Image: Octopus
Last Updated: March 2022
Current Status: Dine-in. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Overview:
The first-floor sibling to the fancy tasting-menu restaurant Xiquet, Slate serves Mediterranean-derived dishes from the same kitchen and under the supervision of Chef Danny Lledó. Located a short stretch up Wisconsin from Georgetown, it serves the Glover Park residents well as a watering hole and a somewhat under the radar fine dining spot.
The menu can be done à la carte as small plates or turned into a $70 four-course, prix fixe dinner. Though it is pitched as the more casual version of Lledó’s cooking, the dishes read as if he is struggling to keep his more refined instincts in check: Pork Shoulder with sweet potato puree, Octopus with salsa veracruzana, Mushrooms with smoke chestnut cream. At least in the current version there is no burger, fried chicken sandwich, or cobb salad.
The wine list is not long and focuses on Spain, France and California. They have some pretty solid cocktails, and can piggy-back off the nice spirits, sherries, ports and madeiras of the Xiquet stock. It is a charming little spot with friendly staff. It might be a little too steep to be a regular hang (though considering the neighborhood maybe not), but it is a nice choice when you want to relax.
Summary:
Cuisine: Pan-Mediterranean
Neighborhood: Georgetown
Address: 2404 Wisconsin Ave, NW First Floor, Washington, DC 20007
Website: https://www.slatewinebar.com/
Reservations: Tock
Other Critics/Voices:
Washington Post: No coverage in its current iteration.
Washingtonian: Preview from 2012.
DonRockwell.com – Thread from previous iteration. No recent posts.
District Fray – Preview of new menu in 2021.