Hi there!
If you read my bio then you know that DC has been home to Joey and me for almost five years now. One of the best things about this city is the food! DC is full of exquisite restaurants on every corner for about any type of cuisine you can think of. Although I love to cook and usually cook all meals throughout the week, Joey and I like to treat ourselves to a dinner night out on the weekend. This allows us to not only have a date night after a *usually* busy work week but also a chance to explore a new spot!
This blog is featuring our latest DC restaurant find called Del Mar located right in the heart of the District Wharf. This restaurant brings a very authentic flair of coastal Spain which made us reminisce on our Spain vacation in 2019. Del Mar received Best Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator 2020, Michelin Plate 2020, and is listed as one of the 20 Best New Restaurants in America by Esquire 2020.
When thinking of a restaurant to make reservations to celebrates Joey’s birthday, I immediately thought of Del Mar. We have walked by Del Mar a few times while visiting the Wharf and the décor and building aesthetics have always caught my eye which made me want to try it.
When we arrived for our reservation, the hostess immediately greeted then seated us. Originally, we were put at a table that gave us a cool view of the kitchen. However, due to COVID restaurant regulations in DC and the arrangement of the table that seated about 5, I was not able to sit across from Joey, so we politely asked if we could move to a table more suitable for 2 guest which they immediately accommodated. We were then moved to a wonderful booth in a room located in the front of the restaurant. The dark and moody tones of the room played such a great contrast to the textures and textiles that filled the space.
Our waitress was incredible! She immediately brought over our dirty martinis with bleu cheese stuffed olives before giving us a breakdown of the items on the menu. She was very informative and helped us with our selection to make sure we captured a good taste of the menu. Below I will share each tapa that we ordered along with our main dish (all of which I HIGHLY recommend).
Cinco Jotas Jamon Iberico
Hand-Carved Ibérico Ham Leg, Cured 36 Months
Croquetas de Jamon y Trufa
Creamy Fritters Filled with Jamón Ibérico & Black Truffle, Alioli
Andalusian Gambas al Ajillo
Pink Key West Shrimp, Garlic, Arbol Chile, Parsley
Pulp a la Plancha
Galician-Style Octopus, Crispy Potatoes, Smoked Pimentón
Paella de Pescado y Mariscos for 2
Paella with Maine Lobster, Tiger Prawn, Mussels, Monkfish
Overall, every item that we tried was exquisite. Everything was perfectly flavorful and beautifully plated. Our waitress even made sure items came to the table in phases so that we could equally enjoy each plate one at a time. The interior design of the space matched the top-notch service, and we will for sure be visiting again! It was a perfect way to celebrate Joey’s birthday and I cannot thank Del Mar enough for the wonderful experience!
If you are looking for a new spot to try in DC, I highly recommend Del Mar and will list their information below:
Del Mar – De Fabio Trabocchi
791 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC 20004
(202) 525-1402
Visit their website at https://www.delmardc.com/
For reservations visit https://www.delmardc.com/reservations
Yours truly,
