Travel and Dish

When El Cielo DC burst into Washington DC’s fine dining restaurant scene, it promptly received One Star from the prestigious Michelin Guide. The innovative multi-course tasting menu from Columbian Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, has become a favorite among foodies seeking an unforgettable dining experience.

If you’re new to tasting menus, this carefully paced meal is a parade of smaller-portioned dishes for a fixed price. They’re stunning and creative, inspiring diners and influencers to share images on social media for fellow foodies.

At El Cielo, you can choose a 17-course, 20-course dinner and a Chef’s Choice dinner. Michelin describes the experience so perfectly:

“Presentation is the cornerstone here, with an admirable level of showmanship, and dishes embody a love letter to the chef’s native Colombia. This is deeply personal cooking, with the chef utilizing Colombian ingredients in dishes that share history and purpose.”

While I love tasting menus, they’re usually too much food for me, or too expensive unless it’s a very special occasion such as an anniversary or birthday. But when I heard about El Bistro, I quickly booked a table (tip: weeknights are a great time to go).

El Cielo recently introduced El Bistro, a new al la carte menu featuring many of the items on the tasting menu. El Bistro is housed in the same luxurious dining room, with the same exemplary service, and has made this elegant restaurant a fun neighborhood spot too.

El Cielo is located at La Cosecha Market in the lively NoMa Neighborhood. From the moment you enter the restaurant, you can’t help but feel special. Our gracious server ushered us to a table where we found our name printed on a place card. Beside us were shelves of coffee table books and mementos including a photo of chef Juan Manuel with his daughter. It feels so personal, especially when the young chef walks through the restaurant to check on his guests.

We started with El Cielo’s unique craft cocktails. My husband’s Don’t Give Papaya was delivered in a Colombian figurine. My Chimberito was frosty and perfect for a hot evening. Then our server helpfully described the dishes and provided recommendations. 

We began with the stunning Tree of Life yucca bread, served with caramelized butter in the shape of a key and two dipping sauces. The pan de yuca has a unique texture, a bit stretchy, chewy and herbaceous, and is perched on top of a golden wire tree. It was definitely a showstopper.

The Hamachi Tiradito appetizer featured the silkiest slivers of raw fish, drizzled in sesame oil and layered over sweet Shino Shoyu with crispy leeks on top. The taste was sublime.

For my main course, I ordered duck breast with a Columbian sticky rice called Atollado (Atollado rice is a rich Columbian risotto that typically has chorizo, potatoes and vegetables in tomato sauce). Slices of a perfectly cooked duck breast arrived in a cast iron skillet draped in a rich brown gravy flavored with a tropical fruit called calamansi. It was a very hearty portion and I ended up taking some home for lunch the next day.

My husbands’ bison was smoky and tender, bathed in a wine sauce accompanied by a chunk of an Appalachian cheese and peppery chimichurri sauce. We added a side of seasonal mushrooms and sunchokes, a nutty tubular vegetable that I rarely find on a menu. We also ordered El Cielo’s signature frittes, fluffy potato balls fried into a crisp salty shell. But honestly, the main course portions didn’t require anything extra, but it was fun to try them.

I didn’t think I had room for dessert but our server convinced us to try the Cholau. I am so thankful he did! The tart Columbian fruit and smooth shaved ice was so refreshing on this hot Washington summer night. We both loved it!

Manager Angel Guillen oversees a dining room that perfectly showcases Chef Barrientos’s unique vision, and much applause goes to Chef de Cuisine Joel Lopez Giraldo. Located steps from the Gallaudet University/NoMa Metro station, El Cielo’s El Bistro offers a Michelin quality meal, five-star service and sophisticated vibe. Best of all, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to go.