This weekend I stayed at the Gaylord Convention Center and Resort at the National Harbor and ate at the Old Hickory Steakhouse located right in the convention center. Long story short, I tried Beef Tartare for the first time. It was raw beef served over toasted brioche and topped with a quail egg. It was definitely worth trying. Especially if you're adventurous or have a tendency to order your steaks rare. You'll love this dish. The meat is soft and chewy and much more flavorful than you would expect of raw meat. The quail egg tasted like.... well egg. But it was little and gosh darn it, that's cute. If you eat here, I recommend you try the wedge salad. It was a beautifully prepared half a head of baby iceburg lettuce stuffed with Nueske's apple wood bacon, chopped egg, and a housemade Maytag blue cheese dressing. I've never had a salad arranged that way. As you know presentation is so very important. I finished my meal with a bowl of french onion soup which I found out is very hearty due to the tons Gruyere melted in it. The meal was very satisfying. And to add to things, I even had a waiter named Happy. If that doesn't just put a smile on your face, I don't know what will. It was a great experience. No surprise at about 60 dollars per person. So if you're ever in the National Harbor and you want to eat some place extremely fancy, make reservations at Old Hickory. I recommend pairing your beef tartare with a nice glass of cabernet sauvignon. Not only does it go nicely with beef but Happy recommended a delicious one for 12 dollars a glass. Remember to dress nicely, the small print on the menu even asks that you leave your cell phones with the hostess. As you can see by the picture of me below taken with my cellphone, the girl who ate Fredericksburg doesn't follow the "rules."
Thanks for reading my food blog. This is the girl who ate Fredericksburg, cellphoning where it ain't allowed. Don't judge me.
