In Washington, crab cakes and oysters served with a twist

January 24, 2010

WASHINGTON - New Englanders tend to get snooty when it comes to being served seafood outside the region. “What do they know about serving lobster, clams, or shrimp?’’ we say, confident that we come from the heart of seafood country.

Well, Jeff Tunks, chef-owner of DC Coast Restaurant, and Brendan Cox, executive chef, definitely know how to put an elegant, contemporary twist on their mid-Atlantic seafood specialties, such as fried Chesapeake oysters with delicate, crispy fried lemons and jumbo lump Maryland crab cakes with hot piquillo peppers and saffron vinaigrette.

But they also have some mouth-watering ideas for Maine lobster: Smoke it, take it out of the shell to save you the trouble, and serve it Chinese-style with stir-fried vegetables and crispy fried spinach (Fried? Yes, papery thin spinach so pretty that it would give Popeye pause to marvel before devouring).

When guests enter DC Coast, they know they are entering a seafood palace; in the foyer of this beautiful Beaux-Arts styled space is an enormous stone mermaid. The sculpture impressed us but absolutely awed the 2-year-old we brought with us to this high-end, yet surprisingly casual-feeling, restaurant.

Between gazing at the huge mirrors and bustling waitstaff, our toddler companion was so entertained that her parents could enjoy this beautiful food. They were even able to linger for dessert: strawberry rhubarb crumble served with raspberry-Campari gelato.

DC Coast Restaurant, Tower Building, 1401 K St., NW, Washington, D.C. Entrees $22-$29 and market price. 202-216-5988, www.dccoast.com

JULIE HATFIELD

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