Nage, a Food Lover Oasis on Scott Circle

Date: February 1, 2008

FOOD DRINK REVIEW
DC Magazine
February 2008
By Mary Beth Albright

KITCHEN CONFIDENTIAL
What is the culinary secret in the city?  Nage, a food lover oasis on Scott Circle.

 "You know who should eat here?" asked my husband after dinner at Nage.  "Anyone who loves food."  There you have it.  This Island of Culinary sense and sensibility, nearly concealed on the perimeter of Scott Circle, is simply the best restaurant you have never visited.
 While more than a few of the newest DC eateries have arived on a pomp-and-circumstance cloud that would make P.T. Barnum blush, Nage (pronounced "nahge") has been quietly composing it's own symphony.  Is there a celebrity chef in the house?  No.  A million dollar atmosphere?  Not quite.  Foodie buzz?  Not at all.  Nage, you ask?  Yes, and get there now.
 "It takes time to get a buzz with all of the great restaurants in town, even when everything from bread to veal cheeks is prepared in house, from scratch" offers executive chef and co-owner Kevin Reading.  Patience is a virtue, but this "East Coast Eatery" (the second location of Rehoboth Beaches Nage) is in danger of growing unforgettable without growing a following.  The problem, in part, is its non sequitur of a location.  Nage is tucked into the Courtyard Marriott, sort of like a Tiffany diamond stuck to a showgirls finger.  The space is spare, but radiates chumminess from glowing scarlet and orange lamps and exposed brick walls.  Hanging beads and booth seating add a touch of retro kitsch and a semi-exposed kitchen invites gourmet spying, but one glimse of the hotel's lobby and the illusion is off.  This partly explains why debonair general manager Galen Johnson welcomes my group with such gusto.  "We love new people!" he exclaims.  And it shows.
 You'll know you're not in Courtyard anymore when the amuse bouche of tiny ham and duck confit on pastry topped with diced apples is placed before you.  Gifts from a bistro kitchen are unusual enough, but double your surprise with an equally unexpected intermezzo combining the current "it" ingredient, Sechuan Button, with a current "it" wine, rose sparkling, for a pure whit sorbet floating on gorgeous pink fizz.  The kitchens generosity pops up again in a Lobster Pot Pie holding three meaty pieces of claw and bountiful other chunks underneath that buttery, crunchy puff pastry.  The attention feels almost effusive in Nage's Cinnamon Braised Lamb Shank, a king's of sticky, rich Lamb draped over butternut squash (pureed with Brown Butter and Parmesan, of course) and topped with a Golden Raisin Compote.  And the extraordinary Truffled Macaroni and Cheese is the stuff dreams are made of.
 Nage's innovation unfolds on your plate without fussiness, rather than insufferable raining philosophy all over your dinner.  You'll be seduced, not talked to death, by one of the chalk board specials Nage's "local and fresh" ingredients mantra.  The chef, who spend five days in his DC kitchen and two in his Delaware galley each week, and chef de cuisine Roman Cristali let their imaginations run wild in the specials.  "They have become a niche for us" says Reading, whose nickname is "King of the Specials".  "The staff puts their heart and soul into writing up the chalkboard everyday; it's an opportunity to express their culinary selves."
 Start with a Hot Fuzz cocktail (black pepper infused vodka, white peach puree and ginger ale, topped with a turn of black pepper) and enjoy the entertainment while the waiter plays Vanna White with the board upon your arrival, reviewing each special in detail.  Some dishes are loaded with DC food trivia: The Prime Rib entree, for example, comes from the Philadelphia purveyor of beef who provides the White House.  Other dishes inspire rhapsodic descriptions: The Foie Gras Potato Sticks, served alongside the steak, are described as "potatoes mashed with Foie gras and fried."  Yum!  We didn't order the steak but our waiter must have seen our mouths watering because sticks appeared-gratis-for us to share.  Love food and Nage's staff will love you back.
 Seafood is the restaurant's Rehoboth sister's specialty, and it shine brightly on the DC menu.  Nage, French for "swim", is a colloquialism for broth.  The "Seafood a la Nage" is a perfect dish for shellfish lovers, it's huge pieces of Fresh Scallops, Lobster, Clams and Mussells float in a brilliant Saffron broth.  A special Flounder appetizer had the size and presentation of an entree, a whole filet wrapped around spicy tomato fondue and topped with fried leeks, surrounded by gorgeous brush strokes of Parsley Pesto and hot Guajillo Oil.  The presentation contrast between a bright white Ono Filet resting on pitch black Barley Risotto is gorgeous.  Sure, the kitchen could have used regular Pearl Barley, which tastes the same, but where's the fun in that?
 Even if you love seafood, don't neglect Nage's meats.  Are you sick of the DC battle of the burgers yet?  No?  Good, because Reading makes his with Deckle (as foodies know, the most marbled and tender part of the Prime Rib) mixed with Mushroom Duxelle and served on a light and crispy homemade bun.  It's like a reworked Beef Wellington.  The kitchen makes not only it's own Charcouterie plate of Pate, Seafood Sausage and Duck Rillette, but also it's own Pickled Watermelon Rind, served as an acidic complement to cut through the rich meats.  Kitchens are finally striving for seriously delicious chicken, thanks to the recent bistro craze.  Order Nage's modern take on Chicken and Dumplings and curl up with a European Cut Crispy Bird and tiny pillows of Gnocchi surrounde by a Culinary-School-Exam perfect dice of Root Vegetables.
 Full from the rest of Nage's extraordinary food, my usually restrained dining companion resorted to begging the waiter to take his half-finished dish of Macaroni and Cheese to keep from gorging on it.  Same deal with the Frites, flavored with Truffle Oil and thin as shoestrings, tempting you to eat them six at a time.  Sides at bistros seldom live up to their hype-a testiment to the old DC adage, "don't beleive your own PR."  But Nage's Broccolini, usually a throw away, arrives as rich lemony grilled spears.  When was the last time Broccolini was craveable?
 If you have room for dessert go for the Polenta Cake with Lavander and Fennel, a not-too-sweet landing.  Drizzled with Red Wine Sauce, with Fennel Ice Cream and Candied Fennel on the side, the cake is a study in contrasting flavors, textures and temperatures-the sweet, astringent, chewy Fennel and the cold velvety cream against the dense, warm pureness of the cake.  Fans of classics-with-a-twist shouls opt for the White Chocolate Rosemary Creme Brulee, offering another contrast with it's cream and crunch.  If you simply can't do dessert, top off your meal with a coffee drink.  Coffee Nage has shots of Bailey's, Amaretto, Frangelico and Godiva, all in one cup.  Just tell your friends it helps with digestion.
 While finishing the best meal I've eaten from the trendy lineup of Washington bistros, I wondered, "Why aren't more people eating at Nage?"  It's a question as unanswerable as why I didn't scoop up those velvet beaded Blahnik's two seasons ago.  On one recent evening during bistro primetime, there were more items on the specials board than people in the restaurant.  Although this aptly self-proclaimed "Food Think Tank" bubbles with generous inventiveness, it has somehow stayed under the radar since opening a year and a half ago.  Nage might be the Ugly Betty of the beautiful people restaurant scene, but this undiscovered gastronomic haven in the middle of the city is by far the most swoon-inducing casual dining experience in town.  You won't know what hit you, but you will be glad it did.