Anyone who knows me knows i’m…kind of against tapas restaurants. I mean, $10-15 a plate for tiny portions? I am not made of money! Sometimes there are places that have so much hype, you just gotta try it. Over the years, I’d heard a lot of great things about Compass Rose, so we went to check it out.
Compass Rose is a restaurant off of 14th and T in D.C. in a brick row house. The decor and menu is a world-travel inspired theme, with colorful pillows and dishes, tapestries and decorations all over. Their menu is inspired by street food from various countries, and 2-3 plates per person are recommended – but I think this entirely depends on what you order. We ordered 4 dishes for 3 people, and were definitely full by the end.
They also have an extensive cocktail and drinks menu, featuring a lot of Georgian wine – which apparently is the oldest wine region in the world! We each had a glass of the Tsinandali, a white wine, which was nice. I have truly no expertise in this department, and i’m very much a order-the-cheapest-wine-on-the-menu type of gal – and this strategy did not disappoint here.
First up was the tiradito – which was a ceviche-like dish from Peru with a fish called barramundi, sweet potato, aji amarillo (a yellow chili sauce), red onion, cilantro and charred corn. I really liked this dish – it was fresh tasting but also had a tangy flavor from the sauce. The sweet potato chips and red onion added a nice crunch as well, i’d definitely have this again.
All three of our other dishes came out at once. The khachpuri is what Compass Rose is most known for – a Georgian flatbread filled with cheese, butter, za’atar, and an egg. The egg comes sitting on top of the cheese, and a waiter then mixes the egg with the cheese at the table. Very fun and interactive!
Think of this as…grownup cheesy bread! At first I really enjoyed this – but after a few more bites it was overwhelmingly cheesey for me. It needed more za’atar – or maybe if it was a tad smaller with a bigger crust, the balance would have been better. However, its still a fun dish, especially since Georgian food isn’t common here in D.C.
Next were the Baja Tacos – fish tacos with cabbage, pico de gallo, and chipotle crema. These were fine, but honestly nothing special. You can get better fish tacos at most Mexican restaurants, I wouldn’t use your money (or stomach space!) on these when there’s much more interesting options on the menu.
The (suprising!) standout here was the dish from Ireland, the Spice Bag. This was fried chicken, potatoes, peppers, and onions in Chinese five spice, served with spicy mayo. The chicken was juicy and really crispy. I always get scared with potato chunks, they can get really bland if they aren’t spiced and cooked well, but these were great, especially with the spicy mayo – it was a good balance with the onions and the peppers too. I would really come back just for this!
This was such a fun meal experience! I liked that there was a good variety of foods from all over the world, not just street food that is typical (i’m thinking samosas from India…the most overdone food. eye roll emoji) but a mix of recognizable and slightly off-the-beaten patch finds. The atmosphere is really lovely – a great date spot (or a friend date spot!!). I would recommend sharing here – since the dishes vary in size, order a few for your group and go from there. I would definitely be back to try the other spots on their menu – and their cocktails!
The Bottom Line
Really diverse menu selection in a cozy and fun atmosphere.
Cone Rating: 4 Stars
Price: $$ (20-30 per person, depending on # of dishes and drinks)
Location: U St Corridor, Washington, D.C.
aditi eats 