Regional Food and Drink
Be sure to visit RFD (810 7th Street NW), the sister establishment—or, if you will, the New Testament version—of The Brickskeller. It is located near the gate leading into Washington’s Chinatown, in a busy bar district. It has the look and feel of a brewpub, although no beer is brewed here. Our visit got off to a good start: we spotted rows of tap handles on display in the picture windows and once inside, a hostess wearing a “Beeriodic Table” T-shirt.
It’s fun wandering around here. The main hall has a high ceiling and is filled with breweriana, most of it for Belgian brands. There are also proverbs in gold leaf lettering and a busy, copper-topped kitchen located behind beige colored pillars opposite the bar. In an alcove you can see the legend “Hail to Old DC,” along with sepia-toned photos of sights in the nation’s capital.
The bar is reverse L-shaped, with a wooden top and a traditional brass rail. Above the back bar is a row of tap handles. The beer menu is a scaled-down version of the thick Brickskeller list, and featured some national brand beers, some of which were going at happy-hour prices. In all, there are 30 tap selections plus a fairly extensive selection of bottles. They also serve attractively priced appetizers during happy hour.
And finally, there’s one more place you’ll be glad you made the time to visit, The Big Hunt (1345 Connecticut Avenue NW) which is across from the Dupont Circle Metro entrance. When we use the word “bar,” this is the kind of place we have in mind: lived-in, lively and anything but sterile. Its 27 taps go well beyond the usual suspects and the first class staff earned our respect. Yes, they serve a macrobrew or two, but you have to love a place that’s unpretentious and pours more than it’s fair share of Stone, Dogfish Head, Allagash and Bear Republic—to name a few. And yes, the pub grub is good.
So, no matter why you visit Washington there’s a place and a brew waiting for you. While you’re there, hoist one for the times our government works, or maybe to changing it. Then hoist another to beer and the joys of beer traveling.
