First Floor at DC Harvest
Phrases such as “seasonal,” “local,” and “farm-to-table” have become so overused in restaurants across the country that they have begun to lack meaning and simply induce eye-rolling amongst diners. Seemingly anyone can throw a few “local” or “seasonal” vegetables on a plate and claim their restaurant fits this bill. While such restaurants are a dime a dozen at this point, restaurants that truly embrace local, seasonal sourcing through close relationships with farmers and suppliers and combine it with superior culinary skills in the kitchen, warm service in the front of the house, and a focus on their neighborhood are truly rare. DC Harvest is such a place and has quickly become our favorite restaurant on H Street.
Zatar Seasoned Turkey at DC Harvest
Brothers Arthur and Jared Ringel bring decades of experience to the front and back of the house at DC Harvest. Arthur’s resume includes graduation from the Culinary Institute of America in New York along with stints at D.C. culinary destinations BLT Steak, Vermillion, Vidalia, and Hank’s Oyster Bar, where he became head chef. Jared’s restaurant management experience spans over a dozen years around the D.C. area, including being both a general manager and a franchisee for several concepts. Their experience shines through in both the food and the service.
Bar at DC Harvest
The menu changes frequently depending upon what is in season and what they are able to source fresh. DC Harvest does truly embrace the true meanings of “season” and “local” as it attempts to source as many ingredients as possibly locally. You will notice that the seasonality of the restaurant extends to the drink menu as well. In addition to the regular dinner menu, they offer four specials that rotate by day of the week.
Diner does not begin with a standard bread basket but with roasted butternut squash chips. The lightly salted snack provides a creative start to your meal that is unlikely to fill you up too much. After a cocktail or a local beer, move on to an appetizer or an appetizer portion of one of their pastas. During opening week in September, we enjoyed simply prepared heirloom tomato salad that was a nice farewell to summer. More recently, we feasted on a unique fall beet salad that included cheese, olives, and fried chickpeas. The sourness of the olives and the crunch of the chickpeas combined with the natural sweetness of the beets to produce a dish that stands apart from the myriad of beet dishes that are rolled out around town with the start of fall.
Simple Heirloom Tomato Salad at DC Harvest
Our favorite dish so far has been the Zatar seasoned roast turkey breast. Yes, a roast turkey breast sounds boring. However, this dish is the best seasoned item that we’ve eaten all year. The Zatar seasoning forms a light crust that ensures that each bite has a dual balanced slightly spicy and salty taste. Plated over ancient grains (Kamut), mushrooms, and swiss chard and topped with a crispy piece of turkey skin, it’s a dish that you will want to have over and over again. A close runner-up is the fried chicken. To keep the chicken tender, Chef Arthur Sous Vides it after marinating it with a simple combination of garlic, herbs, and buttermilk. It is then battered in an old bay seasoned mixture and fried to order when you want it. When it arrives at your table, you are given a generous three piece portion along with a side of vegetable slaw.
To finish, we have only tried one of their desserts: the s’mores pot de creme. We’ve only tried that one dish because we keep on ordering it. Check out the combination of caramel and raspberry marshmallows and you will understand why.
DC Harvest has nailed the summer and autumn seasons so far. We can’t wait to see what they have in store for the winter.
District Cuisine 
All photos credited to Walter Rowe (www.WalterRowe.com). DC Harvest is a great place.