Monkfish is a scary-looking but delicious fish prized for a meaty, sweet, firm texture that earns it the nickname "poor man's lobster." Chef Walfer Hernandez seasons it heavily and sears it in a very hot pan, then adds two pats of butter, lemon zest, and fresh thyme and bastes it before finishing with fresh lemon juice. It's plated over a Gaelic cream sauce built with leeks, mushrooms, rainbow carrots, and Yukon potatoes, and topped with fresh greens.
Washington DC
The Harp
Pan-Seared Monkfish
monkfish / kosher salt / pepper / oil / butter / lemon zest / fresh thyme / lemon juice / fresh greens / cream / leeks / cremini mushrooms / oyster mushrooms / rainbow carrots / Yukon potatoes
Signature Dish
From Prep to Plate
Monkfish is nicknamed poor man's lobster, but chef Walfer gives it star treatment at The Harp, a modern Irish pub in D.C.'s Brookland: seared hard, basted in butter, plated over a Gaelic cream sauce with leeks, mushrooms and Yukon potatoes. Then co-owner Ruairi Deburca, a former Guinness pint-pouring champion, teaches host Seth Tillman the perfect 90-second pour.
Stopped into The Harp and immediately knew it wasn't just another pub. The food was unreal. The monkfish was excellent and the ox pie was amazing! You can tell real care goes into what they're serving.
Andrew D, Tripadvisor
