Eats in the City

As I write this, I’m already enjoying my next destination but I couldn’t leave off my D.C. travels without one final update.

The best thing I did in D.C. was dining at Bresca. This Michelin-star French-inspired bistro is artful, intentional, and delicious. Even if you can only try two courses on their price fixe menu, it’s worth the visit. Growing up, my Sunday family dinners were always an experience from grocery shopping to wine selection to sitting down together. Eating at Bresca reminded me of those meals and the beauty of enjoying food as an experience. And of course, food is always best shared in good company.

My cousin came into town and we enjoyed three courses at Bresca, starting with an amuse-bouche, a light confection of sweet salty bacon over toasted bread. For our first course, I had the poached scallops and my cousin had the duck a la pressé. Each plate had a unique sauce or puree that complemented every bite. At first, I thought I’d ordered a tuna steak because I’d never seen such a large scallop. The flavor was mild but tender and the duck was crusted with seasoning and paired with a lovely hickory sauce à la royale. Neither of us could pass up the Australian Wagyu (bottom left) for our second course. They paired the wagyu with a stuffed shishito pepper and balsamic sauce. Everything was perfectly balanced and thoughtful.

I didn’t realize I was getting full until our dessert course; a raspberry semifredo with a layer of sponge cake, raspberry ice cream, and a toffee-like layer that I had to crack with my spoon. It was covered in a lemon verbena glaze making a sweet tangy, citrusy complement of all my favorite flavors. My cousin enjoyed a cocoa banana cake with a chocolate sponge covered in a rich chocolate mousse nestling a decadent banana ice cream. Our last bite was a trio of handmade dessert bites not pictured here. Overall it was a ten out of ten experience and I would highly recommend a visit. If I had to give one note, I’d say the espresso martini would be improved with Kahlúa but that’s splitting hairs.

In my last few days, I revisited the Alma Thomas exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. It’s not often I find artwork that really makes me pause. Even as I added the pictures to this post I found myself reliving the emotion of viewing it for the first time. Alma Thomas began painting after thirty-five years as a teacher. If you ever feel behind in life, her exhibit is a beautiful reminder that everything in life is right on time, and it’s never too late to begin again. Maybe that’s why I connected with her work. She drew inspiration from the stars and her use of color filled each room with emotion and depth.

Here are a few additional pieces that I enjoyed throughout my time at the National Portrait Gallery and the Hirshhorn Museum.

After planning this nomad trip for so long, it felt strange that my first destination was already coming to a close. Who knew two months would go by so fast? I found myself wishing I had more time in D.C. My last restaurant was a TikTok recommendation, Dleña. This wood-fire Mexican restaurant has an organic modern Mexican decor with fiber chandeliers that emit a soft dim light and cozy curved booths where you can imagine sipping a smoky mezcal.

Its ambiance matches its social media vibe but I found the drinks were just okay. Dinner options were better overall. I had the short rib al carbon over bib lettuce with pickled veggies, and my cousin ordered the branzino in a charred marinade served with coleslaw and an avocado stuffed with corn salsa.

My biggest takeaway from my time in D.C. is that Boston has truly robbed me of my nightlife stamina. Just kidding, mostly! D.C. definitely lives up to its fun reputation, people work hard and play harder. Between the happy hours, nightly events, and hanging with friends, I never ran out of things to do. So where does the city rank as my future Home Base? I’m giving it a solid 7 out of 10 right now.

I loved the free museums, the vibrant salsa scene, and the incredible food. The area felt familiar as an East Coast city, there was a lot of nature to explore, and I had supportive connections here. I didn’t feel that special something that makes a place home but it’s still early in my nomad journey, so I won’t count D.C. out yet.

As I close out my first chapter in this journey, I wanted to say thank you for following along so far! This blog is my most public writing in a long time, and it’s been a fun experience to share my travels with you. Stay tuned for my next post which will be from a sunny beach in Belize.

Thanks for reading! If you liked this update and want to support my travels, consider buying me a coffee.