Gravitas
Washington, USA
⭐1 Star
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Chef Matt Baker is luring diners to Ivy City with this gorgeous spot, which transforms local products into modern, deeply complex items. The décor pays homage to the place's industrial bones with exposed brick and stark walls, softened by greenery. Fine service and an open kitchen enhance the appeal.Set menus are available with three, four, and six courses to choose from, along with some supplements. Wonderful yellowfin sashimi comes with a complex soy vinaigrette while the tagliatelle with sweetbreads in a pork and pancetta ragu with brown butter cream and sun chokes is a standout. For dessert, it has to be his riff on a Butterfinger with salted caramel, peanut butter nougat, chocolate cremeux, salted caramel ice cream, and candied peanuts.
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Unique / Unconventional Things About Gravitas, Washington
1. The Conservatory: A Seasonal Rooftop Urban Culinary Garden
Gravitas features The Conservatory, a seasonal rooftop bar and lounge designed as an urban culinary garden. This space offers a rotating menu of vibrant dishes and handcrafted cocktails that celebrate the flavors of spring and summer. It provides a sensory-transporting experience with a view, making it a distinctive feature beyond the main dining room.
2. Limited 15-Course Chef’s Counter Experience
In addition to the standard 4-course and 6-course tasting menus, Gravitas offers a very limited number of 15-course tasting menus each week exclusively at the chef’s counter. This intimate, chef-driven experience is available only for parties of two, providing a unique and immersive way to engage with the culinary process and the chef’s creativity.
3. Takeout Menu Inspired by Staff’s Immigrant Families and Cultures
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gravitas adapted by offering takeout and delivery, but with a novel twist: instead of focusing solely on Chef Matt Baker’s own cooking, the takeout menu drew inspiration from the immigrant families and cultures of his staff. This approach was unconventional for a Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant, reflecting a creative and inclusive response to challenging times.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at Gravitas, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Washington, reflect its focus on seasonal, local, and Chesapeake Bay-sourced products. Key ingredients include:
Duck Breast: Featured in dishes like Honey Lacquered Duck Breast with chestnut purée and cherry jus, showcasing rich, savory flavors balanced by sweet and earthy accompaniments.
Foie Gras: Used in combination with stewed beluga lentils, glazed apple, and Calvados jus, foie gras adds luxurious richness and depth to the dishes.
Uni (Sea Urchin): Incorporated in a linguini with uni cream, steamed mussels, red chili, and garlic breadcrumbs, uni provides a creamy, briny, and umami-packed element that highlights the restaurant's seafood focus.
Lobster: Featured in hand-rolled gnocchi with roasted squash and sage beurre rouge, lobster adds a sweet, tender seafood component that elevates the pasta dish.
Yellowfin Tuna: Served as yellowfin sashimi with a complex soy vinaigrette, this ingredient exemplifies Gravitas's dedication to fresh, high-quality seafood from local waters.
These ingredients are significant as they emphasize Gravitas's commitment to seasonal, locally sourced produce and seafood from the Chesapeake Bay watershed, crafted into modern, complex dishes that balance richness, freshness, and texture.