Yunhan ZhangYunhan Zhang Displaying His Fan SkillsSammie Davis Jr. in the Gallery Downstairs
I attended this morning’s free Chinese tea tasting at the Valley Brook Tea shop at the Ven Hotel (2015 Massachusetts Ave NW) in Dupont Circle. Yunhan Zhang is a wonderful host and is incredibly knowledgeable about tea (including its production and history). His family in China grows the tea he serves and sells.
Yunhan will be doing these free tasting on Sundays at 10:30am for at least the next couple of weeks but be on time since there is limited seating. No reservations are required.
You may want to check out the Sunday Dupont Farmer’s market (a block away from 8:30am to 1:30pm) and the current art gallery downstairs as well.
Smashed Cucumber Salad, Umami Nosh, Warm Walnut Potato SaladEgg Drop Hot Sour Wonton SoupDry Spiced Double-Fried Chicken WingsXo Shrimp Lo MeinWok Stir Fried Sea BassSesame Custard (Has no Eggs)Chinese Style 5 Spice Donuts
We were happy to try the new menu items at the DuPont location of ChiKo, a group of Chinese/Korean fusion restaurants. I can’t eat egg yolks, so brought a plus one (“C”) to try the dishes I could not. We enjoyed all the new menu items; my guest vouched for the dishes I could not try).
C’s favorite dishes of the visit were the Umami Nosh (soft-cooked egg, salmon caviar, seaweed) and Egg Drop Hot Sour Wonton Soup, two dishes I could not try. He attacked the Chinese Style 5 Spice Donuts. When he brought home the leftover soup, his partner proclaimed it “sex in a bowl.” I asked no further questions at that point.
My favorite dishes of the evening were the Wok Stir Fried Sea Bass (which I LOVED) ordered without the oyster mushrooms and Dry Spiced Double-Fried Chicken Wings (wonderful savory flavor and perfectly crunchy), although the latter isn’t a new dish. I attacked the Sesame Custard, which does not contain eggs and features a perfect combination of flavors and textures (coconut, caramel, almonds, basil seeds).
The new dishes are available at all ChiKo locations. Scroll down to see the menu.
-JAY
Disclosure: From time to time, we are given free items, meals, or entry to events. Our words are still our own.
Standard menu. They also have a vegetarian and a GF menu.
