This post is brought to you by Prequel.
DC chefs are always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Chefs have hosted an impressive variety of restaurant pop-ups the past several years. Prequel, the 18,000-sq-ft restaurant incubator in Penn Quarter, takes this to a new level by bringing together multiple pop-ups under one roof—offering diners unique and exclusive dining experiences on a regular basis.
Already home to the acclaimed Bluebird Bakery pop-up during the day, Prequel has debuted its first dinnertime concept, Lighthouse. Inspired by an extremely popular London restaurant called Burger and Lobster, Lighthouse serves fresh Maine lobsters, house-ground burgers on housemade buns, and the best veggie burger in DC.
Lighthouse limits ticket sales to 16 guests each night, and the pop-up is only open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Diners buy tickets in advance on Prequel’s website for a three-course meal with three beverage pairings, and the price includes all tax and tip.
Lighthouse guests are greeted with a signature cocktail followed by half of a fresh Maine lobster and either a 6 oz. burger or veggie burger—all paired with expertly picked wine or beer pairings. The lobsters are caught of the central coast of Maine less than 24 hours before they arrive at Prequel. They are served warm alongside a mesclun salad with pickled carrots and topped with house-made baked Parmesan crisps. The burger blends cuts of beef from Amish farms in Pennsylvania that are ground in-house and served medium for a juicy and rich flavor. The Lighthouse veggie burger includes tofu, mushrooms, black-eyed peas, beets and garlic and it’s amazing. Trust us—it’s truly the best veggie burger in DC.
All burgers are dressed with gem lettuce, tomato jam, maple-smoked cheddar on a housemade brioche bun made from fellow Prequel pop-up, Bluebird Bakery’s recipe. All burgers come with triple-cooked, house-cut fries which take three days to make. They are hand cut, then blanched in water, sea salt, and vinegar the first day. The next day they are blanched in oil, then frozen. The third day they are fried again right before service. Finally, to end the experience, Bluebird will make another appearance in the form of a small-bite dessert.
At the beginning of the 90-minute culinary journey, the intimate dining room is welcomed by a member of the Lighthouse team, and guests hear the pop-up’s vision. Review cards are provided to capture feedback on all aspects of the meal, which will influence how Lighthouse will cater to customers, whose opinions have already helped Lighthouse improve the experience and will continue to shape the future restaurant.
And if past dinners are any indication, guests are in store for a delicious evening. The lobster has garnered “perfectly cooked” and “prepared perfectly” accolades. The fries were a hit: “I have been cooking and eating fries for over 45 years and these are amazing!”
One guest is already looking forward to ordering the burger again. “Perfect — juicy, perfectly cooked, delicious burger. Would definitely order again,” she wrote.
And the veggie burger, well, that has probably won over some hard-core carnivores. “The veggie burger was maybe the best veggie burger I’ve ever had,” wrote one guest.
Ready to make your reservation? Hurry—the 16-seat dinners sell out quickly. Purchase tickets at PrequelDC.com. The $74 ticket price includes three full courses, three alcoholic beverages, tax and tip. You can save $5 off your ticket by entering the promo code “DCIST.”
If you aren’t able to get a ticket to the Lighthouse Pop-up, Prequel will be serving the Lighthouse beef burger and veggie burger in their 5-star Yelp rated cocktail bar, Brick & Mortar. Mention “DCIST” to the bartender and get a free Sly Fox Hefeweizen Beer with the purchase of either burger.
