Kyirisan — Washington DC, USA

Since opening the first of his three restaurants in Virginia in 2009, chef Tim Ma has been steadily refining his technique for an appreciative following. The good news is that he’s now crossed the Potomac for his first outpost in Washington, DC’s Shaw District.
Kyirisan is a tasteful and tasty distillation of Ma’s Chinese heritage and training at The French Culinary Institute. Which is to say the menu is recognisably Chinese in its ingredients and DNA, but overlaid with mod slash Gallic touches of sous vide, concasse, and confit.
To set the stage, GrizForm Design Architects have orchestrated a 2,500 sqft space that’s bordered with stone tables, geometric installations that throw corners into unexpected three dimensional forms, oak and walnut wall panels, and bronze conical lights.
On the menu, Ma caters for the gastronomically adventurous by way of 0ffal salad comprising braised tendon, cubes of chicken heart and duck confit atop a bed of tomatoes and Thai basil swathed with a tamarind vinaigrette; and more assured crowd-pleasers like a veal short rib paired with smashed garlic confit, pepper and Chinese BBQ sauce, and an intriguing veal marrow infused with XO sauce and bay leaf crumble.
The adventurousness of the menu is rounded off with the classic sesame ball plated with honey ricotta ice cream and pineapple compote.
INFORMATION
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
ADDRESS
1924 8th St NW
Suite 140
Washington
PHOTOGRAPHY
Amber Frederiksen
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
A Karuizawa house is a soothing, work-from-home retreat in Japan
Takeshi Hirobe Architects play with scale and space, creating a tranquil residence in which to live and work
-
Vincent Van Duysen launches ‘most modern’ Zara Home collection
The fourth instalment of architect Vincent Van Duysen’s collaboration with Zara Home introduces a modernist sensibility, with new materials and refined, architectural forms
-
For its US debut, Formafantasma goes back to basics
On view at Friedman Benda this summer, the show is the result of the Milan-based studio's ongoing fascination with history, technology and domesticity
-
Wallpaper* checks in at The Ned Nomad in New York
This hotel and social club is a vibrant hub of hospitality that evokes 1920s glamour for members and visitors alike
-
For the breakfast lover that is not a morning person, this Hollywood café is for you
Start your day with a ceremonial strawberry matcha latte and freshly baked viennoiseries amid the glamour of Café Goldie at the W Hollywood
-
The best bars in New York for stiff drinks and stunning design
From five-star hotel lobby bars on the Upper East Side to discreet downtown drinking dens, these are the best spots to sip and soak in the ambiance
-
Beverly Hills’ latest hot ticket is a Chinese restaurant with a hidden speakeasy feel
Chef Mei Lin’s 88 Club pays tribute to the prosperity, success, and good fortune symbolised by the number 8 in Chinese culture
-
You can now stay at this iconic modernist house in Palm Desert
The Desert Wave, a modernist revival project by Stayner Architects, with interiors by Design Within Reach and Paul Smith, is available to book
-
Find bubbly, chewy, perfectly crusted pizza at Cosetta, LA’s new Westside Italian gem
Located in a slightly industrial area by the Santa Monica airport, Cosetta, from pizza maestro Zach Pollack, champions the local Italian dining scene with tradition and innovation
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant Elmina
The new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurant
Café 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine