Bravo, Brabo!

Photo by John Arundel/Local Kicks Like the Siren’s song, Brabo has lured me back again and again for what I would say is Old Town's most enjoyable dining experience and very best wait staff.

By Charles A Varipapa

One might say that Brabo is a reinvention of Chef Robert Wiedmaier's Marcel's. I might say that that is a very good thing!  
 
All of us should continually reinvent ourselves — look at Madonna, Cher and even Paris Hilton … why not Wiedmaier?  This restaurant is absolutely the hippest place to ever grace the streets of Old Town, the friendly side of the Potomac!  

Photo by John Arundel/Local Kicks Chef Robert Wiedmaier brings together the finest ingredients at Brabo; he is a cook first, then a chef.

Brabo is not a poorly conceived rehab of yet another old townhouse, but a well thought out plan of New York's well known designer Vicente Wolf that may be misunderstood by some but marveled at by others.  
 
Certainly there is a lack of fine art in the space; however, its brown and bronze hues with echoes of contemporary modern mixed with eclectic country cottage chairs of Carolina blue remind visitors that this is not a stuffy place at all.  
 
It is a new home for Old Towners and a comfortable oasis for elegant out of town guests where Robert Wiedmaier brings together the finest ingredients, he is a cook first, then a chef.

I moved to Old Town over 10 years ago to be closer to the happenings of theater and dining in Washington, DC, but over the years have discovered more reasons to stay just blocks away from my home.  
 
Like the Siren’s song, Brabo has lured me back again and again for what I would say is Old Town's most enjoyable dining experience and very best wait staff.  
 

Photo by John Arundel/Local Kicks The signature mussels, in Brabo's Tasting Room.

Wiedmaier has always prided himself on having the highest level of customer service and that mantra rings through loudly and clearly at Brabo, with elegant dining in a beautiful setting and servers who have spent time in DC's most elegant dining spots like Marcel's, Adour, La Paradou and others.  
 
They know their menus, their chefs, their purveyors of fine foods, but they don’t take themselves too seriously like some other places make the mistake of doing.  No guest at Brabo ever feels out of place or uncomfortable.  Weidemier creates establishments for guests, not royal palaces for celebrity chefs to hold court with wait staffs running around holding their noses up in the air.  
 
People dining at Brabo are enjoying themselves and loving the food, the service and their whole experience!
            
Chef Chris Watson has taken the helm at Brabo after seven years as sous chef at Marcel's and opening Brassiere Beck.  Watson has brought to Old Town's table some of Marcel's most delicious entrees and new renditions that will make you want to scream, "Am I in Old Town?"   
 

Photo by John Arundel/Local Kicks Chef Chris Watson of Brabo is a rising star in DC's culinary scene.

Succulent farm roasted chicken, a pork shank you'll want to mash on your face and soft shell crabs that scream delicious!  Watson's pea soup is not a tired rendition but a delicate fresh taste that whispered summer time — I wanted to pour it over my head and run around the restaurant!

Brabo is a welcome addition to the new, fresh lineup that began with Cathal Armstrong, followed by Tony Chittum, Jamie Leeds, Nadine Thomas and now Chris Watson.  
 
Brabo is about a nice enjoyable dinner in a comfortable elegant atmosphere where people are there to make certain your experience is very special.  
 
The price point is phenomenal; our group of three had five cocktails, five glasses of wine, three entrees, two desserts and the cost with tip was still less than $100 per person.  (Did I mention free valet parking in Old Town?  Unheard of but not at Brabo, and that in itself makes it worth the visit).

I had a very nice Cote du Rhone selected by the restaurant manager, and my friends each enjoyed a simple Sauvignon Blanc.  
 
The farmhouse chicken was succulent and as flavorful as Marcel's at two-third's the price.  I had a gorgeous Caesar rolled in a prosciutto braciole that could have been a meal in itself.  My friends had the goat cheese salad from "local goats" (we have plenty here in Old Town) that they raved about for weeks.  
 
We shared two dessert, both with handmade gelato and fresh fruits (can I get a gallon?).  At the end of our meal, when a friend asked about the Butcher's Block and the Tasting Room we were politely offered a tour.  The Butcher Block is a beautiful shop with fine dry goods including Rustichella di Abruzzo pastas and a beautiful selection of jams, olive oils and condiments.  
 
Their shining star though is their sandwiches, one of which I took on a flight to LA and had to fight off other passengers who had cornered me in an attempt to grab the second half of a beautiful fresh turkey and red onion relish and avocado on a crunchy tuscan bread.  How about a grilled vegetable sandwich with goat cheese?  SLAP ME!
 
The Tasting Room is a hubbub of activity with its personalized brick oven pizzas and not so pricey wines.

Don't waste any time getting over to Brabo and his sisters.  You will have such a nice dining experience and be indebted to me for life!  
 
Just try to get over the blue chairs and get to know everyone and really have a great time.  You will be so glad you went and so happy when you return with friends — and everyone there remembers who you are!  
 
Buon Appetito.
 
Dr. Charles Varipapa is a Restorative and Cosmetic dentist in Old Town, a Bon Vivant and periodic food writer.  Visit his website at www.OldTownDentist.com.