From Pop-Up Roots to a Permanent Georgetown Home: Inside the Kitchen at Alfie’s

Washington, D.C.’s culinary scene has a vibrant new destination, bringing the fiery, traditional cooking methods of northern Thailand into the heart of the District while anchoring its menu with fresh, local ingredients sourced directly from the DMV region. Alfie’s, the brainchild of chefs Justin Ahn and Alex McCoy, has officially put down permanent roots in a Georgetown alleyway, marking an exciting new chapter for a concept that has steadily built a devoted following over the past several years.

The restaurant’s journey to this permanent brick-and-mortar location is a story of global exploration and culinary perseverance. Alfie’s first emerged onto the D.C. food scene as a modest pop-up in the Petworth neighborhood back in 2017. What began as a localized culinary experiment soon caught on, propelling Ahn and McCoy to take their bold flavors on the road. The concept traveled internationally, setting up temporary shop and serving eager diners in major culinary hubs such as New York and London. Now, after years of globetrotting and refining their vision, the co-owners have established a fixed home where they can fully showcase their distinct approach to Thai cuisine, blending intense, authentic regional heat with inventive touches and high-end local produce.

Recently, the co-owners offered a behind-the-scenes look at a typical day inside their new kitchen, demonstrating the meticulous preparation required for everything from hand-cut green papaya salads to an exclusive, limited-availability Thai steak frites accompanied by a massaman curry peppercorn sauce. This signature dish bridges the gap between classic European technique and robust Southeast Asian flavors, highlighting the innovative spirit that defines the Alfie’s menu.

In the kitchen, the culinary team tackles the intensive preparation of rib-eye steaks for their unique take on steak au poivre. This is no ordinary menu item; the kitchen prepares a strictly limited quantity of just five steaks each night, making it one of the most sought-after plates in the establishment. Each massive 26-ounce rib-eye is carefully seared to order, ensuring an ideal crust and tender interior. The accompanying au poivre massaman curry sauce is expertly finished directly in the pan, utilizing the leftover beef fat to marry the rich, aromatic spices of the curry with the savory depth of the seared beef. Served alongside classic, crispy bar fries, the dish is a striking example of how the kitchen reinterprets familiar comfort foods through a lens of complex, traditional spice profiles.

Across the kitchen workspace, the daily rhythm involves an array of labor-intensive preparations that underscore the chefs’ commitment to authenticity. Another chef is occupied with carving green papayas, slicing the fruit into irregular pieces that capture dressings more effectively than uniform cuts. These fresh, crisp slices are tossed in a vibrant, funky, and spicy dressing for each individual order. Described by the kitchen staff as the most labor-intensive dish on the entire line, the som tam salad requires careful mixing with fresh tomatoes, crunchy peanuts, and a complex dressing heavy on palm syrup and tamarind, striking a delicate balance between sweet, sour, salty, and fiery notes.

Simultaneously, a rich pork belly curry simmers steadily in the background, filling the kitchen with the deep, comforting aromas of slow-cooked comfort food. Preparing gaeng hung lay—a traditional northern Thai curry—requires simmering large, generous pieces of pork belly until the meat achieves a meltingly tender texture with a distinct, unctuous fatty layer. To cut through the profound richness of the pork and the heavy curry paste, the chefs incorporate pickled garlic and tart pineapple, which provide a bright, acidic counterpoint to the deep flavors of tamarind and fish sauce.

As service approaches, the pace in the kitchen accelerates. The chefs begin the crucial task of prepping fresh herbs alongside sticky rice that has been soaking overnight. This glutinous rice is quickly steamed just before service to achieve its characteristic malleable, cohesive texture, which is essential for scooping up robust curries and balancing the intense heat of the dishes.

Reflecting on the grueling yet rewarding nature of their craft, McCoy notes that being a professional chef is far more of an immersive lifestyle than a standard nine-to-five job. Yet, he emphasizes that the immense physical and mental demands are entirely justified when they get to witness diners genuinely enjoying the fruits of their hard labor night after night. For McCoy, the ultimate vision for Alfie’s is to create a welcoming, transportive sanctuary where guests can momentarily forget the outside world, have a wonderful time, and completely lose themselves in the sensory experience of the atmosphere and the food.

Food enthusiasts and home cooks interested in seeing the kitchen team in action can watch the chefs prepare these classic Thai dishes and creative fusion plates, including the coveted curry steak frites, in the dedicated episode of Now Open.