Judging New Restaurants – Maple

by Prince Of Petworth April 17, 2012 at 12:00 pm 25 Comments

Normally I wait a bit longer to judge new restaurants but I’ve been getting so many positive emails I wanted to share the good early word. Maple is located at 3418 11th St, NW next to Columbia Heights Coffee. Their website says:

“Modern American menu with Italian influences. Extensive selection of wine. Craft beers and specialty cocktails.”

You can see their menu here. Any must order items?

Sunday – Wednesday 5 p.m. to midnight
Thursday – Saturday 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Mondays closed

Colin

The hand-crafted gin was the best gin I’ve drank straight since high school.
Tom Lewis

Food is great, drinks are awesome and the service is even better. This is such a wonderful addition to the Columbia Heights area.
KenyonDweller

We went opening night and had the pastas of the day. The food was excellent. The service was a bit spotty, but we chalked that up to opening night. (The server didn’t know how to serve wine.) We will definitely go back, probably this weekend. Maple is a great addition to the neighborhood.
kerbles

The Mascarpone Bruschetta is amazing. The night I went they had a special dish, a pesto gnochi that was superb. The waitstaff is wonderful. Welcome to the neighborhood.
- jdc
  
  + 1 the pesto gnochi was great. my partner ordered the pasta dish with lamb ragu– also amazing.
  
  I was happy to see wine recommendations on the chalk board. “if you like pinot noir, try …”
Anonymous

Great place. Just wish it opened a bit earlier on weekends. Also the bar is beautiful.
Anonymous

Anyone know if they do fancy cocktails (like Room 11 or Passenger)?
- Amanda
  
  They currently serve some cocktails you’d expect (Old Fashioned, Negroni) with some you might not (there’s one with a basil vodka they infuse in-house) with a good selection of small-production spirits to sample through.
Braulio

My wife and I tried the anchovy, prosciutto, eggplant, and garlic bruschettas and split a short rib panini. All excellent. We’ll definitely be putting this into regular rotation. Look for news about brunch soon, say the owners.
Anonymous

I was more than a little disappointed that not a thing on the menu, save for the mapletini I ordered at the bar, had even the slightest hint of maple flavoring. Why call your restaurant Maple, when that name has no connection to the food that you serve? I think this disappointment is fueled by the fact that I LOVE maple-flavored EVERYTHING. Perhaps their brunch menu will at least feature a side dish of maple bacon.
- Wobber
  
  The bar is made of maple.
- J
  
  If I recall correctly, the name Maple comes in part because of the Maple-wood bar in the place and that the menu was partially crowdsourced after the name had been chosen.
  
  But yes, I agree – you would think a new place called Maple would have Maple heavily featured on the menu. I think its one of those things that is weird at first, but less relevant when the place develops its reputation.
- Anonymous
  
  it’s called maple b/c of the big ass piece of maple wood that is the bar!
- Anonymous
  
  Maple is, after all, such a classic in the Italian flavor profile.
- monkeyrotica
  
  Maple syrup is nasty, dude. You need help.
- Lionel Hutz
  
  This is the most blatant case of false advertising since “The Never Ending Story”!
emily

been twice and L-O-V-E! props to waiter, Mark. I am coming back to see you soon!!
mtpj

LOVED IT. Great wine selection and service.
Anonymous

The nutella and banana panini on the dessert menu is absurdly good. Like make you giddy good. I’ve been back twice already for more.
Dan

I went last weekend and had a good time. Bartender was super friendly and very chatty. I work in the industry locally so we had a bit in common. Talked with the GM who said they hope to open a smallish patio out front by the summer time. Just had a dessert and glass of wine, but both were great. Glad to see they’re using a Cruvinet and not simply opening and recorking bottles of wine like too many other wine bars. Dessert was really good too and GM was very open to my constructive comments. Can’t wait to go back for a full dinner.
erinh

I ate there last weekend and it was great! Enjoyed my bruschetta combo (I had the 3rd and 6th options listed here). They did have one “fancy” cocktail as a special that a friend and I both got (something sweet involving prosecco, can’t remember anything more about it but it was delicious). I also loved that they had a feature encouraging you to try unfamiliar wines (a sign with tips like “if you like Merlot, try x”).
GWJ

Went last night. It was excellent! This really is an awesome new development. Had the lamb ragu and the puttanesca – both were superb. So was the bruschetta. And a phenomenal wine list. Will be coming back!
NoLongerNew2CH

Absolutely wonderful. Along with Room 11, one of two places in the area that gets everything just right (or as close to it as you can ask for a new restaurant): food, service, atmosphere, drinks (great wine by the glass selection). I was nervous that they didn’t really seem to have a plan for food based on public statements, but wow, was I ever pleasantly surprised, the food is simply stellar.

I will second the kudos for the pesto gnocchi, which was wonderful (although the portion could have been just a tiny bit bigger). The lamb tagliatelle was also fantastic and that portion was just right. Both fairly priced considering the high quality ingredients.

The garlic and the eggplant paninis were great as well. Again, I’d like to see them a BIT larger at that price point (or get one or two more, they are tiny), but certainly, the quality was stellar. Dried cherry salad, also great.

Service was very friendly and pleasant. Food could have come out a bit faster but no surprise for a brand new place. The atmosphere is just right, a really chill, relaxed, vibe, they did a beautiful job with the space. Two enthusiastic thumbs up, this place will soon be packed every night once the word gets out.
Anonymous

Went, and it was fine – a little cheaper than Room 11, not that that’s saying much. Mainly, I don’t really see what differentiates this place from Room 11, or any of the places on 14th / U St / H Street with exactly the same profile. It’s in a different location, but exactly the same unoriginal profile. Some variety would be nice.
Andy

50 minute wait time from ordering food to getting it with out any comment from the staff, way too crowded, Paninis were good but nothing to write home about and way overpriced, Pasta was amazing but portions could have been bigger, and the Bruchetta was really expensive for only 2 pieced of the thinnest bruchetta I’ve ever seen. I’ll give them another try when they get their wood fire grill, but I just can’t see justifying $40-$50 a person for a tiny dinner and some great wine.

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