Sorry, Joe Biden, but there’s a new president in town. El Presidente opened at the start of September a few blocks from Union Market and just around the corner from Latin American market and food hall La Cosecha. Inspired by Mexico City’s vibrant culinary culture and restaurant scene, it’s the latest showpiece from restaurateur Stephen Starr, the powerhouse behind Le Diplomate, St. Anselm, the forthcoming D.C. location of Pastis, and a country-spanning portfolio of nearly 40 restaurants, including two Mexican hot spots: El Vez and El Rey. Corporate chef Andres Padilla and executive chef David LaForce oversee his latest D.C. concept.
The vibe here is trippy tropicalia brought to life with lush colors, plentiful plant life, and flourishes of magical realism: fish with giant eyes embedded in their sides, a desert mural highlighted by a scarlet mountain range and a wheeling raptor, wolves wearing leis. Drink enough of the artful cocktails—many arriving in fun glassware or with eye-catching garnishes—and you might believe you’ve fallen down the rabbit hole.
Like at Le Dip, you can start on a splurgey note with a seafood tower or put together an array of raw bar items, ranging from oysters and monster prawns to ceviche and hamachi aguachile with a spicy cucumber fennel lime broth. The shareable options continue with appetizers, including tortilla soup and mushroom-punctuated queso fundido. There are also three tlayudas, referred to as “giant Oaxacan tostadas”: one with chorizo and cheese, another with tomato, burrata, and nutty-spicy salsa macha, and a third inspired by New Haven white clam pizza.
Nachos are reimagined in a clever presentation, spread out across a pizza pan instead of piled, the toppings evenly distributed across the flat landscape. “That way, every chip is the perfect bite,” says Padilla. The Nacho Mama comes topped with black beans, salsa, pickled red onions, jalapenos, melted queso, and a cross hatching of sour cream. The Macho Nacho adds house-made chorizo into the mix. It’s interesting that the version with the feminine name is vegetarian, while the “manly” iteration features meat—I thought we’d come farther when it came to such tired stereotypes.
Guacamole arrives in a heavy black stone bowl with crackly tortilla chips on the side. Classic always satisfies, but it’s worth getting it El Presidente style, topped with creamy, shredded Maryland blue crab, which hides a fiery undertone.
They get playful with the tacos, such as those featuring grilled black cod served al pastor style with grilled pineapple in Oaxacan yellow corn tortillas. Another fun one: rashers of smoky thick-cut bacon glazed with barbecue sauce-esque salsa negra on a bed of black beans in blue corn tortillas. My favorite starred wands of mahi mahi coated with a crunchy layer of crumbled tortilla chips and complemented by chipotle remoulade, avocado, and red cabbage. They arrived tightly wrapped in flour tortillas, each daintily tied up tight with corn husk threads like a present waiting to be opened.
Although more than a dozen taco options are offered, either as twofers or shareable build-your-own platters, there is only one vegetarian choice: portobello mushroom, which my plant-based friends always gripe is an uninspired fallback. In fact, there are only a small handful of vegetarian entrees at dinner, including a whole roasted head of cauliflower with ancho-pine nut pipian sauce.
If you’re not in the mood for Mexican cuisine, don’t worry, there’s a burger. Served in the style of a torta, it arrives on a bun from sister operation Bread Alley, just around the corner, which provides breads, including the showstopping cranberry walnut sourdough at Le Diplomate, to all the D.C. STARR restaurants. To pretend this burger fits in with the rest of the menu, the patty comes dressed with poblano aioli and avocado, alongside the usual American cheese and iceberg lettuce.
Desserts are a real treat thanks to the deft skills of corporate pastry chef Fabrice Bendano, an industry veteran who last delighted local diners with his sugary magic at Le Diplomate. A golden puff of pate a choux comes packed with dulce de leche ice cream, its flavor intensified by the waterfall of warm dulce de leche poured tableside. The ready-for-Instagram gordita dulce is finished with pinole, ground roasted maize complemented by chocolate notes. Though everyone raves about the sundae, don’t sleep on tropically pumped panna cotta topped with a thick layer of passion fruit gelee and what the menu refers to as “exotic fruits” (strawberries, kiwi, and mango when I visited).
Currently, El Presidente is open for lunch and dinner. Brunch is on the horizon. Expect the normal menu, plus a few egg dishes and familiar faves, such as huevos rancheros.
El Presidente, 1255 Union St. NE. (202) 318-4820. elpresidentedc.com.