Brasserie Beck

After reading some mixed reviews I had been dying to try Robert Weidmaiers' Brasserie Beck myself. I have found that many of the "food reviews" in the Post and other local papers should be taken about as seriously as movie reviews in many cases. More often than not, the reviewers rip the restaurant or movie but I go and end up really enjoying myself. Thus when I read a review that says the food is great but it isn't "new" or "innovative" my curiosity is peaked because part of me doesn't care, why reinvent the wheel, just do it right.

Anyhow, many friends have said such great things about Beck, so when we wanted to take our good friend MB out for a thank you lunch this was the first place that came to mind.



This is just OJ...we had a 9am flight out of Chicago back to DC and by 11am I just wasn't ready for a drink yet. Dan had this fabulous beer called Kasteel Rouge (first picture on this post).

I am not a beer connoisseur by any measure...I will drink a Dos Equix, Corona, or Yuengling, but I prefer wine quite frankly. This however has a tangy sweetness to it that is rather appealing due to the cherries in the brew.

MB ran into Carla Hall , a former Top Chef contestant, at a local event and they got to chatting about area restaurants. MB asked her which area places were her favorites and this one came up in conversation for being great for their mussels. MB naturally ordered such to see if the recommendation proved accurate.

One of my best buds (Court) and her fam LOVE these little suckers but I just never cared for them. However, MB offered one and I couldn't pass it up....verdict...they were FANTASTIC; Carla was dead on with her recommendation. The texture was almost creamy, it melted in my mouth like butter. Courtney had always said that I have to try mussels at a good place when they are fresh and done right...boy was she right...these were killer.

I ordered the salmon because it sounded tasty and fresh on a summer afternoon. It was cooked perfectly, tender, flavorful, an A+ in my book. I would have liked to have a little bit more substance than just the greens it was served on but I think this was because I was smelling the Belgium frites across the table that MB and Dan both had and looking down on my greens just wasn't cutting it!

They host a chef's table at the restaurant, and we walked by this great big butcher block table lined by shelves stocked with Le Crueset pots all lined in a row in the center of the restaurant that I can only assume is used for this purpose. This may be something we try later this summer or in the fall...if our lunch was any testament...should be fabulous.