Travel, golf & leisure » Restaurants » M Street Bar and Grill, Huge Proportions, Great Prices and Great Drinks Make This an Excellent Place for Dinner and a Nightcap
M Street Bar and Grill, Huge Proportions, Great Prices and Great Drinks Make This an Excellent Place for Dinner and a Nightcap
Story by: Mick myers
Photos by: Sol tucker
Washington , DC --
When we went searching to find a high end restaurant and bar that combined great service, unique menu items and great drinks, it was a tough decision because some places in Washington have one or two of what we were looking for, but it was the M Street Bar and Café that provided us with one of the best all around dining experiences we have had in downtown in a long time.
Attached to the luxurious St. Gregory Hotel at 2033 M Street N.W, M Street Bar and Grill offers huge proportion of food that will leave you cleaning your plate and not your wallet. Executive Chef Ronde Murphy has the locals telling all of their friends and the guests of the hotel coming back for more.
While some restaurants in the area offer a few cocktails that you could find anywhere in the city, M Street Bar and Grill offers 12 unique martinis, three of which we sampled and were amazed at how they were made to perfection. Not too much liquor and not too much added flavor, each was delightfully refreshing.
From the martini selections, we highly recommend the Marilyn Martini, which is made with Absolut Citron, Cointreau, Pineapple, and Cranberry Juice. A perfect evening refresher. If you like your dessert before dinner in a form of a drink, then try the M Street Strawberry Shortcake, which is made with Strawberry Remy Martin, Amaretto, Banana Liqueur, and Cream. Very rewarding, a great after dinner drink with dessert or for dessert as we tried.
If you thought the martinis are a good choice on their menu, then we also suggest a couple drinks from their margarita section, which are some of the best drinks on the rocks in the area. Their Watermelon Margarita is prepared just how you would like it sitting on the sandy white beaches of Miami. This signature items is made with Sauza Hornitos, Watermelon Pucker, Triple Sec, and Sweet N’ Sour and Lime Juice. If you like a sweet drink with a bit of a bite then try their Coconut Margarita, which is made with Malibu Rum, Triple Sec, Sauza Gold, Pineapple Juice, Fresh Lime Juice, and Sour Mix.
After a couple of enjoyable drinks, the best part of the M Street Bar and Grille is awaiting you, the dinner menu.
While some people like the old stuffy environment many of the restaurants in D.C offer along with their conservative menu, Chef Ronde Murphy is a young gun and will give you a different twist to the menu. Bring your appetite, because the flavor will have you swooning for more.
Murphy has created his Five for Fifteen portion of the menu and just because the prices are low, don’t let that fool ya as the quality of the food is high and the intensity of the flavor of the food is well worth double for some of the items.
Our first item we sampled was the 10oz pork chop. Served with garlic mashed potatoes, wild mushrooms, grilled asparagus and whole grain demi glace, this was huge hunk of pork for $15.00. Well worth the value and then some. The presentation is amazing and you will not believe all of the food that lines the plate. We had to ask if this is the same pork chop we ordered. Murphy’s response with a slight smirk, “You don’t always, get what you pay for.”
If you like distinct taste and love ravioli, then the Homemade Butternut Squash Ravioli is another must have from their menu. Stuffed with chevre, sage and pecans and tossed with spinach, grilled chicken a topped with a succulent balsamic brown butter sauce that could be substituted for bagel spread for breakfast it is soooo sweet and tasty. This is another item priced at $15.00.
One feature that we found Murphy focuses on is taking old fashioned food and adding a unique upbeat twist. The crab cakes are a perfect example of how crab can taste great 100 different ways. If you do choose the crab cakes, you will not find a lot of fillers here, but you will find plenty of lump crab meat in each bite. Served with sweet potato black bean salsa and curry cream spinach, this is a flavor a bit southern with still a little Maryland twist to it.
The menu has great choices including, steak, chicken or fish. Let’s say, there is a selection to make everyone happy at M Street Bar and Grille. Some of the fall specials include Apple Butter Braised Veal and the Ponzu Marinated Scallops. Both excellent values at $19.50 and $22.00 respectively.
Just when you thought you could not experience any more bliss from their menu, wait until the dessert menu arrives.
Each one of the desserts is homemade on the premises and the freshness is delivered with each bite. The peach blueberry buckle has been a favorite of the patrons according to Murphy and there is always something new and fresh added to the menu to keeping it seasonal.
If you liked the dinner experience, we highly suggest staying Saturday night at the St. Gregory, slip into M Street on Sunday around 11am and be treated to one of the best jazz brunches found anywhere in Washington.
The live jazz flows throughout the restaurant and is soothing to the ears and a great way to start your Sunday. The $21.95 again is a great value as it includes one of Murphy’s homemade desserts and a choice of one entrée. When you add the unlimited champagne, mimosas and Bloody Marys, the house is always full with delight when the drinks are flowing and the food is great.
Some of the items from the dinner menu are available for brunch, such as the Ginger Root Salad and the Butternut Ravioli. We suggest trying the Brioche French Toast and the eggs any style. This way you can have them just if you were cooking them at home, except they clean up the mess for you.
The M Street Burger and the Buttermilk Fried Chicken are just down home lazy Sunday items that M Street has for someone who wants both breakfast and lunch all in one place.
If you looking for a place to have a drink and dinner that will make you feel right at home, then M Street Bar and Café is the right place to experience great service, great food and great times.
The M Street Bar and Grill is located in the lobby of the luxurious St. Gregory Hotel
