Stephen Starr Opens the Ritzy Reimagined Occidental By the White House | Eater DC
"Prolific restaurateur Stephen Starr unveiled a modern take on the storied 14,000-square-foot restaurant that originally opened in 1906 and has served D.C.’s elite in many iterations over the past 119 years; Starr says he wanted to recreate the intrigue that swirls around the historical venue two blocks from the White House, where “Washington’s cultural worlds could come together.” The restaurant famously hosted a Russian official and ABC News correspondent in 1962 for a lunch that reportedly ended the Cuban Missile Crisis — an event commemorated on the menu by the Pork Chop That Saved the World. The political climate shifted during Starr’s roughly 18-month renovation, and he has been embroiled in a unionization push at other Starr restaurants (Pastis, St. Anselm in Union Market, and Le Diplomate on 14th Street); there have been protests alleging workplace violations and picketers outside the opening. Starr maintains in statements that “Unite Here Local 25 has unlawfully targeted” his restaurants and has been “harassing our workers and filing frivolous and untrue claims.” St. Anselm voted to unionize by a thin margin on February 21, while a majority of Pastis workers voted against unionizing on February 28. The cooking is self-consciously old-school with modern adaptations: grapefruit salad; pigs in a blanket; ham steak topped with seared pineapple ($31); lamb chops with mint jelly ($56); Chilean sea bass ($62) cooked in a miso marinade; Chinese chicken salad ($20) pairing mango with crispy wontons and peanut dressing; a giant hash brown ($18) described as a side that could feed a family of four — creamy cubed potatoes on the bottom and grated crispy slices on top — and plenty of opulent touches from caviar and extensive cuts of steak to a pheasant topped with seared foie gras ($68) inspired by New Orleans’ Antoine’s Restaurant. The cocktail program ($21–$25) showcases six martini iterations (including a dirty vodka martini with manzanilla brine named after the restaurant), martinis poured in icy glasses tableside with a mini shaker, and classics such as a Manhattan, Pimm’s Cup, and gin Rickey; more adventurous mixes include a kumquat-and-tequila concoction and a lemon, sage, and blackberry–infused vodka creation. The extensive wine list pulls from the West Coast, Europe, Lebanon, and Armenia. Completely updated from the photo-covered walls of the old incarnation, interiors by Virginia-native Ken Fulk (known for New York’s Noda and Carbone Miami) combine nostalgic and modern elements: large brass doors; a first-floor dining room in dark green-toned velvet with oil-painted portraits of past U.S. presidents peering into dark booths; an upstairs dining room with Tiffany-blue booths and red velvet chairs offering unobstructed views of tourists, politicos, and national TV anchors; a dazzling mural of naked musicians and partygoers donning wigs and blindfolds; an art-deco downstairs bar in glass and marble; and a secluded upstairs cocktail bar for lingering after dinner. Whether this Starr-backed nostalgic take on power dining will endure in today’s D.C. remains to be seen; Starr is already considering bringing the Washington original to New York City in the future. Blocks from the White House, the historic restaurant markets itself as an ideal location for D.C. dining, with a beautiful patio and dining room." - Emily Venezky
