Au maison

Maison Bar à Vins (Adams Morgan, DC)

GETAWAYS • Washington, DC

Sometimes you can tell you’re going to love a place before you even touch the food. Maison in Adams Morgan is one of these places. The owners of Lapis, Lutece, and Pasqual — from my vantage, among some of the best spots in DC — recently opened this sophisticated wine bar on a quiet stretch of the otherwise busy neighborhood.

I was the first of my party to arrive and was taken past the long bar on the left toward a dining area in the back of the modestly sized space. As I settled into a large, comfortable chair in this dimly lit area with a fireplace and daring, dark wallpaper, I was offered both olives and sourdough bread with butter. A delightful start.

The room reads as a dark, old-fashioned parlor, the kind of place ready for long conversations and drinks with friends gone late into the night. I could have sat alone there for hours, observing, taking in the details, enjoying my light, bright glass of Beaujolais.

Of the plates we shared, the big eye tuna crudo with apple, kohlrabi and yuzu stood out, as did the simple fresh farm greens and monkfish in a whipped brown butter. There were over a dozen choices on the menu, with unique combinations of flavors present throughout.

I left knowing I’d soon be back. There was more to experience here, I was sure of it. –Kate Riesenberg

→ Maison Bar à Vins (Adams Morgan, DC) • 1834 Columbia Rd NW • Wed-Thu & Sun 5-11p, Fri-Sat 5p-12a • Reserve.