Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar

[Rosie]

We had dinner at Mendocino, 2917 M St, NW, Washington, DC last week and had a delightful experience. Chef Drew Trautmann and owner Jared Rager are to be commended for the exciting menu and excellent service. It was hard to order as everything read so beautifully. Luckily there were six of us for dinner so we were able to taste many dishes. We started off with a roasted pumpkin soup with cinnamon cured duck and garlic yogurt; meze dip trio containing hummus, skorthalia, and muhammara with pita bread; red wine braised octopus with beluga lentil-fennel salad, crispy chorizo and a red wine reduction; and organic mesclun salad with a roasted shallot sherry vinaigrette, oil cured olives and hummus crostini. Loved everything. The entrées were equally delicious and contained exuberant flavors. The day boat scallops were made even more special with a topping of red pepper-olive piperade and accompaniments of creamy polenta, sorrel and saffron aioli. We "oohed and ahhed" at the stunning presentation of a whole roasted dourade surrounded by a purple potato, egg, and wild mushroom salad, spinach and a citrus caper brown butter. Lowell helped me finish this dish and you would never have known that the fish had a head and tail by the time he finished devouring what was left on my plate. Fall off the bone rioja braised lamb shank accompanied with beguiling sweet potato pear puree, rapini, gremolata, and beer battered onions was a study of contrasting tastes and textures. It was declared to be the best ever tasted. New York strip steak with braised greens, roasted garlic twice baked potato and a red wine Stilton butter was also devoured and the plate left clean. Desserts were equally satisfying. A cheese plate with wine pairing were shared by all. It contained two goat cheeses (Monte Enebro and Garratxa); two cow cheeses (Red Hawk and Livarot); two blues (Valdeon and Stilton) and what was listed as "smoke and fire" (Fumasion and Ibores). Of course we also had a "worth every calorie" Irish sundae containing a warm chocolate-walnut brownie, ice cream, hot fudge sauce, and port soaked cherries and a warm cinnamon apple dumpling with maple cinnamon ice cream. If you haven't been to Mendocino do put this restaurant on your must try list. Phone: 202-333-2912.

[sara]

Oooh. Red Hawk?! Is that from Cowgirl Creamery? One of my all-time favorites.

Did this place just open?

[Rosie]

I think they have been under new ownership and have had a new chef for a few years. Don't know about cheese.

[Malawry]

Jared is user JRage here on eGullet. I've been meaning to get down there for some time. Thanks for your review, Rosie.

[Rosie]

Awaiting your report.

[dbortnick]

Oooh. Red Hawk?! Is that from Cowgirl Creamery?  One of my all-time favorites.

Did this place just open?

indeed it is cowgirl creamery's organic triple cream!

[Mark Sommelier]

Had lunch there 3 weeks ago. Didn't care at all for the food.

[hjshorter]

Had lunch there 3 weeks ago. Didn't care at all for the food.

What didn't you like about it?

[Mark Sommelier]

Had lunch there 3 weeks ago. Didn't care at all for the food.

What didn't you like about it?

It was the first panini that required a steak knife that I ever had. Didn't taste good, either.

[hjshorter]

Had lunch there 3 weeks ago. Didn't care at all for the food.

What didn't you like about it?

It was the first panini that required a steak knife that I ever had. Didn't taste good, either.

OK, thanks. I was just curious, since Rosie really liked her meal.

[tjaehnigen]

I have never been there for lunch (?), but all of my meals there for dinner have been great.

[viaChgo]

Hi all,

Was in town this past weekend from Chicago & had dinner at Mendocino with my wife & a few local friends and had a very tasty meal and pleasant experience there. I really like the space...it feels cozy but not confined, contemporary but not uncomfortably so.

I started with the braised octopus with lentil-fennel salad. The octopus was nice & tender and the accompaniment of the fennel salad was a nice contrast in both flavors & textures...a very nice dish.

For my main, I had the rioja-braised lamb shank with sweet potato & pear puree, rapini, & beer battered onions. This dish was right up my alley and was executed perfectly. It was down home comfort elevated to a level that kept the dish interesting as well as comforting. The meat was flavorful & fall-off-the-bone. the puree was soothing in its sweetness while the rapini was a great contrast to the puree with its crispness & bitterness. And who doesn't like onion rings?

All in all, everything was nicely seasoned & well executed. The menu looked wonderful and they seem to be doing things right...fresh, seasonal products; organic meats; artisanal cheeses. We were too full but we really wanted to do a cheese course...next time I guess.

[salivate]

Wow! is what I can say for a couple of restaurants on M Street in Georgetown. Lucky those who have discovered them. I have frequented both many times with clients, friends and family and have tasted just about everything on both their menus.

Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar happens to be just about my favorite place for good fine dining. It has become my family’s choice as well. The appetizers, salads, entrees amd desserts are always amazing; the staff is steady, thoughtful and friendly; and with the new facelift, it is soooo comfortable and cozy for lunch or dinner. Even dining at the bar works for me. And that derives from the great bartenders who manage to make you feel as though you're dining at home with a good friend. My light choice is always the caesar salad which arrives like a sculpture. And when I am really hungry, the tender lamb shank or delicious whole dorade does the trick. Cannot live without Mendocino desserts, expecially the Irish brownie sundae special. Overall, it is such a treat to stroll down M Street to Mendocino.

My other M street favorite is no gormand’s haven but a friendly deli that serves breakfast (just like Grandma’s), and lunch (their hamburgers are an unsung wonder). More yummy, interesting salad choices exist than imaginable. They are open until 7pm, but the grill goes off early afternoon so an early dinner has limits. Best times are breakfast and lunch for a taste treat. And cannot forget the wonderful cakes and frosted seasonal cookies (turkeys now, soon Xmas trees). The most wonderful part of Furin’s are the owners and their constant staff who have been known to take special interest in many diners and actually deliver food to their doors when illness, injury or crisis befalls these regulars.

Small town America has nothing on the wonderful folks and food at both these M Street spots in Georgetown.

Edited November 6, 2003 by salivate (log)

[vengroff]

Salivate,

I took the liberty of merging this with an existing thread on Mendocino.

Edited November 7, 2003 by vengroff (log)

[salivate]

I am truly an avid advocate of Mendocino. However, not on any payroll. I have eaten out in over 200 dc restaurants and have favorites - but this is my top. And I will get online to talk about others. I just found e-gullet. Some eat to live but I find lately, I am living to eat. And Mendocino provides great food, steady friendly staff and good atmosphere and wines.

[Malawry]

Welcome to eGullet Salivate. I look forward to your posts on some of those other 199 places you'vre dined in town!

[vengroff]

I have eaten out in over 200 dc restaurants and have favorites - but this is my top.  And I will get online to talk about others.  I just found e-gullet.

Welcome to egullet then, salivate. Perhaps you can post some thoughts on some of the best of those 200 on this thread.

Edited November 7, 2003 by vengroff (log)

[morela]

Pardon me for thinking there was some affiliation--your initial post just sounded a lot like it was written by a PR person.

..and not a unreasonable assumption when written in press release style and nearly 600 words in length.

I really like Mendo.....

but so much promo and so little critique makes me wonder if salivate isn't sleeping with someone on payroll there (salivate, just a joke Please don't hurt me)

[JRage]

Hey now Meaghan, my wife reads this forum too! You're going to get me in serious trouble! (and for the record, and my wife...I am not sleeping with salivate, although I'd consider it for more good press. (now, that was a joke. )

[morela]

I'm glad that JRage, hopefully along with JRage's wife and Salivate, didn't take that comment to heart.

...and JRage, you guys are good in my book. You kindly offered me that pumpkin soup, which is above and beyond what I expected .

Remember how nice that was?

JRage said:

"...It's pretty tasty... give me some advanced notice and I'll have them make you a pumpkin bowl if you want... "

I hope to take you up on that before pumpkin soup goes away too

(or maybe it's gone; I don't know). Bye bye

[rickie]

Pumpkin soup ? Hot or Cold?

Gotta try that!

Edited November 7, 2003 by rickie (log)

[sara]

The CA-focused menu and lovely (tho pricey) wine list posted on their website has me intrigued by Mendocino. Has anyone been lately? Reviews??? (It would be a rather expensive outing for me and Liam, I suspect, so I'd love to get some advance input)

[JennyUptown]

I wonder whatever happened to salivate...3 posts, all on Mendocino, then never heard from again!

Oh, and here's a link to the web site

HOWEVER don't bother clicking for the printable menu right now - that still has the winter one.

Edited May 14, 2004 by JennyUptown (log)

[Ralph Wiggum]

Hello all. My first post here. My wife and I went to Mendocino back in December and had a wonderful meal. I had the Pumpkin Soup and the New York Strip Steak, which was cooked exactly as ordered (medium-rare). We also went with the Sommeliers Dinner Flight, where they paired a wine with each course (unfortunately, I cannot remember what wines we had, but we enjoyed most of them).

[JRage]

HOWEVER don't bother clicking for the printable menu right now - that still has the winter one.

Whoops! I'll have that fixed ASAP. Looks like we forgot to replace the PDF file, with a spring or summer menu.

Thanks for the heads up!