Colorado Kitchen
5515 Colorado Ave. N.W.
(202) 545-8280
Price range: $15-$20
Grade: A
Nestled in a oft-unseen corner on the border of Columbia Heights and Takoma Park, Colorado Kitchen is a rare gem in a world of overpriced, oversized District eateries. Showcasing slightly southern fare with a couple of modern twists, Colorado Kitchen maintains a level of intimacy and "down-hominess" that separates it from its glossy, bustling counterparts.
The restaurant is small, with a floor capacity of only 50 people and only two servers working at any given shift. Owner and "recipe designer" Gillian Clark is seen in the back of the house on a random Saturday brunch shift, whipping up hot, crispy doughnuts and eggs over-medium with a smile on her face. The food is clearly cooked with a sense of affection, the staff knowing full well that anyone who ventures out to Colorado Kitchen is looking for a comfortable, atmospheric place.
Colorado Kitchen is not a place for outlandish substitutions or requests. On its dinner menu, burgers are offered, but only on Thursdays and Sundays. "If it's not that day, don't ask," the menu says. In whimsical but boldfaced font, the bottom line is "no substitutions." Saturday and Sunday mornings have a special brunch option, like cornmeal pancakes with fresh maple syrup and the fattiest bacon on the planet, or shrimp and grits, but if it's not the right day for the recipe, don't even bother. Clark knows what your stomach wants, whether you do.
The place is also a stickler for regulation of the much more customer-friendly kind, too. Several subtle yet well-placed signs encourage patrons to essentially keep their kids on a leash. Nothing can be more jarring than a hungover Saturday brunch with a bunch of screeching tots underfoot, and Colorado Kitchen knows that well. On one particular Saturday morning, people all around could be seen enjoying their eggs benedict in peace.
The food bears a thick, rich sense of authenticity. The doughnuts and biscuits might be small but their density in texture and flavor more than makes up for it. Plus, you get three of them at a time. One server confessed to having recently given up her chocolate glazed doughnut habit in fear of it border lining pure addiction. One mark of a really promising place is when the waitstaff is still enamored with the food after having to look at it all day.
Brunch is served with a variety of juices and sparkling waters, as well as an excellent drip coffee blend. But the coup de grace is really the $13 pitcher of sparkling wine and orange juice, otherwise known as the classic "mimosa." The popular brunch beverage can be made really poorly (too much OJ, really crappy wine, etc.), but Colorado Kitchen makes a tart and refreshing drink with a great brut.
While brunch is the meal of choice, Colorado Kitchen dinners are not to be ignored. Showcased are "small foods" and "firsts" (the difference being in price and amount of time needed to prepare) as well as absolutely adventuresome "big foods," all with great twists like andouille, crayfish, blood oranges and more. Big foods can take up to a half-hour to prepare but the benefit of that is knowing that Clark is back there lovingly crafting the meatloaf or codfish cakes by hand. Serious foodies will appreciate that Colorado Kitchen can make what some call a real sweet tea and only serve specialty sodas. The beer and wine list is educated to say the least - fans of Miller High Life should probably look elsewhere.
Complete with 1940s retro charm, like red bandana napkins, a bathroom wallpapered with old Good Housekeeping pages and plump red vinyl chairs, Colorado Kitchen is sincere and earnest without a trace of trendiness. The food is steadfast and straightforward, proving that a good meal is sometimes just off the beaten path.
