The Washington - With A Flourish...

It seems that there is one word that I could use to describe the Washington Bar and Restaurant. One word that appeared repeatedly in my notes, while there to sample their wares. That word – chunky.

From the chairs, to the tables, the bar, the chips and right down to the napkins – it was all, chunky. And I mean that in the best possible way. I mean solid and substantial. You can trust chunky.

The Washington feels like it has been there forever. It feels lived in – again I mean that as positive. It is all low lighting and dark, chunky, wood. It is brown leather chairs and gold picture frames. The large windows invite you to come and watch the world go by and it feels like the bar staff would happily let you enjoy their view. Or, if you need a more secluded corner, for any reason that is entirely your business, they have those too.

It is not a trendy bar, it is a relaxed, friendly, welcoming bar, it is somewhere to drink and talk – two activities essential to human happiness.

Unfortunately I can't just indulge my near expert skills of the aforementioned activities, as I am here to sample something from the bars new menu.

It is an impressive list of options, with the all of the daily specials providing no small amount of option anxiety. The six options are all appetising, from the bacon and leek soup to the 'Chip Off The Old Block' – chips in chicken and barbecue sauce topped with cheese. In the end I go for for number 5, Sweet Mustard & Chicken Focaccia.

The moment it is set on my table I am stunned, it looks simply incredible. The sandwich, the bowl of coleslaw and a salad to shame all salads. And the smells – the sweet tang of the onion relish, the freshness of the salad – I am properly impressed.

I actually feel a little embarrassed at how impressed I was. While I try not to make assumptions, when a menu reads like fairly standard bar food, it is perhaps forgivable that assumption creeps in. But one thing I am frequently reminded of is just how those assumptions now are.

In a city brimming with top quality restaurants, any establishment that lingers on old staples, will quickly suffer for it. The Washington, I was pleased to find out, won't be one of those.

Now back to my focaccia... Quite simply, it was perfect. The bread was soft with a slight crispiness to the bite, matching perfectly the succulent chicken and onion relish inside. The sweet mustard and the oak aged cheese, of which there was the perfect amount, added some much flavour, without detracting from any other element. While not a fan of coleslaw, the dressing, which I tentatively dipped some chips in, was delicious. Thankfully, the same dressing, I think, had been drizzled over the accompanying salad.

It's funny, not that long ago I would have avoided the salad as well. But as I've mentioned in previous reviews, when doing this work I feel compelled to at least try a bit of everything. Perhaps it was the dressing, or perhaps my approach to food is finally getting beyond that of a picky child, but I found myself adding more and more of the salads to the sandwich – enjoying the beautifully fresh crunch. It was, for me at the very least, faultless.

I have but one complaint – the possibility that this won't be on the specials menu the next time I go in. Of course, that is tempered by the fact that if a simple chicken sandwich can be done this well, I can only imagine how good the other five options are.

Hornby

The Washington Bar & Restaurant can be found on Howard Street, in Belfast’s City Centre. For more information find them online at the link below.