Maydan

This Michelin Star restaurant was listed as one of the top 30 restaurants in the United States last year, making it utterly impossible to get in.  I took a chance on a cold, rainy Tuesday night in January and snagged one of the last spots at the bar for dinner.  It did not disappoint.  I almost don't know where to begin.  The place itself is beyond funky.  Mismatched wall paneling, unique Harry-Potter-esque doors, industrial fixtures, graffiti covered bathrooms and pure fancy mix to create an entertaining, unique, eye-catching space.  I laughed out loud when my bill arrived ... tucked into a book!  The book was The Prophet by Khalil Gibran.  Somehow, it fit.  There is very loud, thumping music at the bar.  African beats, middle-eastern belly dance tunes, instrumental Asian versions of pop hits like "Jumping Jack Flash".  It all helps to make the space feel alive (sound levels are likely better for conversation in the second floor dining area).  I was seated near the open kitchen, which includes live fire for the grilled meats and vegetables and a special clay-type oven for the pita bread, which was being made throughout the night and deeply enjoyed by me and the other guests.  I was transfixed watching Head Chef Marcelle Afram move from one item to another much like a dancer in the ballet, concentrating hard but very relaxed. 

Then there is the food.  Oh, the food.  Really delightful, flavorful, unexpected and without a flaw.  This is a small plates restaurant, which leaves me with the ongoing dilemma -- two plates and I'm still hungry, three plates and I'm over-full.  You know which way I went, yes?  There is plenty to love here for Vegetarians and Vegans, as is the case with all of the Rose Previte group restaurants.  I had three plates and could easily come back and have something entirely different on the next visit.  For this trip I selected the Himbe with garlic and fried shallots.  I've had a version of this at various Lebanese restaurants but the tang of the garlic and the crunch of the shallots made this particular dish stand out.  Even better was the Zaalouk, an eggplant spread with little in common to the Baba Ganoush I usually get.  This one had tomato as well as the more common garlic, lemon and cumin seasonings.  Perhaps it was the way the eggplant was cooked -- the dish had a velvety smoothness and the tomato made it ever-so-slightly sweet.  Try as I might to slow down and savor ever bite, I inhaled it.  Next up were the Harissa Carrots.  True to their name they were eyes-running, nose-dripping spicy so I would recommend saving some bread to calm the heat in-between bites.  Again, however, the carrots were cooked to perfection.  It is as if they were the definition of al dente.  Accompanying all of this was a Cardamom Ginger Beer which might have been the best I have ever had.  Brewed in-house and put on tap it had the bite of fresh ginger but a sweetness and earthy flavor brought on by the cardamom (and honey?)  Served with a slice of lime, which brought an additional surprising tang, the drink was unlike anything I have had before.  I could have drunk a gallon of it.  Dessert was Kanafeh, a baked sweetened cheese wrapped in phyllo and dusted with pistachios.  It was just sweet enough to call it dessert but just not sweet enough that you could almost consider it one of the small plates.  It reminded me of desserts in France which usually involve a cheese plate.  To complement dessert the bartender gave me a gratis sumac lemonade to try.  Like everything else here the surprising choice of seasoning made the drink taste utterly delightful and unique. 

Bottom line:  This restaurant richly deserves the honors heaped upon it and is clearly a standout in the growing crowd of really good DC eateries.  Atmosphere, food, drinks, wait staff -- everything is outstanding.  And it won't break the budget.  My three small plates, drink and dessert came to $41 before tip.  That's incredible.  Don't just want to go back, want to go back with a group of friends and try EVERYTHING.  Bravo/Brava. 

Funky small plates in an upscale setting.  Focuses on food from Caucasian, North African and Middle Eastern regions (the Caucasian here refers to the Caucasus Mountain range to the northwest of Turkey).
1346 Florida Ave, NW (a note -- the restaurant is in an alley just off Florida Ave.  It is well lit and there are numerous signs pointing the way.)
https://www.maydandc.com/