Gazpacho.

After a full 3 days at the Fancy Food Show in DC (especially with the final day falling on our wedding anniversary) we were on the hunt for a good meal.  Despite growing up less than 30 miles away, I know relatively little about the restaurant scene in Washington, having moved away before food became a serious interest.

Since Spanish cuisine is among our favorites, and having had a great lunch at their sister restaurant in Seville last summer, the recommendation to try Taberna del Alabardero made perfect sense, and the 100+ degree temperature was reminiscent of the heat wave we experienced during that trip through Andalusia.

Wanting to sample a variety of dishes, but unwilling to commit to a 3+ hour dinner after 3 days of being on our feet for 8+ hours at our booth, we opted for the 5 course tasting menu, after a “settling in” glass of Cava, and shared one order of the wine pairing.

Rockfish.

The first course was a gazpacho gelee with micro greens, tuna, and an olive puree. After eating a much more traditional gazpacho at the Seville location, seeing this very contemporary take was definitely a surprise. Essentially it was a classic gazpacho that was strained overnight, with the resulting liquid gelled and accented with tuna and micro greens, including some sprouted corn (Suzanne picks that out it, it’s beyond my palette).  It was delicious. Refreshing, interesting, and full of flavor. It’s not an easy thing to get me to enjoy that much jello, but they did.

Next, they served a fois gras with a pineapple rum-and-coke reduction. The foie gras was great, and the sauce was, despite it predictable hyper-sweetness, worked pretty well. Probably if I drank more Coke it would have been better. The sweetness of the sauce, along the with coarse sugar garnish and side of pineapple, was more than I thought the foie gras needed, but it was certainly creative.

Suckling Pig.

The fish course was a braised rockfish with sautéed seafood, including razor clams, mussels, and scallops.  The rockfish was very fatty (in a good way- think rockfish toro) and the skin was perfectly crisp.  When I think of Spain, it’s hard not to think of all the little mariscos (shellfish etc) and so I almost ate this as two separate dishes, though I’m sure that wasn’t necessary.

Next was the meat course, and, thankfully (since it’s Spanish) it was a pork dish.  In this case, it was the chef’s take on suckling pig, prepared almost like a re-constituted confit with the crispiest of skin topping it off.  It was paired with paprika mashed potatoes and summer peas. I think Spain does pork (cured or otherwise) better than anyone, and this dish, while a relatively simple twist on a standard preparation, it was perfectly done, and my favorite of the meal.

Pound Cake With Ice Cream.

The desert was extremely aromatic, a lemon sponge cake with a marscapone ice cream, and rose and lychee flavored sauces.  The presentation was beautiful, and despite the thickness of the sauce, it was very light to eat.  The cake was soft and refreshing, and it was a refreshing end to a menu that, while delicious, was certainly on the heavy side, especially considering the sweltering heat of the day.

All in all, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner at Alabardero, and would definitely consider it (or one of it’s many sister/cousin restaurants around the world) for a special occasion in the future.  I was more than a little embarrassed that they have been in DC for longer than I have had my driver’s license, and this was my first visit.

-By Guest Writer Christopher Angell of Angell Organic Candy Bars.

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