By DCist Contributor Elizabeth Traynor
A note about visiting the new Alfie’s pop-up, a preview of chef Alex McCoy’s forthcoming Thai restaurant of the same name: Make reservations. Don’t leave snagging a seat at the bar to chance, as a friend and I did last Friday. Despite the incoming snap of bitterly cold air, the hunt for bar seats turned into a version of The Hunger Games. Clearly, D.C. is clamoring for more Thai food. Alfie’s is not scheduled to officially open until September in a nearby location, but they’ll be operating a preview out of the old Mothership space in Park View until then. The food is worth a visit, but plan ahead so you don’t have to fight for a seat.
Chef McCoy’s take on Thai food is anything but traditional—for instance, there were not one, but two burgers on the menu, alongside curries, grilled pork neck salad, and stir-fried veggies. Billed as “Northern Thai bar food,” the offerings rotate slightly each night. Meanwhile, the beverage menu was crafted by Fabian Malone, the same mind that whipped up the cocktails at Crisp Kitchen + Bar, another McCoy-led restaurant.
During my visit, I ordered the “you my boy, boon!,” a tropical gin mix that was almost like sipping a pina colada—refreshing and dangerously light on any discernible proof that gin was in the drink. Armed with the smoothly sippable “farang s sazarac”, a rye-cognac blend, my companion dug into the Alfie’s burger. It was a behemoth, topped with a fried egg, caramelized pineapple, cheddar, red onion, pickled beetroot, and a creamy chili mayo. In between sloppy bites, my friend remarked, “If you’re not getting messy while eating a burger, it’s not worth it.”
I settled on the khao pad farang, a sour sausage fried rice, and asked the kitchen to make it extra-spicy, a decision that had my mouth aflame but happy. Fresh veggies stirred into the rice helped cut some of the heat, and the rice itself was cooked perfectly—no hard or dry spots here. My one regret? Not opting for the fresh pineapple add-on. A bite of sweetness would have paired excellently with the rich bits of sausage.
The side of pickled mustard greens was the only less than bright spot. While the taste eventually grew on me, my dining companion thought it was a bit too sour for her liking.
The Alfie’s pop-up is housed in the former Mothership space on Georgia Avenue. The digs are cozy, with homey accents like rows of plants lining the windowsills. Every staff member we encountered on a frigid February night was refreshingly fun, joking with us while also dishing up our food. It’s the perfect setting for a leisurely dinner with a friend (provided you make that reservation), and the diverse, rotating menu is worth multiple trips to fully explore.
The Alfie’s pop-up is located 3301 Georgia Ave NW and is open Tuesday – Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
