For the last year, a restaurant in Washington, D.C.’s Penn Quarter has been keeping America’s culinary history alive—a place where you can order Lobster Newburgh, Brunswick Stew, “Hamburg Style” steak, Blackened Croaker, and Oysters Rockefeller. The bartender happily makes rickeys, New York sours, Sazeracs, Jack Roses, and Moscow Mules. It’s called America Eats Tavern, overseen by celebrity chef-activist José Andrés with proceeds going to the Foundation for the National Archives. It had always been intended as a “pop-up” restaurant and as such, this coming July 4, America Eats will be closing its doors.
For area residents, there’s no time to waste. Multiple visits are practically necessary in order to sample all of the main attractions like the above mentioned dishes, as well as shrimp étouffée, fish fry with remoulade, and the reuben on rye. Or go with friends who don’t mind sharing in order to divide and conquer—that’s what I did earlier this week when I had lunch at America Eats with retired Washington Post food critic Phyllis Richman. I told her this was a fact-finding mission so order whatever you want—it’s on the Standard (you are reading this, aren’t you?).
