Best New Modern Mezze

(March 2007)

By Warren Rojas

Some people loathe the small-plates-as-centerpieces phenomenon that has electrified the restaurant industry in recent years. But when done properly-as is the case at newcomer 100 King-a parade of pint-sized portions makes it easy to broaden your palate without necessarily thinning out your wallet.

This slick addition to the Lebanese Taverna empire may soon overshadow its homier parents, given its ability to sate fine-dining enthusiasts, wine aficionados and mezze lovers all under one roof. The classic white décor projects a minimalist cool throughout. Patrons have the choice of a bustling downstairs bar/lounge or the more reserved upstairs dining area.

Willard Room veteran Denis Soriano brings along an eye for detail and a passion for the exotic that elevates most plates, big or small, to potential crowd pleasers.

Shrimp Arak summons a gang of meaty crustaceans tossed in lemon juice and red onions. Mushroom fricassee produces a savory mass of wild mushrooms first slivered, then sautéed in garlic and olive oil. A duck confit teaser yields crispy skin and tender meat heaped atop a mound of spiced lentils. A generous pork loin chop basks in a snazzy fig sauce, bolstered by pancetta and chopped portobellos. Chilean sea bass brings a copper-colored filet that flakes with the mere flick of a tine, perched atop a nest of broccolini (a broccoli/Chinese kale hybrid that smacks of spaghetti squash).

Sweets are good, but an après dinner portion of Valdeón (knockout Spanish blue cheese) or Chevrot (creamy goat's milk cheese with honey notes) is even better.

(May 2006)

By Warren Rojas

Well-heeled gents drain $6 pints like water at the stylish bar. Elsewhere, a gaggle of fashionable girlfriends decide to make a night out of it by requesting several bottles of wine and an army of appetizers. So goes another evening at 100 King, a new addition to the Alexandria scene from the owners of the Lebanese Taverna.

While it may be tough to swing a couple of the so-called “larger plates” (prices range from $17 to $29 for marquee items like hybrid bass or the rack of lamb) at this burgeoning hot spot on a beggar’s budget, with careful maneuvering you can fill up on some tasty international tapas.

A polenta soufflé ($8) brings an airy cake floating atop a wave of savory mushrooms and molten blue cheese (light, but tasty). An order of gnocchi ($6), on the other hand, summons about a dozen hyperdense dumplings anointed with sage butter (satisfying). The duck leg confit ($11) is a beautiful piece of fowl—crispy skin, fatty flesh and tender meat that’s been cooked to perfection—resting on a bed of earthy lentils. The lamb kafta ($7) brings twin skewers stacked with juicy croquettes of lightly seasoned lamb, accompanied by a cooling yogurt-mint sauce. The much bolder Merguez sausage ($7) yields chewy links of spiced beef and lamb, served with drifts of mashed potatoes covered in brown gravy. Reluctant carnivores can enjoy the comforts of the compact goat cheese pizza ($7), a mini pie packed with ripe goat cheese (very good) and topped with slivers of Greek olives. The jibneh halloum ($8), a fried Middle Eastern cheese drizzled with olive oil and herbs that tastes as fluffy as a fresh-baked quiche, is equally satisfying.

You can also get a taste (roughly 3-ounce servings) of several wines for under $5. Otherwise, most glasses of wine and domestic beers start at about $6 a pop.