• 28Jan

    DC’s Winter Restaurant Week Extended through February 3rd!

    Butternut Squash Soup

    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.

    1789 Short Ribs

    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.

    Cauliflower Crown

    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

    Permalink Filed under: Events, Restaurants Tags: 1 Comment
  • 21Jan

    Cocktails Versus Hunger

    The snowy January afternoon of January 17 was no match for the warmth exuded by Chefs Behind Bars, an event with a straightforward mission: help end childhood hunger. Guests gathered at Prequel, the restaurant incubator downtown, which hosted the event in its two-level, industrial-cool bar/lounge space.

    The conceit: unique and playful. Seven celebrated area chefs are taken out of their element (the kitchen) and sent to work with ingredients of the liquid kind – behind a bar, of course. Each crafts an original cocktail in attempt to beat out the other six, later crowned champion of this annual chef-cum-mixologist-for-a-day competition.

    The chefs featured: Matt Baker (Gravitas), Jen Carroll (Requin by Mike Isabella Group), James Martin (District Supper), John Critchley (Brine), Hamilton Johnson (Honeysuckle), Liam LaCivita (Bar Civita), and Yuki Nakandakari (Ocopa). To make sure everyone was well taken care of, servers kindly paraded the room with chicken biscuit sandwiches and bacon-jam crostini. The nibbles were courtesy of Prequel’s current popup, the Southern-inspired restaurant Honeysuckle.

    Given that each cocktail is so expertly, one might say painstakingly, put together, choosing a winner might be an unenviable task. Luckily, the judge’s panel was made up of DC food celebs, so your author was not included.

    When it comes to drinks, interactivity is key. The winner in that department: Brine, which managed to truck in an ice luge to channel for its super-cool gin-based drink. Imbibing like this is a slippery slope. The yin to this chilly yang was led by Jen Carroll, the lone female chef among this impressive cadre. She brought us wine cask-aged rum set off with passion fruit tea – and a cinnamon stick lit afire. And when there’s fire, there’s smoke, no? James Martin mixed mescal with herb ash foam to produce a frothy masterpiece, and Hamilton Johnson, whose food also graced the space, made a drink using Maker’s, blood orange liqueur, and smoked tobacco. Thankfully, no call to DCFD was necessary. There was also a ton of local love. Matt Baker partnered with brand-spanking-new local distiller One Eight Distilling, using its District Vodka over charred pineapple syrup and Thai basil essence. At the end of the event, the Judge’s Choice Award went to John Critchley, of aforementioned ice-luge fame. Not unlikely that this was the first time an alcoholic ice luge helped end childhood hunger.

    DC’s Taste of the Nation event hosted Chefs Behind Bars as a sneak peek for the huge charity Taste of the Nation 2016 event, to take place on April 4. All proceeds from the tickets support No Kid Hungry, which works to end childhood hunger by supplying healthy breakfasts and lunches.

    -ESC (Evan)

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  • 14Jan

    One Eight Distilling Celebrated Anniversary with a Huge Party

    Plenty of hot air can come out of this city – but now we’re getting some hot spirits, too. Over the past two years, DC’s seen several distilleries open, many clustered in the warehouse district of Ivy City. On Friday, January 8, One Eight Distilling celebrated its one-year anniversary with a huge party in its sprawling, industrial-chic space. Founded by two college buddies, Sandy Wood and Alex Laufer, One Eight came from years of discussion to become a purely DC-focused, homegrown distillery.

    The event, which attracted almost 400 guests, featured Untitled No. 6, a nine-year-old bourbon with a triple-cask finish: cognac, sherry, and muscat wines. The depth and touch of sweetness from the wines shine through the liquor, pairing nicely with its mild, lingering spice. Because One Eight’s proprietary aged liquors are not yet ready, it currently uses other whiskeys and creates unique, original finishes and experiments with new flavors, all part of the Untitled series.

    One Eight served three flavorful cocktails for the night, crafted by guest bartenders, for their three liquors: Red-Headed Stepchild with the vodka, Beats by Dre with the gin, and Take a Hike with the whiskey. DCFüd voted for the last one, made with a vanilla-rooibus reduction.

    For the food portion, the event featured pillowy spicy Thai meatball steamed buns from Ekiben, and pulled turkey and cheddar biscuit sandwiches from Mason Dixie Biscuit Co. Dessert was provided by Milk Cult, which used One Eight whiskey for its specialty frozen creation. Party goers noshed on cheese and crackers while dancing to the beats of DJ Neal Becton. He owns local music shop Som Records, and brought in real vinyls for the crowd’s pleasure.

    DCFüd sat down with Alex for a few light questions.

    DCFüd: How did you get your start?

    Alex: Sandy and I have been buddies since college. A few years ago, after many years of discussion, we realized where our mutual passions were, and set out to set up a DC-based distillery. We took a liking to the Ivy City area, and found a large former warehouse space to set up. There’s plenty of space here to hold events, but also importantly, to hold all of the casks to age our spirits.

    DCFüd: What makes One Eight distinct?

    Alex: Here, we focus on the grain to make our spirits. We use and are very proud of American rye. This rye goes into our vodka and our gin, which make them unique. Vodkas are usually grain-based spirits, but we fell in love with one Polish rye-based vodka, and have taken it from there – but the rye we use comes from right here in Maryland. Of course, we also have white whiskey, rye, and bourbon, the last made with American corn and aged in American oak barrels.

    DCFud: Tell us more about that rye-based gin.

    Alex: Our gin is really special. We take our vodka, which is already different because of its rye content, and then distill it with our signature botanical: the American spice bush. It actually grows wild all across the East Coast. We call it Ivy City gin, in fact, to highlight its local nature (the grains are locally sourced), and because we donate proceeds to Habitat for Humanity in support of projects in Ivy City.

    DCFüd: And the whiskey?

    Alex: the white, unaged whiskey is of higher proof than other whiskeys. It’s named for our local green space – Rock Creek Park – and pays homage to DC history and culture. It’s made from 100% Maryland and Virginia rye, and the malt comes from North Carolina.

    DCFüd: So we have the vodka, then gin, and the unaged whiskey. When do we get to try this magical rye?

    Alex: Ah yes, our rye is sitting in the barrels to age. The first rye will be ready this year: our two-year rye. Others, well, we’ll have to test when ready.

    DCFüd: We’ll certainly be back to try that!

    -ESC (Evan)

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  • 28Dec

    Sarah Hartman Opens Harper Macaw Chocolate Factory in DC & Answers Questions

    DC’s long anticipated wait for Harper Macaw‘s chocolate factory is over since it officially opened its doors on December 12th. Harper Macaw is DC’s first chocolate factory that sources their cocoa beans from the Brazilian Amazon and Atlantic rainforest. The line to enter the chocolate factory was out the door as people stood in line to get a taste of Harper Macaw’s hot chocolate or mint hot chocolate. Immediately upon entering, the smell of chocolate was in the air, with a vast variety of chocolate bars on display; chocolate cookies, pies and other desserts were being served. When the crowd of people were done sampling chocolate, tours were given.   During the tour, there were not any Oompa Loompas or Willy Wonka in sight. Instead, there was a sophisticated array of machinery such as a “conche” that ages the chocolate and a “five roller refinery” used in a European style of chocolate processing that crushes chocolate particles to 20 microns. At the end of the tour, Sarah Hartman (owner of Harper Macaw) threw a tasting party highlighting their chocolate variety and the event provided an informational session on how to properly eat and enjoy your chocolate. Harper Macaw currently has four chocolate bars available with 52, 67, 74, and 77 percent chocolate bars. Two of the bars are single source being either from the Brazilian Amazon or Atlantic rainforest. The other two bars are a unique blend of the two cocoa beans that produce a very deep sophisticated dark chocolate flavor. Sarah mentioned that key notes to taste in her chocolate bars were the “Fruity jamminess and wine in our 67% Dark Blend Bar, raisins in our 77% Amazon Rainforest Bar, toffee, butterscotch and spice notes in our 74% Atlantic Forest Bar, and raspberries, malt and almonds in our 52% Milk Bar.”

    With everyone enjoying the vast amount of chocolate surrounding them, Sarah Hartman was more than happy to chat with DCFüd about what it takes to be a chocolate artisan.

    What inspired you to start your own chocolate factory?

    I’ve had a lifelong love affair with chocolate. While attending boarding school in Switzerland, I fell deeply in love with chocolate, craftsmanship, and the history behind chocolate. Later on, my mother in law gave me a Scharffenberger recipe book – and the chapter that intrigued me the most was the one which talked about the chocolate making process and the power that cacao agriculture has to promote agroforestry. I shared this interest with a good friend, and she encouraged me to go for a one week intensive course on chocolate – after which, there was no going back. It was a matter of months before I knew I wanted to start my own business, but I knew I needed more experience and knowledge.  So I started learning everything I could about it from various courses all over the world, and later gaining invaluable experience at Valrhona and Dandelion chocolate.

    What is your ideal chocolate for texture? What about for flavor?

    My ideal chocolate texture is a chocolate that is smooth, refined, emulsified, and velvety – it unravels itself on your palate as it melts. I absolutely love that chocolate is a food that melts in your mouth – it is one of a kind. I don’t like grittiness nor sandiness in my chocolate, but I fully understand why some people may be attracted to this type of texture.

    My favorite flavor profile in chocolate is hands down fruity – I love chocolates crafted with Madagascar, Peruvian or Venezuelan beans.

    The artisan chocolate market in the US seems to be growing. We see more and more brands offering single-origin, high-cacao content chocolate. How do you see the Brazilian market changing?  How do you see your chocolate being different?

    Harper Macaw is the only US craft chocolate maker that sources cocoa beans from Brazil. We hope to enlighten fellow chocolate lovers about the unique flavor, texture, and aroma that Brazilian beans impart on our chocolate and inspire other craft chocolate makers to explore new sources. Our chocolate is different not only because of our unique source of beans, but because of our state of the art chocolate making process. We are one of the few chocolate ventures that use a 5 roll refiner. This ensures that our chocolate has the best texture and smoothest mouth feel.

    What are some new flavors that we may expect in the future? 

    We are working on several new sources for our cocoa beans that will imbue new and exciting flavors to our products. We are currently researching projects in Indonesia and Congo for our next origin bars. We have chosen these specific locations as they are countries which also suffer from large deforestation issues and we want to replicate our conservation model at other origins as well.

    How would you describe the flavors that someone eating your chocolate may expect?

    Each bar is unique and flavors and perceptions are all in the “mouth” of the beholder.  Our flavors are anything but expected.

    -EWL (Eric)

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  • 27Dec

    Catch 15’s Friends & Family Event Featured Delicious Small Plates!

    Catch 15 opened almost 2 years now, and features high-quality Italian food and a happy hour that thankfully runs until 8pm. (More DC restaurants should have happy hours that run this late.)

    img_20151223_160145817I arrived at their Friends & Family event Wednesday evening and was greeted with an Amalfi Punch. Later in the evening I switched to Lindeman Cabernet Sauvignon. Their wine list is available here.

    I’m no a big tiramisu fan, and have only ever enjoyed two, including the version at Catch 15. (Ok, the other one was at Art & Soul.)

    The food was excellent, but I’d like to say that it was a pleasure to eat black cod. Yes, I know it’s a West Coast fish and not really a cod. It’s more like an oilier halibut. It’s also called sablefish and in NYC delis it is sold smoked as sable plate. It’s a delicious fish.

    The Risotto di Zucca Gialla con Costatine (pumpkin and shallot risotto with slow-simmered/braised short ribs in red wine reduction) was a well-executed treat with great flavors and textures. Both of the main components were favorites of mine and they also paired well together.

    -JAY

    Catch 15 Italian Restaurant + Oyster Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 21Dec

    Pennsylvania 6 is a Great Seafood Lunch Destination!

    CER (Celia) recently wrote a huge article about  a dinner event Pennsylvania 6. I was present at a media lunch there last week. Above are some images of the highlights.

    Penn 6 excels at seafood. The Crab Croquettes (with a tasty gribiche sauce), Octopus (served with wonderful gigante beans), Lobster Rolls, and Fried Oysters were all well-executed and delicious dishes. I order a lot of octopus, but theirs was tender and delicious in a way that the competition can’t touch. I didn’t take a picture of the Wild Burgundy Snails (I was lucky to snag one) but they were exceptional. This new restaurant needs to keep this up and build it’s reputation; It could become a serious seafood destination in DC.

    While most of the other diners in our large group were ordering Bucatini & Clams or Lobster Rolls as their entrees, I decided to try a meat dish. The  gentleman next to me (Mark Heckathorn from DC on Heels) did order a steak sandwich because he was thinking along the same lines. Some upscale restaurants can do great things with a humble pork chop, so I ordered the Berkshire Pork Chop with sweet potato, candied pecans, fried Brussels sprouts, and bourbon lacquer, and was not disappointed because it was easily one of my favorite dishes that day.

    And, Penn 6 has some great desserts. My favorite desserts that day were the extremely rich and delicious 3 Creme Brulees (the pumpkin variety is seasonal), and the Apple cake.

    I’d like to see the restaurant come up with some vegetarian entrees to round out their menu; there are definitely some salads and cheeses on the menu, so I’m thinking of more substantial vegetarian dishes just in case your best friend’s sister or college roommate needs them. I’d also like them to work on the Duck Fat Fries coming out crispy consistently, since some orders were crispy and some were not.

    I have plans to try their brunch in a few weeks. So, expect a followup to this article. I can hardly wait.

    -JAY

    Pennsylvania 6 Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 17Dec

    Chicago Pizza is Popping up in DC in January!

    Party Cut of the thin crust and Puzelat! Image Courtesy of Vin & Vic’s.

    Just a quick note:

    There will be a Chicago pizza (and wine) popup called Vin & Vic’s (both thick crust and cracker crust) in DC on January 8th. They will have Italian beef too!

    The Facebook invite is here.

    -JAY

    Update after the fact (1/9):

    This event was a disaster. It was supposed to run from 4pm until 2am but they ran out of deep dish pizza at 7pm and thin crust not long after, but that is not what we were told when we entered at 8:30pm. We were told they were a half hour behind on taking orders, but our order never was taken. People waited for hours whether or not they got pizza. There was no hostess, minimal seating, and the place was packed. The Facebook page is full of complaints.  My group wound up having to switch to Barrel down the block, which was spectacular.

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  • 07Dec

    Cuba Libre Has New Chef and Menu

    Thanks Cuba Libre and their new Executive Chef Brad Smith, John Shields (and the signed cookbooks he gave as gifts), and the wonderful bloggers at DC Food Blogger Happy Hour for a wonderful happy hour. The food and drinks were excellent. I was impressed with the malanga chips, dips, shrimp ceviche, and baby octopus. I’ll definitely go back to try more items.

    “A native Washingtonian, Brad Smith graduated with distinction from L’Academie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland, in 1995.” Chef Smith was formerly the Chef de Cuisine at The Cuba Libre Flagship in Philly.

    -JAY

    Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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  • 04Dec

    Well-Crafted Local Wines in a Pastoral Setting

    sTONE tOWER 4

    Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery

    The weather on Black Friday was stellar this year in the DC Area! While many people were out seeking the best possible deals on holiday purchases, I elected to spend the day with a close group of friends in in one of Virginia’s recognized wine regions – Loudoun County. Our day culminated at Stone Tower Winery off Rte 15, just south of Leesburg. I had never heard of Stone Tower until that morning when we gathered to start our tour and it was announced that this would be our final stop. The unassuming approach down a gravel road opened up to a stunning gently rolling appellation landscape that would make any wine connoisseur swoon. Over 50 of their 207 acres is planted with vines surrounding the charming tasting and event facilities. The land slopes gently down to a beautiful and inviting pond and time on the stone patios and balconies allow you to soak up miles and miles of stunning Virginia mountain views.

    sTONE tOWER 3

    Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery

    Stone Tower is a destination winery created by the owners of Belfort Furniture in Sterling, Va. They have lived on a large farm on Hogback Mountain for many years. Being in love with this land, its rolling hillsides, pastoral beauty, and hidden treasures like the old stone walls in its forests led them to buy the neighboring farm with the intention of preserving its agricultural beauty and creating a quiet haven to grow old, surrounded by family and their favorite countryside. Looking out at the hills surrounding the pond the estate just seemed to look like a vineyard. That thought led to many years of extensive research with top-notch viticulturists, soil specialists and geologists which established that the land held the potential for producing top quality grapes. Several vintages of great wines have proved their somewhat whimsical notion to be a reality –it’s a fantastic site for growing premium grapes here in Loudoun County.

    They offer two tastings: Current Vintages, a flight of four wines ($10), or the Reserve Tasting, a flight of six ($15). I opted to take a tour through their current vintages. I was pleasantly surprised. The Wild Boar label was created for their wines they have been producing from grapes purchased in the Napa Valley while they wait for their vines to mature to production. The Current Vintages flight were all from the Wild Boar label. Here are my thoughts about these wines.

    2014 Wild Boar Sauvignon Blanc

    This crisp fresh wine opened up with a citrusy bouquet that had notes of lemon and grapefruit. The taste was balanced, clean, and fruity. I could imagine myself enjoying this with a wonderful salad of mixed greens, fresh herbs, goat cheese, nuts and dried cranberries.

    2013 Wild Boar Chardonnay

    The Chardonnay opened up with a bouquet that combined pear, melon and peach in its aromas. Medium-bodied, the feel was crisp, the taste fresh and clean. I was ready to grab a small wheel of brie, a bottle of this and head down to the pond and enjoy a nice pre-dinner appetizer.

    2013 Wild Boar Merlot

    The Merlot was a deep ruby red and opened up with a fruity and peppery bouquet that had a distinct note of fresh berries. A dry wine was a bit tannic, but mostly because of its young age. As this wine ages, I can see the tannins mellowing to create a softer earthier tone. This would be perfect with a nice Sunday pot roast dinner!

    2013 Wild Boar Sanglier Noble

    A blended wine of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Malbec, this full-bodied wine opened up with a nice aroma of ripe red fruit, black currant, and a hint of pepper. It’s approachable but will benefit greatly by further cellaring. I wanted to grab a few filet mignons, head to a grill, and sit down for a wonderful steak dinner to enjoy with this one.

    The weather this weekend is supposed to be beautiful again! If you are looking for something really nice to do, I highly recommend a trip out to Stone Tower Winery on Saturday (December 4th) for their annual Christmas Market and Open House from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Do a tasting and bring a picnic lunch along to enjoy with a bottle of one of their wines, and of course use the time to do some great holiday shopping.

    Stone Tower 1

    Photo courtesy of Stone Tower Winery

    There will be 28 artists and artisans selling pottery, jewelry, paintings, ornaments, turned wood, pewter, vintage linens, knitting, weaving, and more. Indulge in some hand-dipped chocolates, take home some fresh greens for decking your halls, and, of course, be sure to taste some of our locally grown and bottled wine. They’ve been decking the halls and polishing up the wine glasses to get ready. Hope you will make the trip – it’ll be a great way to spend your Saturday before the onslaught of holiday parties this year.
    For more information about their history, the wines, tours and tastings, please visit http://www.stonetowerwinery.com/.

    SAW (Steve)

    stone tower invite

    Permalink Filed under: Drinks, Events Tags: 1 Comment
  • 03Dec

    Holiday Spirit: Tinsel & Tequila Take Over Shaw

    Seventh Street in Shaw may not traditionally be known for a holiday air. A little help from North Pole workers (and others) has converted Derek Brown’s Mockingbird Hill into Miracle on Seventh Street, now until December 24. Brightly festooned with unique ornaments (dinosaurs!) and more tinsel than can be found at Santa’s Workshop, the slim space more or less explodes in wintertime spirit. Each evening features a different festive happy hour or theme, from Monday’s craft-making to Friday’s naughty Bad Santa photos – and even a nod to our Jewish friends on Wednesdays, when Chanukah takes over, and the party includes Manischewitz punch pong. In fact, check out the back room, where an enormous dreidel chandelier graces the ceiling. Next to an entire ham.

    Owner Derek Brown borrowed the idea from a bar friend in New York, and ran with it. “The basic idea,” he told us, was that “the holidays – and holiday drinking – should be fun. This is all about making cheer for the community.”

    And cheer it has. The drink menu is, logically, 12 cocktails long. And yes, number 8 is Chanukah-themed, a boozy take on a traditional egg cream. A year’s worth of thought went into the complex drink menu. “We built it off of classic Christmas spirit, full of flavors of things we love, from candy cane to eggnog. We have a Chanukah drink, of course, to be as inclusive as possible.” An exercise in alcohol-based nostalgia, now in a Santa mug.

    -ESC

    Mockingbird Hill Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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