St. Regis Restaurant Been There, Eaten That review

A new year has commenced, and with it the inevitable resolutions to eat less and work out more. On January 2, I opened my Weight Watchers app for the first time in months and started tracking food points. So, if you are one of those people who are in a reduced food mode right now, I am with you. Sort of. Maybe. I’m not sure. I blame my befuddled state on brunch at the St. Regis Restaurant. After dining here, I believe that pampering oneself is a resolution far more practical than deprivation.

There is no denying that the buffet + entrée jazz brunch at the St. Regis Restaurant is an exercise in indulgence. Perhaps exercise is an inappropriate word in this context.

The St. Regis Hotel is a landmark on the corner of 16^th Street and K Streets Northwest. Built in 1926, the hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The hotel, and its restaurant, exudes elegance and sophistication. The restaurant has been through a few iterations in recent years. It was Adour. Then it was Decanter. And now it is known simply as the St. Regis Restaurant.

The dining room features sleek chrome and leather furniture, contrasted with crystal chandeliers, fantastic carved wood ceilings, and sophisticated tones of white, gold, black, and taupe. The bar is more ornate, with rich leather sofas and crimson accents.

Sunday brunch features a jazz duo performing with just the right volume and energy to add a festive element to the atmosphere. Brunch is $59 per person, which includes the full buffet and an entree. For an additional $20 there is a Bloody Mary Bar, or you can build your own mimosa.

Brunch stations are distributed throughout the bar and restaurant, each with a special focus. Cold seafood, cheese, breads, and charcuturie are handsomely displayed on the bar.

A salad station is comprised of an array of fresh and flavorful vegetable-focused combos including kale and quinoa with diced butternut squash; beet salad with apples, fennel, and candied pistachios; seared tuna with grilled eggplant tapenade; and ceviche with seafood and avocado.

Another table is covered with hot appetizers- the most notable being silver chafing dishes with spicy shakshuka and cast-iron tureens of beluga lentils with kabucha squash.

My eyes roam to the colorful dessert table, but after taking turns at each of the other stations it’s now time to order an entrée from the menu. Yikes, it’s hard to think about more food at this point, but fried chicken and waffles with bourbon maple syrup is enticing. I give in to the urge to extend the splurge.

It is quite possible to enjoy brunch at the St. Regis Restaurant without going overboard. There are a variety of healthy options at the buffet stations, and an entrée of snapper a la plancha with English peas, roasted corn, fennel, and citrus jus maintains a lighter profile.

Back to the dessert station. There is a beautiful bowl of fresh fruit, or …. what the hell at this point…. lovely mini-desserts including macarons, cheesecake, pear almond tarts, tiramisu, and more.