Casamara

Coastal-Chic Casamara Makes Debonair Debut in Dupont Circle | Eater DC

"Stepping in feels like uncovering a lost snapshot of some classy yesteryear, complete with marble checkered floors, a grandiose centerpiece bar, and a 54-foot tapestry hand-tufted in Spain. The hotly anticipated coastal Mediterranean restaurant anchors the stylish new Sixty DC — a boutique hotel brand with existing locations in LA and NYC (1337 Connecticut Avenue NW). Hotelier Jason Pomeranc and Toronto-based restaurateur Hanif Harji teamed up for the multi-part dining and hospitality venture; Executive chef Zachary Albertsen helms the kitchen, crafting a menu that reimagines traditional coastal cuisine through a local lens. With more than 100 indoor dining seats and a 24-person private dining room, lobby-level offerings include citrusy branzino crudo, a double-boned Iberico pork chop, harissa roast chicken, lamb rotolo, pastas such as an octopus casarecce and sumptuous ricotta gnocchi decked out with morels, ramps, and peas. One unexpected hit is Albertsen’s interpretation of the simple sardine toast, which Harji describes as "so complex." "The flavors underneath the sardine, the way he poaches and grills it, it’s so beautiful, with soft, smoky textures," he adds. Dessert enthusiasts will find just-sweet-enough indulgences like a lemon tart and an olive oil cake with a vanilla bean creme anglaise; "The desserts are easy, delicious, simple, and not gonna go over the top," Harji says. "It’s just like the rest of the menu—you just feel really good eating it." Speaking to the concept, Harji says, "I wanted to do something that was a little bit more European inspired," and notes that he turned to cosmopolitan cities of Paris, Saint-Tropez, and Barcelona for creative inspo: "I love that whole urban dynamic and that they all go to the coast for the summer." Hours: weekdays lunch 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., dinner daily starting at 5 p.m., and weekend brunch 11 a.m.–3 p.m." - Mekita Rivas