There are many D.C. area eateries that claim to offer authentic “home cooking,” but a meal at Medium Rare near Residences on the Avenue is about as close as you can get to the real deal. At the helm of this restaurant you’ll find owner Mark Bucher, of BGR: The Burger Joint, and he started Medium Rare with a beautifully simple concept — simple, comfort food done right. To give you a sense of the menu, his signature dish is thinly sliced cap steak topped with light brown gravy atop a bed of golden fries — and that’s all. The food here is not only delicious, but also reasonably priced — for $19.50 you get a bread basket, a fresh, green salad, and the option of substituting a large grilled Portobello mushroom with red pepper sauce as your main course, but there are no soups, no appetizers, no specials, no fuss. Plus, Bucher encourages diners to request second and third helpings, if they’d like more, and they’re included in the price! If you have room after your second serving, peruse the dessert list — all choices are just $8 each — and it will likely be the toughest choice you’ll have all night. To round out the meal, there is a also a small, but well-rounded wine list, and all bottles pair remarkably well with the menu.

Medium Rare
3500 Connecticut Avenue NW
Cleveland Park Metro Station
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 237-1432
www.mediumrarerestaurant.com