Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar

Whether at home or away, come 5 o'clock Friday I am ready to unwind with a glass of wine. So during a recent trip to DC we got the weekend started by bellying up to the bar at Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar.

Mendocino's menu is quite small, with just four appetizers, three salads and seven entrees to choose from. But its artisinal cheese menu branches out a bit further, offering flights from a selection of blue, goats, sheep and cows milk cheeses. Accents like huckleberry preserve, kumquat marmalade, spiced nuts and warm olives can be added for $3 a pop.


Cheese Flight - $18 for four. From left: Great Hill Blue, Piper's Pyramid, Noble Amish Cheddar and Nancy's Camembert

Each of the four created a completely different marriage of flavors when paired with the fig paste or huckleberry preserve (not shown). There weren't any "Happy Hour" specials to be found, but given that we live in Salt Lake City, any hour spent in a proper bar is a happy one.

- K

Mendocino Grille and Wine Bar
2917 M Street
Washington, DC 20007
202.333.2912