Sophisticated Spanish luncheon in DC: The Saga by Enrique Limardo

On a bright and brisk spring day today, I headed to DC’s Ritz-Carlton to learn about travel in Madeira, Portugal. Because it’s not easy to find a Portuguese restaurant — even in such a global capital — we ate at a Spanish restaurant, The Saga by Enrique Limardo. It was my first experience at DC’s The Seven Reasons Group, a hospitality expert.

I got there very early from Baltimore — better early than late. They were on their “Morning Menu,” which you can think of as a brunch menu, because they have both the sweeter, more breakfasty things and more savory lunch items. I enjoyed a coffee while waiting, in a lounge area that had lots of “coffee table” books and flat screen tvs to keep up with the news. Well, after all, that’s the industry of DC!

In the daytime, dress was pretty much business casual. With high windows, there’s lots of natural light. The decor is modern, but with enough color as to not be sterile.

You might not think of fish for a business lunch, but you should! I ordered the Branzino a la Veracruzana (Half), a specialty of the restaurant. It had shallots, olives, parsley, roasted potatoes, fried green plantain, roasted tomatoes, smoke. It had been many years since I had branzino and this was very well prepared. It was grilled until the skin was extra crispy, which is exactly what you want. Nobody wants flabby fish skin!

It’s a very sweet fish, almost like a shellfish. So, the sweeter sauce involving the starchy fruit of plantain and tomatoes (remember, they are a fruit, too!) went perfectly with the branzino. Like, you wouldn’t have this sauce and accompaniments with a strong bluefish, for example.

Since I was busy watching a presentation and also contributing to the discussion, I appreciate that this dish was plated in a way that didn’t involve too much cutting or digging around. These folks know that movers and shakers want to eat a beautiful meal without having a bunch of complications. Portions were just right.

I couldn’t pass up the temptation for dessert. Creme Brulee’ is the sweet version of what roast chicken and omelettes are to chefs: simple, but quite a challenge to do well. Well, we had a winner here!

The custard was caramelized without being char-burnt. Did I notice a trace of lemon zest adding excitement? It was garnished with magazine-perfect strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries, along with fresh mint. I grow mint at home — trust me, it’s hard to get this good-looking a mint leaf!

Hopefully, this gives you a feel of the cuisine at The Saga. If you’re headed there on business, it adds to your confidence to “know” what things are like on the menu.