The restaurant is very well designed, for those of you who remembered Marty's, Matchbox took over this place, added a mezzanine floor to add more seating space.
A very attractive and large bar against an open brick wall resides to the right upon entering.
3 large flat screen TVs adorn the tops of the bar and if you look up there's a large sunroof. Just beyond the bar, the brick-oven and pizza preparation area is visible. The dining room is to the left with mostly booth seating and table seating closer to the front. The mezzanine seating upstairs are also booth and tables. It is well designed, modern yet cozy.
There are outside seating available as well.
Matchbox started out in Chinatown and very well known for their brick oven pizza's. They produce their own pizza dough and produce great thin crust pizza.
I am not a pizza person, but I won't refuse 2 Amy's Pizza, Pizzeria Paradiso and Matchbox's.
There are other signature items they're known for:
3 6 9 burgers; essentially mini burgers/sliders to share, served with crispy seasoned fried onions.
Mini Trio; 2 seared scallops, 2 mini crabcakes and 2 mini burgers without the buns.....properly and very well prepared.
They do have great salad selections as well:
Pear and apple salad; toasted thinly sliced pear on top of baby greens, slices of granny smith apples, candied nuts and feta cheese.
Roasted beet salad or the crispy calamari salad......the latter I would've preferred grilled calamari instead of fried rings, but still a formidable salad, as an entree or to share.
The Main course items seem an afterthought since most diners come for the pizza or the burger. Oh, I forgot to mention the Bistro Burger......... matchbox probably pioneered serving burgers with a brioche bun, but I could be wrong. It is probably the best burger I've had.......anywhere. I'm not one of those people who would seek a burger, but this is good burger.
The beef patty is homemade, not some pre-formed ground beef, and I'm pretty sure they use quality ground beef. Topped with sauteed mushrooms, blue cheese on a brioche bun.......Belgian style fries or onion rings......this is an awesome burger.
Like I said the main course selections seem to be an afterthought, but they are quite good.
I've had the New York Strip steak, nothing spectacular, but very well prepared, grilled and properly seasoned.
The braised beef short rib, however, is excellent.......coming off the bone type preparation and braised in....my guess is.....red wine, garlic, thyme, onions and perhaps carrots, since I can taste some sweetness to it. Served on a bed of mashed potatoes and a very tasty sauteed chopped brussels sprouts and bacon.......perfect blend. It is also perfectly portioned, not too big, not to small, just right.
Next visit, I will try their cast iron chicken.
They also have a great imported beer selection, a decent wine list AND reasonably priced. A couple of great premium irish Whiskeys such as Tyrconell, Redbreast; Premium Nicaraguan rum Ron Zacapa and other premium liquor. Matchbox hit the perfect formula for the capitol hill neighborhood and doing very well.
I'm going back soon!
Matchbox Capitol Hill
521 8th St, SE,
Washington, DC 20003
202.548.0369 phone
202.548.0187 fax
Hours:
Monday thru Thursday
11 AM - 10:30 PM
Friday:
11 AM - 11:30 PM
Saturday:
Open 10 AM, brunch until 3 PM
Last seating at 11:30 PM
Sunday:
Open 10 AM, brunch until 3 PM
Last seating at 10:30 PM
Pricing: $35-50/pp, starter and meal with a glass of wine or beer. Tax and tips not included
No comments:
Post a Comment