The Light Horse Restaurant and Bar

Light Horse in Alexandria Has a New Bar That Feels Like a Fancy Barn | Eater DC

"A 10-year-old Old Town spot known for late-night drinks and skee ball on the second floor, Light Horse has just refined its downstairs with an upscale, rustic-barn–inspired dining room. I note the 1,600-square-foot space at 715 King Street seats 34 with an additional 22 bar seats and centers on a 38-foot bar adorned with a Lichtenberg-figure fractal wood-burning technique. Chef Chafik Hocine, who arrived this summer after stints at Grady’s on 14th Street NW and Bar Elena on H Street NE, is overseeing the kitchen, with dinner service scheduled to start Monday, October 15; daily dinner runs 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., weekday lunch (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and weekend brunch join the mix next month, and a late-night menu runs 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. offering hearty fare like a loaded baked potato and a glow-in-the-dark “Black Betty” cocktail (available after midnight with a two-drink-per-person limit). Cocktails from behind the elaborate bar include the shimmery “Pixie Rainbow Fancy Bubbles,” featuring edible glitter, a house-made flavored sugar cube, bubbly and Green Hat gin. Menu highlights that fit the rugged motif include a grilled quail rubbed with Texas-style spices served with spiced cauliflower purée and microgreens, and a cast-iron-seared duck breast with confit fingerling potatoes, Swiss chard, and wild berry sauce. The renovated lower level adds to the historic venue named after Maj. Gen. Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee III." - Tierney Plumb