We may just be piling on here, but these three shareables are sure to satisfy food enthusiasts
Sure you can have standard raw bar offerings at Addie’s—such as raw oysters and clams on the half shell, shrimp cocktail and chilled lobster tail—but be adventurous and choose from among 20 other hot and cold items to build your own five-, seven- or nine-item seafood tower. Among the goodies displayed on beds of ice on a three-tier stand: smoked mussels with sherry vinegar; Maryland blue crab salad; grilled oysters with garlic chili butter; hackleback caviar on a crispy potato cake; and tuna poke with smoked uni aioli.
12435 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac; 301-340-0081; addiesrestaurant.com
When it comes to the french fries versus onion rings debate, many people fall squarely ringside. Indulge that habit at Stanford Grill, which offers a tower of eight to 10 thick onion rings. The onions are soaked in buttermilk, coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried to a heavenly crunch. Alternate dipping them in their two accompaniments—ketchup and chipotle mayo.
2000 Tower Oaks Blvd., Rockville; 240-582-1000; thestanfordgrill.com
We scaled the Meat Mountain for two at Urban Butcher, where chef Raynold Mendizabal offers a surfeit of grilled meats served atop a campfire grill with wood burning beneath it. The mountain includes a 60-plus-day dry-aged rib-eye steak; ground lamb patties; house-made chicken sausages; a heritage breed pork chop; and just to make sure you get some vegetables in your diet, buttery potato purée and charred broccolini.
8226 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring; 201-585-5800; urbanbutcher.com
