A QUESTIONABLE TROPICAL FLOWER
Hibiscus Cafe
[from April 1998 issue]

Any restaurant with the name "hibiscus" must have some tropical class, and the Hibiscus Cafe in Georgetown is no exception. Its decor is snappy and hard-edged with just enough tropical flora and fauna to give the place a jungle sensation. And some of its dishes shine with a tropical sort of brilliance. But not every menu item rings true, and the service, frankly, is as slow as molasses--another tropical product, and taking the South-of-the-border attitude of "manana" to the limit.

Self-described as offering "nouvelle" or "Caribbean-inspired" cuisine, Hibiscus Cafe is really neither fish nor fowl. And considering the earthy glories of true Caribbean food--what's the matter with a lusty goat curry roti, for example?--the chef at Hibiscus sells himself short.

Just think about the Caribbean restaurants, such as Addie Green's The Islander on U Street--minus glitzy decor but offering food bubbling over with flavor and texture--and you must wonder why the chef didn't take her cue and settle on the real thing. Of c ourse, it's possible that he figured that not many city folk would thrill to curried goat or oxtail or to the fire of authentic jerk chicken--or even to sides of mashed sweet potatoes, steamed greens, and fried plantains, all ready for a dousing in hot pepper sauce--but let's bet they would. (Ed. note: The Islander was the subject of an InTowner review in May 1997. It can be read on our web site, http://www.intowner.com.)

As nouvelle cuisines go, however--and this means a minimalist approach to creating dishes that reflect their origins--the offerings of Hibiscus are flavorful enough. At a recent dinner, Robert and I tucked into appetizers meant to suggest the tropics but that really seemed like Southern home-style food. Our six seafood fritters come as fried rounds of dough, or dumplings, but the insides were not cooked through and we decided this appetizer needed much more dipping sauce to perk up the flavor. The Peppa Shrimp Hibiscus, on the other hand, were more successful, though too few in number--four shrimp, to be exact, heads and tails still intact and served with a just-right red chili dipping sauce. The shrimp were really good, and we might well have fought over them, but decided not to. Other appetizer choices include: spinach and crabmeat soup, jerk chicken salad, jerk Buffalo wings, and fried calamari.

Since the service is so slow, you'll wish you had some bread to munch on between courses, and you can order it, of course, for a price. The restaurant's special bacon bread resembles a focaccia, but with a sweetish flavor and nothing much that tasted like bacon. Or maybe the waiter said "Bakin'" bread.

Entrees range from pizzas--vegetarian or chicken pineapple--to smoked rack of lamb and a decidedly non-Caribbean-sounding filet mignon. We selected instead their chicken breast fillets stuffed with crabmeat--a good choice, all in all, with plenty of peppery flavors and sweet pineapple relish--and the Creole gumbo, the one dish that really smacked of tropical cooking. Served in a deep soup bowl, this amply portioned entree contains coconut milk as the base of a rich broth, and with loads of seafood and, oddly enough, noodles. Noodles? Its flavor grows on you, despite the noodles, and that's a mark of good cooking.

Desserts are in order, if you can wait around for them--we almost didn't. Your choices here include bread pudding, two different cheesecakes, and something called Ginger Pot Pie, which is nothing more than a gingery creme brule with a crunchy sugar crust and a garnish of a thinly sliced strawberry.

If you come not yearning for a dose of Caribbean chilied fire served up with your shrimp or lobster, you will find this Georgetown eatery a pleasant escape from the rigors of M Street. It's down by the water, and since little else is around, parking will not be a problem. So enjoy.

Hibiscus Cafe, 3401 K St. (202) 965-7170. Open for dinner only, Tue.-Sunday. Reservations suggested. Price range for entree: $9 to $18.50. Ask about the special Chef's Table nights. Major credit cards accepted.