By DCist contributor Austa Somvichian-Clausen
The latest addition to ever-growing Blagden Alley is Greg Algie and Chef Nathan Beauchamp’s Calico.
They’re the same duo that brought the District both Tiger Fork (also in Blagden Alley) and The Fainting Goat on U Street. The restaurant’s name and menu branding tip its hat to the spotted cat. The name fits, as patrons have to stalk their way around the alley to find the secluded restaurant.
Apparently this hasn’t been an issue. The place was absolutely bustling during dinner on a recent rainy weekday evening. DCist was invited to sample the menu concept, which is based in part on Eastern Shore backyard barbecue grub inspired by Beauchamp’s upbringing.
The entire restaurant, from the menu to the décor, is brimming in nostalgia. Algie says that the space Calico now inhabits, much like a cat, has lived many lives of its own. It was once home to an art studio and then a boxing gym. When he and Beauchamp found it, the space was outfitted with a floral-patterned mattress.
Algie, with a desire to pay his respects each of the lives that the space has seen, installed floral patterned lantern-esque lighting above the bar. Studio-feel art adorns the walls, and he plans to hang boxing gloves once they (hopefully) eventually arrive.
“They got lost during shipping and just never got here,” Algie says.
Perhaps the centerpiece of the entire restaurant is the “urban backyard,” a concept which Algie notes was a way of straying from the more classic beer garden model. The outdoor space is a roomy 3,000-square-feet, with a vintage greenhouse sourced in North Carolina by the restaurant’s design firm, Edit Lab by Streetsense.
String lights and lanterns add light and ambience, and an outdoor bar presents easy access to patrons looking for their next round. Local gardening company Love & Carrots contributes to the greenery of the space. Beauchamp mentions that they will also begin grilling outside, with options varying from steamed crabs to sausage links.
Extremely shareable, it’s the type of food you might hope to see when arriving at a dear friend’s backyard barbecue, but with a twist.
Take for instance their “Mug O’ Soup” ($6) which they serve in a kitschy mug (one sports a stylish cat). Besides the tasty Maryland crab and vegetable soup inside, it’s just as much about the fun of the presentation at Calico.
“It’s that feeling of getting a warm mug of soup on a cold day and enjoying yourself with friends,” says Beauchamp.
In the same vein, Calico is trying out the idea of a seasonal for the table offering. It’s currently roasted squash with cotija cheese, pumpkin seeds, chipotle honey, and burnt orange. While it could benefit from another element to break up the soft texture and sheer bulk of the squash, it’s definitely a comforting and tasty dish. During the summer months Beauchamp says they plan to offer watermelon.
Highlights include the Philly-style tomato pie, with bright and zingy tomato sauce and a soft, doughy crust. The eggplant Parmesan is served as “sticks” that are sinfully cheesy.
Calico’s whimsical presentation continues with adult juice boxes ($10). They look pretty much like fancy Capri-Suns, and each of the three options packs a punch of flavor and booziness.
Perhaps their most popular juice box, the “Blagden Rose” is a concoction of Lone Wolf Vodka, Giffard passion fruit liqueur, pineapple, and cranberry. Other options include my favorite—the Timber Wolf Sassafrass Gin loaded “Sassy Kitty” with grapefruit vanilla shrub, green tea, and honey. There’s also the “Red Brick Road” with Lyon Distilling White Rum, Licor 43, Dry Vermouth, caramel, and lime.
Draft cocktails and draft wine are both options, too, and the restaurant will soon offer growlers of their beer on tap for tables to share.
It’s apparent that Calico’s founding duo is having a great time playing with the concepts that the restaurant evoke, making it a space to watch.
Calico is located at 50 Blagden Alley NW. Hours are Mondaysfrom 3 p.m. to 12 a.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., and Friday and Saturdays from noon until 1:30 a.m. The Backyard closes at last call. Closed Tuesdays.
