The Iron Gate (DC - DuPont)

A variety of unflattering and often contradictory reviews had kept The Iron Gate low on my list of restaurants to try. Finally, with the first wave of cool autumnal air bringing relief from the heat and humidity that come with living in a swamp, I decided to give it a try.

The Iron Gate is tucked in just South and East of DuPont Circle and from the outside, looks like a brightly lit alley way. At the end of the alley, you turn right, and the space opens up to reveal a gorgeous little private garden nestled beneath a canopy of grape vines and wisteria. Trickling fountains, stained glass lanterns and votive candles complete the setting, which completely transports diners from the hustle and bustle of city living.

We studied the menu while we enjoyed bread and the house "butter" - a captivating mixture of chick peas, olives, sun dried tomatoes, fresh basil and capers. I could have eaten a bowl of this alone as a main course. What would ordinarily be bland hummus was brought to life with the inclusion of the deep sweetness of the sun dried tomatoes, the bite of the green olives, the metallic tartness of the capers and the mouth cleaning freshness of the basil.

The menu is an eclectic mix of Mediterranean, Continental and Latin influences. For example, how often are stuffed grape leaves, paté and gazpacho listed together as appetizer options?

We sampled the grape leaves, hummus, paté and gazpacho before diving into entrees that included seared tuna, lamb shank, Greek salad and "Cuban style" pork.

The grape leaves and hummus were neither here nor there - I have had both better and worse. The gazpacho was a little too thin for my taste, but was passable. The best thing that I can say about it is that it was NOT just tomato salsa run through a blender. Too many restaurants (and I blame the average American palate more than the chefs on the line) think gazpacho should be an overpoweringly strong mix of garlic and jalapeno. Then again, a light, refreshing, bland, cold soup probably doesn't sell that well (when was the last time you saw a restaurant 86 its vichyssoise?). The paté was served with traditional garnish (cornichon, toast, etc.) and was surprisingly good, but served too cold.

For entrees, I didn't really sample the Greek salad or the lamb shank, but the tuna and the "Cuban style" pork were both fairly good. The tuna arrived seared and still translucent in the center. It was lightly seasoned with olive oil and generally left to its own devices.

The "Cuban style" pork (previously recommended to me as a house specialty) was more accurately the "garlic" pork. An otherwise tough cut of pork was forced into submission by a long braising process that involved a lot of salt and several knobs of garlic. It was a unique dish that I enjoyed, but is not for the timid or weak of stomach.

I think you will find me back at the Iron Gate when the weather warms up again this spring. It is such a lovely setting that I will give its eclectic, mediocre food a pass. I will be the guy with a chilled bottle of wine, a basket of bread and a bowl of the house "butter."