Dining Guide

Wicked Butcher

On the basement level of a stunningly renovated 1929 building, this cozy-fancy steak palace infuses contemporary detail into an art deco setting. Pulling attention away from the decor, Rappahannock oysters demand focus on sweet plumpness and salinity, tempered beautifully with a mignonette hinting of serrano chile. Prime beef tartare, served with pickled mustard seeds, a lush raw quail egg, and bright micro-herbs, comes with freshly cooked potato chips for scooping. From a selection of dry-aged steaks, the thick, supple bone-in ribeye proves a winner, made somehow even better with red wine–shallot butter. Individual cast-iron dishes filled with crunchy hash browns and twice-cooked marble potatoes rather gild the lily, while broccolini with chile-spiced lemon seems rather less gluttonous.