H Street NE is getting a taste of Switzerland. (Photo via Shutterstock)
Gooey torrents of melted raclette cheese appear to be the dish du jour on social media this winter, a sad reminder to District residents that we don’t have as many options to enjoy this dish as we once did. But never fear. A new Swiss-inspired restaurant set to open on H Street in early March on April 4 will soon be filling this gaping, cheesy void in Washington’s dining scene.
Forthcoming Stable DC (1324 H St. NE) is the brainchild of chefs David Fritsche and Silvan Kramer, a Swiss duo who met fortuitously in Dubai fourteen years ago before relocating to the nation’s capital.
Both Kramer and Fritsche want Stable DC to emphasize honesty and warmth. The rustic dining room will perch alongside an open kitchen that will be busy cooking up delicious Swiss classics such as spätzle, Aelpler macaroni (a Swiss version of macaroni and cheese), rösti doused with veal fricassee Zurich Style—a potato pancake dish that Fritsche emphasizes “is not a hashbrown”—and, of course, raclette with potatoes and pickles.
Although the full range of food offerings is not yet finalized, the menu for Stable’s pop up at EatsPlace back in February 2016 gives a good idea of the rich flavors and hearty fare the team has in store. (This menu can be found here.)
Beyond authentic Swiss flavors, Stable DC’s offerings will also emphasize local and seasonal foods.
“If we can’t produce it, we won’t serve it,” Fritsche says, explaining that, with the exception of a select number of Swiss imports, the whole menu from the bread to the sausages will be made in house.
The same local feel will translate to the drink menu. Cocktails will use local spirits and home-made bitters and infusions. Domestic and regional wines will be served next to a fine selection of European favorites.
As the team finishes up construction and finalizes permits, they are eager to open their doors to the hungry eaters of D.C. with a real taste of Switzerland.
“It’s not all chocolate and banks and watches,” Fritsche says
