Indulge me while I wax poetic about the bread at The Grove, a lovely upscale Mediterranean restaurant that opened in Cabin John Village in November. Chef Jose Lopez-Picazo imports his pan de cristal from a bakery in Barcelona; it’s known as glass bread because its high hydration (meaning more water than flour) results in a light loaf with enormous air bubbles and thin, crispy crust that shatters when you break it. Think of it as an ethereal, highly evolved form of gossamer-like ciabatta. To finish this Catalan specialty, Lopez-Picazo slathers slices of toasted bread with Spanish garlic, grated peeled fresh tomatoes, a hefty drizzle of Spanish Arbequina olive oil and a sprinkle of Maldon salt, the amalgam soaking into the bread like gravy. It’s served with a pintxo (little snack) skewer of anchovies, piquillo pepper, pickled guindilla pepper, an olive and a cornichon. On the side is a spoonful of sobrasada, a luxuriant Mallorcan spread of raw, cured ground pork laden with Spanish paprika. Heap it on the crystal bread and take a bite of heaven.
The only DMV place I’ve had pan de cristal just as good as The Grove’s is at Del Mar in Washington, so it’s not surprising that Lopez-Picazo, 67, was that Spanish fine-dining restaurant’s opening chef. He also worked for José Andrés at Jaleo in D.C. starting in 1998, then opened that restaurant’s Bethesda outlet in 2002 and Crystal City outlet in 2004. Stints in Las Vegas working for renowned chef Julian Serrano followed, first at Julian Serrano Tapas in the Aria Hotel, then at Picasso in the Bellagio Hotel, which earned two Michelin stars during his tenure. He returned to the DMV in 2017 for the Del Mar position. Alexandria-based Common Plate Hospitality group tapped him to helm its first Maryland operation, The Grove; the company opened The Heights food hall in Friendship Heights in December.
Ben Webne of HGA architects designed the 4,000-square-foot space, which seats 151 inside, including 22 at a large bar, and 35 outside. Brooklyn-based Raven Hollow Guild is responsible for the interior, an “urban indoor environment” (hence the restaurant’s name) with a profusion of faux cherry and apple blossoms cascading from the ceiling or attached to birch trees surrounded by beds of faux roses in various shades of pink and red. The giant rose motif is repeated on white brick walls, one of which bears the words, “Let it Bloom.” Mission accomplished!
Lopez-Picazo, a Burtonsville resident, clearly reveres letting high-quality ingredients speak for themselves, coaxing maximum flavor out of them with refined technique and presenting them attractively. This is refined but not avant-garde cooking that is just up to date enough to not feel old-fashioned, except, maybe, for an overreliance on foams, a flourish of yesteryear.
A starter of six oysters poached in white vermouth, each perched in Chinese spoons and topped with hollandaise sauce and Osetra caviar, may not be the newest idea, but they are certainly delicious in their juxtaposition of richness and brininess. His take on burrata is to first infuse the creamy orb of buffalo milk mozzarella overnight with sliced black truffles, then smoke it slightly and serve it on top of corn cream flavored with guanciale (cured pork jowl), finishing the dish with a ring of bright green herb oil and a savory latticework cookie crown made from porcini powder and squid ink. The truffle’s earthiness, the smokiness, the sweetness and dairy richness conspire to make something hackneyed—yet another burrata offering—invigorating.
The same can be said for ubiquitous tuna tartare with avocado, except that Lopez-Picazo’s is a stunner. It’s a long, precisely formed rectangle, two-thirds of it sushi-grade big-eye tuna mashed with a fork and seasoned with nothing more than a sprinkling of Maldon salt, the other third mashed avocado enhanced only with lemon juice and salt. It’s a high-wire act dependent solely on the inherent flavor and texture of its two main ingredients. Around the tartare is a simple dressing of soy sauce, bonito flakes, uzu, olive oil, rice vinegar, ginger and lemongrass, a foil that adds the right touch of saltiness, acid, richness and sweetness. Taro chips serve as conveyances for the tartare.
Simplicity rules the day with ceviche, too, where cubes of pristine snapper garnished with blood orange segments, aji amarillo (Peruvian yellow peppers) and pickled shallots dance with a sauce of passion fruit, honey, ginger, lime juice and olive oil poured tableside.
I appreciate that The Grove’s generous entrees come fully composed with a starch and vegetables rather than forcing diners into side dish up-sell territory. The crispy skin on expertly cooked medium-rare duck breast has been completely rendered of its fat (that inedible rubber band of thick white fat on duck breast is a major pet peeve) and comes with a wedge of confited potatoes, broccolini, celery root puree and blood orange demi-glace. Halibut, encrusted with crispy, thin, roasted potato “scales” is also cooked just right—moist, flaky and toothsome, complemented but not overwhelmed by its accompanying rings of lightly fried calamari, steamed cockles, roasted cherry tomatoes and yellow pepper sauce.
People who avoid ordering chicken because they can make it at home would be erring at The Grove, missing out on Lopez-Picazo’s riff on Spanish chilindron (stew); his is a succulent breast cooked sous-vide, then seared (to crisp the skin), roasted, and paired with a hearty red pepper and tomato sauce. (I could do without the foam.)
The Grove offers many tasty craft cocktails (some, such as the gin, honey and tea-based Bees Tees, tend to the sweet side) and an intriguing wine list curated by sommelier Julia Ollar, who happily makes helpful suggestions, such as the delightful 2023 St. Innocent Pinot Noir from Oregon’s Willamette Valley we savored. It paired particularly well with braised lamb shank served in a glass cloche and opened at the table to reveal whiffs of smoke that lightly kiss the tender meat.
For dessert at The Grove, I’m a fan of creamy cheesecake that Manchego cheese imbues with a subtle, salty tang nicely balanced by the sweetness of an apricot marmalade topping. I’m not sure why churros at most DMV restaurants are subpar, but count The Grove’s dry, lackluster ones among them. Opt instead for a spheroid of chocolate topped with gold foil; break into it to reveal tiramisu of ladyfingers soaked with espresso and amaretto and layered with mascarpone cream. It’s just one of the many surprises the talented Mr. Lopez-Picazo has up his sleeve.
David Hagedorn is the restaurant critic for Bethesda Magazine.
This story appears in the March/April issue of Bethesda Magazine.