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Insatiable Article and Photos by Celeste McCall In Southwest’s Buzzard Point, fish mogul Greg Casten has unveiled The Point, a handsome, sprawling seafood emporium.
948-2522 or visit www.thepointdc.com. with neon (including giant crustaAnd, coming soon to Buzzard Point: La Vie ceans), sweeping booths and lots of (a spinoff of the District Wharf ’s La Vie), around plants. Check out the zany restroom the corner from The Point. For updates, visit www. décor which features orange and yellavie-dc.com. low shoe soles. Executive chef Benjamin Lambert (who cooked at the famous Restaurant Nora), creates fire-grilled seaChef Matt Baker, who wields his whisk at the food clam beignets, whole branzino, Michelin-starred Gravitas in Ivy City, is launchsalmon, and “turf ” dishes involving ing a new restaurant, Michele’s. Look for it this duck and chicken. One notable startfall in the Eaton Hotel, 1201 K St. NW. Michele’s er is a doughnut stuffed with creamy French-American theme will incorporate influcrab dip. Among vegetarian options is ences from New Orleans and Houston. (Michele’s fire-roasted cauliflower shawarma. is named after Baker’s late mother Michele, a New Perusing the luncheon menu, PeOrleans native who raised him in Houston.) Miter and I sat outside on the spacious chele’s will have a communal dining room and a terrace, where we could see the Yacht raw bar dishing out 18-course omakase (tastings Club and passing helicopters. Five selected by the chef ) repasts. fire pits will ward off chilly weather. Gravitas’ sister eatery, Baker’s Daughter, loCrab aficionado Peter eyed the cated across the street, is also opening an offshoot jumbo crab cake sandwich, listed at in the Eaton, plus another Baker’s in Chinatown. “market price.” Crabs are extremely Look for it later this year at 625 I St. NW. Besides expensive this year. “The highest in carryout and delivery, the Chinatown spinoff will my 31 years in the business,” Casten offer a few patio seats. explained, adding that ProFish pays Meanwhile, Ivy City’s Baker’s Daughter, lo$40 per pound for crabmeat. “We cated at 1401 Okie St. NE, has expanded its café absorb some of the price,” Casten menu: All day breakfast options encompass avocasaid. By the way, all ProFish seafoods do toast, quiche, chorizo egg and cheese breakfast swam in Maryland waters. tacos. Among luncheon favorites is a “classic” ham At The Point, the crab cake sandwich was $26, and Peter went for it. Nestled in a brioche bun with the fixings, the jumbo cakes were flavorful, moist and filler-free, practically falling apart. I considered ordering the crispy calamari, but decided on mahi mahi tostadas. Good choice; firm white fish chunks were arranged atop a crisp tortilla, draped with cabbage, tomatillo-avocado salsa and radish wedges. The $26 Ivy City Smoked Fish board is loaded with salmon, rainbow trout, whitefish salad and other goodies. Lunch for two—including my glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc--came to $58 before tax. Service, provided by Franny, was excelA customer favorite at Ivy City’s Baker’s Daughter is the “classic” ham-and-cheese lent. The Point is open daily; call 202nestled in a buttered baguette with a side of Brussels sprouts.
Ivy City Expansion
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ashington seafood mogul Greg Casten appears omnipresent these days—racing between Georgetown to Ivy City to Buzzard Point in Southwest DC. He keeps a busy schedule as founder and owner of ProFish (seafood purveyors), Ivy City Smokehouse and Tavern, Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place and Nick’s Riverside Grill (both on the Georgetown waterfront). This spring, he unveiled The Point, 2100 Second St. SW, at Buzzard Point, near DC United’s Audi Stadium. Why Buzzard Point? “We’re looking at where the Potomac and the Anacostia meet,” he responded, as we munched crunchy Boardwalk fries at his spacious new restaurant. A lifetime waterman, Casten, 58, grew up near Boston, where he worked on lobster boats. Designed by Allison Cooke of Core Architecture + Design, the 12,500-square-foot restaurant is gorgeous. Soaring, 22-foot ceilings are zig-zagged
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