Logan at The Heights, Washington, D.C.

As we continue to enjoy our new Target store (plus BestBuy, Marshall's, Bed Bath & Beyond, Staples, et al.) by the Columbia Heights Metro stop in the District, we are exploring some of the restaurants in the area. There's a Pizza Hut Express inside Target, as well as a Starbucks, but we wanted to get used to the greater neighborhood. So, this past week, Robert and I made a lunch run to the neighborhood and decided to catch lunch across the street at Logan at The Heights, a part of the group that also owns Logan Tavern, Grillfish, and Merkado.

It was late and a rainy afternoon, so the place was not busy. We were immediately seated in the center of the main dining area, near the very large, room-long bar. I thought the place looked fairly new, but our waitress informed us that they'd been open nearly two years. Not surprisingly, the menu reminded me a lot of the menu at Logan Tavern.

Robert got the shrimp po'boy sandwich. What a presentation! The shrimp came in little battered and deep-fried balls, making a striking presentation. Robert said it was quite good. A spicy cole slaw accompanied the big sandwich.



I had the "Big Chopped Salad" with chicken. Interesting name, especially since I didn't find the salad to be big at all by local entree salad standards. The salad was okay and had all the usual suspects amongst the ingredients. I found the salad to be less than totally satisfying, though, because it lacked "saiety value"—ingredients that make the eater feel full. It could have used a bit more cheese and avocado, but, the biggest issue, I think, was their dressing. They served it with a light "Szechuan vinaigrette," which was fine for the hard-core dieters, but I think they missed an opportunity by not using a heartier dressing like the remoulade that was on Robert's sandwich, or maybe a chipotle Ranch, or perhaps even a standard blue cheese.



The Heights will be a fun place, I think, for weekend brunches. They also have some of my favorites from Logan Tavern, such as the crab and shrimp macaroni and cheese and the wasabi-crusted meatloaf with mashed potatoes and caramelized onion gravy.