Restaurant review: NoPa Kitchen + Bar

NoPa, which opened in the spring of 2013, is a 160-seat American brasserie named after it’s location (just north of Pennsylvania Avenue). When you walk in from the street you’ll first notice NoPa’s long bar to the left of the host station.  On the opposite side is NoPa’s main dining room, which offers a more quiet, intimate opportunity to enjoy Chef Greg McCarty’s cuisine.  While the menu is fairly extensive there is a noticeable nod to seafood.

NoPa’s menu is divided into several sections, but the charcuterie, soups, salads and appetizers range in price from $12-$18 and main plates range from $18-$34.   I started dinner with hamachi tartare that came with  a soybean coulis and ginger vinaigrette for $14. I have to admit the hamachi was good but I felt like it was in a pool of vinaigrette and might have opted for something else had I realized this before I ordered it.Fortunately the Chilean Seabass with Wasabi Caramel, Japanese Eggplant, and a Sweet Potato Purée for $28 was fantastic. The fish was deftly seasoned and had a slightly salty and crispy texture on the outside. It was perfectly cooked and paired nicely with the sweet Japanese eggplant and wasabi.  This is the kind of plate I would order again and again and comfortably suggest to anyone who enjoys Seabass.

NoPa is located at 800 F Street, NW in Washington, DC and is open for lunch and dinner on weekdays, dinner only on Saturdays and for brunch and dinner on Sundays.  Reservations are strongly recommended.