metrocurean extras

Coming Soon

2009-11-03T10:02:00.000-05:00

A regularly updated list of noteworthy restaurants slated to open soon in the D.C. area, and brief reports from the unconfirmed rumor mill.

• Acqua al 2
212 Seventh St. SE
An outpost of this Florence, Italy-based restaurant is planned for Capitol Hill. The only other US location is in San Diego, serving dishes like bresaola carpaccio, penne with vodka sauce and veal chops sauteed in porcini mushroom sauce.
ETA: fall

• Barrio (tentative name)
3418 11th St. NW
Aman Ayoubi, owner of Local 16, and partners Eric Gronning of Gronning Architects and Doug Whipple of Whipple Farms plan to open this Columbia Heights spot serving Latin-influenced and American food.
ETA: late 2009

• Bayou Bakery
Location TBD
Pastry chef David Guas (at right) previously partnered with The Liberty Tavern to open this Southern-inspired bakery in the old Murky Coffee space. Plans fell through, and Guas is hunting for new space. We may still see those snoballs, pralines, puddings and hot beignets get their own space yet.
ETA: TBD

• Buddha Bar
455 Massachusetts Ave. NW
The Asian-themed Buddha Bar, known for its trendy locations in Paris, New York and Vegas' Little Buddha, will open another outpost in an expansive space downtown.
ETA: 2009

• Carmine's
425 Seventh St. NW
The New York-based Italian restaurant has leased a 20,000-square-foot space in Penn Quarter.
ETA: early 2010

• Cork Market
1805 14th St. NW
Metrocurean broke the news that Diane Gross and Khalid Pitts, owners of the popular Cork Wine Bar, have more in store for the neighborhood with Cork Market. The shop will offer all of the wines available on Cork's European list, a small selection of beer, food and specialty items, including cheese, charcuterie, jams, oils, vinegars, pasta, bread and baked goods. An open kitchen in the back will turn out sandwiches and salads to carry out, as well as some favorites off Cork's menu — chicken liver pâté, oil-cured roma tomatoes, olives, nuts. The building's second floor will house a classroom for wine programs and private events. Read more here.
ETA: fall

• Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar
801 Ninth St. NW
As first reported on Metrocurean, Cuba Libre, a Cuban restaurant with locations in Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlantic City, is headed to DC. The 200-seat restaurant, which channels Old Havana circa the 1950s, will serve lunch and dinner, and plans include a large patio. The restaurants are under the culinary direction of chef Guillermo Pernot, a two-time James Beard award winner for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic during his time at Philly's ¡Pasión! and his cookbook "Ceviche: Seafood, Salads, and Cocktails with a Latino Twist."
ETA: 2010

• Diamond District Seafood Co.
1612 14th St. NW
Chef and sustainability advocate Barton Seaver's planned seafood market and restaurant finally has a name: Diamond District Seafood Co. Seaver is partnering with Eli Hengst (Blue Ridge, Sonoma) and Doug Singer to open the 14th Street spot (space pictured at right).
ETA: late 2009

NEW • Estadio
1520 14th St. NW
Proof owner Mark Kuller and his team plan to open Estadio, a Spanish restaurant on 14th Street. The menu will feature bite-size pintxos, tapas and larger raciones, overseen by Proof head chef Haidar Karoum. The small tastes, or pintxos, will run $1-$2, tapas $4-$9 and mains $10-$18. Bread will baked in house. Read more here.
ETA: summer 2010

• Galileo III
600 14th St. NW
Chef Roberta Donna has signed a lease to take over the former Butterfield 9 space and resurrect Galileo.
ETA: winter

• Hill Country
410 Seventh St. NW
Tom Sietsema reports that Manhattan barbecue joint Hill Country is headed to DC next year. On the NY menu: brisket, beer can game hen, ribs, baked beans, chipotle deviled eggs and PB&J cupcakes. The 250-seat restaurant will also feature live music.
ETA: July 2010

• Kushi
465 K St. NW
A new Japanese Izakaya-style restaurant is slated to open this fall at 465 K St. NW in the City Vista building. Kushi will serve sushi, regional Japanese food and Kushiyaki — skewers of meat, seafood, poultry and vegetables grilled over open flames. An open kitchen will feature grills for the Kushiyaki and a robata fire pit for grilling whole fish and large cuts of meats. Read more here.
ETA: 2009

NEW • Lyon Hall
3100 Washington Blvd., Arlington
The team behind Liberty Tavern plans to open a brasserie dubbed Lyon Hall, Zagat reports.
ETA: winter

• Morso
3277 M St. NW
Morso, which is slated to open at the corner of Potomac and M streets in September, will be a Mediterranean spot serving small plates with a modern Turkish influence. Chef Ed Witt has been tapped to lead the kitchen. With his new DC gig, the chef is coming full circle in a way. Before cooking school and working at various San Francisco and New York restaurants that included Jardinière, Daniel and Il Buco, Witt worked at DC's Occidental Grill. Morso's main dining room will seat 70 or so. The restaurant will also offer a separate area with a few seats and separate menu for take-out.
ETA: November

NEW • Screwtop Wine Bar
1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington
Former AOL exec Wendy Buckley is working toward opening Screwtop later this year. The retail component will offer boutique small production wines, cut-to-order cheeses from around the world, imported and domestic meats and patés, antipasto and other specialty foods, as well as party accessories and custom gift baskets. The wine bar will feature 24 table seats and 10 bar seats, 40 wines by the glass, a couple of beers on tap, several craft beers by the bottle, and a menu of cheese plates, appetizers, sandwiches and salads. Screwtop will also host monthly wine classes. Read more here.
ETA: December

• Ris Restaurant
2275 L St. NW
Ris Lacoste, who earned her stellar reputation as former executive chef of 1789, plans to open her long-awaited restaurant soon. Look for a sizable patio and 170 seats inside.
ETA: November

NEW • Table 14 (tentative name)
1832 14th St. NW
Aman Ayoubi, owner of Local 16, and partners Eric Gronning of Gronning Architects and Doug Whipple of Whipple Farms plan to open Table 14 by spring 2010. Plans for the new spot include a farm-to-table restaurant serving modern American cuisine with an Italian influence on the main floor; a yakitori grill and bar on the second floor overlooking a green roof and garden space; and a space for events on the third floor with a small roof deck.
ETA: spring 2010

• Wagamama
418 Seventh St. NW
Signs are now up in the window heralding the arrival of this popular UK-based noodle restaurant, opening in Penn Quarter.
ETA: May 2010

For more news on DC openings, click here. Have a restaurant you think should be added to the list? Email me at metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

New Openings

2009-10-27T09:00:00.000-04:00

Noteworthy openings in the D.C. area in the past six months ...

NEW • Againn
1099 New York Ave. NW, 202.297.0601
The first restaurant concept from the Whisk Group, Againn is a British gastropub featuring an extensive selection of single-malt scotch and beer. Executive chef Wesley Morton sources organic, seasonal and certified humane ingredients for his menu, which includes such dishes as cast iron roasted hanger steak with bone marrow persillade; Tamworth pork belly with heirloom apples, cabbage and crackling; grilled rockfish with baked lentils and pork hock; and fish and chips served with mushy peas and sauce gribiche.

The bar at Bibiana.
Photo: Greg Powers

NEW • Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca
1100 New York Ave. NW, 202.216.9550
Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj opened this Italian restaurant in early September — adding to his impressive portfolio that already includes Rasika, Oval Room, Bombay Club, 701, Ardeo and Bardeo. Nicholas Stefanelli, formerly of Mio, Fiamma and Maestro, heads the kitchen.

NEW • Birch & Barley, ChurchKey
1337 14th St. NW, 202.567.2576
After being plagued by construction delays, Michael Babin and the Neighborhood Restaurant Group opened Birch & Barley and ChurchKey in mid-October. The husband-and-wife team of Kyle Bailey (Allen & Delancey, Blue Hill at Stone Barns) and Tiffany MacIsaac (Allen & Delancey, Cru) have the kitchen covered — he's exec chef, she's the pastry chef. Upstairs from Birch & Barley will be a beer aficionado's haven: a 3,200-square-foot beer bar pouring more than 500 beers, with about 50 on draft and five hand-pumped, cask conditioned ales.

Blackfinn's porkopolis burger, topped with pulled pork, honey cured ham, sliced sweet pickles, coleslaw and applewood smoked bacon.

NEW • BlackFinn
1620 I St. NW, 202.429.4350
BlackFinn American Saloon, with seven other locations nationwide, opened near the White House in September. The new spot offers a menu of classic American comfort food, including a salt-prepared prime rib with homemade horseradish, a blue cheese wedge topped with spicy buffalo chicken tenders, flatbread pizzas, and a line-up of burgers. Plenty of TVs make it easy to catch a game.

NEW • Kellari Taverna
1700 K St. NW, 202-535-5274
An outpost of this New York-based restaurant opened on K Street in October. Kellari specializes in traditional Greek fare and seafood, sourced from Mediterranean and Atlantic coast. The fish is sold by the pound, grilled whole and served tableside.

NEW • Masa 14
1825 14th St. NW, 202.328.1414
Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Richard Sandoval of Zengo (and more restaurants around the country) are partnering on this 14th Street restaurant that opened in October. The new 100-seat spot serves Latin-Asian small plates. Antonio Burrell, formerly of CommonWealth and Vidalia, has been tapped as chef de cuisine. The space includes a 74-seat bar and lounge area and a private dining room.

NEW • Sou'Wester
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW
CityZen chef Eric Ziebold unveiled his new casual Southern restaurant, Sou'Wester, in mid September. Chef Rachael Harriman is heading the kitchen. On the new spot's homey Southern-inspired menu: blackened bluefish with Cajun rice, fried chicken with coleslaw, chicken and dumplings, sautéed perch with Old Bay chowder, poached egg with creamed grits and sweetbreads, and sides like beer-battered onion rings, hush puppies with honey butter and tater tots. The cocktail menu features drinks based around fruit, herb and spiced nectars. Get more deets here.

NEW • Room 11
3234 11th St. NW, 202.332.3234
This Columbia Heights wine bar, which opened in August, gets the neighborhood joint thing right. The menu is simple but interesting enough to hit up regularly. A selection of paninis runs $10, there's cheese and charcuterie, and small bites to fill in the gaps. The thoughtful wine list's by-the-glass choices start at a bargain $6 and top out at $12. The place was created by owners Nick Pimentel, Ben Gilligan, Dan Searing and Paul Ruppert.

• Blue Ridge
2340 Wisconsin Ave. NW, 202.333.4004
Eli Hengst and Jared Rager, creators of Sonoma and Redwood, have opened Blue Ridge in the former Busara space in Glover Park. The restaurant focuses on seasonal food, sourced locally with sustainability advocate Barton Seaver manning the kitchen. On the menu: fried catfish with sorrel aioli and chow-chow frisee herb salad; wood pork chop with red-eye gravy and parmesan-potato salad; roasted butternut squash with poached egg and chorizo vinaigrette; and Piedmont pork meatloaf with buttermilk mashed potatoes and smoked tomato. The space offers a farmhouse-inspired outdoor patio with a fish pond, an antique oak bar that seats 14, and a 75-seat dining room with reclaimed church pews. Wine director Brian Cook is spearheading the restaurant’s wine list which includes 50 bottles under $50 and some vintages produced in the shadow of the Blue Ridge.

• Cava
527 Eighth St. SE
A second outpost of this Greek restaurant in Rockville, Md., opened on Barracks Row in April. You can now find their line of hummus, harissa and more at Whole Foods.

• Cedar
822 E St. NW, 202.637.0012
Cedar opened in May in Penn Quarter. Chef Andy Kitko (formerly Redwood) turns out dishes like wild king salmon with shell bean ragout and spring onions and herb-crusted pork tenderloin with braised swiss chard and applewood bacon.

• Chef Geoff's Tysons
8045 Leesburg Pike, Vienna, Va.
Geoff Tracy opened his fifth restaurant — the third Chef Geoff's — in the space vacated by Colvin Run Tavern in June.

• Columbia Firehouse
109 South St. Asaph St., Alexandria, 703.683.1776
The Neighborhood Restaurant Group has opened the two-pronged Columbia Firehouse in a building once home to Alexandria's local fire station. The 80-seat upstairs dining room is a chophouse featuring local beef, while the 120-seat downstairs will offer a casual menu of American comfort food, small plates and sandwiches.

• Eatonville
2121 14th St. NW, 202.332.9672
This new Southern-inspired restaurant, named for Zora Neale Hurston's Florida hometown, opened in May right across the street from its big brother, Busboys and Poets. Owner Andy Shallal auditioned chefs for the Southern restaurant, and the City Paper's Tim Carman chronicled the competition.

• Eola
2020 P St. NW, 202.466.4441
In the former Mark and Orlando's space, chef Dan Singhofen opened Eola in September. On the menu: Coho salmon crudo, rockfish with creamy corn, crispy wild rice and heirloom tomato; and pan-roasted Hereford beef with potato confit, porcini and rapini.

• G Street Food
1706 G St. NW
Breadline founder Mark Furstenberg partnered with the owners of the former Ecco Cafe to transform the space into G Street Food, featuring street snacks from around the world. Read more on the GOG Blog and Young and Hungry.

J&G Steakhouse's dining room.

• J&G Steakhouse
W Hotel, 515 15th St. NW, 202.661.2440
Famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten has partnered with Starwood Hotels to open dozens of restaurants in properties all over the world. The latest, J&G Steakhouse, in DC's gorgeous new W Hotel, which opened July 8 in the old Hotel Washington.

: Chef Morou Ouattara's Kora is now open in Crystal City.
• Kora 2250 Crystal Dr., Arlington Chef Morou Ouattara has opened a casual Italian restaurant in the space vacated by Bebo. His brother, Amadou, is heading up the menu, which features Italian classics like linguine with clams, lasagne with Bolognese sauce, pork shank osso bucco and wood-fired pizzas.

• Plume
The Jefferson hotel, 1200 16th St. NW, 202.448.2322
Executive chef Damon Gordon, whose résumé includes stints at Alain Ducasse’s Mix in New York City and the Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in his native UK, presides over the kitchen at Plume in the newly renovated Jefferson Hotel. The seasonal menu offers dishes like Maryland crab risotto, roasted foie gras ravioli, filet of dry aged beef with herbed bone marrow. Quill, the hotel's bar, features signature cocktails like the Dipsy martini with Chartreuse Verte, Pernod, Noilly Prat, vodka and caramelized orange peel, and the Papaya, Pepper and Prosecco with fresh papaya, orange, lime, white pepper and prosecco.

• Point of View
W Hotel, 515 15th St. NW
The former Hotel Washington Sky Terrace, with its stunning views, has been transformed into a super chic bar and lounge dubbed Point of View at the new W Hotel. The cocktail program was created by Sasha Petraske of Manhattan's famed Milk and Honey and Little Branch and DC's own Justin Guthrie, formerly behind the bar at Central. The inside bar features picture windows framing the Washington Monument and an Alice in Wonderland-esque decor of red, white and black. The terrace features its own bar and one of the best views in DC. The menu serves up hits from Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market and other restaurants, including samosas, beef satay and watermelon goat cheese salad.

• Policy
1904 14th St. NW, 202.731.7700
A building that used to house leaky, run-down junk shops on 14th Street has been demolished, and in its place is an impressive new space home to Policy. A seasonal American menu — pappardelle with spring peas and morels, crispy pork belly with Virginia honey-ginger glaze — is crafted by chef Brian Murphy, formerly of L'Auberge Chez Francois.

Potenza opened in March at 15th and H streets.
Photo by CORE Group

• Potenza
15th and H streets NW, 202.638.4444
The Stir Food Group, also of Zola and Zola Wine and Kitchen, opened this rustic Italian restaurant and bakery in the Woodward building in March. Executive chef Bryan Moscatello traveled around Italy for the menu's inspiration, and chef de cuisine Anthony Acinapura heads the kitchen on a daily basis. The 175-seat restaurant features a salumi counter, raw bar, 6,000-pound pizza oven, a roomy bar and a bakery with a separate entrance, creating breads, pastas and desserts for the dining room. Read more here.

• Scion
2100 P St. NW, 202.833.8899
Joanne and Julie Liu, whose family runs Jenny's Asian Fusion on the Southwest waterfront, opened this restaurant on P Street in August. The menu offers American cooking with a few Asian influences, including spicy chicken wings, edamame hummus, burgers, steak frites and crispy ginger soy cod.

Clifton's new Trummer's on Main

• Trummer's on Main
7134 Main St., Clifton, Va., 703.266.1623
Stefan and Victoria Trummer, veterans of New York's restaurant scene, opened this 210-seat restaurant in July. They hired chef Clayton Miller (formerly of Norman's in Orlando, The French Laundry and Daniel) to craft the "creative American" menu, which includes dishes such as vanilla braised pork brisket with rhubarb and cherry leaf and pan-roasted rockfish with braised pole beans and tomato soffritto. Read more here.

For more news on DC openings, click here.

Recent Eats

2009-05-01T14:00:00.001-04:00

Dispatches from where I've been recently ...

• At a press preview of Café Atlantico's new farmers market dinner menu, chef Terri Cutrino served a multi-course meal including velvety mushroom soup and tender braised buffalo short ribs. She only had a few hours to shop for ingredients right outside the restaurant's front door at the Penn Quarter FreshFarm Market and turn them into dinner. She'll have a little more breathing room to create market menus through the summer — the $45 three-course menu will be offered Fridays, a day after the market.

• I'm becoming addicted to the goat ragu with tagliatelle at Posto, so much so that I've been wooed away from my favorite pizzas (the arugula and prosciutto, and spicy salami with Italian sausage).

• The bar at The Source hosted a little gathering of writers the other week to introduce a new cocktail list. I'll be back for the Blue Sage, a summery blend of Stoli blueberry, sage leaves, lime and sugar.

• Lamb dog. Bar Pilar. Get it while you can. It's a thin, spicy link, created by local biz Simply Sausage, nestled in a nicely crisped bun.

Special Splurges

2009-04-30T16:08:00.001-04:00

Metrocurean favorites for a big night out ...

• CityZen
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW, 202.787.6006
Chef Eric Ziebold's food here is at times playful, at times transcendental and most often delicious. A recent meal included a playful elevation of falafel, over-the-top rich Miyazaki Wagyu beef with Siberian sea salt and tempura leeks, and a pre-dessert palate cleanser that deconstructed a pina colada with pineapple sorbet, coconut foam and rum gelee. The dining room feels a little like a lobby, but it's a dramatic space with high ceilings, commanding columns and a shiny open kitchen.

• Komi
1509 17th St. NW, 202.332.9200
The cooking here is unlike any other place in town. Chef Johnny Monis, whose star has risen swiftly in the past few years, creates amazing combinations, like baby octopus over lentils and pig knuckle topped with a quail egg, that may sound odd but make so much sense in the mouth. Much of the food has Greek influences (foie gras baklava, crispy oxtail gyro) thanks to Monis' family ties to the country. Dinner is a multi-hour commitment so plan accordingly.

• Restaurant Eve's tasting room
110 South Pitt St., Alexandria, 703.706.0450
The tasting room at Restaurant Eve, above, reflects chef Cathal Armstrong's commitment to local and sustainable ingredients on his modern American menu. Check out this nifty Post video for a peek inside.

• The Source by Wolfgang Puck
575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.637.6100
Executive chef Scott Drewno leads the kitchen at Austrian celeb chef Wolfgang Puck's first fine dining venture in DC. Hit the attractive and spacious ground-floor bar and lounge for pizzas, crisp wings, and plates of housemade pretzels and sausage. Upstairs in the more formal dining room is where Drewno's talent truly shines on the Asian-inflected menu. Don't miss the crispy suckling pig with plum puree (pictured) or the signature spicy tuna cones.

My Neighborhood Favorites

2009-04-30T13:33:00.000-04:00

The places I turn to again and again all have a few things in common: I can walk to them, the prices are good, and the food is solid. Thus this list, though delicious, is mostly limited to the 14th Street/U Street neighborhood.

• Bar Pilar
1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751
In this dark and moody bar, you can manage an affordable meal of small plates paired with a well-priced wine list. Chef Justin Bittner's ambitious market-inspired menu includes the occasional offal dish for the adventurous (veal kidneys and sweetbreads) and favorites like chicken liver pate with grilled bread, crispy potatoes with malt aioli and Spanish white anchovies.

• Cafe Saint-Ex
1847 14th St. NW, 202.265.7839
Bar Pilar's older sibling up the street is my favorite spot for brunch. French toast with a side of bacon is my regular order, but other standouts include a smoked trout plate and the fried green tomato Benedict. Come dinner time, the burger is a good bet, made with local grass-fed beef. A commitment to local farms and sustainable seafood is another reason Saint-Ex is on my list of regular stops.

• Coppi's
1414 U St. NW, 202.319.7773
An urban and organic pioneer, Coppi's has been slinging pizzas on U Street since 1993. My standard order: the soppressata pizza, topped with salami, ricotta, mozzarella, mint, parsley, mushrooms and red onions. And don't overlook the appetizers, including the seared green chard with raisins, hot pepper, garlic and ricotta. Call in a take-out order and if you're driving, they'll save you the quest for parking and run it out to your car.

• Cork
1720 14th St. NW, 202.265.2675
There's often a wait for seats at this personable wine bar. The bar pours about 45 choices by the glass and the bottle list stretches to more than 150 selections. Dishes like duck confit with mushroom polenta, crisp fries with lemon zest, garlic and parsley, and the house-cured trout are all standouts. The team includes husband-and-wife owners Khalid Pitts and Diane Gross, chef Ron Tanaka (formerly of CityZen) and bar man Tom Brown.

• Hank's Oyster Bar
1624 Q St. NW, 202.462.4265
Briny raw oysters and a beach bar vibe. Need I say more? What? Not everyone likes oysters? Or the beach? Well, there's plenty of other draws at chef Jamie Leeds' tribute to her father, like crisp fried calamari and popcorn shrimp, a plump lobster roll on a buttery bun and creamy mac and cheese. I never stray far from the fried foods/oysters combo, but there's a nightly meat and two sides special and usually an interesting fish entree or two.

• Posto
1515 14th St. NW, 202.332.8613
This Italian newcomer, pictured above, is the more casual sibling of downtown's sleek Ristorante Tosca. I love it for the wood-fired pizzas (arugula and prosciutto is my go-to), rustic pastas and bustling vibe.

Great Cocktails

2009-01-03T10:35:00.001-05:00

Metrocurean favorites for quality cocktails ...

• Bar Pilar
1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751
After helping put PS 7's bar on the map, Adam Bernbach is now at Bar Pilar, crafting great cocktails like the Darkside (Plymouth Gin, Marcarini Chinato Vermouth, Peychaud Bitters and spiced cherries) for one of the city's coolest watering holes.

• Central
1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.626.0015
It was love at first sip for me with Central's Celery Cup, the brasserie's refreshing spin on a Pimm's Cup. The tall drink mixes Dr. Brown's celery soda with Pimm's, Hendrick's gin and fresh lime juice. Central's cocktail list is small but always creative.

• Cork
1720 14th St. NW, 202.265.2675
This popular 14th Street spot focuses on wine, but don't overlook the cocktails. Tom Brown (formerly of Corduroy) incorporates into the cocktail list by making Colonial-era influenced sangarees and flips with wine as the base His super smooth version of a Rob Roy is made with single-malt scotch.

• Dino
3435 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.686.2966
Like its carefully tended wine program, Dino's cocktail list is crafted with attention and creativity, under the watch of Scott Palmer. Most of the spirits on offer are artisanal products. New cocktails from Palmer include the Spiced Chianti Fizz with Chianti, warm spices, Acquavite d'Arancia, orange bitters and Fever Tree Bitter Lemon Soda.

• The Gibson
2009 14th St. NW, 202.232.2156
Next door to Marvin (look for the tiny buzzer), this new cocktail den from the same owners mixes excellent drinks. The cocktail list was created by Derek Brown, who after working as a sommelier at Komi and Citronelle has returned his focus to mixology. Call for reservations or you have to wait to get in.

• Proof
775 G St. NW, 202.737.7663
As wine director, Sebastian Zutant's focus is vino but he can concoct a mighty fine cocktail as well. Egg whites pop up in a few cocktails like the Libertini — Kaffir lime vodka, fresh sour mix and egg white. The martini "fixins" list is impressive: kalamata olives stuffed with Point Reyes blue cheese, caper berries, house pickled green beans, and onions soaked in gin, coriander and thyme.

• PX
728 King St., Alexandria
The tiny speakeasy over Eamonn's in Old Town is not only a leader in spectacular mixology locally but nationally as well. Todd Thrasher is the man behind the mixes, and his fanatic commitment to fresh ingredients drives him to do things most bars wouldn't bother with — like making fresh cranberry juice, tonic and cola (adios, high fructose corn syrup). Ingredients brought in from outside are carefully sourced. That egg in your flip, for example, may come from the now-famous Polyface Farm. Make advance reservations and take a few friends — PX is more about sitting back with an excellent cocktail than mingling. It's a classy joint, so dress the part. You can also taste Thrasher's creations at Restaurant Eve.

• Tabard Inn
1739 N St. NW, 202.785.1277
You haven't really lived in DC until you've visited the funky Tabard Inn and sipped a cocktail in front of the fire. Chantal Tseng is the welcoming face behind the bar. Go for a classic gin martini or hot buttered rum.

For more on the biggest trends and innovations, check in on the State of the Cocktail in DC.

Chef Teddy Folkman’s Mussels Recipe

2008-07-07T12:29:00.005-04:00

Chef Teddy Folkman’s Mussels from Throwdown! with Bobby Flay

1 pound rope grown PEI mussels
4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola)
1/3 cup applewood smoked bacon, diced
1/3 cup thin sliced shallots
1/4 cup Hook's Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue
1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and destemmed
sea salt
black pepper

Heat oil in pan with bacon until bacon is rendered and is slightly browned. Add shallots and mussels and toss ingredients together. Add white wine and lemon juice and toss ingredients together.

When mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in spinach. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Plate and top the mussels with the remainder of the blue cheese. Serve with a French baguette and frites.

Recipe courtesy of chef Teddy Folkman and Granville Moore's.

Frozen Treats News

2008-06-25T22:41:00.001-04:00

The media, bloggers in particular, love them some frozen yogurt. And you know what they (we) love even more? Frozen yogurt wars. Combine that with the current probiotic craze, and we have the makings of a media yo-gasm.

And DC will stand on the sidelines of this big city fad no longer, because it looks like we're poised for our very own fro-yo fight.

TangySweet is now open in Dupont, and lives up to its name. The yogurt is, you guessed it, tangy and sweet. (Georgetown's SweetGreen is also peddling the tart stuff, but salad is their bread and butter.) And Mr. Yogato followed soon after TangySweet.

But what's that on the horizon? LA-export Pinkberry is supposedly on its way, and a Canadian fro-yo chain, Yogen Früz, plans to open 16 stores in the area.

TangySweet should have a hometown advantage since it's a locally owned, small business. And owner Aaron Gordon told DCist he may open a few more shops around town.

The fro-yo wars may be upon us, but good ol' artisanal gelato is not going to take this lying down.

The brand new Bethesda Row outpost of Dolcezza is up and running. Also entering the frozen treats fray in DC will be Pitango Gelato, according to the Washington Business Journal. Joining the Baltimore original will be two planned locations: a 500-square-foot shop in the Metropole condo building at the corner of 15th and P streets NW and one at Reston Town Center. Like Dolcezza, Pitango relies on local farms for many of its ingredients. And finally, Boccato Gelatos opened recently in Arlington. The lucuma flavor sounds very intriguing.

Who Is Metrocurean?

2008-05-16T16:32:00.006-04:00

Washington, D.C.-based food writer Amanda McClements has trailed celebrity chefs through Iceland, picked buckshot out of quail on a South Carolina farm, and dined on tripe, tongue and crickets, all in the pursuit of good food. A native North Carolinian who counts herself in the "eastern" barbecue camp, she has cultivated her love of all things culinary by reviewing restaurants and reporting on the hottest food news and trends.

Her work has appeared in Food & Wine, ForbesTraveler.com, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, DC Modern Luxury and Roll Call, among others. To read more of her work, check out recent clips here.

She can be reached at metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

DC Does Valentine's Day

2008-02-10T19:52:00.000-05:00

Warning: In the world of restaurant speak, Valentine's Day is an amateur night. But Metrocurean understands the sexy allure of pressed white table cloths, bulbous glasses of red wine and, best of all, not having to do dishes. So here's a list of some of the best Valentine's Day specials around town. (Most prices exclude tax and gratuity.)

• Ardeo
What: Three-course tasting menu with an amuse bouche, including dishes like baked stuffed oysters with mushrooms, spinach and Champagne sabayon, and tuna and foie gras with carrot mousee and port reduction.
Price: $75 per person
Reservations: 202.244.6750

• Bankgok Joe's
What: Four-course menu featuring Thai-inflected dishes like saffron poached prawn and lobster ravioli with ginger-lobster cream sauce.
Price: $49 per person
Reservations: 202.333.4422
Extra: Brut rose Champagne tasting to start

• Bastille
What: A five-course chocolate menu with dishes like saffron cauliflower soup with white chocolate shavings; grilled quails in port-chocolate sauce; and yellow fin tuna with szechuan and cocoa rub.
Price: $69 per person, $30 wine pairing
Reservations: 703.519.3776

• Bombay Club (at right)
What: Three-course tasting menu including an amuse bouche, including dishes like tandoori lamb chops, seafood biryani and five vegetarian options including truffle paneer kofta.
Price: $75 per person
Reservations: 202.659.3727

• Charlie Palmer Steak
What: Valentine's Day through Feb. 17, Charlie Palmer is offering a three-course menu featuring dishes such as roasted black truffle chicken for two with truffle potato puree, caramelized root vegetables, and marjoram jus. Also special for the Valentine’s Day weekend will be flights of champagne and sparkling wines.
Price: $65 per person; personalized wine pairings will be available for $25
Reservations: 202.547.8100

• D'Acqua
What: Chocolate and Champagne Happy Hour will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Valentine’s Day through Saturday, Feb. 16. Head to the bar for a glass of Champagne and three chocolate-dipped strawberries for $8.

• Dino
What: Four-course meal offering dishes like roasted cauliflower cappuccino, porcini mushroom and truffle flan with old balsamico from Villa Monodori, and Chateaubriand for two with confit potatoes and roast heirloom carrots.
Price: $65 per person, wine pairings add $32 per person
Reservations: 202.686.2966

• Domaso
What: Sunday, Feb. 10 through Sunday, Feb. 17, Domaso will offer a four-course Italian menu including fresh baby diver scallops with gratin sauce and hackleback caviar; ravioli filled with wild arugula, sheep milk ricotta and quail egg with goat milk butter, fresh thyme and Parmigiano Reggiano; and chocolate and ricotta cheesecake with passion fruit sauce.
Price: $50 per person
Reservations: 703.351.1211

• Firefly
What: Four-course menu with dishes like oysters Rockefeller, Maine lobster pie and warm apple crisp.
Price: $75 per person
Reservations: 202.861.1310

• Hudson
What: Hudson is offering three seatings for the night and a five-course menu. Dishes include pan-seared Hudson Valley foie gras with spiced pineapple and huckleberry sauce; braised osso bucco with goat cheese polenta; and chocolate Grand Marnier souffle.
Price: 5:30 and 10:30 p.m. seatings are $65 per person; 7:30 p.m. seating is $80 per person
Reservations: 202.872.8700

• Locanda
What: Four-course dinner with dishes such as steak tartare with quail egg, chive fettuccine and scallops, and Valhrona chocolate and blood orange gelato.
Price: $75 per person and $35 for wine pairings
Reservations: 202.547.0002
Extra: glass of Prosecco to start

• Mio
What: Valentine's Day through Feb. 17, Mio will offer a four-course menu of aphrodisiac dishes like and oyster and Champagne cocktail; plancha seared scallop tartar with vanilla and truffle; and pan-seared quail with sea urchin sauce.
Price: $65 per person
Reservations: 202.955.0075

• Nage
What: An a la carte menu of suggestively named dishes like the menage au foie (foie gras three ways) and the birds and the bees (honey glazed wood cock, duck confit, cornmeal bread pudding, and natural honey).
Price: a la carte
Reservations: 202.448.8005
Extra: A take-home jar of housemade chocolate body paint with brushes

• Oval Room (at right)
What: Three-course menu including dishes like poached lobster vindaloo, compressed jicama and Asian pear; prime strip loin of beef with porcini jam and toasted garlic soy butter; and chocolate pudding with red beets and pistachio ice cream.
Price: $85 per person
Reservations: 202.463.8700

• Poste Modern Brasserie
What: Six-course menu with dishes like seared sea scallops with slow smoked pork belly; and red wine-braised rabbit with poppyseed tagliatelle.
Price: $75 per person
Reservations: 202.783.6060

• Rasika
What: Four-course tasting menu offering dishes like chili chocolate shrimp( grilled shrimp, crushed red chilis and chocolate sauce); oyster karawari with Long Island oysters, red chili, tamarind, garlic and semolina; and the popular palak chaat.
Price: $75 per person, wine pairing for $45 per person
Reservations: 202.637.1222

• Roof Terrace at the Kennedy Center
What: Three-course menu featuring dishes braised boneless short ribs with sweet potato puree, lemongrass marinated shrimp and Meyer lemon tiramisu.
Price: $75 per person
Reservations: 202.416.8555

• Seasons
What: A multi-course menu including dishes like Colorado lamb ribeye with dark chocolate and blackberry jam, parsnip puree and pancetta; and rose petal panna cotta.
Price: call 202.342.0444

• Taberna del Alabardero
What: Five-course dinner featuring classic Spanish cuisine including grilled tuna with mushrooms wrapped in brick pastry; sauteed venison over green beans and cinnamon apples; and a chocolate trio dessert.
Price: $85 per person
Reservations: 202.429.2200

• Vegetate
What: Four-course vegan menu offering dishes like roasted winter squash soup with coconut milk, kaffir lime and chipotle oil; herbed risotto with Oregon black truffles.
Price: $45 per person
Reservations: 202.232.4585

• 701
What: Three-course menu with an amuse bouche, including dishes like a salmon belly trio; pan roasted prime rib of beef, poached langoustine, potato rosti, vanilla bourbon and black truffle glaze; and a dessert sampler featuring strawberry champagne sorbet, white chocolate passion fruit truffle, tuxedo strawberries and panna cotta with lime water syrup and warm chocolate cake.
Price: $85 per person
Reservations: 202.393.0701
Extra: live jazz music

State Of The Cocktail: Essential Roster

2008-01-29T09:00:00.000-05:00

As an addendum to the State of the Cocktail, here's my roster of mixologists shaking up the scene, with some input from Derek Brown.

• Adam Bernbach at Bar Pilar. After helping put PS 7's bar on the map, Bernbach is now at Pilar, crafting great cocktails like the Darkside (Plymouth Gin, Marcarini Chinato Vermouth, Peychaud Bitters and spiced cherries) for one of the city's coolest watering holes.

• Tom Brown at Cork. "Tom's Rob Royce [a souped up Rob Roy] is the best version of this classic I have ever had," says Brown, Tom's brother.

• Chris Cunningham at Dino. Check out the bar's creative takes on classics, like Dean's Gold, a riff on the Negroni with Plymouth gin, Aperol Aperitivo and Antica Formula Vermouth.

• Alice Gaber at Firefly. Gaber recently took over the cozy bar at Firefly and is mixing drinks like the Quartz, a gin fizz with fresh grapefruit and blood orange juices and house-made rosemary syrup.

• Justin Guthrie at Central. I'm a big fan of the Celery Cup, the brasserie's refreshing spin on a Pimm's Cup with Dr. Brown's celery soda, Pimm's, Hendrick's gin and fresh lime juice.

• Tiffany Short at PS 7's. Short's Bolshevik — beet-infused Snow Queen vodka, lime and a whiff of lime-basil — has won many fans, myself included. The beet taste is unmistakable but the lime creates a lovely balance.

• Bill Thomas, owner of Bourbon (Adams Morgan and Glover Park), and Owen Thomson, behind the bar. Brown touts Thomas' carefully selected list of rare and obscure ryes and whiskeys. "Not exactly a cocktail joint, Bourbon is a regular watering hole of the cocktail elite," says Brown. "Get an Old Fashioned made the way it was intended to be: whiskey, bitters, twist and sugar, and save the bartenders from all the shaking, cutting and garnishing. Yes, that's right, the Old Fashioned is sans fruit, save a twist in its original recipe."

• Todd Thrasher at PX and Restaurant Eve. Garnering regular national attention for his creations, Thrasher makes much of his bar's stock including cola, tonic and numerous flavors of bitters. Ingredients brought in from outside are carefully sourced. That egg in your flip, for example, may come from the now-famous Polyface Farm.

• Chantal Tseng at Tabard Inn. She "serves a top notch gin martini in classic proportions with bitters, along with a few other thoughtful beverages on Wednesday nights," Brown reveals. And of course there's the inn's classic hot buttered rum.

• Sebastian Zutant at Proof. As wine director, Zutant's focus is vino but he can make a mighty fine cocktail as well. The Gambler blends Jack Daniels, maraschino liquor, sweet vermouth and house pickled cherries.

On the move ...
• Gina Chersevani, formerly of Rasika
• Will Earls, formerly of Hudson

The Source New Year's Eve Menu

2007-12-28T12:12:00.000-05:00

The Source will offer two menus on New Year's Eve, listed below. Call 202.637.6100 for reservations.

FIRST COURSE
Roasted Suckling Pig with Quince Puree, Pickled Cippolini, Sweet Bean
Riesling, Wieninger, Vienna, "Riedencuvee", Austria 2005
SECOND COURSE
Tandoori Artic Char, Pickled Cucumbers, Tomato Chutney, Cardamom Raita
Gruner Veltliner, S. Dona, Atzberg, Wachau, Austria 2006
THIRD COURSE
Seared Maine Diver Scallops, Tamarind Peanut Sauce, Pad Thai Noodles
Viognier, Miner Family, "Simpson Vineyard", Napa, California 2006
FOURTH COURSE
Choice of …
Grilled Lamb Chops, Hunan Eggplant, Pea Tendrils, Chili-Mint Vinaigrette
Chateauneuf du Pape, Brunel "Les Cailloux", Rhone, France 2004
Or
American Style Kobe Short Ribs, Slow Cooked, Indian Spices, Masoor Dal
Nero d'Avola, Firriato "Chiaramonte", Sicily, Italy 2005
DESSERT
Choice of …
Passion Fruit Gratin, Raspberry Lychee Rose Sorbet
Semillon "Botrytis", Elderton Estates, South Australia 2006
Warm Chocolate Purse, Chocolate Strawberry Sorbet Swirl
Graham's "Six Grapes", Portugal

$75 per guest, $150 per guest with wine pairing (Does not include tax and gratuity.)

FIRST COURSE
Roasted Suckling Pig with Quince Puree, Pickled Cippolini, Sweet Bean
Moscato d'Asti, Perrone, Piedmont, Italy 2006
SECOND COURSE
Tandoori Artic Char, Pickled Cucumbers, Tomato Chutney, Cardamom Raita
Duetz, Brut Classic, Champagne, France
THIRD COURSE
Sauteed Crab Cake & Crab Salad, Mango, Thai Vinaigrette, Aromatic Herbs
Secco, Weingut Hillinger, Burgenland, Austria 2006
FOURTH COURSE
American Style Kobe Short Ribs, Slow Cooked, Indian Spices, Masoor Dal
Paul Bara, Grand Rose, "Brut", Bouzy, France NV
FIFTH COURSE
Choice of …
Spicy "Assam Prawns" Fresh Curry Leaves, Tumeric, Mustard-Yogurt Curry
Or
Pan-Roasted Maine Lobster, Garlic-Pepper Sauce Scented with Thai Holy Basil
Louis Roederer, Brut Premier, Reims, Champagne NV
SIXTH COURSE
Choice of …
Grilled Lamb Chops, Hunan Eggplant, Pea Tendrils, Chili-Mint Vinaigrette
Or
Grilled "American Style" Kobe NY Steak, Chinese Mustard, Parsnip Puree ($20 Supplemental)
Perrier -Jouet, "Grand Brut", France NV
DESSERT
Choice of …
Passion Fruit Duet, Raspberry Lychee Rose Sorbet
Semillon "Botrytis", Elderton Estates, South Australia 2006
Warm Chocolate Purse, Chocolate Strawberry Sorbet Swirl
Graham's "Six Grapes", Portugal

$120 per guest , $250 per guest with sparkling wine & Champagne pairing (Does not include tax and gratuity.)

Five Bites All Stars

2007-10-15T15:32:00.000-04:00

Since Five Bites debuted in November 2006, a few outstanding dishes have made repeat appearances. Here are five crowd favorites:

1. Rasika's palak chaat

2. Brasserie Beck's mussels and frites

3. Pho 75's various pho (numerous locations, Arlington is a favorite)

4. Matchbox's mini burgers on toasted brioche with onion straws

5. Corduroy's buffalo mozzarella porcupine

Also garnering regular mentions in Five Bites are 2 Amys, Hank's Oyster Bar, Hook, Zaytinya and PX.

Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for Metrocurean readers to share which dishes they're enjoying around town. Check out past lists here.

To participate, e-mail five of your favorite dishes or drinks and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Date Spots

2007-10-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

Metrocurean picks for first dates and beyond ...

• Comet Ping Pong
5037 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.364.0404
Playing ping-pong is a sure way to break the ice on a first date. Watching an 8-year-old beat your date in ping-pong may be an even better way. This hip pizza joint has several ping pong tables in the back room, but the main attraction is the crisp crusted pizza.

• Firefly
1310 New Hampshire Ave. NW, 202.861.1310
It's cozy, snug and the little lights glowing in the faux tree add some sweet ambiance. The "urban picnic" section of menu offers dishes perfect for sharing like local beer and cheddar fondue. Good cocktails never hurt a date either, and the bar pours some excellent creations.

• Little Fountain Cafe
2339 18th St. NW, 202.462.8100
Like an insulated cocoon from the scene on 18th Street, this teeny dining room feels like a well-kept secret. Try the semi-famous brioche and chocolate chip bread pudding.

• Marcel's
2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.296.1166
This French-Belgian fine dining spot is romantic in a traditional sense, with lacy curtains and candle-lit tables. If your date plans happen to include dinner and a show, Marcel's pre-theater deal is a no-brainer: three courses for $48 with car service to the Kennedy Center (nightly 5:30-7 p.m.). You can also opt to have the car bring you back after the show for dessert.

• Vermilion
1120 King St., Alexandria, 703.684.9669
The obvious romance/red decor connection aside, Vermilion makes a great Old Town date spot thanks to chef Anthony Chittum's skilled cooking.

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2007-08-17T21:12:00.000-04:00

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