Tortilla Coast, long a Capitol Hill staple for hungry House staffers seeking happy hours of bottomless tacos and cheap Coronas, gave itself something of a facelift for its second location. Taking the place of what was previously a paint supply store at 15th and P streets NW is the restaurant’s new 152-seat outpost.
But don’t come looking for Tex-Mex. While the original outpost remains heavy on the flour tortillas and shredded cheddar cheese, the new Tortilla Coast, perhaps sensing its more upmarket Logan Circle environs, has built a menu around regional Mexican dishes.
“I did guest intercepts so literally walked up and asked people in the neighborhood,” says managing director Katie Tyson. “They wanted authentic Mexican so fresh, real, great sauces. Using nectars instead of sugar. People know food in this neighborhood.”
Tacos, fajitas and enchiladas still have a role on the Logan Circle menu. But where your choices at 1st and D streets SE might be ground beef, chicken or maybe steak, in Logan Circle you might see more food blogger-friendly fillings like pescado, pollo al carbon and al pastor for your taco. And the new restaurant is also making its own corn tortillas. Quesadillas are a menu item, not a menu section. Guacamole made to order and a salsa flight? Check.
And there’s an emphasis on the regionally inspired house specialties like pork tenderloin with an Oaxacan black mole, shrimp with red peanut mole, and tilapia Veracruz. Chef Dan Farber cites the carne asada as his favorite. I would fall in line with that recommendation based on the passed hors d’oeuvres served at last weekend’s opening party I was invited to attend. Though the most memorable bites I tasted on Sunday night were a rich and creamy sopa de elote (corn soup) and a Yucatán ceviche of tuna and mango, accented with a habanero citrus broth. There are two other ceviches available; a sampling of the trio is $15.95.
And in compliance with Logan Circle’s stroller-pushing, Sunday Times-toting set, yes, of course Tortilla Coast is open for brunch on the weekends. There are many egg and omelet variations, corn meal and banana pancakes, and corn flake-encrusted brioche French toast available for less than $10. For a bit more you’ll find a substantial plate of chilaquiles or the huevos benedictios—masa cakes topped with poached eggs, chorizo patties and a chipotle hollandaise sauce.
The “real food” theme applies to the drink menu as well. Instead of the neon green-from-a-bottle sugar syrup, the new Tortilla Coast’s margaritas feature organic juices and the not-too-shabby Milagro as the house tequila. The frozen lime margarita I tasted had a definitive tartness I’m not typically used to, while the strawberry variation tastes fresher and less sickly sweet than more common renditions. (With a pinch of a lime wedge, it’s altogether perfect.) And the enormous hurricane glass in which each $10 drink is served means they’ll last you all night. A non-frozen blood orange margarita had an addictive sweet-and-sour balance. Several tequila cocktails, sangria and a tequila list that’s nearly 100 deep (perhaps to show up the nearby El Centro D.F.) are also on offer, along with a draught beer selection of major-label Mexican ales and some big-name microbrews. Happy hour deals are in the works.
Tortilla Coast plans to offer some outdoor seating on 15th Street once the weather turns nicer. The restaurant must get Capital Bikeshare to move an existing docking station across the street in order to put tables in front of its more viewer-friendly P Street side, but talks are underway.
