Two of my favorite things are wine and cheese, especially paired together. So I was quite excited to hear about the opening of Sona Creamery on Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Little did I know that the wine and cheese were only the start to what Capitol Hill’s newest restaurant has to offer.
I noticed their menu posted on the window shortly before officially opening and found my mouth watering as I read the descriptions of some of their small-plate offerings. The dishes featured dates, sweet potatoes, duck, grilled sirloin and more.
On our visit we started with the duck prosciutto salad, the steak and cheese éclairs. The éclairs were stuffed with pimento cheese and topped with a thin slice of steak– very interesting and tasty. The big standout for us was the Sona Fries, which were extra crispy and covered in a house-made mumbo sauce with aioli and house-made cheese curds.
Photo by Maria Helena Carey
The other big winner for us, as two bacon-loving gals, was the bacon jam. Yes, bacon, in a savory jam form. As my friend put it, “it’s dessert and emotional fulfillment all in one.” Cooked down in onions with only a hint of maple syrup, it was a wonderful balance of sweet and savory. They hope to create a dish incorporating it with pancakes or waffles once they get their brunch service up and running.
Sona is small and a little loud, and they are working out a few kinks that come with having just opened, but it has so much to offer. The cheese, sauces, and just about everything else are made in house and the owners, Conan & Genevieve O’Sullivan, are clearly very passionate about their product.
If you don’t like small plates and if cheese doesn’t do it for you, this is probably not the experience for you. But if a meal of cheese and wine is your thing, I highly recommend stopping in!
Sona is located at 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE and is open from 11am-10pm Sunday-Wednesday and 11am-11pm Thursday-Saturday.
Cross-posted on brunch and the city