Poste (555 8th Street NW) is perhaps most famous for their stunning outdoor courtyard. Few things feel quite as civilized as whiling away a summer night on their patio, a glass of wine in one hand and cone of truffle fries in the other. But as the days grow shorter, there are also good reasons to venture inside for lunch or dinner. For instance, newly-appointed executive chef Kyoo Eom brings a love of all all things lamb, along with his homemade Nutella, to the restaurant’s French brasserie menu. DCist sampled his updated fall dishes at a recent media dinner, with the highlights outlined below.
Seafood is the star on the appetizer menu. Crab salad is just barely dressed in a mustard aioli, allowing the sweetness of the meat to be the focus of each bite. For fans of raw fish, the tuna tartare gets a pop of texture from a frizzle of crispy potato strings and depth from black garlic. Saffron mussels are topped with grilled baguette slices slathered in house-made cashew butter for an unexpected twist on the bistro classic. And although it’s not from the sea, keep an eye out for the decadent mushroom veloute, a silky mushroom puree studded with pieces of roasted mushroom and a slice of foie gras that melts into the broth.
The popular French onion soup burger has disappeared from the menu, but the restaurant’s renown truffle fries are still very much in play. Pair them with the succulent lamb burger, crowned with a crisp falafel ball, tangle of pickled onions, and a dollop of piquant harissa aioli. Sandwiched between two layers of fluffy grilled pita, it’s one of the best lamb burgers I’ve had in recent memory.
Entrees are presented in bold fashion, but the flavors remain more delicate and restrained. The halibut is a show-stopper: rounds of fish are painstakingly wrapped in paper-thin strips of asparagus and topped with jewel-like trout roe. Meanwhile, the Cote de Bouf for two could easily feed a family of four. The 40 oz bone-in rib-eye is dry aged to develop deep, umami flavors and served with fried gnocchi, green beans, mushrooms, and a buttery choron sauce (a variation on Bearnaise). Be sure to bring at least three of your beef-loving friends if you plan to tackle this beast.
The cocktail menu has also been completely updated for fall, with a heavy bent toward autumnal flavors. Warm flavors and infusions, like apple cider, habanero-infused Cointreau, and a Grenache red wine syrup, feature prominently. For the ultimate testament to seasonal produce, you can try our table’s favorite cocktail, a concoction of roasted beet juice and thyme-infused tequila rimmed with smoked paprika salt.
