West End: RIS and Boveda

Let us put to paper (or keyboard) a marking of the first anniversary of the DC Happy Hour Sleuths!  We’ve enjoyed doing the hard work of sniffing out the best in value, taste, accessibility and conviviality for those magic hours known as Happy.  Because most milestones deserve acknowledgment, we celebrated ours by taking a ramble in the West End.

RIS, 2275 L Street NW (23^rd & L) was welcome shelter from a vicious rain storm for two of the Sleuths a week earlier and we realized this eponymous West End fine-dining establishment had developed into a Happy Hour sleeper and very worthy of a full-team investigation.  Ten years ago, Ris Lacoste plied a solid career as executive chef at 1789 (Georgetown), an Iron Chef competition and long resume of culinary experience into her dream of opening her own restaurant.  The clean and modern decor and abundant natural light in this ground floor venue make for a very pleasant spot to while away any time, happy hour or full meal.

We got there right at start of shift, and, as our sometime HH Sleuths, G&J, would be joining us, we needed accommodation to fit a wheelchair.  We were seated at a generous round table in the bar area and as soon as the staff got organized, we commenced and put ourselves into the cheerful hands of server, Asia.

A solid HH drink menu includes two white spirit cocktails – “Gin & Tonic of the Day” and a Martini, any way you like it!  The house-made strawberry-oregano tonic in the gin drink made for a very refreshing sip, but not in any way the flavor of a traditional G&T.  Other spirits to be enjoyed on Happy Hour are through standard rail pricing.  The wines, a Portuguese red blend and a sauvignon blanc, are nice pours at $5, as well as the Sly Fox lager beer.

The HH food menu has some standards: beef sliders – tiny, but delicious, and fish tacos – fried and accented with pungent pickled red slaw.  There are some unexpected, seasonal offerings:  grilled, dressed asparagus, steamed artichoke dishes, and fried green tomatoes.  All were delicious and freshly prepared.  Good chicken salad sliders and potato chips, topped with bleu cheese and tomatoes rounded the menu out (the potato chips screamed for a brief pass under the salamander to “gooey” up that cheese!).

All in all (and despite some minor HVAC challenges on a very hot day), a very nice happy hour, with the added summer bonus of HH being available both Saturday and Sunday nights (until 9 p.m.) and more specialty drinks.

Boveda (2350 M St, NW ), a “Latin Speakeasy”.  After wishing G & J a safe ride home, we stalwart Sleuths ambled down the block, around the corner, and some steps down to Boveda.  Translated from Spanish, boveda is a vault, cave, cavern, tomb:  The could-be darkness of this windowless space is ameliorated by a playful Mexican/Latin décor of material and light, lively music and a variety of seating arrangements, all Happy Hour eligible. Even at 5:30 p.m., we snagged a booth (the bar was taken over by an increasingly louder private party).  A blue agave tequila was a good value ($8), refreshing and not too sweet.  A red Sangria ($7), garnished with fresh blueberries and strawberries went down very easily, and a full range of $7 rail liquors kept everyone happy. A Spanish beer, Mahou (on draft) and Mexican choice, Presidente (bottle), rounded out the drink fare.   The HH nachos (a full platter for $10) were delicious and spicy.  The quesadilla offering was very generous (and our server, Yancy, was happy to box leftovers for take home).  The ahi tuna tacos had a generous portion of fish (cooked) and were plated in a crispy taco shell.

A perfectly good place to escape summer heat and sun, for some food and drink.

The nitty gritty:

Happy Hours: RIS – Monday – Friday, 4 – 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.  Boveda – Monday – Friday, 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Bathrooms:  RIS – All uni-sex, with one designated handicapped accessible; clean at beginning of shift.  Boveda – Also uni-sex, several steps down from restaurant/bar area; clean at beginning of shift.

Transportation:  Closest Metro stops:  Foggy Bottom (Metro: Blue, Orange, Silver), quick walk from 30’s Metro busses servicing Pennsylvania Avenue.

Accessibility:  RIS – See hostess for opening accessible entrance on 23rd Street.; easily wheel in to bar area with multiple standard tables.   Boveda –While technically handicap accessible, a very circuitous, maze-like route from the lobby of the Westin Hotel (on corner of 23^rd and L) to the restaurant is daunting.  The restaurant’s restrooms are also several steps down, so a call from nature will necessitate a repeat of the route for an accessible restroom back in hotel lobby for those unable to negotiate steps.