Description
Oddfellows Cafe & Bar is a dining hall for the Capitol Hill of today. Decorated in washes of nostalgia-gray-blue walls, scuffed wood tables, salvaged signs and portraits—it's Linda Derschang's most beautiful space yet, where old-timey cocktails served in Grandma's glassware look like they've always shared tablespace with MacBooks. During the day, the place operates as a counter-service cafe, and at night as a bar and restaurant. The food classes up basic American food without sparking class resentment. The simple mac and cheese looks circumspect yet has a surprising depth of flavor, and the crisp coating on the "pork nuggets" house a dense hunk of carnitas. For every plate of clams with chorizo the kitchen puts out, it assembles six BLTs and chicken-salad sandwiches. The braised pork shank and meatballs with pine nuts, currants, and polenta are popular, but the menu's also seasonal (the spring menu has a plethora of arugula, asparagus, and green peas, for example). Drinks flow with abundance—the full bar offers a small wine selection, specialty cocktails, canned and bottled beer, and Manny's Pale Ale and others on tap.
