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Feeling Flemish on K Street
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Brasserie Beck recalls the brasseries in old European train stations — spacious, airy, open all day and serving something for everyone.
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Since opening his first restaurant, Marcel’s, in 1999, chef Robert Wiedmaier has cemented a reputation as a traditionalist — adhering to classical technique and preparations in assembling his French-Belgian menu.
His latest venture, Brasserie Beck, again looks to Belgium for its inspiration and relies largely on conventional Northern European preparations. (Not surprising, in that he was raised in Germany by a Belgian father and American mother, attended culinary school in the Netherlands, and apprenticed in Holland and Belgium.) For his inspiration here, he looks to the brasseries in old European train stations — spacious, airy, open all day and serving something for everyone.
» The Scene:
Your eyes tend to go up when you walk in the door of the 8,500-square-foot space: up to the 22-foot ceilings with exposed ductwork; up to the giant clocks set to mark time in cities around the world. At eye level, you’ll find tile work and mirrors framing the bar, raw bar, barrista station and open kitchen. A largely professional crowd, mixed with some neighborhood residents and the odd group of convention-goers, is already packing the place nightly, so reservations are encouraged.
» The Pour:
Ramon Narvaez, the sommelier at Marcel’s, constructed a smart list full of international vintages under $50. But the real attraction here is the beer list, assembled by Bill Catron, a former wholesaler and beer specialist at Whole Foods. You’ll find a representative of each of Belgium’s various and sundry styles, from light, creamy white beers to raspberry lambics to beefy, strong ales with 10 percent-plus alcohol. There’s even a rare Trappist beer — Chimay Cing Cents — available on draft.
» The Taste:
“My cuisine is simple,” Wiedmaier says. “I concentrate on high-quality ingredients. More than anything, I’m a cook first, a chef second.” Indeed, Wiedmaier usually lets the ingredients speak for themselves. A rich, gamey roulade of duck confit gets only a hint of spice and pureed potatoes. Veal cheek meatballs jazz up a fresh, bright pea soup. Gratins of endive or cauliflower are baked crisp with tangy cheese. Among entrees, my favorite was the choucroute “en croute,” a pastry stuffed with pork, sausage, sauerkraut and egg. Also look for a superb take on coq au vin and a crispy skate wing “a la Jacquline.”
» The Touch:
Based on my visits, the restaurant has seemed to avoid the service pitfalls of many new establishments. (Perhaps some staff that came over from Marcel’s has helped the transition?)
» Don’t Miss:
The mussels and frites (what did you expect? It’s Belgian). The shellfish from Newfoundland come three ways — with white wine, garlic and parsley; curry and apple; or fennel and chorizo sausage.
» Why you will go:
Because train station motif aside, you’ve got no train to catch here. And there are few places downtown so comfortable for a long stretch of nibbling and drinking.
» Why you won’t go:
For dessert. The list of sweets is surprisingly brief. The top choice is a pear tarte tatin, which even then I found a bit short on pears.
BRASSERIE BECK
1101 K St. NW
202-408-1717
www.beckdc.com
Prices: Appetizers $9 to $16. Entrees $16 to $23.
Hours: Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; dinner 5 to 11 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 to 11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
» Bottom line: A casual taste of Belgium from one of the city’s top chefs.
jdufour@dcexaminer.com
