Holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are a great time to explore the city for new, fancy restaurants. Valentine's Day brought my boyfriend and I to Zola Restaurant located in the heart of Penn Quarter. I was at a lost for words when asked what kind of restaurant it is; it's essentially American cuisine with a twist. You find all sorts of influences on the menu though - Asian, French, Mexican, etc.
From the outside, you'd expect the place to be traditionally fancy but it's actually quite modern and "clubby" (but not in a bad way). You have a bar/lounge area to your left and dining area to the right. I really liked the whole ambiance in the restaurant because it felt fancy but not uptight and stuffy. Plus where we were seated gave us an amazing view of the American Art Museum across the street.
Now onto the food...
Since we were excited we didn't have to order off the special Valentine's Day menu we decided to at least start with some appetizers before our entrees. I had the lemongrass mussels and they were incredible! Maybe the best I've had in D.C. and I tried tons of them. I couldn't help dipping all my extra bread in the broth. Dan started with a shitaki mushroom and she crab soup that was delicious and light. I ordered the strip steak which was cooked perfectly with shallot rings on top and mushrooms and sweet potato au gratin on the side. Dan ordered the venison loin that is smoked table side providing incredible smells when the waiter lifted the smoky bulb off the meat. We both shared a plate of truffle fries, ah-mazing.
All in all, a fantastic restaurant with a great menu and reasonable prices. Plus, the wine menu is quite extensive to fit anyone's preference. I didn't order a drink but I've heard good things about their cocktails as well.
Their menus are here.
Address: 800 F Street NW Washington DC, 20004
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