New Heights

Washington DC, April 11, 2009—

AFTER A DAY ON OUR FEET it seems reasonable not to stray far from the hotel this evening. Martinis, then, in the hotel bar; dinner, then, around the corner, at New Heights. Zagat gave it 22 for food, and it looked nice enough, so we made an eight o'clock reservation.
Lindsey was content with just an entrée: halibut, sautéed and served with artichoke hearts and Meyer lemons and wheat risotto.
I had the three-course prix-fixe, which you build by choosing from a number of alternatives for each course. In my case, three oysters on the half-shell with salmon eggs; a nicely braised lamb shoulder with wheat risotto — frumentotto? granotto? -- and three cheeses: Red Hawk from our own Cowgirl, pecorino romano, and a hard goat cheese from Italy: sorry, don't have the name.
The oysters, from British Columbia, are already on their way to a month lacking an "R," I'm afraid. But they were tasty and I didn't regret them. The lamb was quite delicious if a little oversalted: corned, I'd say, flavored with mustard and pickling spices, nicely done, tender yet substantial.

Prosecco, Montelliana; Lemberger, Shooting Star, Washington State, 2007; Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch, Ken Forrester, 2007