My first experience with Georgetown’s Ciudad was not a great one. This was a bit shocking, given how much I’ve enjoyed all of proprietor Matt Dillon’s other restaurants. There is, in my opinion, no such thing as a bad meal at Sitka & Spruce. But on my first visit to Ciudad more than a year ago, I stopped in with a chef friend after an uncharacteristically disappointing meal at El Sirenito. Hoping to redeem our night, we figured Ciudad would be a safe bet—but we left baffled by the experience, which was decidedly underwhelming.
Since that visit, Ciudad has gone through a chef shuffle, with former chef de cuisine Nick Coffey departing for Lopez Island to launch the buzzy Ursa Minor. In his place, Aaron Willis, formerly of Pioneer Square’s Delicatus, has taken the helm. Upon announcing his new position, Willis promised to revamp the menu and focus on the restaurant’s massive charcoal grill. I wanted to see if things had improved since my first visit, so I decided to check back in.