to impress. The texture of the Flan de la Casa was right on point, and the citrus pastry cream that went with it a nice contrast. Strawberries macerated in vinegar were incredibly fresh and sweet, making for a light dessert with a yogurt foam that mimicked whipped cream but was much lighter. The rice pudding and Tarta Santiago, an almond sponge cake, were also solid. Add to dessert the best café con leche I’ve ever had in the States, and we all left pleasantly full and ready for our own Sunday siesta. Although Taberna isn't extending their Restaurant Week offerings, as are some other D.C. establishments, definitely keep it in mind for next time around.