Wolfgang Puck might be one of the only celebrity chefs not to have a restaurant in Dubai, but A to Za’tar goes global with this excellent review from Lindsay Rogers (who you might remember from one of her last dinners in Abu Dhabi). Guest posts are always welcome (especially if they make me incredibly hungry like below).
DETAILS:
Saturday brunch 11:30am – 3:00pm
575 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC
Dim Sum Tasting Menu
5 tastes for $40
8 tastes for $56 (perfect for 2 people)
A La Carte tastes $9
Bloody Marys – $12 (classic, which in DC means an Old Bay http://www.oldbay.com/ salted rim and Sichuan, with a chili salt rim)
We had:
Dim Sum Tasting Menu, 8 tastes for $56
Prosecco – $12
Atlas Lager Draft – $8 (local beer)
Overview
If you’re looking for an old-school dim sum experience with staff pushing carts bearing bamboo steamer baskets of various dumplings, this is not the brunch for you.
Puck’s take on dim sum is more tapas-style, with small plates brought out one or two at a time. The food is more or less good and fairly straightforward—dim sum originated from steamed dumplings served as Cantonese tea snacks and while there is some creative license taken with the menu, it doesn’t stray too far from the foundations. What’s missing, for better or worse, is the clutter.
Keep in mind that you’re paying for the name and the atmosphere. The Source is a beautiful spot tucked back behind the Newseum (absolutely worth a visit if you have the time!) just off of notable Pennsylvania Avenue, and the jazztronic music and sleek, monochromatic furniture make it a place you don’t mind being seen in.
The service is absolutely exquisite. What Puck’s dim sum lacks in blow-you-away taste, the staff makes up for with flawless timing and courteous, nearly invisible service.
Another VERY important point: if you happen to fall into the unlucky percentage of humans who can’t stand the taste of cilantro (come sit with me!), be prepared to pick a LOT of it off of this food. It was used liberally as a garnish for almost every single dish; I was surprised our desserts didn’t come out sprinkled with those little green soapflakes. Good news for my dining partner (my husband) who can’t get enough of this nasty stuff.
You have a choice of five tastes or eight tastes on the brunch menu. If there’s two of you, go for the eight. It was just enough that, after a light breakfast earlier in the morning, we felt full until a late dinner without that awful stuffed-to-the-gills feeling. But if you’re in a time crunch, go for the five and plan on an afternoon snack—eight tastes took about an hour and a half to get through.
It’s also highly advised that you make a reservation. The restaurant opens for Saturday brunch at 11:30 and, when we walked in, we were the only table there. Within half an hour, the entire place was completely full.
And now, the important stuff…
Pork Belly Sliders on a 10 Spice-Sugar Doughnut
These could have benefited from a sauce or something to counter the dryness of the doughnut. It’s not a glazed donut, but one sprinkled with sugar and spice and while the pork was exquisitely tender with a nice crisp to the skin, the donut-to-pork ratio was just a little off so a lot of chewing required here.
Lacquered Duck Bao Buns with House Hoisin and Cucumber
Overall, this was a tasty dish but again with the dryness. Duck is an inherently fatty meat so it was a good choice for the airy buns but hoisin is a sticky, gummy sauce that didn’t do much to bring moisture back into this equation.
Bacon & Sausage Fried Rice with Sunny Side Egg
This was well-executed and surprisingly had a nice spicy bite to it. As a stir fry, the bacon and sausage could have easily gotten dried out but they held their integrity. The runny egg was an excellent topper—if only all fried rice could come with this breakfasty twist!
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts with Chili Caramel
Because, why not? What meal—even a dim sum experience—would be complete without Puck’s famous Brussels Sprouts? This seemed like a superfluous addition to a dim sum menu (which could have easily had one or two more dumplings listed) but we ordered it anyway. Brussels sprouts are brussels sprouts, and these did not disappoint. The chili swing to the caramel was not as evident as it could have been, but the pomegranate seeds were a sweet, crunchy complement.
Pork and Cabbage Dumplings with Black Vinegar and Chili Oil
I’ve had these dumplings before. I’ve had them many, many, many times before. That’s not to say they weren’t delicious, just that I expected something with a bit more zing at a Zagat-cheered restaurant. I also couldn’t pick out the black vinegar and chili oil, perhaps they should have been served as a dipping sauce on the side.
Salt & Pepper Pork Chop with Fried Egg and Chili Oil
This was a pork chop done well, tender and juicy meat with a crispy, salty, greasy crust. The fried egg was a nice topper and this was a good size for sharing given the richness of the dish.
Angel Wings Har Gow and Sweet Chili
Possibly my favorite in the line-up. I had no idea what we were ordering. Har Gow is a Cantonese steamed shrimp dumpling but the plate that was dropped on the table looked exactly like chicken wings. I’m not opposed to a good chicken wing, especially one with sweet chili, but I had been expecting a shrimp dumpling. What a fun surprise to bite into these and discover a shrimp cleverly posing as a chicken wing. Points for creative presentation and points for a deliciously quirky take on a traditional dumpling. I wish more of the meal had followed this whimsical lead.
Red Miso Glazed Doughnut with 50-Bean Vanilla Ice Cream
Honestly, this tasted like a glazed cake doughnut with vanilla ice cream. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with a glazed cake doughnut with vanilla ice cream and it poses the important question, why are we not always pairing our glazed cake doughnuts with vanilla ice cream? But the red miso was lost, and I would have liked to have seen a more exotic flavor of ice cream. A red bean, maybe, or passionfruit—definitely something with a fruitier finish.
Espresso Mousse with Condensed Milk Ice Cream
This was a delightfully light and not-too-sweet end. The condensed milk was a nice nod to the theme of the brunch.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
It was a fun way to spend a sunny Saturday in DC. It’s not cheap so it would probably be even better with a large group. That way, if you find a dish or two that you really like you can order extras of those. It was a lot of food for two people and I would have preferred a smaller share with more people and the opportunity to order more of those Angel Wings.
What’s your favorite brunch in Washington D.C.?
