Boundary Road Tasting

Last Thursday I was privileged to attend the pre-opening tasting at Boundary Road. If you read our preview post, you know just how much my taste buds were anticipating this moment. Thankfully they were not disappointed.

Here’s my dish by dish review:

Queso Fresco Arepas with white bean stew – I was glad to see this popular South American dish on the menu. These savory cakes were cooked to a perfect crisp and filled with queso fresco, a mild unaged cheese that paired beautifully with the bean stew:

Quark and Black Pepper Pierogi – my favorite dish of the night. The soft & light quark cheese filled the airy dumpling and it melted in my mouth. I wish I had ordered the larger portion – I just couldn’t get enough:

Paprika Dusted Flounder over a Spanish Fishermen’s Stew – I started with a spoonful of broth and was pleasantly surprised by the explosively complex ocean flavor reminiscent of the similarly aromatic “abaja de pescado” served on the southern coast of Spain that my mom loves to make. As delicious as the broth was, the flounder was the real star – it was unmistakably fresh and cooked perfectly:

Chef Brad Walker approached my table as I finished the entrees and offered to make me donuts. If you are a frequent reader, you are familiar with my ever-growing love for donuts. I was visibly giddy after the first bite of a light & crispy sphere unlike any I have ever had. I also tasted a delicious and slightly spicy chocolate cake, a recipe of the Chef’s mother-in-law:

Boundary Road opens to the public tonight – you can make reservations on their website, which is a good thing, since they surely will be one of the most coveted tables in the neighborhood.

Boundary Road Preview

There are few word combinations that invariably steal my appetite and, frequently, my foodie heart: Rustic, Simple, Uncomplicated, Passionate, Exceptional Quality is one of them. So it’s safe to say that Boundary Road had me at hello when owners Karlos Leopold and Brad Walker uttered those words in our conversation about the upcoming American bistro scheduled to open late January/early February on H Street NE. Chef Brad Walker also has Cashion’s Eat Place, the first restaurant in DC I fell in love with, on his pedigree, along with other favorites – Proof, Central, Fiola. A peek at their winter menu reveals exciting offerings like Quark and Black Pepper Pierogi, Foie Gras Torchon PBJ, Uruguayan Bresaola, and a Brick Chicken entrée with mushroom fricassee, farro and Brussels sprouts.

The interior space features a dramatic 2-story dining room with a beautifully rustic piece of artwork that serves as a statement chandelier repurposed from an antique metal spring mattress shell created by artist James Kerns of Corehaus DC, that I had marveled at months previously at the Submerge Art Exhibit. The perimeter walls of exposed brick are bolstered by reclaimed antique wooden beams and a long welcoming bar lines the sidewall. All the way in the back is the partially open kitchen and a short counter where they hope to feature a small chef’s table sometime in the future. Karlos, Brad and friends designed the interiors themselves, an early testament to their uncomplicated yet eclectic taste. 

Here are a few preview pictures we took of Boundary Road during construction. We have our fingers crossed that their permits process goes swiftly, I haven’t been this excited for a restaurant opening in quite a while….

General manager Karlos Leopold and chef Brad Walker, owners of Boundary Road:

A rustic/industrial steel girder chandelier hangs across from the bar:

A closeup shot of the bar surface, with great dovetail detailing:

We were happy to see this James Kerns piece from Submerge DC end up in the perfect place: