spark engine 12

spark engine 12
1626 North Capitol St NW, Washington, DC 20002
tel: 202) 299-9128

what was consumed: all of the appetizers and the sides (and dessert!). we were so into them that we ended up not looking at the entrees, though the entrees looked pretty delicious as well! brisket sliders, crispy calamari, avocado beignets, fry bread, jerk wings, house smoked cheddar mac 'n cheese, a trio of sides (greens, cucumbers, and chick peas, i think) ... and ice cream push pops for dessert.

i used to drive up and down north capital and wonder what, if anything, would come into the old firehouse space. i always thought it'd be a great residence or, better yet, restaurant. so glad to see that spark engine 12 has made that come true, and that they stuck with the beautiful facade!

a bunch of us got together (one of whom is ethnically from the caribbean (i forget where, exactly - sorry!)), so we were excited to see what spark engine 12 had to offer. i will say, though, that the caribbean american friend did say that some of the dishes were just like her grandmother's cooking. that's always great to hear! be sure to make reservations - there was a bit of a wait by the time we finished our meal (we started eating on the early side).

my favorite things on the menu were probably the beignets and the mac 'n cheese. i mean, what's not to like? i do like that the beignets had avocado in them, so they produced quite a nice color (though i can't say the avocado flavor is strong). as for the mac 'n cheese, that's always good, right? but spark engine 12 used bucatini, allowing for all of the delicious cream and sauce to fill the noodles inside and out! and make sure to enjoy the spicy sauce that comes with your meal, or that you can order on the side. it's spicy and delicious.

oh, and don't forget dessert! we saw them bring out these push-pop-looking things and then proceeded to order quite a few for our table. the flavors are interesting and it's more mousse than ice cream (think could mousse). all the same, we enjoyed quite a few flavors and polished all of them off. YUM.

looking for some caribbean inspired food? definitely check out spark engine 12! can't wait to go back and try more of their offerings!

online: sparkat12.com