★★★★☆

$$$

Located several blocks down M Street is Unum, a small, trendy restaurant that specializes in contemporary American cuisine. The establishment is owned by Executive Chef Phillip Blane and his wife, Laura Schiller, who strive to create a cozy neighborhood spot that also offers consistently wonderful food. The menu features regional and international spins on familiar dishes, and there are many intriguing options available. Unum draws its name from the popular Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “Out of many, one.” Both the central philosophy of the restaurant and the food that it brings to the table seek to reflect the many places, people and experiences combined to create cohesive individual entities.

My friends and I visited Unum as part of D.C.’s Winter 2015 Restaurant Week. Unum’s Restaurant week offering was a three course prix fixe menu for about $35. Patrons could select an appetizer or mini charcuterie plate, two mini entrees and a dessert or small cheese plate – essentially a four-course meal. Between the four of us trading bites, we were able to sample a significant portion of the menu, so the food at Unum deserves a generally praise-worthy rating.

To start off, I selected the lobster bisque which was enjoyable but a little bland. Only a small amount of lobster floated in the middle of the creamy broth, and this was the singular highlight of the dish. In contrast, the mortadella meatballs with fig jam that my friend ordered was one of the star dishes of the evening. The rich spiciness of the jalapenos in the meatball was tamed by the smooth parmesan cheese and fruitiness of the jam to create a perfectly balanced flavor combination. The charcuterie plate was impressive as well, and came complete with classic accoutrements. The firm bra duro cheese and black truffle salami that we ordered were certainly a solid way to start a quality meal.

The rosemary gnocchi entree was a lot to take in. Butternut squash, beech mushrooms, Brussel sprout petals and cranberries initially seemed to compete for the diner’s attention. In the end, however, the colorful plate was also a successful blend of flavors that added layers of complexity and texture to the simple potato pasta. I was blown away by the pan seared duck breast entrée. Expectations were far exceeded by the flavorful and perfectly cooked slices of duck that were served over a roasted sunchoke puree and garnished with kale, figs and kumquat chutney. Others tried the sesame crusted sea scallops, which were purportedly well-cooked and tasty. The boneless short rib pasta was another table favorite and came complete with tender beef and baby root vegetables.

Dessert choices we opted for were the blackberry-apple crisp and the ricotta beignets. We were all very full at this point, yet still managed to finish off the yummy desserts with accompanying shots of espresso. The fruit crisp was served a la mode with vanilla ice cream which made for a decadent, seasonal classic. I preferred it to the beignets, which were served with a cardamom blueberry sauce, but both desserts were a fitting finale to an outstanding meal.

Unum’s standard menu options vary slightly from those that were listed for the Restaurant Week special. Though patrons typically cannot order the duck breast or gnocchi, the current dinner menu features other appealing options such as the braised Indian lamb shank ($28) and pan roasted halibut ($28). Available side dishes include mushroom truffle mac n cheese ($7) and Tuscan kale with apples and pecans ($7). Pumpkin panna cotta with mascarpone cream and amaretti stand out among the desserts ($7 each).

Overall, Unum is a great place to eat out in Georgetown. The décor is simple and elegant. The wait staff is friendly and efficient. The food consistently demonstrates an incredible command of flavor and texture combinations. The prices may be a stretch for the average college budget, so suggest Unum as an option the next time your parents are in town.