On a recent sunny summer evening, the vibes (and parking) were right, and we finally made it over to Quinn’s on Capitol Hill, sister restaurant to one of our downtown faves, Restaurant Zoë. Chef and owner Scott Staples is clicking on all cylinders, from the newly expanded wine list (full bottles are now offered, in addition to a sizeable half-bottle list) to the pub’s zeitgeist (families, the black crowd, and old folks like us in the beautifully restored space) to the well-crafted, something-for-everyone offerings. 

Here’s one of the Large Plates, Buttermilk-Fried Chicken Breast with Rustic Potato Salad, Biscuit, and Foie Gravy. The airline cut of chicken was perfectly crisped and golden brown, the biscuit wasn’t buttermilk but more like an egg-washed scone, the foie-gras gravy speaks for itself, the rustic potato salad was about half composed of thick bacon bits, and the potato salad added a nice crunch. 

Small Plates included a truly inspired Seared Scallops with Butter-Poached Fingerlings, Baby Pea Shoots, Burnt-Caramel Sherry Caramel, and Popcorn (yes, ground popcorn!) dusting the pretty plate. You can see why the Wild Boar Sloppy Joe (with Crispy Sage Leaves, of course!) is a signature dish. . .pulled pork deluxe served on a brioche bun. Even something normally as simple as a Pear Salad grew special thanks to the addition of arugula, blanched green beans, and Stilton. Not to mention that the pears (cut crosswise) were hiding on the bottom of the plate under the greens and beans!

A bottle of McCrea 2006 Sirocco Blanc, an unusual but brilliant blend of Roussanne, Marsanne, and _____ paired perfectly with all the diverse dishes of the evening.