12 Places to Feast on Game Meat in D.C.

by Travis Mitchell@travisjmitchell Nov 29, 2018, 4:06pm EST

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Venison at Stable

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by Travis Mitchell@travisjmitchell Nov 29, 2018, 4:06pm EST

Something about eating wild game during the darkest days of fall in winter just feels nourishing. In these seasons, restaurants across the city turn to hearty cuts of meat — the conquests of a cold morning hunt — as centerpieces of seasonal dishes.

Game traditionally refers to wild meat like venison, boar and pheasant. Don’t worry, that restaurant deer meat is sourced from a farm, not Rock Creek Park. Here in Washingotn, game can be found everywhere from the Michelin-starred tasting menus at Fiola, Kinship and Plume to the rustic tables of Stable. There’s even an elk in burger in town. Wild proteins are often served with other seasonal ingredients like cabbage, root vegetables, nuts, and berries.

Here are a dozen restaurants around the city featuring game dishes on their menus. Many of the dishes featured below are specials and limited, so strike when the craving hits.

Gravitas

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Book a table at Chef Matt Baker’s Ivy City tasting room for a plate of black pepper-crusted venison loin. The seasonal dish is served with a charred eggplant purée, blistered shishito pepper, potato gratin and a Bordelaise sauce. The dish carries a $10 supplement to the tasting menu price. Gravitas also currently offers grilled quail with red cabbage and a spiced gastrique.

1401 Okie St NE, Washington, DC 20002

(202) 763-7942

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Barcelona Wine Bar 14th Street

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A shareable plate of venison carpaccio comes with nutty, savory sherry mustard at this Spanish restaurant. The dish will be served as available at the 14th Street NW location, not at Cathedral Heights.

1622 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

(202) 588-5500

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A spread of tapas and pinxtos at Barcelona Wine Bar.

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Plume

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Plume’s Michelin-starred tasting menu includes a main course option of Australian venison prepared with a black trumpet mushroom cream. Diners ordering off the slightly more affordable prix fixe menu can select an appetizer of Virginia quail paired with Burgundy snail (better known as escargot).

1200 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20036

(202) 448-2300

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Thunder Burger & Bar

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Take a less refined approach to game meats with a bun and patty from this Georgetown burger bar. Chow down on the “Born to be Wild” boar burger with pineapple salsa. For something more funky try the “Elk River Falls” variation with ground elk meat, herbs and mustard seeds.

3056 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007

(202) 333-2888

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Kinship

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Look to the “indulgence” section of Eric Ziebold’s Michelin-starred dining room menu for a pan seared venison loin. A handful of quintessential fall ingredients – like celery root, candied hazelnuts and cranberry purée – round out the seasonal dish.

1015 7th St NW, Washington, DC 20001

(202) 737-7700

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Inside Kinship, the Site of Eric Ziebold’s Triumphant Return

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Mirabelle

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Embrace the blustery end of autumn with Mirabelle’s “Fallen Leaves on Venison,” a composed entree with seared and braised meat, beluga lentil ragu, and blackberry. Enjoy it a la carte or as choice on the restaurant’s four-course dinner menu. Executive chef Keith Bombaugh is also offering stuffed quail with mustard greens and inventive flourishes including bacon-hazelnut “sand”.

900 16th St NW, Washington, DC 20006

(202) 506-3833

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Stable DC

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Stable’s cozy, ski-lodge atmosphere begs for a hearty plate of venison during the darkest nights of the year. The Swiss menu features a venison loin matched with stick-to-your-bones spatzli, red cabbage and caramalized chestnuts. Complete the meal with one of the bar’s medicinal-inspired cocktails or a shot of schapps from its varied selection.

1324 H St NE, Washington, DC 20002

(202) 733-4604

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Cedar Restaurant

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Cedar offers a couple routes for a game meat fix. Pork fans can try a Texas wild boar loin chop with sweet potato, seasonal vegetables and bacon vinaigrette. People who prefer to stick with poultry can try the stuffed quail with forbidden rice pilaf, pecans, chanterelle mushrooms and duck sausage.

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822 E St NW, Washington, DC 20004

(202) 637-0012

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The Partisan

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The Partisan is known for its unique and indulgent preparations of meat. Come in out of the cold for a serving of white wine-braised rabbit with potatoes, cheese curds and truffles. Make it a night with a glass of one of the bars many craft beers or wines by the glass.

709 D St NW, Washington, DC 20004

(202) 524-5322

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Cafe Berlin

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Head down to the Hill and browse a German wild game menu that ranges from a venison schnitzel to a bolognese pasta with sautéed mushrooms. Other intriguing options include a plate of smoked boar ribs with boar sausage and venison medallions and an entire braised boar leg, called Wildschweinbraten, served with dumplings.

322 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002

(202) 543-7656

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701 Restaurant

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There are a few ways to fill up on game meat at this contemporary American restaurant. Start with a bowl of cavatelli pasta topped with boar sausage, broccolini and Parmesan cheese – it’s a game-meat twist to a classic, sure-to-please flavor profile. For something more substantial, try the venison osso bucco with aromatic saffron risotto or take a chance on rabbit porchetta with parsnips and porcini mushroom tortellini.

701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20004

(202) 393-0701

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Fiola

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Take a (brief) pause from the pasta to savor Fabio Trabocchi’s refined take on venison. The dish appears toward the end of the three- and four-course tasting menus and comes plated with endive, “castagne crema,” and Brussels sprouts.