Restaurant Adarra

Just steps from Hollywood Cemetery on the quiet corner of South Pine Street in Oregon Hill sits Restaurant Adarra, a little-known eatery.

The corner building is painted an earthy forest green, and when you step inside you are confronted with a warm darkness. Candles and small overhead lights provide the only lighting in what feels like a dark secret. Rich wooden walls are the backdrop for several large landscape paintings, lit dramatically by a small lamps. Candlesticks coated in dripped wax create a sort of haunting aesthetic. Frankly, the ambiance is really nice.

As I often do when dining solo, I sat myself at the bar. I ordered a mocktail made from lapsang souchong (a smoky chinese tea) and fig and it was quite good. The menu is rather minimal, which can be a nice alternative to lengthy menus that tend to overwhelm. I started with grilled oysters and the chef’s choice of two cheeses.

Starting with the oysters, they were a bit underwhelming. For $25 you expect a something slightly interesting, but they were plain, tasting only of salt and maybe a hint of butter. The bread served with the oysters was good, and I enjoyed soaking it in the oyster’s salty brine more than the oysters themselves. They didn’t taste bad, they just weren’t worth the price in my opinion. The cheese plate was a bit of a letdown as well. You think when a chef hand picks a cheese, there’s a good reason for it. But both cheeses were rather boring, mild cheeses. I like a bit of contrast, maybe a mild cheese and a more intense cheese. The honey and homemade jam served alongside the cheeses were nice, but the crackers were plain. I think if the cheeses are mild there has to be something to make the selection more exciting…It was just a bit disappointing.

My main was crispy lamb belly, with brothy beans and vegetables. It was quite good! The lamb was crispy on the outside, fatty on the inside, and the beans and veggies were flavorful and slightly spicy.

I always leave room for dessert and I had heard great things about their basque cheesecake. It showed up drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with flaky salt, a combo I have learned to love on sweets (you have to try it on Spotty Dog’s malted vanilla ice cream). The cheesecake was light and slightly sweet, and paired perfectly with the olive oil. Honestly, this was the best part of the entire meal.

While the service was amazing, the prices were just way too high for what you’re getting. I think if you do choose to come here, I’d just order the basque cheesecake and an espresso. I’d come back for that. But there are other restaurants in town with the same level of service, ambiance, and prices, with creative and delicious food to match.

While Adarra’s food is good, it didn’t really feel worthy of the price point when dining alone. I’d go with friends and split a couple apps or an entree — and don’t skip the cheesecake ˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗