"For Puerto Rican culinary culture in DC, there's nowhere quite like Qui Qui, the vibrant restaurant where chef-owner Ismael Mendez blends music with island sazón. But in June, Qui Qui's second-story windows went dark when its downstairs host, cocktail bar The Passenger, was sold. Two weeks ago, Mendez reopened in a much roomier Park View space (formerly home to on Georgia Avenue. He considers the move an upgrade in every way."
""We're not hidden, we're not on the second floor," says Mendez. "Everybody's got a front row seat to what we're doing here." Besides more seats, the new space has a patio, high ceilings, and handsome wood banquettes. The DC salsa band Orquesta Manplesa played at Qui Qui's grand reopening in late September, and they'll continue to play at the restaurant on the first Friday evening of every month."
"There are small bites like ceviche and octopus salad, and fried items like meat-filled pastelillos and salt-cod bacalaítos. Mofongo (garlicky smashed plantains) can be topped with shrimp, fried pork, or stewed pigeon peas. And the signature dish at Qui Qui is the chuleta kan-kan (a huge fried tomahawk pork chop). As much as any of these dishes though, Mendez continues to be proud of his simple stewed habichuelas (red beans), a Puerto Rican staple."
Qui Qui moved from a second-floor location to a larger, street-level Park View space on Georgia Avenue after its downstairs neighbor, cocktail bar The Passenger, was sold. The new space features a patio, high ceilings, and wood banquettes, with expanded seating and street visibility. Orquesta Manplesa performed at the grand reopening and will play monthly on first Friday evenings. The menu remains traditional Puerto Rican, offering ceviche, octopus salad, pastelillos, bacalaítos, mofongo with various toppings, and the signature chuleta kan-kan. Mendez highlights his stewed habichuelas as a comforting Puerto Rican staple.
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