Kinkead’s online menu convinced me to purchase a Groupon for the place last fall, and I finally got around to going a couple of weeks ago. Without a Groupon, I’m not sure I’d go back. It is located in a nice area, but an area of DC that I rarely go to, plus the entire experience was rather meh. I shall elaborate.
John and I went around 5:30 on a Saturday. The bar area had a decent crowd but the upstairs dining area was mostly empty; it was definitely a good time for conversation, especially since we were tucked away at a corner table. The atmosphere was pleasant. They had a live pianist playing downstairs and it was just the right volume for us, but may have been loud for those seated downstairs.
Our waiter, Thomas, was knowledgeable about the menu and sources of seafood. He was also knowledgeable about which dishes were gluten-free, which is always a plus for me and much appreciated. The by-the-glass wine selection was fairly limited but I was happy with what was offered. So far so good, and orders were placed.
I really wanted some fresh oysters. I didn’t like that the sampler was chef’s choice, but it was a much better deal than ordering them individually so we went for it. We got James River, Stellar Bay, and Westport oysters; they were all very fresh and tasty but I was surprised by the amount of grit in the half-shells. I do a better job keeping the grit out when I shuck oysters at home. Disappointing.
The oysters came out in a jiffy but the entrees, not so much. Thomas came by and suggested the kitchen was in the weeds, and told us our orders would be coming soon. This was at least 25 minutes after the oysters were cleared from the table. We weren’t in any rush so I wasn’t mad about it. Besides, it gave us time to enjoy an intimate conversation (me: I love you. John: awesome sauce!).
My Pepita Crusted Salmon with Cilantro, Chiles, Crab, Shrimp and Corn Ragout came out a few minutes later.
The salmon was cooked nicely and I liked the pepita crust, although I had to add a touch of salt to get the flavor to pop. I wasn’t a huge fan of the sauces they drizzled on top – they tasted like they were made with store-bought mayo. The ragout was okay. Or maybe weird is the word I’m looking for. It had potatoes in it, which I found unnecessary for the dish. I was actually confused by the potatoes. John disagreed and thought the potatoes were a nice addition. /shrug. He got pan-roasted rockfish with a citrus sauce, which was also cooked nicely. It came with asparagus in a blood orange sauce, and fancy blobs (rosettes?) of what tasted like a celery root puree. I couldn’t try the rockfish because of gluten issues, but John assured me that it was very delicious.
About halfway through our experience, we realized that all the plates had the Kinkead’s logo on them. And so did the wine glasses. And the salt/pepper shaker holders. And I think even the silverware. The logo is a two-tailed mer-man holding a big fork and blowing into a shell. I’m still not sure if I think this is kitschy or quaint.
Moving on. We didn’t really have room for dessert but the creme brulee trio was intriguing, as was the brown sugar-sour cream ice cream. We got both, and later narrowly missed falling into diabetic comas. The pistachio creme brulee was amazing. I mean it was really the highlight of the meal as far as I’m concerned. If I go back, it will be for the pistachio creme brulee. The other creme brulees in the trio were vanilla bean (also very good) and chocolate, although the chocolate had a thick layer of fudgy stuff on top so it wasn’t really a brulee. Not complaining. The ice cream was just okay. The brown sugar-sour cream was tasty, but didn’t seem very fresh. Haagan-Dazs makes a better rum raisin. I can’t even remember the third flavor we ordered…
A couple of espressos and we were done. I didn’t hate Kinkead’s; overall it was a pleasant experience with good service and a relaxed atmosphere. However, for the price, I feel I should be raving about the place. Besides 1/3 of a dessert dish, I didn’t find anything that special about Kinkead’s, except for maybe the pianist. I’m not saying don’t go there, but for me the “wow” I got from reading the menu online just wasn’t delivered on the plate.
-KPG (Guest Blogger Katherine)
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