Chef Frank Morales returns to DC with the delightful Ellington Park Bistro in the West End.
Mussels are a must-try for diners at the new bistro on M Street Northwest.
Sometimes, you can go home again. At least your culinary home. For chef Frank Morales, this is especially true.
“Getting back to my roots was important to me,” says the new chef at the recently opened Ellington Park Bistro (ellingtonparkbistro.com). The affable and talented Morales, originally from New York (he worked at the legendary Le Cirque), has been on a noble journey in the District. He led kitchens at bona fide successes like Zola and Oval Room in the early aughts.
Chef Frank Morales returns to DC.
And then, well, his cooking life, like life in general, led him on other paths. He taught classic French cooking at L’Academie de Cuisine and even ventured to open his own small Italian restaurant in Maryland. Only problem? It was seven weeks before COVID-19 hit. He laughs about it now. “How’s that for timing?” he says. “Not great. I waited 24 years to buy a restaurant, and then we got a once-in-a-generation pandemic.” But, luckily for us, Morales never looked back and considered new opportunities.
“Have you ever seen the Robert Redford movie The Natural?” he asks. “He has this storied career, and then he goes away. The movie is all about his return. That’s me.”
Morales says he’s grateful that the ownership and management team at The St. Gregory Hotel (stgregoryhotelwdc.com) gave him the platform to work his magic anew. The result is a classic French menu with modern twists and global influences; it’s distinct and fun, and it’s also one of the most surprising hits of the winter. Morales is most definitely back.
The brightly renovated space
In the cozy bistro, blue banquettes, situated along the large window overlooking M Street, line the fully renovated space. The leather seats are backed by velvet, and comfy pillows serve as reminders that the room could very well be a French chef’s dinner party. A stunning bar, topped by pale marble and surrounded by ivory wainscoting, provides a cheery anchor to the buzzy, bright room. Across the lobby, tucked into a chic and moody loft with couches and low-slung tables, sits the clubroom. Both romantic and convivial, this is the space to catch up with colleagues and friends, and it’s sure to evolve.
Starters include perfectly prepared PEI mussels, bathed in creamy coconut-pastis broth with sweet spinach. Bonus: The dish is accompanied by skinny fries—cooked in duck fat—which are cradled in a copper cup lined with white parchment paper. The fries, crisp and hot, aren’t long for the table as all guests reach to pull the little wonders from the cup and dip them in small bowls of ketchup or mayo.
Other winning appetizers are Morales’ beef tartare (caper berries, piccalilli, egg relish, Belgian endive) and the tarte flambée—warm bread covered in truffle butter and fromage blanc, along with wisps of smoked ham and Vidalia onions. The latter dish easily wins the comfort food of the year award for its sweet and savory elements in a single bite.
Expect creative sips from a talented mixology team
It’s clear guests are in the company of a talented chef when the sides are as elevated as they are here. Indeed, they could be the meal. Standouts include a miniature iron skillet of cauliflower, amped up with dates, mint, pistachios, Calabrian chile and curry. Morales also admits there might be mutiny among guests and his amiable and efficient staff if he takes Brussels sprouts off the menu come spring.
He’s right. In his hands, the vegetable, which in most kitchens becomes fairly predictable (crispy leaves, tame and nearly flavorless center), is transformed into a medley of tastes. “They really are lovely, aren’t they?” Morales says about the sprouts with a balsamic reduction, sweet chili, cilantro and parsley. “So, if you think about the profile of this dish, the answer is: sweet, a little bit of salt and a little spice. The hidden flavor is fish sauce.”
The kitchen gets just as creative with its winning dessert menu.
On this visit, Morales prepares the table’s Arctic char fillet to perfection; its tender meat is topped by baby carrots and braised sweet onion atop lime-pickled Swiss chard. Choose nights wisely at the restaurant; the payoff is a range of specials. On the Saturday I visit, it’s an excellent prime New York strip steak, with garlic sweet chard, onion tempura and cognac-green peppercorn sauce. Mondays, Morales offers a delightful coq au vin with Cornish hen, and Fridays are not to be missed with the chef’s outstanding bouillabaisse, with prawns, sea scallops, mussels and bass.
Morales, hands on hips, surveys the packed house and smiles. “This is fun, but we’re just getting started,” he says. “What’s really great is that most of our clientele are from the neighborhood. It has that certain feeling.”
In other words, it feels a lot like home. And DC can be glad Morales, through the twists and turns of a wonderful career and life, made his way back.
Photography by: COURTESY OF ELLINGTON PARK BISTRO
