Rural Society is a contemporary Argentine steakhouse from nationally renowned master of Latin cuisine Chef Jose Garces. Inspired by his travels to South America, Rural Society is at once rustic and luxurious, bringing the energy and sophistication of Buenos Aires to Washington. The menu and primarily South American wine list, combined with the warm hospitality and welcoming décor, transport you far from the bustle of DC to the sweeping cattle ranches and grill-fired kitchens of Argentina. Closest Metro is McPherson Square.
I made reservations at this Argentine steakhouse to celebrate Keith's birthday. A few years ago we dined at
Chef Garces' restaurant in Philly and had a decent meal, so were intrigued to try this DC venture. We shared a bottle of
2014 Felino Vino Cobos, Malbec, Argentina. This red wine was incredibly smooth with a slightly fruity finish. We enjoyed our first sips with the complimentary bread basket featuring cheese biscuits and focaccia with Malbec butter, chive oil, and fresh salsa.
For appetizers, we shared the
Empanda de Espinaca - a savory pastry stuffed with Swiss chard, provoleta cheese, and roasted onions. It had great flavor and was very traditional.
We also shared the
Carpaccio de Pulpo - a light dish of thinly-sliced braised octopus with tomato escabeche and Malbec chips. I only wish there was a little more since the two bites I had were so good.
Lastly, we shared the
Chorizo con Queso - a provoleta-stuffed pork sausage. It was a tad dry, but had lots of rustic seasoning and also went lovely with our Malbec wine.
For his main dish, Keith ordered the
Picaña. This 10 oz cut of rump of Snake River Wagyu had lots of flavor from the fatty rump as well as the wood grill.
I chose the
Bronzino - whole Mediterranean bass with capers, brown butter, and grilled lemon. It was super light and I really enjoyed the lemon and butter sauce.
To accompany our mains, we shared sides of
Papas Rescaldo - ember roasted potatoes with a bacon-chimichurri and goat cheese mousse that added extra tang. We also shared the amazing
Bruselas - roasted brussels sprouts with chestnut cream and pomegranate escabeche. These brussels sprouts were prepared in one of the best ways I've ever had them. The combination of sweet and roasted flavor were magic in my mouth.
Finally, for dessert we shared the
Caramel Flan with Mango Sorbet. The flan was very thick and creamy and intensely sweet. I much preferred the bright mango sorbet, as it was refreshing to cleanse the palate after this huge meal.
All in all we had an impeccable meal at Rural Society. Service was unobtrusive, and the ambience was upbeat with warm lighting and a large dining room. There were many standout dishes on the menu, and I would return again for dinner or to check out the brunch offerings.
Total Rating:
4.6
Food: 5, Price: 4, Service: 4, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5
Rural Society is a contemporary Argentine steakhouse from nationally renowned master of Latin cuisine Chef Jose Garces. Inspired by his travels to South America, Rural Society is at once rustic and luxurious, bringing the energy and sophistication of Buenos Aires to Washington. The menu and primarily South American wine list, combined with the warm hospitality and welcoming décor, transport you far from the bustle of DC to the sweeping cattle ranches and grill-fired kitchens of Argentina. Closest Metro is McPherson Square.
