Compared to some neighborhoods, Capitol Hill is a bit short on restaurants of the white table cloth variety. Maybe its because we’re a more casual clientele or perhaps they prefer to be in a higher expense account per capita neighborhood. Either way, when the occasion calls for an upscale night out, one need only decide between a handful of offerings. Certainly, Charlie Palmer Steak is one of the local restaurants at the top of the list. I’ve always been a fan of the restaurant’s design — bright, sleek and modern rather than the traditional DC steakhouse look with dark oiled wood and heavy velvet curtains. Meeting some of their staff recently made me also appreciate their support of the community.
On a recent visit, Nadine Brown, the restaurant’s sommelier, told me about one of her favorite events each spring: A Taste of the Hill. A fundraiser for the students of Brent Elementary School, A Taste of the Hill brings together some of the neighborhood’s best food and wine for a great cause. “The parents are just amazing,” says Brown. And as a yearly participant, Brown now serves as the event’s beverage chair.
Charitable events aren’t the restaurant’s only connection to the neighborhood. Brown also partners with some of our favorite wine shops to host dinners featuring the winemakers themselves. It was at one of these dinners, co-hosted by Chat’s, that I first met Brown. She raved about the owner of this Barrack’s Row staple, and commented how Chat’s and Schneider’s – with which they’ve also partnered – are a great match with Charlie Palmer for these events because the restaurant likes to focus on small, family-owned wineries. More to come on that subject from THIH’s own oenophile, David White.
Chef Matt Hill is now a local resident, too, so Charlie Palmer Steak’s involvement in the community isn’t likely to dissipate. If you haven’t been in a while, stop by. The weekend crowd is definitely more casual than the weekday lunch regulars. As one of the bartenders told me,”We’re nice, but not pretentious.” Which, upon reflection, could just as easily apply to our neighborhood as well.