A few tears were shed late last year when the Childe Harold — a gritty Dupont Circle institution for decades — poured its last pint. But many of its mourners breathed a bit easier when they learned that locals Fabio and Patricia Beggiato, the owners of Sesto Senso and Cleveland Park Bar & Grill, were taking over the space.
After six months of renovations, they reopened in late spring with a multi-tiered concept: a casual “cantina” on the ground level and a fine dining room upstairs. To helm the kitchen, they called on Alexander Schulte, a former cook at the well-regarded Modern in New York.
The Scene: The second-floor dining room is a classy space, dressed up in white with much of the rowhouse’s original touches — mouldings, fireplace, bay window, pleasantly intact. A small bar and a bit of extra dark wood gives a clubby feel to the rear of the room. Which makes the descent down the stairs to the restrooms on the lower level a bit jarring. TVs line the bar, the lighting is low, and the yeasty smell of beer fills the air as young twenty-somethings vie for each other’s affections.
The Pour: The wine list, like the menu, is a pleasant blend of American and Italian offerings. Prices are more than reasonable for a downtown destination, ranging from well-selected bargains for $28 to power bottles for $135. Downstairs you’ll find more than 20 wines by the glass, as well as six taps and nearly 20 bottled beers.
The Taste: A disciple of the local and sustainable movement, Schulte has already shown a willingness to tinker, regularly changing the menu with the seasons. Also notable is the unique pricing structure, in which the price is the same for all options within each course. Among the highlights were a refreshing appetizer of compressed melon with pistachio vinaigrette, sweetbreads with beets and celery, and a tender, juicy pork chop. On the other hand, a halibut entree was shamefully overcooked, its accompanying tomato-shellfish sauce unforgivably bland. Downstairs, the pub menu offers a nicely fried fish and chips, with salsa verde standing in for the usual tartar sauce. But the star at the bar is the flatbread pizza in four varieties, from the Darlington (heirloom tomatoes, grilled zucchini and mozzarella) to the Giovanni (figs, rosemary, goat cheese, arugula and hazelnut oil). Whether you’re upstairs or down, save room for the well-crafted desserts, particularly the chocolate crepe with carmelized bananas and chocolate gelato, which tasted decadent without being overly rich.
The Touch: While service was uniformly pleasant, details and executions need brushing up, especially upstairs where the freight can run $100 per person. I’m not sure I ever received a course at which the food runners knew what dish went in front of which person.
Don’t Miss: Schulte’s house-made pastas. On a recent visit, I enjoyed a soft gnocchi with a sweet corn sauce and a brilliant strigoli with pesto, green beans, potatoes and hazelnuts.
Why You Will Go: The third-floor Library, currently being used for private events and large parties, will open in late October as a lounge and “reading room” on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Why You Won’t Go: Upstairs, it can be a lot of people in the small room. Tables are close together and it can get quite loud.
If you go
Darlington House
1610 20th St., NW
(202) 332-3722
www.darlingtonhousedc.com
Hours: Dining Room — 6 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 6 to 11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 6 to 10 p.m. Sunday; Cantina Pub — 5 to 10 p.m. Monday, 5 to 11:30 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, 5 to 12:30 a.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 to 10 p.m. Sunday; Brunch — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
Prices: Upstairs dining room: Appetizers $10 to $15; pastas and entrees $18 to $28. Downstairs cantina $7 to $15.
Bottom Line: A new, multi-level haunt in Dupont that provides plenty of experiences, from casual cantina to fine dining.
