Saturday night we tried somewhere new for dinner, 8407 Kitchen Bar in Silver Spring.

The Washingtonian recently came out with their “Great New Restaurants 2010” list and 8407 was mentioned among the 25.

“Chef Pedro Matamoros is back in Silver Spring a year after bolting from Nicaro, the small, independent restaurant he helped found. The new place is a curious do-over—like its predecessor, committed to local ingredients and doing things the old-fashioned way, from rolling fresh pastas to making terrines from scratch…”

After looking at their website’s menu, I was decided we must go there immediately!

The menu is focused on ”modern cuisine emphasizing artisanal American foods”. It’s forever changing because the ingredients are seasonal and local, so the online version was just a sample. But it was full of so many delicious dishes I was praying they’d be available! And as luck would have it, many were .

We began our evening with cocktails. Mine was a tequila/pink grapefruit concoction and Louisa had a mojito which came with a little rock candy stir stick. She claimed it was the best mojito she’d ever had!

I wish the flash was on for that pic. Some people need to learn how to photograph like a blogger .  

I knew the second I saw it on the menu what I’d be ordering for supper. Just LOOK at this description: Seared Scallops  - CHANTERELLE MUSHROOM-SWEET POTATO HASH. TRUFFLE DRESSING. PEA SHOOTS

Scallops? Mushrooms?? TRUFFLE dressing?? I had to make it mine .

The scallops were massive! Our server told me “It’s a good day to order scallops” and he wasn’t lying. The scallops were soft and tender and paired really nicely with the sweet potato/mushroom hash underneath. And oh my, that dressing - I’d like a whole bottle.

And of course, dessert was essential. I’m typically a chocolate dessert girl, but there was a new Gingerbread Triffle on the menu that sounded too good to miss.

Gorgeous, right?? Layers of gingerbread cake with marscapone filling and “Red Hot” cranberries. The berries were like little explosions of cinnamon in my mouth. Although it was a wonderful treat, this is NOT a triffle. Have you ever seen a triffle like that? I don’t think so. We tried to come up with a new, more appropriate name. My best suggestion is “Red Hot Gingerbread Tower“. Consider it, 8407 .

And after dessert, a coffee. Which normally I wouldn’t even bother showing you, but how fun is this cream pot??

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I kind of wanted to steal it!

The Phillips fam:

And thus concludes our celebratory evening! One fun Sunday birthday brunch to go and we’re all caught up on last weekend, just in time for this one .

See you then!

- Beth