Since my wife Jun and I moved from NYC to the DC metro area a couple of years ago, we had been searching for a few core restaurants in DMV where we would go back again and again as regulars. It took a while but we were successful in finding a few such places, and recently it came to our realization that no other place received our visit more than Albi (in fact, our last visit this past August was the sixth one). So why did it take a while for me to finally review the restaurant? Mostly a matter of logistics and circumstances. Since we loved the restaurant so much, we took our friends (both in the DMV area and visiting from out of town) to Albi and in those instances it was hard to focus on making mental notes on all the delicious food we ate. One other time, I forgot to take the photo of the menu for that day (the restaurant’s menu frequently changes on a regular basis) and couldn’t quite make sense of a few dishes we enjoyed and Jun took a photo of. In any event, I figured a review is finally due after another memorable dinner last month.

Albi, which means Arabic for “my heart,” has been considered in recent years one of the best new restaurants in the country (not just DC), and for legitimate reasons. The swanky restaurant from chef Michael Rafidi showcases the Levantine cuisine inspired by the chef’s roots in the Middle Eastern region, many of them prepared over a hearth at the center of the kitchen. You could either enjoy the dishes a la carte or do a full “sofra” tasting menu style (there is also a chef’s table at the hearth that we once tried, but I couldn’t find much difference from the sofra option). Any meal at Albi must start with a giant pita bread that you can then dip on one or more of the spread options. We never had pedestrian spread dishes at the restaurant. On our recent visit, I couldn’t stop thinking about the hummus with smoked goat awarma where the rustic flavor combination with a touch of fire was simply exceptional (I seriously couldn’t just dipped another bread on this dish all day long without eating anything else!), and the harissa labne tabat with burnt green onion and ground cherry was also quite delicious.

Albi also has a rotating menu of kibbeh naya (a popular Levantine mezze dish with thin layers of meat with bulgur and spices) using not just meat but even seafood or vegetable as the main ingredient. This time, we thoroughly enjoyed the one with smoked tomato that gave wonderfully spicy flavor. Another popular mezze option at the restaurant to consider is the skillfully plated manti dumplings. There are a number of ways to eat well at Albi, but one dish not to be missed is the signature BBQ’d lamb kebobs. Every time we came to the restaurant, we always ordered this stunning dish, drawn by the lovely texture of the lamb and how well the meat interacted with the surrounding vegetables. On a side note, when it took longer to arrive at our table than we had expected, the restaurant graciously sent out a complementary stone fruit Fattoush salad as a side dish. Don’t skip dessert at Albo, either. Our go-to used to be Turkish coffee affogato, but you could also discover other delightful dishes like frozen halva bar with tahini semifreddo that Jun and I made quick work of.

Since its opening more than three years ago, Albi is still a very sought-after dining destination in DC, so I highly recommend booking in advance unless you are willing to show up early and snag a seat at the bar where the regular menu is also available. The upscale dining space of the restaurant in the constantly evolving neighborhood of Navy Yard is another plus that makes Albi a worthwhile place to visit for all kinds of occasions. Another thing that I really love about the restaurant is its wine list (their Middle Eastern-inspired cocktail list is not shabby either), where you will be able to explore wines from different parts of the world (I suspect the restaurant has the largest selection of still underrated wines from the Middle East in DC) across a variety of fun themes like unicorn whites and “The Godfather” reds. It brings me joy whenever I browse their wine list and discover a beautiful red with unique character and terroir. Jun and I hope to visit Albi again and again and cement our place there as enthusiastic regulars. If you are unfamiliar with the Levantine culinary tradition, do yourself a favor and explore what this wonderful restaurant has to offer.

KenScale: 8.5/10 (Jun’s Score: 8.5/10)

Address: 1346 4th Street SE, Washington, DC 20003

Website: https://www.albidc.com/

Reservation via Resy (for regular tables) and Tock (for chef’s table at the hearth)