Maple Restaurant in Columbia Heights

I’ve been making an effort lately to branch out and experience the neighborhood spots that are popping up around the city– even if they are not in my own neighborhood. It is amazing to see the revival that is taking place in areas like Bloomingdale, Shaw, and Columbia Heights and there are so many small and interesting gems that exist quietly yet add so much to the city. On Saturday night my friend Alejandra and I decided to try the new Maple Restaurant in Columbia Heights. The restaurant itself is on 11th Street NW just a few steps down from Meridian Pint, but is quite subdued with limited signage and a black exterior. The space is very small with about ten tables of two and a beautiful bar area to seat another ten people or so. Given the quiet city as a result of the Memorial Day holiday, Alejandra and I were able to snag a table at the window seat which was wide open and allowed the breeze to come into the restaurant on a very hot evening.

Selection of bruschettas at Maple Restaurant.

The menu is quite limiting, but in a way that I prefer. At such a little place you hope that by focusing on a few things that they will be able to do those few things quite well– and Maple did not disappoint in the least bit. In fact, I would say Maple exceeded our expectations by delivering a beautiful dinner in a lovely atmosphere which allowed us to linger for a few hours while enjoying our bottle of Rosè. To start, Maple offers a selection of bruschettas (2 for $5.50 and 4 for $10) so we decided to go for the four and try one with asparagus, shaved Parmesan, and truffle oil, one with white anchovy and cannellini beans, and two Proscuitto de Parma with fig spread and Gorgonzola cheese. These were delicious and simple. I especially loved the flavors in the mixture of the cannellini beans and the anchovy on top provided just the right amount of salt to the bite.

The main courses offered at Maple include a list of paninis and a few pasta dishes as they specialize in modern American fare with Italian influence. However, we saw the pastas arrive at the table next to us and knew that we had to order them. I decided on the gnocchi with basil pesto and Alejandra went for the tagliatelle with lamb ragu. The portion sizes were just the right size; plentiful but not over the top, and both dishes just oozed with wonderful flavor and comforting Italian rusticity. We took our time to enjoy each bite, and before we knew it both of our plates had been completely wiped clean.

Gnocchi pesto at Maple Restaurant

When we were told about the farmer’s market special dessert of the evening it was a no-brainer. Strawberry rhubarb crumble with vanilla ice cream? Yes, please. It was elegantly served in a small ramekin and I loved the sweetness of the fruit with the crumbly topping. It was a delicious end to a wonderful evening.

Excellent meal. Lovely atmosphere. What a little gem Maple is. I can’t wait to go back.

Maple Restaurant
3418 11th Street NW
Washington, DC 20010
www.dc-maple.com
@dcmaple

Tagged as: Columbia Heights, dc, italian, Maple, Mt Pleasant, panini, pasta, restaurant, washington, Wine