A SINGLE MAN
Haidar Karoum is one of those quietly exceptional chefs in town who hasn’t garnered a ton of publicity for his work at places like Doi Moi, Proof and Estadio. Granted, he won a RAMMY for chef of the year a few years ago, and for good reason: He’s truly gifted in the kitchen with ingenious instincts. The spotlight has now shifted squarely on Karoum, as he opens Chloe – his first solo project. The Navy Yard 103-seater, located in the new luxury residential property known as Arris, doesn’t disappoint. The menu is a brilliant commingling of Eastern and Western fare. Look for standouts like masa soup (poached duck egg, guajillo chile, cotija cheese, fried garlic and lime); russet potato gnocchi (smoked king oyster mushrooms, kale, black pepper, pecorino); and crispy whole sea bream with tomatillo salsa verde. Karoum’s Lebanese roots, combined with a focus on Mid-Atlantic sourcing, provide an eclectic culinary passage – and no doubt leading to more notoriety for this superstar in the making.
1331 Fourth St. SE, 202-313-7007, restaurantchloe.com
-Michael McCarthy
