Mar 26, 2004  |  By: Michael Szimanski  | COMMENTS     

FOR THE PAST 15 years, the aptly named Park Café on Capitol Hill has thrived by itself on Lincoln Park, near Eastern Market, away from the hustle of Pennsylvania Avenue.

If you’ve ever driven by and looked in on its floor-to-ceiling windows at the white tablecloths and gleaming stemware, you’ve probably said, “I must try that place sometime.” The restaurant is even more inviting in the spring and summer when those windows become doors and open onto the sidewalk.

We arrived at this sophisticated, contemporary restaurant at 8:15 on a recent Saturday night and were immediately greeted and seated. Park Café’s décor and colorful South American artistic theme should put the most discriminating patrons at ease.

A new rating system for restaurants in Washington ought to include points for how they handle water-contamination concerns. A server asked whether we wanted bottled or tap; we made the obvious choice and were charged a relatively fair price ($6) for a very large bottle of imported water.

In addition to bottled water, take a look at the wine list, and don’t be afraid to ask the owner, Alcione Vinet, to escort you to the basement after you’ve decided on your entrée. Once there, he’ll let you poke through the dusty bottles with him and offer you a reasonable price for some unusual and limited vintage wines. You’ll walk upstairs with your pick in hand, like you’re back from the hunt.

THE CAPITOL HILL restaurant’s menu seems simple, with only six appetizers and six entrees. The waiter said the menu, which previously had a South American theme, became more continental in January with the addition of chef Gustaf Marbrouk, formerly of Nectar at the George Washington University Inn and the Charlie Palmer Steak House.

Appetizers this night included: blue fin tuna tartar; mozzarella, basil, and proscuitto; Anjou pears with walnuts and blue cheese; a greens salad; risotto with wild mushrooms, Parmesan Reggiano, and chive oil; and a soup with roasted tomato and saffron broth with salmon and celery.

The risotto was plump and pleasant with fresh mushrooms, an herby, cheesy base and fresh Italian parsley sprinkled on top. The soup had a tomato base with a nicer selection of seafood than advertised on the menu, cooked vegetables, and a homemade breadstick infused with paprika and cheese.

The entrees were equally diverse and include: pan-seared Alaskan King salmon with braised endive and orange buerre blanc; “classic Spanish paella” with shrimp, scallops, mussels, chicken and wild boar sausage for two; oven roasted Australian rack of lamb, ratatouille and garlic potato croquettes; and caramelized Muscovy duck breast with pan-seared foie gras and an egg roll.

The lamb was as fine as you will find in D.C. — perfect, pink and flavorful. The three garlic potato croquettes were puffy little flavor bombs, filling and fun with the lamb.

The duck, however, was another story. It was very good, though no evidence of caramelization was visible and the sauce, a nice reduction of soy and rice vinegar, covered the spring roll but somehow prevented me from fully experiencing its flavors.

The desserts, all prepared in-house, included flan, chocolate mousse, an apple specialty and a fruit mixture. The mousse was served in a tall glass layered with a chocolate pudding-like layer and one of whipped cream with a hint of Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Even if it’s still too chilly for the restaurant to open the big glass doors to let the outside in, Park Cafe is intimate, yet spacious, any time of year, and you’ll still enjoy a view of one of D.C.’s prettiest parks.

Appetizers range from $10-$14; entrees, $18-$25; desserts, $8-$10.

Wines are $27 per bottle and up, or $7 by the glass.