Cedar a delicious hideaway in Penn Quarter

The new Cedar in Penn Quarter is a departure for nearly everyone involved. The chef, Andrew Kitko, most recently cooked at the expansive Redwood in Bethesda, and has now landed at this far more intimate dining room. Co-owner Craig Merrills is an owner of the beer-and-burger focused Front Page, and now turns his attention toward fine dining. Even the space, which had once housed the Caribbean-influenced Ginger Reef but remained fallow for years, has gotten a facelift.

The Scene: Descending a flight of stairs leads you to a dining room reminiscent of a cabin in the woods. Photographs of a cedar forest have been digitally enhanced and reproduced on the walls. At the bar, light wood competes for your gaze with a wall of fieldstone. Any more rustic, and there would be heads on the wall. And yet, it still manages to feel elegant.

The Pour: The wine list here is deserving of serious praise. It’s weighted toward domestic bottles, but it’s also weighted toward value. Many offerings are marked up only twice the retail price, rather than the industry standard of three times retail. Think Elizabeth Spencer Napa cabernet for only $60, or four of the prized Turley zinfandels, ranging from $63 to $81. Cocktails are classics with a twist, such as the Gold Rush, made with Maker’s Mark, local honey and lemon; or a gin cooler, with Hendrick’s, mint and lime.

The Taste: Kitko’s seasonal, regional American menu doesn’t plow much new ground, but his execution is laudable. “Field and stream” is how he describes his vision. For evidence, look no farther than his wild mushroom stuffed quail with ramps, green garlic and fiddlehead ferns — like a buffet off the forest floor. Herb-crusted pork tenderloin gets brined for a few hours before getting a hearty bed of swiss chard and bacon. A traditional oyster pan roast is finished with cream, leeks and Jerusalem artichokes. Other items were merely passable. An interesting smoked tomato fondue couldn’t redeem overcooked scallops. And a grilled ahi tuna with olives, capers and tonnato sauce elicited shrugs from my table for a drab presentation and a plain preparation.

The Touch: Service was attentive and helpful. The servers even offer substantive responses when asked for recommendations.

Don’t Miss: The carpaccio of fluke, dressed with slices of avocado and grapefruit.

Why You Won’t Go: Because it’s summer. In this season of outdoor patios and waterfront dining, a basement restaurant with a woodsy theme and a hearty menu is a tough sell. But I’m willing to bet that reservations will be hard to come by when fall rolls around.

Why You Will Go: In a neighborhood full of noisy, boisterous restaurants where the bars are three deep, this quiet hideaway of a space is a welcome change.