Dōgon, Kwame Onwuachi's restaurant located in the Salamander Hotel, has been hailed as one of the…read morebest new dining destinations in the Washington, D.C. area. For me, the restaurant was a perfect introduction to Afro-Caribbean cuisine. As someone with little prior experience with the cuisine, I went into the meal open-minded and excited to see what was to come.
The restaurant is located off to the side of the Salamander's main lobby, and from the very first peek inside, the space screams elegance. The interior design is sleek, clean, and intentionally dark, featuring a fully black color palette with dim, moody lighting. Despite the sophisticated appearance, our first interactions with the hosts were warm and inviting, giving off a much more laid-back vibe than I expected. After taking our first steps into the restaurant, it was much bigger than it seemed from the entrance. Despite this, it was exceptionally well-staffed. Our table was ready when we got there, and we were seated immediately. Throughout the night, the staff was fast and efficient. It was never hard to get someone's attention, and our server constantly did rounds to ensure everything was running smoothly.
However, as the evening progressed, I noticed the service being a little formulaic. Every interaction felt scripted, as I heard the same verbiage being used with the tables next to us. I ultimately didn't have a problem with this, as it ensures consistency and smooth execution across all tables and visits.
As for the menu, it was very concise. Only being one page, I thought it was the perfect size. It offered enough variety to be interesting without being so vast that it felt overwhelming. Every option felt unique, showcasing flavors and ingredients I wasn't entirely familiar with, yet everything felt enticing and highly orderable. Our server ran down the menu and enthusiastically suggested much more food than we could realistically handle. We ended up selecting a snack, a small share, a large share, and a bread option. This felt like the right amount of food to get a proper, well-rounded survey of what the kitchen has to offer.
Although the kitchen courses the meal out, the dishes seemed to have arrived at our table as soon as they were ready. We ordered the piri piri salad, the charbroiled oysters, Mom Duke's shrimp, and the chicken and rice. The first thing to hit our table was the piri piri salad, which featured a beautiful presentation. The bright colors of the fresh ingredients popped vividly against the dark plate. While the salad itself only took up a fraction of the plate, it was matched by just the right amount of dressing to fully coat the salad. After mixing everything together, it harmonized perfectly. The piri piri flavor came through beautifully, delivering its signature spice alongside a fruity, tangy taste. This heat was nicely balanced by the surprising addition of fresh grapes for sweetness, the rich creaminess of avocado, and crisp seasonal ingredients that highlighted a delicious combination of textures.
This was followed by the charbroiled oysters, which arrived as a pair alongside a lemon wedge. Of all the dishes we ordered, I found the oysters to be the least interesting, essentially just being a somewhat standard one-bite flavor bomb. I was also a bit disappointed to see that the two oysters weren't even close to the same size. Because of this, we had trouble splitting them equally between two people. While they were definitely flavorful, they are on the more expensive side at fourteen dollars, and they aren't necessarily something I would order again.
The next two dishes were amazing. When the shrimp was brought out, the presentation looked a little messy, but the aroma made it clear that the dish would be packed with flavor. The shrimp itself was cooked to perfection. The head and shell were still intact, which forced us to interact directly with the food and peel it apart at the table. The shrimp sat soaking in an incredibly well-balanced sauce that was savory, had plenty of acidity, and carried a subtle hint of spice. There was enough sauce to coat every bite, with some left over to be soaked up by the fluffy coco bread served on the side. This was a great dish that was equally fun to eat as it was delicious. Rounding out the meal was the chicken and rice. The meat was extremely tender while still featuring crispy skin and seasoning that penetrated through the whole chicken, while the rice beneath absorbed all the rich, savory juices of the dish. But what really made the dish click was the perfect balance of temperatures and textures. The sauce that coated the chicken was very spicy, but combined with the herbs, lime, rice, and chicken altogether, the spice wasn't too overwhelming and was actually quite fresh. It made for a soulful, deeply satisfying conclusion to the meal.
