Kith and Kin, web site, 801 Wharf St SW, Washington, DC (in the InterContinental Hotel), 202-878-8566, Afro-Caribbean (Metro Trip Planner – opens in new window) [Google | Washingtonian | TripAdvisor | Michelin | Reddit | City Paper | NYT | WaPo | Ylp]
An impressive and important addition to the local repertoire. The chef is from Trinidad and Nigeria, and the food matches those origins. Most of the dishes here you can’t get in good form anywhere else in this area. I recommend the goat, the whole fish (expensive but feeds two), the egusi fufu (properly West African in its smokiness, not for all eaters, note it seems to be vegetarian), and the jollof rice with trout. None of those are cheap, ranging from $25-35, with the fish at $65. Note also the menu changes seasonally. The bread they serve you at the beginning is wonderfully Caribbean, with an excellent spicy red sauce. In contrast to most places these days, the appetizers are worse than the main courses. Furthermore, the appetizers are criminally expensive, often $25 and up, without being so large or so amazing. So you can do very well here, and I am happy to recommend it, but I would say be aware of the basic deal going in. The place is also very good for people-watching, and many of the seats have excellent views of the water and the wharf.
Interview with Chef Kwame Onwuachi of Kith and Kin restaurant in Washington, DC
