Art and Soul’s housemade spring spaghetti, with fava beans, peas, roasted mushrooms and arugula PHOTO BY MOE THAJIB
COMFORT ZONE
With sophisticated settings and endless creativity in the kitchen, Lyle’s and Art and Soul are reminders that special nights of dining are back.
The warm, inviting dining room at Lyle’s, designed by Jacu Strauss INTERIOR PHOTO BY GREG POWERS
LYLE’S
Perhaps it’s odd to give first mention in a dining story to a tall, blond South African who creates soothing spaces. But given the 14 months we’ve all had, and given the blows the restaurant and hospitality industries have endured during this time, it’s fitting that Jacu Strauss, creative director for London-based Lore Group, gets initial dibs on the limelight here. The man deserves it.
The twice-fried chicken, served with sunchoke and pickled vegetables at Lyle’s. BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
With Lyle’s, a new restaurant inside the completely gutted and reflagged Lyle hotel on New Hampshire Avenue, Strauss gives DC another setting—much like Ashok Bajaj’s Annabelle or Eric Ziebold’s Kinship-Métier—where dining out feels special. The designer populated the space, which is nestled into the corner of the hotel, with rich brown leather banquettes, mocha-toned wood tables and chairs, and showy Herman Miller pendant clusters. He also pays homage to the property itself, a 1940s art deco building that originally housed apartments. While restaurant patrons might hear the buzz of the adjacent bar, once inside the dining room, they’ll find mercifully low decibel levels. The effect is calming.
The kitchen is helmed by Nicholas Sharpe, who previously worked with chef Fabio Trabocchi at the Michelin-starred Fiamma in New York City. The lunch and dinner menus reflect Sharpe’s focus on contemporary American fare. Standouts include the chef’s rendition of chicken noodle soup—a wildly creative dish that turns tradition on its head: Sharpe simmers the noodles, mirepoix and bits of chicken with seasoning before blending and straining the concoction through a chinois.
Bee’s Knees from the exceptional cocktail program at Lyle’s BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
The velvety mixture is christened with a green garlic top espuma, creme fraiche and black pepper. Another dish that deserves raves is the twice-fried chicken, served with hot honey, sunchoke and pickled vegetables. Sharpe also scores points with gourmands for his spring pea fritter with pepper relish, as well as the lamb loin with fava beans, ricotta gnudi and Swiss chard. With a mix of comfort from Strauss and stellar moves from the kitchen, it’s clear Lyle’s is the friend we make over the summer and end up knowing for years to come. 1731 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 202.964.6750, lyledc.com
ART AND SOUL
Capitol Hill’s Art and Soul has undergone a complete redesign and renovation—from the minds of New York City-based Wimberly Interiors—resulting in a sleek, 5,100-square-foot space that features three chic private dining rooms and a bar. The crown jewel is a 1,900-square-foot patio, which is more than a little magical at night with views of the United States Capitol dome. Chef Danny Chavez, who previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurant Plume at The Jefferson, creates a menu that incorporates his Latino roots with locally sourced ingredients from the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
The newly designed dining spaces at Art and Soul include plenty of room for social distancing and privacy. PHOTO BY GREG POWER
For appetizers, early favorites include the roasted mushrooms, with focaccia and pan-seared octopus; and the scallop crudo, with avocado mousse, shiso, crispy shallot, herb oil and buttermilk horseradish. The entrees are at once unfussy and elevated: roasted chicken roulade, with endive, basil puree, snap peas, mustard greens and potato foam; and housemade spring spaghetti, with fava beans, peas, roasted mushrooms, arugula, preserved lemons, Parmesan and herb butter. Chavez and his kitchen team also assemble an impressive Saturday and Sunday brunch; standouts include sirloin steak, eggs, breakfast potatoes and sauce bearnaise. Secrets emanate from Capitol Hill so often they’re waived away as political spin. Art and Soul isn’t a secret DC’s gourmands should ignore. 415 New Jersey Ave. NW, 202.393.7777, artandsouldc.com
Photography by: Moe Thajib; Scott Suchman; Greg Power
