“The opening menu is categorized by “raw and cured,” “vegetables,” “pasta,” “fish and seafood,” “fire-roasted meats” and “dessert.”

524 8th Street, SE

Check out their menu here – Garrison Dinner Summer 2015

From a press release:

“Chef Rob Weland will open his first independently owned and operated restaurant, Garrison, on July 22. Located at 524 8th Street, SE, along the historic commercial corridor, Barracks Row, Garrison will soft open initially for dinner service, with weekend brunch soon following. As part of the soft opening, Garrison will accept limited reservations and walk-ins for the first week of operation. The menu is reflective of Weland’s philosophy of using local, sustainably grown ingredients whenever possible, to create clean, simple dishes that embody each season.

Photo by Scott Suchman

The opening menu is categorized by “raw and cured,” “vegetables,” “pasta,” “fish and seafood,” “fire-roasted meats” and “dessert.” Weland’s signature style of rustic yet sophisticated cooking is reflective in many dishes like a seasonal tomato gazpacho with mustard ice cream and a burrata appetizer with grilled peaches and dandelion. Handmade pastas, roasted meats and fish round out the entrees with selections such as nettle and ricotta ravioli with chantrelles and fine herbs, Long Island duck breast with lavender, fennel and peaches and wild striped bass with champ potatoes, poached eggs, lemon and capers. Weland will work closely with Mike Protas of Boyd, Md.’s One Acre Farm, popular on Capitol Hill for his weekly CSA, to directly source custom-grown produce for the neighborhood restaurant.

Weland has tapped local cocktail talent, Gina Chersevani, to design the cocktail menu, which features fresh garden-inspired selections like In the Beginning made with cava, bitters, melon and mint and Pump up the Volume: gin, lillet rose, rose hip, citrus, and bitters. A nod to Weland’s affinity for preserving fruits and vegetables can be found in the We’re Moving On Up made with house pickled peaches, vodka or gin and vermouth. The thoughtfully edited wine list focuses on American and European varietals, all under $100 a bottle, and was built collaboratively by general manager Sam Vause, formerly of BLT Steak, and Weland’s wife, Amy Garrett.

Weland consulted with Erin Mara, owner of Mara Home, on Garrison’s design, which true to its neighborhood restaurant image, embodies a warm, and welcoming aesthetic, featuring wood accents, subway tile and iron light fixtures with Edison bulbs. Preserved fruits and vegetables adorn the tabletops and open shelving around the exposed kitchen. Accepting reservations, Garrison will open for dinner service Tuesday through Thursday from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. Details around weekend brunch will be announced once finalized.

A longtime resident of the Capitol Hill neighborhood, Weland is excited to open his first restaurant a few blocks from his home. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Weland has cooked in Michelin starred kitchens in Lyon, France, Philadelphia, Manhattan, and Washington. He was formerly Executive Chef at Poste Moderne Brasserie where he became known for his strong commitment to seasonal and sustainably grown products, becoming the first chef in Washington to create his own restaurant garden.”