The words “river view” alone can make a restaurant a success. But usually, they probably shouldn’t. Ada’s on the River is an exception. Overlooking the Potomac, with the Capital Wheel in the direct line of sight, the new eatery from Alexandria Restaurant Partners was guaranteed to bring in bodies even before owners David Clapp, Dave Nicholas, and Scott Shaw hired chef Randall J. Matthews.
But when, as Matthews puts it, “they tapped me on the shoulder a few times,” the partners made a sagacious decision. Matthews was the meat master they were seeking to propel their wood-grill-focused concept. Most recently at St. Anselm in DC, the young chef spent most of his career with the international Mina Group and cut his teeth overseeing the dry-aging program at DC’s Bourbon Steak.
While Matthews brings serious culinary cred and a meaty pedigree to Ada’s, he says that he’s more focused on the vegetables. You see, in his off hours, Matthews is a pescatarian. So is his mother, who, along with his grandmother, is a major influence on the veggie-forward cuisine at this restaurant named after
proto-computer-programmer and feminist icon Ada Lovelace.
That translates to carefully crafted salads, vegetarian items, and, yes, fish, all of which could be the focus of any meal, even if diners arrive with steaks in mind. Case in point: the smoked ricotta gnocchi. The downy-light pasta’s ephemeral cloak of smoke gives it a slightly meaty aura, but the real secret to the dish’s success is a classic Bolognese sauce, made from Impossible Foods faux flesh. “I still cook it exactly the same way I would do a classic Bolognese,” says Matthews. That means stewing for six hours for what he describes as a “hearty meat taste.” It has a meaty texture, too, indistinguishable from the real thing.
No such trickery is necessary to give the scallops their toothsome texture. The centerpieces of the delicately designed plate are pan-seared for a crisp exterior and then finished in the oven. But, as Matthews puts it, “90 percent [of the food at Ada’s] touches fire.” The scallops rest in a warm pool of browned butter–cauliflower purée that’s made from charred chunks of the brassica, lending a compelling smoke to the creamy side. Hazelnuts bring an additional crunch and a satisfying nuttiness, along with salty bacon jam and refreshing slices of apple.
Dishes like this and the appetizer tuna crudo, which is finished with fatty avocado mousse and carbonated-to-order housemade blood-orange soda, typify the thoughtful plates that Matthews is putting out. The dishes have a level of sophistication that far exceeds the interior, which, with its pink, khaki, and mustard-yellow banquettes, could play the role of a 1970s hotel lobby in a film. Diners should overlook the oddly retro dining room in favor of the river, but even more importantly, they should train their eyes on steaks being cooked over the wood fire.
Despite Matthews’s personal preference for veggies and salads, customers will and should be lining up for his kitchen staff’s deft hands with animal protein. I suggest that guests start with a lamb carpaccio flavored with spicy harissa, a nod to the chef’s time in Dubai with the Mina Group. Onion ash gives the raw lamb a charred flavor, while celery leaves and pickled shallots brighten the plate.
There’s no question that the foie gras doughnut, a recipe with which Matthews says he has toyed for years, is not an appetizer for every palate. But for those who crave melting seared duck liver in the center of a fluffy cake doughnut presented with toasted almonds and a sweet-and-sour cherry compote, the $19 starter delivers. Meat-lovers on a budget might do better to share the bacon-baptized wedge salad. It’s flavored with ultra-tangy bacon vinaigrette and finished with lardons, but sweet roasted tomatoes, whipped blue cheese, and crumbly cornbread croutons diversify the crunchy dish.
But this is all mere foreplay for consummating the evening with a sexy chunk of cow. The veal tomahawk chop seamlessly fuses meat and fat under a veil of melted caper butter. For my money, though, the best bet is the $39 New York strip. The 14-ounce steak is wet- and then dry-aged at a Florida facility for 75 days. The only steak on the menu aged longer is the 90-day $89 porterhouse, which makes the strip sound like a steal. Once it makes contact with a diner’s molars, it melts into buttery bliss.
Like any upscale steakhouse, the meat is served à la carte, and Matthews once again gets to shine a light on his vegetable chops. The best of these is the ember-cooked Broccolini, smoky but compellingly zippy thanks to a drizzle of sherry vinegar aioli and charred tomatoes. Another standout is the finely layered hash brown pavé. The crispy tower of potato shatters into skinny strata beneath a habit-forming smoked paprika aioli.
Matthews also concocted some stellar desserts. He’s especially proud of the sweet and salty lemon tart that’s served with black pepper–blueberry compote. The presence of a soufflé is a gift at any upscale restaurant, though mine was slightly less gooey than I would have preferred. But I disagree with Matthews. I think his best dessert is the Jam Jar S’mores, a warm cake that reposes in a puddle of ganache, shaded by a puff of brûléed marshmallow fluff crowned with a pair of graham-cracker tuiles.
There’s little question that people would be lining up for the views no matter what was happening in the kitchen. They do it all along the Potomac. But Alexandria Restaurant Partners knows how to create a lasting success. At Ada’s, Matthews is cooking with fire, not just blowing smoke.
Ada’s on the River
See this
Sure, the Potomac gives the restaurant part of its name, but the real action is in the open kitchen with its live flame.
Eat this
Lamb carpaccio; 14-ounce, 75-day-aged New York strip; Jam Jar S’mores Cake
3 Pioneer Mill Way, Alexandria, adasontheriver.com
Open seven days a week for dinner; lunch Monday through Friday; brunch Saturday and Sunday
Appetizers: $7-$19 Entrées: $19-$89 Desserts: $7-$11
Rating: ★★★★
★ Fair ★★ Good ★★★ Great ★★★★ Excellent ★★★★★ Superior
Feature image by Rey Lopez
This story originally ran in our June issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to our monthly magazine.
