Bourbon Steak is a chic and contemporary DC steakhouse restaurant located just off the lobby of the prestigious Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown. Featuring the exquisite culinary delights of James Beard award-winning chef and internationally renowned restaurateur Michael Mina, the restaurant features contemporary American fare with a focus on seasonal ingredients. Bourbon Steak is an extraordinary steak and seafood restaurant that showcases corn-fed, all-natural meats and line-caught seafood available both locally and worldwide. Closest Metro is Foggy Bottom.
As a complimentary starter, our server brought out a trio of the restaurant's famous duck fat French fries: their regular herb dusted fries with tomato ketchup; curry spiced fries with Thousand Island dressing; and white cheddar cheese covered fries with barbecue sauce. The fries were perfectly crispy and the sampling of different sauces was fun and a great way to get my palate going.
When time came to place our orders, we decided to share an appetizer of the Ahi tuna tartar. I chose the Hawaiian Walu for my entree while Keith chose the 14 oz Angus ribeye steak. For sides, he wanted something different than the regular steakhouse fare of potatoes or spinach. He decided on the black truffle macaroni & cheese and the roasted eggplant, to which our server responded that was his favorite side dish that they make. Additionally, our server asked if we would be interested in their complimentary black truffle butter dinner rolls - to which we responded "yes", of course.
More tables turned over as we waited, but we did not mind as we were immersed in our own conversation and enjoying the lively "disco" music as Keith described it. Soon, a different server arrived with a cart and accoutrements to make our appetizer of the tuna tartar table side. I thought this was a lovely presentation and he evenly distributed it out into two portions. The fish itself was tender and flavorful from the sesame oil. The pine nuts created a nice crunch and Keith really enjoyed the extra bite of spice from the Ancho chiles. Next, the dinner rolls arrived in a cute black skillet. They were piping hot with a nice crunchy crust on top and soft inside, shaped like cinnamon rolls. The black truffle butter was subtle, yet delicious. Keith warned me not to eat a whole piece so that I would not fill up before the main meal arrived, but I could not resist. I even asked our server to wrap up the rest of the rolls, so I could take it home. That's how good they were.
By this time, we were ready for another round of drinks. Our server assured us our main dishes were being plated and would arrive shortly. Again, we did not mind the wait as we were already filling up from all the starters. My fish was presented like another piece of art, with each garnish strategically placed. Pineapple was prominent on the plate but not overpowering. The Kalua pork croquettes did not remind me of the traditional Hawaiian dish, as I found them lacking in flavor and a bit dry. But Keith tried one and found them to be tasty and have more pork than expected. The fish itself had an intriguing texture that was similar to a cross between swordfish and Mahi Mahi, but not as metallic in flavor. The flavor was actually very light and went well with the sweet pineapple and bitter Chinese broccoli. Keith's steak was a nice portion and cooked well. He definitely could taste the butter that the meat was poached in. The eggplant was very tender and had great flavor from the citrus and miso glaze. The macaroni & cheese was okay, lacking the black truffle flavor, and the cheese sauce was a little more loose than I cared for. It almost reminded me of a warm macaroni salad. Regardless, we really enjoyed our meal and were incredibly stuffed. When asked for dessert, we passed, yet being that it was Keith's birthday they did bring out the obligatory birthday cake with ice cream for him. Even full, he still managed to gobble the whole thing up and loved the "crunchies" that came with it. He said it reminded him of the ice cream birthday cakes from Carvel that he got as a child.
Overall, the service and food at Bourbon Steak is above par. Clearly, you get what you pay for as our bill was among the highest we've had for just the two of us. But it was all worth it for this celebratory evening out with my wonderful husband. I recommend this restaurant for special occasions and its classy atmosphere to spend a leisurely night out near Georgetown.
Total Rating: 4.18
Food: 4.5, Price: 3, Service: 5, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 4
What I ate:
with Kalua pig croquettes, pineapple, Chinese broccoli
Roasted Baby Eggplant
with miso and orange glaze
Birthday Cake
