Rock Creek at Mazza (Washington, DC)

About a month ago Groupon offered a sweet deal for Rock Creek at Mazza and I just had to get it because it is such an interesting restaurant that's not far from me. Rock Creek promotes what they call "mindful dining," which means using local, organic, sustainable ingredients in portion-size-controlled menu offerings. Indeed, everything on the menu is under 500 calories, withthe majority of the entrees in the 200-400 calorie range! The decor in the restaurant also fits in with the theme, with a giant tree (though most likely fake) adorning the center of the main dining room. The service was excellent; our server was attentive and gave great advice about the different menu items, and even chatted with us about the movies showing at the AMC right outside the restaurant. We started off with some focaccia bread with eggplant spread, and I enjoyed it very much even though I normally don't partake in the bread and I normally find eggplant strongly repulsive, so that's saying a lot. Then they offered us a little cup of what tasted like some sort of pea soup - I really should have asked what it was as it was very flavorful. Then came our food. R. ordered the delicious Pan Seared Alaskan Cod:

$25, 332 calories

I got the Soft Shell Crab special which came with two small soft shell crabs, various veggies, and a noodle on top:

$32, nutritional info unknown as this was a special and therefore not listed on the menu

The food was fantastic - and not to mention healthy. My crab entree was pretty large though so perhaps they haven't quite worked out portion-controlling their specials. Even though we were full afterwards, we couldn't help but get dessert as the ice cream and sorbet flavors sounded too intriguing to pass up!

Three scoops of sorbet/ice cream combo, $8. Sorbets had 40 calories each on average and ice cream 77.

Seen here is a scoop each of lime sorbet, hibiscus sorbet, and tarragon ice cream. The lime sorbet came highly recommended by our server, and it had a powerfully tart lime taste and a slightly bitter aftertaste. It was good, but perhaps a bit too much for a supertaster like me. (I still liked it though.) The hibiscus sorbet was sweet and tasted a bit like berries - not what I had expected, but it was very yummy. Last but not least, the tarragon ice cream was just fabulous. (R.'s comment after first bite: "Mmm...the tarragon ice cream is delicious! Ooooh!") It had a nice, balanced tarragon taste and a smooth, creamy texture. It was a nice finish to a delightful meal!

Overall, we found Rock Creek to be worthy of a special occasion, if a bit on the pricey side for regular visits. We did enjoy the environment- and health-conscious aspects of the restaurant and applaud their efforts in those regards.

Pertinent Info:
Address: 5300 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20015
Phone: (202)966-7625
Nearest Metro: Friendship Heights (Red line), directly underneath the building