By: Elissa DeTellis | Culture Reporter

With beautiful cherry blossom themed decorations, exquisite cocktails and both sweet and savory bites, Residents Café and Bar is the ultimate spring brunch spot. 

Situated on 18th Street by the Dupont Tatte, Residents is about a mile walk from campus and is also easily accessible by bus. With dinner and brunch menus that feature shareable spreads and curated dishes, and an atmosphere reminiscent of a beachside café, this D.C. spot is sure to be popular this summer, so make your reservations now.

The story of how the restaurant’s managing partners immigrated to the United States from various Mediterranean countries, like Lebanon, and became D.C. residents helped inspire the name of their restaurant where they hope that their patrons become “residents of Residents,” who come regularly to the restaurant and feel at home there. The restaurant's menu was developed around this deep appreciation for diverse, international influences, with a mix of Mediterranean flavors and ingredients from around the world, including African spices, European delicacies and American foods trends. Additionally much of the staff, like the chef and mixologist, are immigrants from countries including Serbia and Kenya.

After my visit, you can count me in as a resident of Residents, a personal new favorite D.C. dining spot because of the atmosphere and original spin on classic dishes. Walk in, and you’ll find different pink and green velvet chairs and couches, marble tables and artificial seasonal plants as a focal point – a scene straight out of my pinterest dreams. Artificial cherry blossoms overhang the seating with various patterned rugs and pitchers filled with baby's-breath blossoms complementing the aesthetic. There is a variety of seating options including, tables, high tops, couches and counter seating and three separate dining areas, a main dining room, a smaller upstairs dining room with a bar attached and awning covered extended sidewalk seating area.

I popped in to Residents looking for an afternoon snack, so the zucchini fritters ($9) quickly made my short list, but I had to satisfy my sweet tooth – the Basque cheesecake ($11) was my final pick. Basque cheesecake is lighter than a New York style cheesecake because of the heavy cream in the batter and should have a slight wobble in the center when taken out of the oven. While it does not have a crust like a typical cheesecake would, Basque cheesecake includes a slightly burnt, deep golden caramelized top that adds a subtle nutty flavor. 

The cheesecake was served on a large, white and gray ceramic plate where the plating of the dish could really shine. The cheesecake was positioned on its side with bright orange passion fruit coulis – French for a thin sauce made from fruits or vegetables – drizzled on top. The chef had sprinkled the dish with a crumble, made from panko and ras el hanout, a spicy and warm north African spice mixture often used in marinades and soups. The spice and crunch added a needed element to the creaminess of the dish. You could share the dish with a friend, but after one bite you won't want to. 

The cheesecake was lusciously creamy and very light, but the top was slightly bitter for my taste, burnt past the point of a deep golden. The passion fruit added a wonderful freshness and tanginess that balanced the richness of the cheesecake. 

I also tried their 0% Jalapeno ($15), from their mocktail menu, which is made with lemon, pineapple, green pepper and Seedlip Grove 42, which is a nonalcoholic spirit. The drink had an exquisite green color, with the ingredients working together to create a very refreshing beverage with just a hint of heat from the peppers. The slight tanginess of the lemon and pineapple paired well with the passion fruit flavors of the cheesecake and helped to cut through any feelings of heaviness. This drink perfectly hit the spot, but during my next visit I will definitely opt for the popular espresso martini ($17), which is well-known for its innovative use of ghee, a clarified butter. 

Make your way over to Residents Café and Bar to get those cute brunch pics and soak up the atmosphere while you sip on a refreshing cocktail and enjoy a fresh and varied meal.