Ripple

Last week I met a friend at Ripple in Cleveland Park. I have passed the place many times before and have always heard good things so it has been on my list to try for quite some time. The interior is really pretty and inviting and the restaurant spans multiple rooms creating an intimate dining experience. There was a lovely wood farmhouse table towards the back with colorful mismatched red chairs that looked like an ideal place to sit for a large group. My friend even mentioned she’d love to have that as her dining room in her home. The bar area is quite sizeable and they leave their fresh cheeses out on display which plays into Ripple’s focus on organic and locally grown foods. We were in for a leisurely evening and the staff was incredibly friendly and helped us to think through our drink options. I knew I wanted  a buttery Chardonnay and the knowledgeable waiter provided a great recommendation while my friend was feeling adventurous and went for the “bartender’s choice” and seemed very happy with the outcome which involved buddha’s hand and vodka.

After perusing the menu we decided to order a cheese plate to start and we were immediately drawn to the washed rind cheeses because they included a Cowgirl Creamery red hawk. Yes please! The cheeses were pungent and delicious and the honey on the cheese board provided the right addition of sweetness to each bite. So far things were off to a great start.

But then… disappointment ensued with the entrees. My roasted bluefish with crispy potato, garlic confit, tarragon puree, and beet emulsion was bland. The side I ordered of peppers confit in olive oil with almonds was so bitter I could barely take more than one bite. And my friend’s poached rockfish with yellow tomato marmalade and clams was fine until they covered it in the creamy yoghurt sauce at the table which she felt seemed unnecessary. While we both decided to pass on dessert the kitchen was kind enough to send out a butterscotch pudding with cream and toffee shards which was quite tasty. 

Ripple's interior. Photo courtesy of www.facebook.com/RippleDC.

Ripple does a lot of things right- the atmosphere is lovely, the wine selection and cocktail list is excellent (as well as the bartenders), the staff is friendly and helpful, and the cheese plate was wonderful. However, the food itself was a bit inconsistent and also tends to be a bit pricey. I’ll definitely come back to Ripple, but I’ll take a seat at the bar next time and grab a glass of wine and a cheese plate and leave it at that.

Ripple
3417 Connecticut Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20008
www.rippledc.com

Tagged as: cheese, cleveland park, dc, restaurant, Ripple, sustainable, washington