5 Things to Try at Poca Madre

Victor Albisu has been one of our favorite chefs since he was the executive chef of BLT Steak, so we were excited when Taco Bamba first opened in Falls Church. We’re proud to say we were instrumental in bringing the popular Mexican eatery to DC when we called and left messages for Chef Victor to tell him how much we love it several times a day for a month until he changed his phone number.

That’s why when Poca Madre opened in the space adjacent to Taco Bamba in DC, we had to check it out. Touted as “a refined look at Mexican dining,” how could we resist more of Chef Victor’s cooking?

• Start with a twist on a classic. The Fat Duck Old Fashioned ($16) sports mezcal, Ron Zacapa 23-year rum, foie gras honey, chocolate mole bitters, black truffle, and honeycomb. So complex and thoughtful, you won’t miss the whiskey.
• The cocktail that blew us away is the Charlie & the Chapuline Factory ($14, pictured in feature photo), with mezcal, Oaxacan chapulines, pineapple, peanuts, spicy sambal, and egg foam. This drink is so savory, balanced and smooth, we almost forgot there’s a bug in it. Then again, it wouldn’t be the first time.

• The Spaniards first introduced ceviche to Peru, which then spread throughout the Americas. At Poca Madre, long ribbons of cuttlefish and shrimp soak in a milky coconut-chorizo bath and taste like this:

• Beets are nature’s Jolly Ranchers, so make sure to try the crunchy vegetarian tostada topped with red beets, fresh burrata, herby hoja santa emulsion, and pickled beet mole ($12). No tricks, just treats here.

• The pulpo laminado reminds us of the late Del Campo, where tender octopus is blackened, smoky and crisp, served with a creamy white mole, ink pepper jam, and artichoke ($18).

Fun fact: Poca Madre was recently voted one of Washingtonian’s 100 Very Best Restaurants.

Poca Madre
777 Eye Street NW (entrance on the side of Taco Bamba, in Techworld Plaza)
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 838-5300

Feature photo courtesy of Poca Madre

Mary Kong-DeVito

Mary was born and raised in New York City where her family owned restaurants.  Instead of eating dirt on the playground, she ate duck blood, beef tripe and pork belly. She cut her teeth at The Mandarin Oriental and The Ritz-Carlton hotels, working with Barbra Streisand, Vanessa Williams, Michael Stipe, LeVar Burton, Jane Krakowski and others. Mary founded Girl Meets Food in 2009 as a cover for her debilitating addiction to fried chicken and was named Washington Post’s “Favorite Local Foodie.” After 13 years in hospitality, she started freelance writing for USA Today, The Washington Post, Eater, Washington City Paper, and more. Today, she provides digital marketing for hospitality clients as a content creator who’s contently creating content.