March 1, 2013
Alex Barron
Restaurant Critic
Bon Appetit
Photography: Roshan Ghimire
As more and more quality restaurants pop up in and around D.C., the scene as a whole continues to grow in increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan directions. A night out in almost any of its most popular neighborhoods offers a vast array of ethnic cuisines: Mexican, Thai, Mediterranean and increasingly, Ethiopian, Vietnamese and Peruvian. But to even the most experienced eaters, Balkan food is generally an alien concept. (Not that it requires an adventurous palate; most dishes are based on hearty, familiar poultry, beef, fish and vegetables.)
With the opening of his new restaurant Ambar on Barracks Row, veteran restaurateur Ivan Iricanin offers what is for many Washingtonians, a first introduction to Balkan dishes, 
specifically the classics of his native Serbia. Once again, Iricanin partners with world renowned chef Richard Sandoval. (The two have already had success together with Masa 14 and El Centro D.F., both located on 14th Street.) This time, though, Sandoval’s role is strictly administrative. To reproduce the comforts of home cooking, Iricanin has tabbed Serbian chef Bojan Bocvarov, previously employed by one the top restaurants in Serbia’s capital city of Belgrade. (Its name translated means “Little Factory of Taste.”) A Serbian pastry chef, Danilo Bucan, is on board as well, as are nine other Serbian staff members. If any Serbian ex-pats had been wandering the streets of D.C. searching for a homesickness cure, it seems their prayers have been answered.
Ambar’s interior is an understated combination of stone and wood, evoking the atmosphere of a pastoral farmhouse. The second floor outdoor balcony – heated with lamps during the winter months – feels like a secret hideaway. The space is somehow rustic and stylish at once. Most of the dishes, meanwhile, are pure comfort food.
The white veal soup ($7) feels like a rich and creamy variation on traditional chicken noodle soup with tender chunks of veal
that require no chewing. The crisp, fresh Balkan salad ($7) is a close relative of the classic Greek salad: a simple mix of lettuce, onions, tomatoes and cucumbers topped with crumbs of a savory aged cheese similar to Feta. Grilled prunes wrapped in bacon ($6), another small appetizer, are made to be popped like candy. The beet and goat cheese napoleon ($8) is an inspired layering of pork cracklins, walnuts and chives in a thin, wafer-like shell.
Like many “newish” Mediterranean and Middle Eastern restaurants, and several Iricanin-Sandoval establishments, Ambar features a menu full of small plates, ideal for sharing and for providing diners with a broader introduction to Serbian fare. No entree runs higher than $16, and many dishes are under $10. Almond and walnut crusted chicken ($9) is one of the better values on the menu: several pieces of crispy breaded chicken, served with a tiny dish of apple wasabi slaw, which provides a strong complementary kick. The Balkan kebab ($10) – chunks of mixed beef and pork, roasted peppers and aged cheese – is one of the heavier, but more satisfying entrees on the menu.
The best bet for dessert is a rich blend simply called “the four chocolates”: two types of dark chocolates and two types of milk chocolates, topped with an almond crumble and passion fruit syrup. (Almonds are something of a Serbian trademark.)
For an after dinner (or during dinner) cocktail, the wait staff is quick to push rakia, a Balkan fruit liqueur not unlike brandy. Ambar is, in fact, home to D.C.’s only rakia bar; it features thirty varieties from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and other Balkan countries. It’s a great complement to a hearty Balkan meal, though a little of the stuff goes a long way. Fortunately, rakia appears in several specialty cocktails, allowing first-timers to have just a taste.
In opening Ambar, Iricanin is performing an act of culinary diplomacy. His latest venture introduces Washingtonian’s to the best that his home country has to offer, while simultaneously adding yet another country to D.C.’s ever growing United Nations of restaurants.
Ambar Restaurant Location:
Address: 523 8th St SE, Washington, D.C. 20003
Phone: (202) 813-3039
Website: http://www.ambarrestaurant.com/
