Kibbee Nayee Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Had lunch to day at The Monocle, the stately destination for lobbyists, staff and occasional Senators between the Senate office buildings and Union Station. It should probably be included on the list of the oldest restaurants in the area, since it just celebrated its 50th anniversary. I can report that the smoked salmon carpaccio salad was nicely executed, with a tall mound of dressed greens over a plate of thinly shaved smoked salmon. I was aiming for light fare and it was just right. Today's special was the rockfish, and I was tempted. A quick scan of surrounding tables indicated that portion sizes are on the large end of the spectrum for all dishes. For future visits, the menu abounds with steaks and seafood. Considering how uniformly bad the restaurants are at Union Station, it's worth the block and a half walk to The Monocle for a good meal. And maybe a celebrity sighting.... http://themonocle.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Had lunch to day at The Monocle, the stately destination for lobbyists, staff and occasional Senators between the Senate office buildings and Union Station. It should probably be included on the list of the oldest restaurants in the area, since it just celebrated its 50th anniversary. Not only can I not believe there wasn't a thread on The Monocle, I also cannot believe it wasn't on the Oldest Restaurants List. Thanks, Kibbee! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookluvingbabe Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I don't think I've been to the Monocle this millenium but it was always solid in the past. Not the most interesting food but well-executed. Strong, well-made drinks too. It seems timeless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I don't think I've been to the Monocle this millenium but it was always solid in the past. Not the most interesting food but well-executed. Strong, well-made drinks too. It seems timeless. Ditto. The older man whose name I don't recall who was the longtime daytime bartender there was wonderful. I don't think think I've been there since the early 90s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted March 22, 2011 Author Share Posted March 22, 2011 What strikes me when I am in The Monocle is the atmosphere and the "sense of place" -- you absolutely know you're in Washington DC, at the epicenter of the free world's political base, and it is entirely the opposite of a chain restaurant where you could be anywhere and they all look and feel the same. Add that to the superior service and the attentive kitchen, and you have a go-to restaurant on Capitol Hill. It feels right from the moment you step in the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBK Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 I'll give you atmosphere, sense of place (great term, by the way), and people-watching - sure - but for quality food? I guess I'd just respectfully disagree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted August 18, 2022 Author Share Posted August 18, 2022 It's been a while, pandemic and all, so a long overdue visit back to The Monocle was in order today. By the way, has anyone else noticed the near-total demise of Union Station just a few blocks away? Food options are limited in this neck of the woods. The Monocle was more or less its former self today. Two of us met for lunch. Companion had the tenderloin steak salad, and I had the grilled octopus with spicy sausage. I'll note that the sausage dominated the scant tentacle of octopus, even though the octopus was the headliner. Both dishes were well executed and nicely composed. Thumbs up. We were on the early side of lunch, so a very modest crowd was trickling in. Everything looked as normal as it might look at this stage of the post-pandemic, and with the Senate in recess until Labor Day, things looked as they should. I'll have to come back for a happy hour in September to do some staffer-watching. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted August 19, 2022 Share Posted August 19, 2022 My office is nearby, and I can agree, it's a bit of a restaurant wasteland over there. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithstg Posted August 20, 2022 Share Posted August 20, 2022 On 8/18/2022 at 1:47 PM, Kibbee Nayee said: By the way, has anyone else noticed the near-total demise of Union Station just a few blocks away? Food options are limited in this neck of the woods. Union Station is a debacle. Starbucks is on its way out. As a frequent Acela traveler I have been flying shorter distances and limiting the train or heading directly into the Acela club to avoid a very unpleasant experience. The food court is about 2/3 empty, and Shake Shack is basically all that’s left in the main hall. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kibbee Nayee Posted August 20, 2022 Author Share Posted August 20, 2022 7 hours ago, Keithstg said: I have been flying shorter distances and limiting the train or heading directly into the Acela club to avoid a very unpleasant experience. I hear they're thinking of expanding the Acela Club fat Union Station rom it's current underwhelming configuration to something approaching at least half of New York's Penn Station layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithstg Posted August 21, 2022 Share Posted August 21, 2022 On 8/20/2022 at 2:59 PM, Kibbee Nayee said: I hear they're thinking of expanding the Acela Club fat Union Station rom it's current underwhelming configuration to something approaching at least half of New York's Penn Station layout. That would be most welcome. The new Moynihan Train Hall and Acela Club are both fantastic. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Posted August 21, 2022 Share Posted August 21, 2022 I haven't been to the Monocle in years. For a quick and very casual lunch right near there, Gina Chersevani's Buffalo & Bergen is at 3rd and D, NE, just north of Mass. There's a diner counter inside plus another small counter. Tables outside. Obviously a fairly quirky space, but the people who work there are great. Highly recommend. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted August 24, 2022 Share Posted August 24, 2022 On 8/20/2022 at 7:39 AM, Keithstg said: Union Station is a debacle. Starbucks is on its way out. As a frequent Acela traveler I have been flying shorter distances and limiting the train or heading directly into the Acela club to avoid a very unpleasant experience. The food court is about 2/3 empty, and Shake Shack is basically all that’s left in the main hall. It's definitely a lot worse than it used to be. For regular workday lunches there's still Chopt, Potbelly, Chipotle, Roti and Cava as well as Shake Shack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dedrick Posted October 18, 2022 Share Posted October 18, 2022 Well, I hadn't been to the Monocle for many years but a friend suggested it for lunch a couple of weeks ago so I made my return. It was good? I had the crabcake sandwich, and enjoyed it. It was a nice crab cake. I'm going to put the Monocle back into my lunch rotation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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