Roasted Butternut Squash Soup at 1789

Now in its 9th year, Restaurant Week here in the DC area has grown to over 250 participating restaurants in DC, MD, and VA! It is organized by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. To participate, restaurants must subscribe to providing a three course prix fixe menu set at $22 for lunch, and $35 for dinner. Named the coolest city in America, DC is well-known for its restaurants and at these prices – it’s a steal! Participating venues also must subscribe to providing a high caliber customer experience. This semi-annual event is a chance for chefs to create new dishes, show off top notch talent, and bring the community together to share in the one thing many of us adore – GOOD FOOD!
I was invited to a pre-event sampling of several menus of this year’s participants. My favorites dishes were from the classic and long standing 1789 in Georgetown and RIS, the restaurant at the Ritz Carlton in Foggy Bottom. It was an exciting lunch that brought us several dishes that were created specifically to go on the restaurant week menu.

Short Ribs over Pomme Puree by Chef Kim at 1789

1789’s Chef Sam Kim delighted us with a gorgeous Roasted Butternut Squash Soup followed by Short Ribs served over Pomme Puree. The soup was finished with a pomegranate brown butter that added a nice fruity note to this classic autumn and winter soup. Chef Kim’s addition of sriracha sauce, smoked pimenton, and cayenne pepper added the perfect amount of zip that left me, the diner, begging for another bowl. When spicy is done with a perfect light touch, it is a wonderful enhancement to a dish, not an overpowering flavor mask. The short ribs were perfectly tender and the pomme puree finished with cream and butter was so silky smooth the entire dish screamed haute comfort food! Dinner at 1789 normally will run you $100 per person – at $35, it makes the choice to give a try easier than ever. But then again, that’s the point of Restaurant Week – to give Washington diners the opportunity to affordably try restaurants they’ve always wanted to try.

Crown of Cauliflower by RIS

The chef at RIS graced us with new creation that would make any vegetarian smile with delight. A crown of cauliflower served over spaghetti squash, Du Puy lentils, Greek yogurt and dotted with pomegranate seeds, raisins, pine nuts and mint – it was heavenly! I would have been happy to have made this gem of a creation both my first and second courses.

I was instantly sold on returning to both of these restaurants.

The official Restaurant Week site is http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek. Go there to check out the great list of participating restaurants in DC, MD, and VA, view menus, and more importantly to make reservations. Reservations made through this site automatically enter you in to the rewards program to win prizes such as gift certificates, event tickets and more.

Thanks to Jonas – Restaurant Week as been extended to February 3rd to still give you a week to sample as many new venues as possible.

What a perfect way to get ourselves back in the swing after a week of being sequestered.

-SAW