Much like pandas and football, mussels are slowly but surely becoming an obsession among D.C. natives.
The mollusk gained popularity in 2007 with the opening of Robert Wiedmaier’s Brasserie Beck and is now featured prominently on the menu of Wiedmaier’s most recent culinary venture, Mussel Bar.
Modeled after Wiedmaier’s favorite Belgian bistro, Mussel Bar features over 100 types of beer, frites, salads, pastas, hot sandwiches, wood-fired “tarts” and of course, mussels. The “Blue Bay” Prince Edward Island mussels come in nine different varieties, including red Indonesian curry with peanut essence, Provencal with tomatoes, garlic, capers and basil and wild “shroom,” with pancetta, Parmesan and truffle cream.
For newcomers, the classic is the best place to start: with a savory blend of garlic, shallots, sauvignon blanc and a dollop of fresh cream, these mussels will please any palette. The aroma is mouthwatering. Sure, you will taste and smell like garlic for days, but the sweet, plump mussels and the intense wine flavor make it all worth it.
While the mussels dominate the menu, the true stars of the place are the frites. They’re a gourmet take on the classic french fry, lightly battered and fried deep golden brown until they’ve died and gone to heaven. The frites come in either classic or vanilla sweet potato, and are paired with a trio of mayonnaise dipping sauces. Make like a true Belgian and try the mayos, as they complete the mussel-frite experience.
While it is now standard to serve more than one choice of entrée on a menu, Mussel Bar should have stuck with what it does best. The salads, sandwiches and tarts are treated as mere afterthoughts (food critic Tom Sietsema of the Washington Post panned them in a particularly scathing review), only offered to those who don’t prefer the menu’s signature item. The pork belly and mussel, tomato and Gruyere tart is uninteresting and the uninspired steak-frites should really only be executed across the street at Mon Ami Gabi.
The desserts menu is perhaps the most disappointing of all: with only four selections to choose from (two of which are different ice creams), it’s a course worth skipping. However, the pasta carbonara, with combination of nutty Parmesan, salty pork belly, bucatini pasta and a poached egg is delicious. Skip the other lackluster dishes and try the pasta with an order of frites on the side. Mussel Bar also serves breakfast, featuring crepes and omelets, but with the absence of mussels, there’s really no point.
Unfortunately, the atmosphere at Mussel Bar doesn’t compensate for its lackluster entrees. Don’t expect to carry on a conversation with anyone if you hit Mussel Bar around dinnertime or happy hour, as the young bar crawlers are obnoxiously loud. Try experiencing Mussel Bar on an early Friday evening or a late lunch on Saturday, when the crowds part and the service is on par.
The prices aren’t all that great, either. The $16 mussels and frites combo are well worth the price, but the tarts and entrees go for a stiff $15 each. The selection of beers is vast (this underage reporter was unable to taste any of the brews), but the going rate for a glass is around $7. Our recommendation? Head to Mussel Bar for an afternoon bite, order a large bowl of steamed mussels and enjoy the peace and quiet.
kholliday@theeagleonline.com
