Union Social Review – Train Themed Restaurant
By Diana Oberoi
When I was a child I loved watching trains. My favorite playground had swings that overlooked the train tracks, and I loved to see the old locomotives that would roar past. On the rare occasions the train would be carrying passengers, I would make up stories about the people on the train; laughing, drinking and socializing on the way to their next destination.
Fast forward many years later, I still love trains; they bring with them waves of nostalgia for me. So I was intrigued to hear a transit-themed restaurant named Union Social, would be opening near my neighborhood in NoMa, in Northeast DC.
NoMa stands for North of Mass. Ave and while it has become one of the new trendy neighborhoods in Washington DC, NoMa still is missing out on a vibrant restaurant and bar scene. This was one of the reasons I have anticipated the opening ever since the bright yellow Union Social sign graced the side of a building on Florida Ave.
On a chilly October night, a little over a week after Union Social opened some friends and I decided to make an early dinner reservation and see if this could become our go-to neighborhood spot.
My party and I were late; this was one of the few times we actually decided to drive in D.C. and not only was traffic a joke, but initially we couldn’t figure out where to park. Union Social occupies space in the Elevation at Washington Gateway complex that also houses a luxury apartment complex. It was somewhat dubious at first if we were parking in the right place. We were in the right place, and lucky for us the restaurant validates parking!
Walking inside feels like you’re entering a modern interpretation of a train or bus terminal. One wall is floor to ceiling windows that look out onto Florida Ave and the NoMa metro station. A different wall near the bar holds a chalkboard that lists every Union Station in the United States. Who knew there were so many?!
We were welcomed and no one seemed annoyed we were late. After being promptly seated we settled into chairs that reminded me of my best friend’s couch. The décor of the dining area evokes the feeling that you are sitting on a train platform. Nice!
The drink menu immediately beckoned. Union Social has 20 beers on tap available by the pint or the pitcher, many of which are local brews. The wine list is standard, nothing remarkable, but better than average. What really caught my eye was the list of inventive interpretations of classic cocktails. This is where Union Social’s bar program really shines.
I like big flavors and whiskey. On the recommendation of the bar manager Brad Beasley I started with the Angel’s Seat ($12). An Angel’s Seat is a raised observation seat in a railroad caboose but thanks to Union Social, it could be my new favorite libation. It’s the perfect blend of Angel’s Envy bourbon, orange curaco, citrus finished with a rosemary sprig. The essence of the rosemary imparts itself as an almost natural compliment to the tartness of the grapefruit and Angel’s Envy is the dangerously drinkable magic that pulls it all together.
My companions also went on recommendations each of which had their own unique story. The Wheel-Tapper, ($13) a sidecar made with cognac and after a swift straw sip on the DL I can report it is light and refreshing with subtle ginger notes that compliment the otherwise citrusy sweet drink. The Third Rail ($12) on the other hand is a gin fizz that just smelled delicious, it was that aromatic! It was crafted with blueberry merlot compote that is fruit forward and not overly sweet. NOMAhattan ($14) is your quintessential all spirit cocktail; you can get in trouble with this one if you knock it back too fast! The combination of sherry bitters and a torched orange peel creates this luscious flavor profile, and who would think to put sherry in a Manhattan?! This is genius.
Granted, the cocktails here run a lil pricier than the avg. at $12-14 but you can really taste the difference in quality. Branden Beasley, Bar Manager of Union Social crafted the entire cocktail menu to reflect what was available during the railcar era. Beasley is adding bitters, or sherry for depth and utilizing the flavorful oils (found in the skins of real fruit) to round out that something you didn’t even realize was “missing”. These variations on classics, you would expect to find at PX or 2 birds one stone, but without having to wait in line or dress to the nines.
Since we planned to chat for awhile we decided we had to try the seared scallops ($14). You get two scallops to an order, and both were seared perfectly and decadently rich like butter.
“This drink is like the white wine of cocktails,” said my friend Sylvia (she had the Wheel Tapper) “it just makes the scallops taste better, or like the scallops make the drink taste better.”
Basically she was trying to say this was a great pairing! I gave the combo a try and I hate to admit it but she was totally right. I also think the Wheel Tapper cuts the richness of the farro risotto and cauliflower puree nicely. The only problem is well, not really a problem more just a lament…there just wasn’t enough of them!
That’s why we took another look at the menu and opted to try the long breads as they we surmised it would be an acceptable portion for us to share. We ordered the margherita longbread ($18) and the vegetarian longbread ($17) for the non pork eaters at the table. When they arrived I think our eyes collectively bulged out of our skulls for a second. They were gorgeous …and huge! The vegetarian was hands down my favorite the peppery arugula with the pickled onion and the bust of blistered tomato was heavenly. Combined with fresh moz and arugula pesto… I have decided this what I need more of in my life. The crust almost (but not quite) reminded me of a wood oven pizza. It had a nice crunch, with the proper amount of chew and was in no way dense.
“Mmmmmmm” was all you could hear out of the margherita eaters for a good 45 seconds. Then they began raving about how amazing was the red wine salami with the pomodoro sauce and buffalo moz. Elevated game day snacks anyone? I think that’s a resounding yes!
After talking about life and jobs, basically catching up from the months of barely hanging out we decided to take another crack at the menu.
I know! I know! The longbreads were huge, but they were like a snackable sharing plate. Besides, the guys decided they wanted to have them as munchies while watching the game tomorrow. More power to them, I perused the menu to try and figure out what to order.
We collectively decided to each order something different to maximize our dining pleasure. The server who has been super awesome the entire time attending to our needs, before we knew we had a need made some solid recommendations, so we went with it.
I opted for the roasted chicken ($25); sounds boring I know but I have a love affair for faro so don’t judge me!
I was pleasantly surprised by the presentation, it was stunning. The chicken skin I could tell was nice and crisp, like a cracklin before I even tried it. The sauce that surrounded it smelled herbaceous and rich. When I plunged in, I was floored. I love the simplicity and complexity that is this dish.
Chef Randy Mosteller and his team skillfully transformed an often flavorless cut of meat into an extraordinary entrée. And that sauce though! I had to know what it was; I mean I kept immersing pieces of chicken into this sauce… I’m weird, I know and that’s ok.
Chef Mosteller was gracious enough to answer my burning question about the sauce. Turns out it’s his mother’s recipe, which he learned many moons ago, and continues to use. It goes to show some things that are classic and from the heart, pack more flavor than all the food gastronomy in the world.
Vinny went for the lamb burger ($16), and it was cooked nicely to his specified preference of Medium. It had a nice line of pink throughout with good carmelization on top. But for me, the best part about this burger was the harissa aioli. This stuff is so good, Chef Mosteller should seriously think about bottling it and selling it in the restaurant.
The flavors are spot on, having traveled extensively and tasting authentic homemade harissa on its own…I was stunned how well Chef Mosteller married it so distinctively into an aioli.
This is what more chefs should do, put a piece of their story into their dishes, but I digress…back to the good stuff.
My other companions went for seafood. Sylvia decided her life would not be complete until she had the chilled Rappahannock oysters ($17). Luckily the oysters were as delicious as she had hoped; nice and sweet yet slightly briny, the fresh horseradish and housemaid mignonette she commented really brightened the mild flavor.
Dave decided to try the DC Brau Mussels ($18) served with house made focaccia, and being the pickle fiend that he is, could not resist the lure of the fried pickles. The pickles were great; I just prefer my fried pickles to be thicker. The portion was so generous it’s completely reasonable not to care much how thin they are. The shell is nice and crunchy with light fennel essence; and the buttermilk roulade is the perfect foil to the dill flavor of the pickles.
The DC Brau Mussels must’ve been epic because Dave was practically drinking the broth. He reported the grapefruit; garlic and red pepper flakes were nomilicous. Yes. Those words.
The dessert menu was offered, and although tempted I declined I was so stuffed and besides there was one more cocktail I wanted to try. It’s called the Bustitution ($13) and is an old fashioned, which are classic go to drink but this one is different. The substitution of cognac and rye make it both sweet and spicy, it totally changes the flavor profile of this drink!
Sylvia on the other hand was had sneakily saved room to try the Pot De Crème with Graham cracker streusel, and another cocktail. I think saying both were yummy is an understatement. The Gandy Dancer ($12) she tried is an interpretation of a French 75, except better. Mental Note: this is so light and refreshing it would make for a fantastic brunch cocktail.
We had such a wonderful time over two hours passed and we didn’t even realize it! Union Social’s staff was so friendly and attentive throughout our entire meal. They were completely hospitable, offering suggestions, checking in, answering questions and providing the back-story to the restaurant.
The food- both produce and meats are locally sourced and expertly prepared by Chef Mosteller and his team. The servings vary, some are reasonable, while others are very generous. This is the perfect place to hang out with friends, or even take a first date. DC needs more neighborhood spots like this.