Range
Roasted Baby Carrot – Hazelnut, Honey, Goat Cheese
Kimchi Linguini – Uni, Scallop, Nasturtium
Old Bay Rigati – Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
Muscovy Duck Rillettes, Fig Jam, Baguette and Potted Foie Gras, Apricot Compote, Brioche
Iron Skillet Cornbread – Bacon Marmalade, Cheddar Jalapeno Biscuits – Pepper Jelly, Ciabatta – Smoked Cream Cheese and Strawberry Compote, Epi – Ranch Spiced Goat Cheese, Heirloom Tomato Focaccia – Old Bay Butter
Brussels Sprouts – Fish Sauce, Crispy Shallots
Anson Mills Stone Ground Grits
Caramel pot du crème – Pear, Fig, Almond Cake, Chocolate Stout
Cashew and Grape Donuts – Concord Grape Jam, Toasted Bread Ice Cream
Smores Rice Crispy Treat
Berry Almond Tart
he third restaurant from Chef Bryan Voltaggio and the first to stray from Frederick, Range captured my attention the moment I heard about the concept; a sprawling space within the Chevy Chase Pavilion featuring a modernist approach to regional cuisine utilizing multiple open kitchens each with their own independent focus on breads, fish, vegetables, salumi, and more. Clean in design with light woods, subtle lighting, and large windows looking out onto the mall below it is clear from the moment one enters the dining room that the focus here is on the kitchen and with servers well informed and happy to display their knowledge the surprisingly large menu becomes easier to navigate by asking a few questions, mostly relating to portion sizes, it was not long after seating that our order was placed and food began to arrive, coursed out at our request. Clearly the sort of restaurant where the menu encourages one to order more than logic would dictate necessary and pressed further by the presence of a jars and charcuterie section plus house made breads and spreads it was perhaps the simple consistency of our two hour visit to Range that impressed me the most, each item save for watery and acrid linguini perfectly executed and serving testament to allowing each kitchen to truly focus. From creamy foie gras and lobster laden macaroni and cheese to immaculate produce paired with ingredients to highlight and not hide, then onward to one of the best bread services in the country and a pastry kitchen to match Range may be a bit out of the way for tourists but from what I can tell the space seems quite popular with the suits in Northwest DC and I only wish more restaurants serving this caliber of lunch existed in other cities.
