‘Heirlooms’
courtesy of ‘lorigoldberg’
I don’t know about you, but Fridays are fast becoming my “I need caffeine STAT” days. So, all the news fit to eat in the District, your-author-is-hopped-up-on-chai-tea edition. We’ve got Chef Ripert, new salad choices at Chop’t, the 9:30 cupcake, and paella!
Hey there, menu change at Chop’t. They change their rotations about every 60 days, and the time is now, people. You’ve got three newbies to choose from. The new Banh Mi Cobb, for example, features Niman Ranch Pork alongside a blend of mesclun and cabbage, jalapenos, pickled carrots, cucumbers and a homemade chili-lime dressing. Also featured on the menu is The Tuscan Tuna, which highlights roasted red peppers in a combination of romaine lettuce, albacore tuna, white beans and Kalamata olives, all tossed with either the signature Chop’t Sherry Cucumber or White Balsamic Vinaigrette dressings. The third special, The Fried Chicken Picnic, is a real old-fashioned summer treat: romaine and iceberg lettuces are paired with crispy home-fried chicken, corn, tomatoes, and celery, then blended together with the company’s made-from-scratch Tremblay Farm Honey Dijon or Buttermilk Ranch dressings.
Chef Eric Ripert will be in town on Tuesday, June 23, for a book signing at his own Westend Bistro. The acclaimed 3-star Michelin chef at New York’s Le Bernardin, frequent Top Chef guest judge and Culinary Director of Westend Bistro for a private reception to celebrate his new cookbook On the Line, and the second printing of his highly-praised, A Return to Cooking. Book signing event is complimentary except the cost of the book. On the Line is priced at $35 and A Return to Cooking is priced at $50. Please call Restaurant Reservations at (202) 974-5566 to reserve your book and RSVP for the book signing.
Would you like to take a bite out of the band Cake? Well, you sort of can this weekend at the 9:30 Club. The 9:30 club has hopped on the cupcake bandwagon (via Buzz Bakery in Old Town) and is introducing a 9:30 signature cupcake – debuting at the Club Friday and Saturday night. Each concert-goer will get a coupon for one free cupcake. There will be hundreds of cupcakes on hand, so the coupon can be redeemed then and there or at any show through August 31, 2009. FYI, the signature cake is a Devil’s Food chocolate cupcake filled with vanilla butter-cream, topped with chocolate frosting, dipped in ganache.
Jaleo kicks off summer with an ode to Spain’s favorite culinary tradition, paella! From June 8th- 21st, José Andrés and his culinary team at Jaleo will celebrate the seventh annual Paella Festival with a two-week event honoring the delicious dish with special guest Quim Marqués of Suquet de l’Almirall in Barcelona. During the Paella Festival, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a variety of specials based on Chef Marqués’ recipes during both lunch and dinner service. Jaleo begins the festivities with a giant paella demonstration at the Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market at 11 AM on Sunday, June 7th followed by a kickoff party at Jaleo Crystal City on June 8th. I’ll be at that party, noshing hard on paella, and promise to report back.
Around We Love DC in food news, in case you missed it: Jenn shares her recipie for recession bean soup, Acacia reports on our preview of H Street Country Club, I share news about a sample sale at Firefly, Acacia ponders the Fojol Brother’s indian food truck, Donna spots the new Lost Dog Cafe opening and reports it delicious as always, and I tell you all about my obsession with fried yucca at Taqueria Nacional.
