Red Ginger is unusually quiet for a Wisconsin Avenue restaurant, but don’t let the empty tables fool you: this Caribbean eatery is everything you could want in a restaurant, and then some.
The menu is an extensive collection of modern Caribbean choices with a range of meat, fish and vegetarian options fusing traditional flavors with French sauces. Jumbo lump Maryland crab cakes are served atop a hash of roasted corn, onion, asparagus, spinach and pumpkin, beside a deliciously refreshing lime-cilantro Tartar sauce. A fried cabbage, potato and onion hash appears with the classic Jamaican Jerk chicken lollipops—a sweet and spicy chicken leg broiled till moist and juicy.
The little details make a big difference. Red Ginger uses sweet vidalia onions and moist golden potatoes; the seafood is fresh—look for the crab meat-stuffed shrimp served alongside mango, spinach, and jicama (a starchy, savory, apple-textured vegetable). Side dishes enhance the meal; they are not just plate fillers. Spicy collard greens are stewed till soft without becoming mushy. The sweet potato mash tastes good enough to be dessert, but still complements the dinner items on the menu. Macaroni and cheese gets a tangy twist from goat cheese, and the quinoa (a tiny, pearled Aztec grain) pumpkin salad is vinegary and full of onions and herbs.
Even heavier items on the menu are not overwhelming. The tender beef short ribs served with greens, macaroni and goat cheese, and a rich red wine gravy is perfectly filling. The quality of the ingredients allows the dishes to be complexly spiced but not overwhelming. The walnut-crusted duck breast with the quinoa salad and a blood orange chipotle sauce subtly blends sweet and spicy.
Because everything on the menu looks so good, it’s helpful to talk to the staff about their recommendations. The waitress will chat with you rather than give formal, canned answers, and even if you are full, the comfortable atmosphere and soft hip-hop in the background will make you want to stay for dessert and coffee. Speaking of dessert, the mango cobbler, an odd marriage of New England winters and tropical beaches, is gingery and warming.
The wine list is well-priced and includes a selection of wines from all over the world, making Red Ginger the perfect place for a special meal as well as a casual dinner. Conversation flows freely in the cheery blue restaurant, but will stop the moment the food comes.
Red Ginger is located at 1564 Wisconsin Ave. For reservations call: 202-965-7009. Entrees range from $15 to $20.
