Ardeo+Bardeo is one of the older restaurants in Ashok Bajaj’s suite of establishments across Washington. However, the restaurant recently reopened with a beautiful makeover that has combined the two separate spaces into one large restaurant concept with a spacious bar and a modern American menu. I originally visited the new Ardeo+Bardeo in early December for a press reception as the restaurant was hoping to introduce the new items on the menu to bloggers and food writers around town. I was impressed with the new configuration– the restaurant focused on developing a large lounge space with over 24 seats at the bar as well as generous standing room to create the perfect gathering spot for neighborhood patrons.
During the reception we were served an array of appetizers from the kitchen including the salt cod fritters, the fontina stuffed saffron risotto balls, the veal and ricotta meatballs, and many of the brick oven flatbreads. The meatballs stood out because of the citrus flavors in the tomato sauce which was a surprisingly delicious twist. Otherwise, I found myself wanting more and feeling the urge to go back and order off the proper menu to give it a fair shot.
Ardeo+Bardeo's citrus scented veal meatballs.
Photo courtesy of Olga Berman of www.mangotomato.com
In late December some friends and I found ourselves back in the Cleveland Park area in need of a place to grab dinner and drinks. We walked into Ardeo+Bardeo on a Tuesday night with 7 people and they very quickly accommodated our group and sat us at a nice booth towards the back of the restaurant. I could tell that this round at Ardeo+Bardeo was going to be a good experience. The wine list was plentiful and included a wide range of options of wines by the glass at very reasonable price points. We ordered the meatballs as an appetizer which were as good as I remembered, and I ordered the roasted amish chicken for my entree. I know chicken is normally a boring thing to order, but it was absolutely delicious, so well cooked, and the farro, apples, and turnips on the plate made it a warm winter dish that was comforting to eat on a cold December night. Others at the table enjoyed the spicy sopprosatta and mushroom and fontina flatbreads which seemed to impress (very few leftovers is always a good sign).
I enjoyed the dinner at Ardeo+Bardeo and think the menu has some classic yet modern American options that can appeal to almost anyone. I’m glad I went back to give it a second try, and I know the residents of Cleveland Park are glad that it is open again because it has been a great neighborhood spot for over a decade and will continue to be given the new improvements.
Ardeo+Bardeo
3311 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
www.ardeorestaurant.com
