Hill Country Restaurant DC

Name: Hill Country Restaurant

Photo Courtesy of Hill Country Restaurant

Server: Bob

Scene: Crowded Country Mess Hall

When you hear the name of a restaurant being "Hill Country" in DC, you immediately raise an eyebrow in perplexity. We thought we left Western Pennsylvania! When you walk in, you are swept up in the large "dining hall-esque" set up.  Decor would not be complete without over-sized bull horns crowning the beer tap.  Upstairs and a downstairs-- both have very friendly and knowledgeable staff.  The best way to describe how the menu works is a bit of less technologically savvy version of Vapianos, where you receive a "Meal Ticket" instead of a card that records your dining experience.  (PS- we love these, it makes outings with large groups so much easier, rather than having to figure out how to divide out the check 9 ways)  Dash your concerns aside and visit this place.  Truly a great experience with a great group of friends.

The "Meat-Man" at Work

She had: Short Rib, EAK's Bowl of Red (Chili), Longhorn Cheddar Mac and Cheese, Skillet Cornbread with house made butter and of course, all topped off with the house Shiner Beer

He had: The Pitmaster Combo: a ¼ pound of lean brisket, a pork spare rib, a beef rib, a ¼ roast chicken, Longhorn Cheddar Mac and Cheese, white Shoepeg corn pudding, and a glass of Bach Shiner Beer. No vegetables? No vegetables.

She says: Any place you tell me they have slabs of meat and beer in abundance-- I'm down.  The overall meal was really a fun experience.  My only bummer was that the cut of meat I got was mostly fat.  It was delicious, all 6 bites of actual meat I got. I just wish I didn't get the chubby part of the cow. The mac and cheese, chili and cornbread are the reasons I would go back there.  Seriously.  It is downright home cookin' feel goods.  The Shiner Beer?  A little dark for my taste buds but I really enjoyed the mason jars they were served in. 

Photo Courtesy of Hill Country Restaurant

He says: This was a lot of food. Now don't get me wrong, I like a lot of food, but this was a lot of food! Which make sense I suppose, since the price was a little more than I'd have thought for what it was. This is not my scene by any means. I just don't love a barbeque. I do like a hardwood floor, though. so I was down for that. I was really struck by how large this place was. In DC I've come to expect long narrow establishments with body to body seating. It becomes sort of quaintly familiar, so I never think much of it. This place was a full on saloon, though. Beyond that, it was full up. Go Hill Country. You pay them bills.

Not knowing what to get I decided to get everything. The meat was good. I ate it, I liked it, and there was a ton of it. That's really all I can say. The sides were where it was at, though. Who knew I would love corn pudding. That and the Mac N Cheese made my meal worth while. Well, and the beer of course.

The Consensus: Although we might go back with friends, we probably won't be back on our own. Drinks in Mason jars are great, but this just isn't our scene. Besides that, where were all the cowboys with tight jeans?

Senart's Oyster Bar & Chop House

Name: Senart's Oyster Bar & Chop House  

Photo Courtesy of Senart's Oyster Bar & Chop House

Neighborhood: Eastern Market  

Server: Joshua  

Scene: A Sharp Wood-Paneled Bar Buncheon 


He had: Crab and prosciutto eggs Benedict with Hollandaise sauce, home fries with peppers and onions and English breakfast tea to drink

She had: The Eastern Shore Morning- pan roasted eggs, fried oysters, Gruyere, home fries and Senart's aioli. And bottomless mimosa's of course.

They shared: Cannoli with orange sauce.

Canolli with Orange Sauce

He says: Senart's kinda gives you the feel like you're eating in some wizened old professor's den or scotch parlor. Outside seating was available, but we sat at the bar and got to split our eating with casual conversation with the bartender. The place was pretty empty, but then again I suppose it was early for a DC brunch. As for the food, crab and prosciutto should never be with out one another. This dish was a match made in foodie heaven. They probably skimped a little too much on the crab meat, but at least there was no denying it was on the plate. The brunch was really pleasant all and all. After sampling Elizabeth's Gruyere potatoes though, it made mine seem like they were missing something. I found myself stealing hers when she wasn't looking and swapping them out with my naked ones. She was less than amused. We both enjoyed the food so much that we obviously decided to wrap it up with brunch time dessert. The canolli was not the best part of the meal, however. The pastry shell felt like a fried wonton rapper, the orange sauce was raspberry jam, and the cream, though definitely homemade, tasted like whipped butter.

As an aside- I have this thing where I judge a place by the quality of their bathrooms. Decorated and maintained. That's what I'm looking for.  These ones? Tip top shape.

She says: This place was very cool. When I first saw the menu, I was immediately drawn to the crab and prosciutto eggs Bennedict. Ryan stole that from me, though. Rude. I would have been happy to settle for the butter-poached lobster Florentine but the bartender told me they were out. Disappointed, I asked him for his suggestion. He recommended the Eastern Shore Morning, and how right he was! The fried oysters alone made the meal. Beyond that, I started digging into theses two beautifully done over-easy eggs. And the chessey potatoes underneath? To die for! (A note on Ryan stealing my potatoes: Never again. He has been warned.)

This was a big meal. I can eat a lot but I definitely couldn't eat all of it. Overall a total success. The cannoli however...  Now it should be said I really don't really do the cannoli. I only do it out of a sense of obligation because I'm Italian. Comparing it to the one's I have had, though, this one was lack luster.

Senart's Brunch Menu

The consensus: This place get's a big ole yes. We would go back. It just had a really cool feel about it. From the wood paneling to the little decorations, it felt comfortable. We would both be anxious to sample from their full menu and can't wait to go back and try it.