Restaurant Review: Barcode Washington, D.C

Thinking back on this past weekend, it was full of new places to go and people to see. But a place I thought that would have had more of an exciting ambiance turned out to be a big disappointment. We went to a restaurant/lounge in DC called Bar.Code; this place has been talked about as a great place to go for drinks, dinner, and have a bit of fun. Located on 17th and L street, which makes it not hard to miss and it is far from a busy area. The overall set up is quite modern and the three distinct areas of the restaurant  have been arranged in such a way that's comfortable and suitable for everyone's enjoyment. On one side lies the lounge area, small and cozy and there was no service in this area. It would have been nice to have a bar tender come over and ask if we wanted to see a menu or have a few drinks while we lounged and waited on a table. On the opposite side of the place was the bar. It was very tight, not a lot of sitting room. Most people were standing around the bar area. In the middle lied the dining area which were two long rows that stretched from the front of the restaurant to the back; the tables were too close and not intimate at all. 

Once we were seated we were given menus which consisted of appetizers, drinks, cocktails, salads, sandwiches, entrees, and dessert. Prices were varied but the prices were not consistent to what was being offered. I personally thought prices were a little high, but we hoped that what we ordered would make up for what we were spending; not in the slightest. I ordered a tomato and mozzarella salad as a starter and turned out to be a poorly made dish. 

The dish wasn't seasoned enough and the balsamic vinegar was more of a thin dressing then a drizzle. A different type of tomato should have been used to bring out freshness and the mozzarella cheese, even though fresh; it truly didn't fit in to the plate and left a bitter taste on the palate. By now, we were worrying that our entrees were going to end up the same bland and not appetizing;we were right. 


My friend ordered an Italian pannini with fries. The fries had no salt at all and the sandwich was a bit dry had wilted lettuce and marinara sauce was not flavorful. 

I ordered a filet mignon tip pasta with spinach and peppers. There was hardly any sauce, the filet mignon was over cooked, the pasta was not seasoned at all. The meal was absolutely disappointing because it only accomplished part of the culinary equation of a meal both pleasing to the palate and to the eyes.

We skipped dessert and vowed we wouldn't try this place again. After spending a good amount of money  for food that was not of great quality, we have adopted a new strategy about going to new places. When we go to a new place we can sample what these restaurants have to offer and spend less money and then get some kind of idea of what we are getting ourselves into. As for Barcode, think we will pass next time. So for a place with such a high standard, it surely did not meet our expectations.

Location: 1101 17th street, nw dc
Menu pricing: $5-24
Site: http://www.barcodedc.com/

Compiled by Kisha

Restaurant Review: Eatonville Washington, D.C

Over the weekend, I encountered quite a unique surprise within the DC area. My friend and I just happened to walk into this restaurant that brought back some southern classics with a delectable twist. The restaurant is called Eatonville and it is located on U street in Washington D.C. The place was quite spacious and cozy and the music that played in the background consisted of R&B classics from a myriad of different eras. A few places were a little tight in which the tables were close together, but not to the point where it intruded on anyone's personal space. My friend decided to try out this place and he made a great choice; as he usually does. We always like to try something new just to stimulate our palette. The menu was quite short and small and it gets directly to the point. The menu consisted of gumbo, fried catfish, collards, mac and cheese, and a few other things. The great thing about these traditional dishes were the slight great changes to the items; we each ordered something different so that we can sample each other's selection.

The appetizers were the first fantastic starting point. He ordered the gumbo; which was a great choice. Full of bold, spicy, flavors with a bit of sweet notes. The gumbo had a good amount of seafood... crab, rock shrimp, with andouille sausage. The twist was the fried okra which had a bit of crunch to it and with a scoop of white rice. The cayenne in this dish was very noticeable. The spiciness from the dish was more of kicker then the heat itself from the dish. I ordered the stuffed hush puppy; an excellent appetizer I have to say. The hush puppy was made of their homemade cornbread with tons of seasonings and hollowed out. Sauteed rock shrimp filled the hush puppy with a lemongrass chipotle cream sauce, all over a roasted tomato puree. The colors of this plate were overtly amazing. The spices were great, smokey flavor of the puree and sweetness of the cream made this one of my favorite dishes. Plus, the entree course we chose was exceptional as well. My friend had ordered the BBQ baby back ribs with local greens and fries; the ribs were wonderful if I might add. There was a great smokey flavor and the meat was very tender. The greens had awesome seasonings and even the fries were good. All in all, he picked a great dish; but I chose something very different from him. I got a salmon dish which was scented with orange and anise; this was a very different taste for salmon. Garlic mashed potatoes, spinach and arugula, and a sweet pineapple relish. Somehow with all these unique flavors; they all complemented each item on the plate. Both dishes turned out to be overtly fantastic. 

 

I would definitely choose this restaurant again. It has some wonderful classics, some great twist, bold spices, upfront flavors, and a lot of character. You have got to try out this spot! You would be very pleased!

Appetizers-$

Entrees-$$

Location: 2121 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C 20010
Number: (202) 332-Zora  Website: Eatonville

Conducted by our new writer Kisha