Carolina head-on shrimp are served in a sherried cream sauce that could be right out of a 1940s Southern kitchen but is brought up to date by shiitake mushrooms, a sprinkling of fresh thyme, and crisp points of puff pastry instead of the traditional toast. House-cured gravlax is paired with cucumber salad and sensational potato pancakes, all brought together by a drizzle of lemon oil. Main courses offer a similar mixture of the homey and the exotic. Grilled flank steak is raised above the ordinary with sensational Gorgonzola mashed potatoes, which may also be ordered as a side dish. It's a dramatically good dish, a successful marriage of the American grill and the sushi bar.
Desserts are a letdown after such appetizer and main-course successes.
There's a fairly long martini list and a fairly short wine list, both pricey. Service is enthusiastic and well-informed. 2001 by Washington Magazine Inc.