Oh my, I think I actually like this place better than the Black Hoof!! Since I'm not so adventurous with 'snout to tail' cooking, I really enjoyed the Raw Bar. It is intimate and cozy like Black Hoof, with the same attention to detail and presentation, plus great cocktails. But the seafood-based menu is lighter and something different.
The charcuterie trend has really taken off, but I found their cured fish board a refreshing change. They give you a good amount of seafood -- including albacore tuna and chorizo-smoked scallops (a favourite for both me and my DC). The octopus with cheesy grits was delicious. We also tried the halibut with plantain. The portion size was a little disappointing compared to the other dishes, but the spinach puree and sweet fried plantain lent interesting flavours to the dish. For dessert, there was only one option. You only need one, when it's apple pie infused panna cotta with some kind of sweet foam and grated white cheddar on top. Perfection.
They have a good selection of wines and their champagne cocktail is lovely, but the tomato juice cocktails are definitely unique and worth trying. I had the "Asian" which had yuzu and shochu in it. Yummy.
Hoof Raw Bar is a great date spot or place to chill with friends. Service was friendly and professional. Next time, I'd like to try their oysters (you can choose from West or East Coast).