Kinship, *, (Washington, DC)

Had dinner at Kinship in DC this weekend and it was a bit of a mixed experience. Some dishes were truly special, while a few things fell short of what I’d expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

Courses:
• LOBSTER FRENCH TOAST ($50) – English Cucumber, Asian Pear, and Toasted Sesame Mousse
• GRILLED MEDINA FARM SWEET POTATO – ($24)Graffiti Eggplant Marmalade, Pickled Peppers, Poached Shrimp, and Thai Curry
• PURÉE OF MEDINA FARMS BUTTERKIN SOUP ($18) – Madras Curry, French Green Lentils, and Cilantro Chiffonade
• KINSHIP ROAST CHICKEN ($70) – Lemon-Garlic Panade, Pommes Rissolées
• COCOA-PUMPKIN PIE ($16) – Valrhona Caramelia-Pumpkin Custard, Dark Chocolate Graham Cracker Crumble, Pumpkin Jam, Clove Ice Cream

The Lobster French Toast completely lived up to the hype. Rich, perfectly balanced, and easily the highlight of the night. It’s been a staple on their menu for years, and you can tell why. The sweet potato and butterkin soup were both beautifully done and felt very seasonally grounded and we loved the Thai flavors.

The roast chicken, on the other hand, was a letdown. While the skin was crisp and nicely cooked, it lacked flavor overall. We actually asked for some hot sauce to give it a bit more life, which isn’t something I expected to do at a $70 chicken dish.

Service was the real weak point. Things felt disorganized, and a few times food arrived well before the wine we’d ordered to pair with it. In one case the wine didn’t show up until about ten minutes later, which really threw off the flow of the meal.

Overall I’d give the food a 7 out of 10 and the service a 3 out of 10. The kitchen clearly has talent and the Lobster French Toast is worth going for alone, but between the pacing issues and uneven execution, it didn’t quite hit the level I was hoping for.