To tell you that I’m excited to return to DC tomorrow is the understatement of the year. Not only do I get my man and my closet back, I am returning to one of the best restaurant scenes in the country. I suppose it isn’t fair to compare my hometown to DC’s finest, but nevertheless I can’t wait to get back to experience the wide array of new and familiar spots all over DC and NoVA.

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In anticipation of my return, I started thinking about the last date Scott took me on before I left for the summer – a restaurant that had been on our list for quite some time. Estadio is a contemporary Spanish style restaurant situated on 14th street in the Logan Circle Neighborhood of the city, and though it competes with an entire stretch of bars and restaurants, it’s in a league of its own.

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My family has a strong Spanish influence (my uncle by marriage grew up in Alicante, Spain) and so Spanish phrases are thrown around regularly and Spanish dishes made an appearance on my table throughout my childhood. Already loving tapas style restaurants, Scott and I perused the menu prior to booking our reservation on Open Table, and I was pleased to see several familiar plates, and many new ones that tantalized my tastebuds and had me more than ready for our date night.

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We began the evening with a cheese plate, though all were recommended to us by our server. We’re attempting to learn cheese as well as Scott knows wine, but we’re failing miserably. We ended up loving the suggestions ( Caña de Cabra, Manchego, and Mahón ) and I couldn’t get enough of our order of the Spicy Marcona Almonds . We had a similar version at Doi Moi, (also a part of the Estadio Team)  and were equally pleased.

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Though Estadio is known for it’s extensive wine list and offerings, we are G & T drinkers and the gin drinks were too exciting to pass up. Collectively, we tried all drinks on that gin menu (yes, we took a cab home and there were only a few…) and were pleased with each one. I favored the Green Hat Summer Gin & Tarragon-Basil Tonic, while Scott got behind the Tanqueray 10 & House-made Elderflower Citrus Tonic….. If you drink gin, trust us and give them a shot.

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We love tapas because the ordering can go on for hours – our kind of date night. We aren’t big into one entree each, and tend to pick at different small plates even when we are home. The couple that splits dinner…doesn’t split? You get the point. Throughout the evening we sampled different bocadillos (small sandwiches), Crisp Braised Bacon (with brussels and butternut squash – my favorite!), Sautéed Shrimp, Spice Grilled Chicken, and the most incredible corn vegetable medley. Guys, you can’t go wrong no matter what you order.

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For dessert – because Scott can’t neglect that part of the menu – we tried the Manchego Cheesecake. Figured if we loved the Manchego at the beginning of the meal we’d love it at the end. We were right. I have to confess, the next day we made a trip to Whole Foods to find Manchego for our last night with wine on the roof. Thank you to our illustrious server for the recommendation!

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The atmosphere is as exquisite as the menu, the perfect rustic feel. Long wooden tables, iron candle chandeliers, and Spanish tile all combine to allow the flavors of Spain to complete the dishes. It bothers me when people confuse “Mexican” with “Spanish” – language, not location. Spain has an Old World quality that transports me into an era of flamenco and matadors, and is hopefully a vacation spot I will see in my lifetime. Estadio captures this attitude brilliantly, and allows Spain a place to call home in the middle of Washington, DC.

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Cheers!

-Al
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