Boundary Road Updates Tavern Classics | Washington DC

Just what should one expect to eat beneath chandeliers made from a wagon wheel and a repurposed box spring?

H Street's months-old Boundary Road serves a hip tavern menu that matches the style of the tall, brick-walled space.

The menu checks typical boxes–steak, pork, fish–then backs each dish with surprising details.

Start with chef Brad Walker's peppery pierogi ($10)–thin, wonton-like dumplings plumped with quark–which pair perfectly with a pint of crisp beer.

The chef's interpretation of meat and potatoes presents slices of grilled hanger steak ($22) tangled with spicy kale over a whipped chestnut purée.

Rosy seared salmon ($24) is tender and mild, particularly with a bounty of ramps and spring onions. The elusive wild alliums are also mixed into spaetzle, which add snap to the juicy locally sourced pork chop ($24).

By day, the restaurant is one of the neighborhood's few places to offer lunch. Opt for the charcuterie sandwich ($11), which piles mortadella, prosciutto, house-made pâté de campagne and nutty Cabot clothbound cheddar between grilled bread.

It's just another way that Boundary Road exceeds expectations.

Boundary Road, 414 H St. NE (at 4th St.); 202-450-3265 or boundaryrd.com