Earlier this month, I traveled to our nation’s capital on a culinary press trip courtesy of Destination D.C. and Foodbuzz. Joining me were two other Foodbuzz publishers (Olga of Mango Tomato and Joseph of Gastronomer’s Guide), as well as five veteran food and travel writers from across the country. Our weekend in D.C. took us to some of the city’s most talked about restaurants, and also included a few stops off the beaten path. It was a food tour of a lifetime, and let me tell you, D.C. is delicious. There truly is no better way to explore a city than by breaking bread all across town.
Our excursion began at the Liaison Hotel on Capitol Hill, which served as our group’s swanky home base for the duration of the trip. After checking in and unpacking a bit, it was time to head downstairs to Art and Soul for dinner.
Chef and co-owner Art Smith arrived in D.C. following the success of his restaurant Table Fifty-Two in Chicago and a decade-long stint as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef. Although he is not a full-time Washingtonian, he spends a few weeks here each month making sure that all is perfect at Art and Soul. We were very fortunate to have him join us for cocktails and dinner.
The restaurant’s menu is a blend of Chef Smith’s Southern cooking heritage and the Atlantic region’s finest ingredients. Before sitting down for a full-on feast, we indulged in a parade of small bites. My favorite of the bunch was the mini smoked salmon hoecakes. According to the menu, hoecakes are “cornmeal flatbreads traditionally cooked after a hard day’s work.” Topped with house-cured salmon, caviar, dill crème fraiche, and caper berries, the hoecakes’ flavors were familiar and immensely satisfying.
