Bresca

Bresca means 'honeycomb' in Catalan, and aims to season the moment by delivering unexpected flavors forged from nature and mingled with flourish. Using the freshest ingredients responsibly sourced both near (think vibrant herbs grown in the rooftop garden) and far, Bresca offers modern "bistronomy"—casual fine dining where experimentation becomes the everyday and the cuisine is constantly evolving in a setting that's forever inviting. Closest Metro is U Street.

After a day of chores, Keith and I headed to Bresca to treat ourselves to a nice dinner, as we were starving.  We were seated at a small table by the front window, with a perfect view to the bustling street outside.  After our friendly server, Kristen, greeted us and recited the restaurant's concept and menu suggestions we ordered a bottle of 2016 La CAÑA Rias Baixas, Albariño, from Spain.  It was a dry white whine with loads of bright citrus and a hint of pineapple that was perfect with our meal.

We started with the Oysters and Tea - plump white stone oysters topped with a sweet mixture of earl grey, bergamot, and black pepper.  These little bites were delightful and a great teaser.

Also from the small starters section, Keith tried the Sweet and Spicy Squab.  One wing was topped with hot sauce and one leg with a confit-preserved mulberry, which made for a nice balance of sweet and spicy.  This dish is pretty small; just enough for one person to have a taste.

Next, I indulged in the Sea Urchin Linguini with a sauce of truffle, chili, yeast butter, and porcini.  Sweet uni (sea urchin) topped the pasta to give each bite a slight briny burst to cut the rich sauce.  This dish was amazing, and Keith kept sneaking a few forkfuls himself.

Keith ordered the other pasta offering of the night - Chestnut Agnolotti with rabbit, sunchokes, pears, and mustard seeds.  The chestnut added a sweetness, and overall Keith felt the dish had a Christmasy feel.  He only wished there was more rabbit like the true meatlover that he is.

To satisfy that meat craving, Keith then ordered the Koji Veal Breast served with kuri squash puree, sliced apple and kohlrabi, and topped with pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of oil.  He was intrigued by the cut of meat as he didn't realize that a cow had a 'breast' cut akin to poultry.  He found the meat tender and juicy with great Fall flavors.

I enjoyed the Octopus that was artfully plated with harissa, hummus, tabouleh, yogurt, and black lime, which equally provided a wonderful marriage of exotic flavors in each bite.  I loved this dish.  The subtle heat from the harissa and the bright acid from the lime paired lovingly on the tender octopus.  I slowly scraped this plate clean embracing each bite with a sip of the white wine.

I was pretty satiated, but we saw the tables next to us being presented with Foie Gras Cake Pops delivered in a white porcelain head, so we decided to order one each as well.  The rich filling was mixed with amaretto then covered with chocolate, hazelnut and edible gold.  It reminded me of the Ferrero Rocher® candies.  With the decadent bite, I ordered a glass of red wine - Verdier-Logel 'Volcanique' Côte du Forez, Gamay, from France.  The smokiness of the wine balanced out with the sweet chocolate.

With honeycomb, bee, pollen, and honey accents from the decor to the menu, Chef Ryan Ratino's avant-garde, French influenced cooking and modern cocktails shine in this playful bistro.  There has been so much recent buzz (see what I did there, ha) about this new restaurant that is well deserved, as we were really impressed with each dish and had a delightful dinner at Bresca.

UPDATE: This restaurant was awarded one Michelin star in September 2018.

Total Rating: 4.65
Food: 5, Price: 4, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 5