ARTS & Dining Senart’s
The Straight and Narrow—a Tale of Three Meals
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by Emily Clark
avier Cervera has a way of claiming, then transforming, space. He has left a distinct stamp on all of his Capitol Hill establishments, and Senart’s Oyster and Chop House on Barracks Row is no exception. In Hollywood descriptive terms, Senart’s is Chicago steak house meets New Orleans oyster bar. And it’s a happy marriage. The Federal style building housing Senart’s looks like a quintessential New Orleans shotgun (so named because one could allegedly fire a shotgun through the front door and have the bullet exit through the back), complete with inviting front patio open for outside dining and cocktails in warm weather. From 1913 to 1939, the Senart family lived in an apartment upstairs while operating a seafood joint
downstairs. The building’s exterior still bears traces of an earlier time, in the form of leftover wall advertising touting Senart’s oyster bar. Step inside to a long, narrow, cozy space that has been made expansive by taking the ceiling all the way up to the rafters. The space is intimate without being claustrophobic and lively without being deafening. The smooth marble bar, stretching the length of the front room, faces booths for two on the other side. There’s a fireplace just inside the front door, where diners are greeted by friendly and accommodating staff. Black and white photos, some historic Washington, some seafoodrelated, line the walls. There are more tables in back, as well as an additional fireplace and an unobstructed view to the kitchen, where Chef Brendan
Tharp turns out flavorful dishes from both surf and turf.
Brunch
Senart’s weekend brunch takes familiar dishes and reinvents them. There’s crab benedict, smoked shrimp omelet and short rib sliders, among many other tempting dishes. At a recent brunch we start with generous and well-spiced Bloody Marys, followed by shrimp cocktail. The shrimp practically melts in the mouth, the result of being quick poached in citrus and spices. Next are fried oyster salad for me and the Maryland Shore for my husband. Having cut my teeth on Gulf Coast oysters, I am initially skeptical of bivalves from elsewhere. But when my salad arrives, the oysters are small, tender, flavorful and perfectly breaded.
The author’s favorite dish on the menu—duck confit tagliatelle with dried cranberry, herbs and ragout. Photo: Andrew Lightman capitalcommunitynews.com H 115