Roast chicken at Kinship. (Photo by Jennifer Chase Photography)

Dish of the Week: a whole (or half) roast chicken for the table

Where to Find It: Kinship, Kapnos DC, Kapnos Taverna, Mintwood Place, Bistrot du Coin, Le Diplomate, The Pig

We’re now able to eat chicken twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty five days a year, but there was once a time when a whole roast chicken was a seasonal treat. Before industrial farming, most chickens were hatched in the spring, which meant they didn’t get fat enough for a good roast until many months later. It’s not a coincidence then that fall and early winter menus often feature a hearty whole chicken, crispy on the outside yet juicy on the inside.

Although D.C. is replete with plenty of excellent, fast rotisserie chicken options—from Nando’s Peri Peri or The Chickery to the large number of fabulous Peruvian chicken places—these quicker meals don’t really come with the same side of spectacle as a whole roast chicken brought hot from the kitchen to be carved and enjoyed by the entire table.

The New American eatery Kinship (1015 7th St. NW) has wholeheartedly embraced this communal chicken aesthetic.

“The sharing of this dish at the table really embodies the spirit and camaraderie of Kinship. Our restaurant brings friends and family together and this chicken is true comfort food and relatable,” Kinship Chef Eric Ziebold tells DCist over email.

Guests have been known to wait for around an hour for their chicken, which is kept tender with a lemon-garlic panade (essentially a mixture of starch and liquid) stuffed under the skin and served with sides of frisée salad, pommes risolées (essentially fancy home fries), and Kinship’s famous Parker House rolls.

Cooking in the fires at Kapnos DC (2201 14th St. NW) too are a selection of whole roast chickens, diligently basted on a spit and served with a side of lemon potatoes, cooked under the birds to absorb all the dripping fats. The establishment also offers a half chicken cooked the same way for those who don’t want to share, as does the Kapnos Taverna location in Arlington (4000 Wilson Blvd.). The Virginian version, however, is seasoned with dill and charred lemon and comes with a side of spanakorizo, a Greek dish of spinach and rice.

Half-a-bird roasted renditions for one hungry soul grace even more menus across the District, from Mintwood Place (1813 Columbia Rd NW), where chickens are wood-oven roasted, doused in a natural jus, and served over a melange of vegetables, to Bistro du Coin (1738 Connecticut Ave. NW), which goes simple with just a side of French fries. The District’s other French favorite, Le Diplomate (1601 14th St NW), also has half birds with pommes purees for order, as does The Pig (1320 14th St NW), where the half chickens offer something different from the pork-heavy menu. They come with corn, green beans, and a tomato ragout.

Previously On Dish Of The Week:
Eggs In Purgatory
Chirashi Sushi
Greek Fries
Local Hard Cider
Pizza Pinwheels