Category Archives: Food and Drink

Food and Drink, Homebrewing, The Features
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Homebrew DC: Uniquely American

Photo courtesy of Poncho Equihua
Hops and Yeast, lupulos & levaduras
courtesy of Poncho Equihua

This is another in a series of articles about homebrewing in the DC area by Carl Weaver of RealHomebrew.com. Want to learn about making your own beer? Keep an eye out for Friday homebrew features.

America’s biggest contribution to the beer world, at least in my opinion, is a very good jumping-off point for homebrew: the American ale. It is safe to say that the majority of beer enthusiasts have enjoyed an ale at one time or another. Despite the commercial popularity of pilsners in America, the craft brew community has brought about a rebirth of this uniquely American style.

American ales are generally a bit more hoppy than their cousins from across the pond and often have a bit higher percent alcohol by volume (ABV). A great deal of the unique hoppiness is due to the floral and citrus characteristics of the hops grown in the United States, especially those developed in California and the Pacific Northwest. In addition to the increased hop characteristics, American ales are generally medium bodied with a lighter malt flavor than than European-style ales. Some of the more notable American ale styles are the American pale, amber, brown, and IPA.

Let’s get brewing!  Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Features
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Greek Easter at Zaytinya

Photo courtesy of Greg Powers

Spit-roasts and cocktails? Get me to the Greek! Restaurant that is…

Starting this Sunday, Zaytinya, one of my Jose Andres favorites, is offering a special lamb-festive menu to celebrate the Easter holiday and all things spring (hence the beautiful green accents on every dish). Regardless of what Gods we do or don’t praise, Easter is a time for gathering over a lot of food, while drinking hair of the dog (or what I call a standard Sunday), and who better than the Greeks to give us a taste of their cultural heritage to live by.

Photo courtesy of Greg Powers

If you are a lamb lover-crafty cocktail sipping-date kinda guy/gal, the ten-course ‘Chef’s Experience’ has your name written all over it. A ten-course meal designed by Chef Michael Costa showcases a variety of dishes that speak to the versatility of the good old lamb, and highlight the chef’s own ability to take a classic dish and add a modern twist (case in point- Asparagus Salata, aka, the upgraded tzatziki – a combination of white asparagus, green asparagus, pistachios, microgreens, and lemon). Other standouts included Arni me Sparangia, spit-roasted lamb shoulder with asparagus, ladolemono and dill; Mayiritsa, traditional Easter soup with lamb’s liver, caramelized onions, short grain rice, egg and lemon broth (and I thought I wasn’t into offal); Spanakorizo, rice pilaf with wilted spinach and tomatoes, spinach puree, preserved cherry tomatoes and feta.

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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Rasika West End Opens

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Rasika West End Opening
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Your chances of snagging a reservation at Rasika just went up. Last week marked the opening of the newest restaurant in Ashok Bajaj’s empire: Rasika West End. While Rasika’s acclaimed executive chef Vikram Sunderam will oversee the new location, Manish Tyagi has been named the chef de cuisine. According to a press release, Rasika West End will serve up “modern and authentic Indian fare,” including tandoori and dishes prepared on the tawa or “griddle” and sigri or “open barbecue.”

Click through to see more pictures of the new restaurant and start clicking on OpenTable if you want a prime time reservation in the next few weeks.
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Entertainment, Food and Drink, The Features
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ARTINI Week Four Feature Nights

Cocktail created by Alexandra Bookless of The Passenger for ARTINI 2012. Inspired by Rob Fischer's "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" 2008. Photo by Dan Swartz

ARTINI 2012 is tomorrow night! Eleven talented bartenders have created cocktails inspired by works in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Every Friday the We Love DC drinks team wrapped up the week’s feature nights with reviews of each ARTINI entry, to culminate at the (sold-out) gala on March 31st. Check out our notes from Week One, Week Two and Week Three, and find out what we thought of the final week.

ARTINI 10: Alexandra Bookless, The Passenger
Inspiration: Rob Fischer’s “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” 2008
Reviewer: Fedward

Alexandra Bookless, bar manager at the Passenger, has gotten where she is by having an encyclopedic knowledge of classic cocktail recipes combined with an excellent palate that allows her to create new twists on just about anything based on a customer’s mood. Approaching cocktail recipes as formulas (which I have pointed out before are magic) makes it possible to see where a substitution here or an extra ingredient there will create something all-new (or at least something that hasn’t been printed in a hundred different recipe books).

All of that is a really long winded way to say that if the Dance tastes kind of like a Margarita to you, well, that’s because it takes off from the Margarita formula. Served in a tall glass, the Dance takes its inspiration from Rob Fisher’s sculpture titled They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Homebrewing, The Features
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Homebrew DC: Kölsch, Springtime’s True Delight

Photo courtesy of ilovebutter
Adding the hops
courtesy of ilovebutter

This is the second in a series of articles about homebrewing in the DC area by Carl Weaver of RealHomebrew.com. Want to learn about making your own beer? Keep an eye out for Friday homebrew features.

Now that springtime is upon us, it’s time to start drinking like it. I brought this beer to fellow We Love DC authors Tom and Tiff’s house recently for a barbecue and it was met with a standing ovation. Well, most people were standing anyway, and truthfully there was no real ovation, but people expressed their desire to have more by, well, having more. Another almost-empty keg…

A Kölsch is an ale that is light, crisp, and great to drink. I think of a kölsch as a great springtime drink, cool and refreshing, clear, malty, and with a definite but not overpowering hoppy flavor. This is a pretty simple homebrew recipe, using some grains, but relying mostly on malt extracts. It’ll make you the popular house on the block on those warm spring nights. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, We Love Food
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We Love Food: Adour’s New Lunch Menu

Amuse-bouches All photos by the author

Capitalizing on his new cookbook Nature, as well as an economy in the early stages of recovery, Chef Alain Ducasse is launching a new lunch program at Adour at the St. Regis hotel. I was invited to attend a preview of the new “simple, healthy, and delicious” lunch menu hosted by the chef himself. Having enjoyed one of the best meals of my life at another of his restaurants, I jumped at the chance.
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Food and Drink, News, The Daily Feed
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2012 RAMMY Award Nominees Announced

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
RAMMY Awards Ballroom courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

They call it the “Oscars of DC restaurants,” a yearly event that brings together the District’s top restaurateurs, chefs and other industry players to recognize the amazing work they do everyday to make this city a culinary capital. The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) hosted the nomination party last night to announce this year’s nominees for its annual RAMMY awards. Cocktails by all of the selected nominees for best beverage/mixology program were flowing (Restaurant Eve’s “42 cloudy” was particularly delicious), and hors d’oeuvres by the nominees for best new restaurant ranged from burratta with cippolini onions and aged balsamic (Graffiato) to foie gras torchon and split pea soup (Fiola).

We Love DC extends a big congratulations to all the nominees, thanks for keeping us well fed and hydrated.

For the full list of nominees read on.

2012 RAMMY Finalists:

Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year
The Ashby Inn & Restaurant
Bourbon Steak
Marcel’s
The Oval Room
Rasika

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Food and Drink
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ARTINI Week Three

Frank Jones of The Gibson for ARTINI 2012. Photo credit: Dan Swartz. Courtesy of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

ARTINI 2012 is underway! Twelve** Eleven talented bartenders have created cocktails inspired by works in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Every Friday the We Love DC drinks team will wrap up the week’s feature nights with reviews of each ARTINI entry, to culminate at the gala on March 31st. Check out our notes from Week One and Week Two – and find out what we thought of Week Three.

ARTINI 7: Chantal Tseng, Tabard Inn
Inspiration: Indian Warrior, Alexander Phimister Proctor, 1918, bronze
Reviewer: Fedward

Chantal Tseng’s Horsefeather, inspired by Alexander Phimister Proctor’s 1918 bronze, Indian Warrior, comes with a story of its concept. It “… represents a kind of pre-battle elixir, kind of like an offering to the warrior gods.” It’s a tasty concoction of Mount Gay rum, echinacea root tea, lime juice, honey syrup, molasses, and allspice dram, garnished with a slice of “charred spiced dried apple” (which was flamed on the spot). Oh, and it was served with a side of smoked hickory and roasted coconut popcorn. Chantal’s description of the drink is apt. The elements of smoke, spice, and earth (in the apple, tea, and molasses) bring visions of the warrior himself to life. Of the three ARTINIs I’ve had so far, its taste is most evocative of its inspiration, although Rachel Sergi’s Niagara was more visually apt. I’ll be very curious which approach the ARTINI judges prefer. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Outstanding in the Field – Arcadia Farms

Photo courtesy of Samer Farha
Birch & Barley
courtesy of Samer Farha

Outstanding in the Field, a traveling culinary adventure that brings attention to local farmers and food artisans in the most beautiful settings a diner could ask for, is coming to us. This year, Outstanding in the Field will be headed to Arcadia Farm at Woodlawn, Alexandria (which also just happened to once be a part of George Washington’s farms at Mount Vernon). Guest chefs Kyle Bailey and Tiffany MacIsaac of Birch & Barley (and other delicious wonders) will be knocking out a multi-course beer dinner in this historical setting. The duo knocked it out of the park at last year’s event and are sure to impress us even more this year, especially with all the James Beard nominations under their belts.

Tickets for the $220.00 beer dinner are already on sale. The event will be held at 3:00pm on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at the Arcadia Farm at Woodlawn, Alexandria, VA.

*A portion of the proceeds from this event will be donated to Arcadia Farms.

Do good, eat well.

Capital Chefs, Food and Drink
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Capital Brewers: Bill Butcher of Port City

Port City Brewing Company #14
Photo courtesy of Hans Bruesch

Tucked away in an unassuming former building supply warehouse in an Alexandria industrial park, a pineapple – a symbol of American hospitality since the colonial era – perches on the sign advertising Port City Brewery, one of several local breweries that have cropped up in the DC area over the last few years. As it turned out, the advertising is correct, and we were warmly welcomed into the brewery by its founder and owner, Bill Butcher.
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Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed
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New Pastry Chef Brings New Desserts to The Source

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Turtle Cheesecake at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

The Source by Wolfgang Puck has welcomed a new pastry chef, Duane Copeland, to the Penn Quarter eatery. Copeland was previously the pastry chef at L’ Auberge Provencale in White Post, VA. His dessert menu at The Source features new and thoughtful creations that pay homage in clever ways to the restaurant’s Asian focus.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Azuki Streusel Tart at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Though you might not give carrot cake a second glance on a menu, the 15-layer carrot cake at The Source is a study in what carrot cake ought to be, and the ginger ice cream has a little bite to cut the sweetness of the cake. Copeland’s turtle cheesecake was another favorite and a good option for those of you who want dessert but barely have room for it (read: it’s light, fluffy and delicious). For something a little out of the ordinary, the azuki streusel tart was a sort of deconstructed dessert–salsify chips with a sake ice cream, popped corn kernels and tiny cubes of coconut gelee. If you think you don’t like sake, you might reconsider that after trying Copeland’s sake ice cream. Other desserts currently on the new menu include a yuzu-lime tart, a jasmine rice pudding and a chocolate ganache torte.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Pepino’s Revenge at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

While you’re there, be sure to also check out The Source’s new spring cocktails. The Pandora’s Box with St. Germain liqueur and an elderflower syrup will satisfy those of you who enjoy a flowery, fragrant drink. If you’re going for something a little less delicate, try the refreshing Pepino’s Revenge with silver tequila, lime, basil and Japanese cucumber or the Monroe’s Passion with passion fruit rum, ginger, orange and cranberry and a little bit of a chili syrup that will leave your mouth with a pleasant tingle.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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FREE FOOD ALERT: Sprinkles Cupcakes in Georgetown

Sprinkles brings back Mini Cupcakes!
Courtesy of Sprinkles Cupcakes

Go ahead and have your cake and eat it. Sprinkles Cupcakes is giving out one free cupcake per person today from 9 AM to 9 PM to celebrate their one year anniversary. If you happen to be there from 4 to 5 PM, you’ll also get to shake hands with their co-founder and executive pastry chef and Food Network Cupcake Wars judge, Candace Nelson.

We’re guessing that there will be more than one large line for cupcakes in Georgetown tomorrow. Good luck and head over early.

Sprinkles Cupcakes is located at 3015 M Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20007.

Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Features
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Cooking Classes Around DC

Photo courtesy of Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie
Evening Star #9
courtesy of Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie

So you’re not exactly Martha Stewart or Jacques Pepin in the kitchen–you can’t make a perfect omelet and maybe you’ve set off the smoke detector once or twice. Lucky for you there are a bunch of chefs and cooking classes coming up around the city that can teach you how to properly slice, dice, sauté and maybe even en flambé without burning down the house or losing a finger. So don’t be timid about hosting the next dinner party or simple wine and cheese night–these classes (including a bunch coming up this weekend) have got you covered.
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Food and Drink, Special Events, The Features
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ARTINI: Week Two Feature Nights

Ronald Flores of Art and Soul's cocktail for ARTINI 2012. Photo credit: Dan Swartz. Courtesy of the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

ARTINI 2012 is underway! Twelve** Eleven talented bartenders have created cocktails inspired by works in the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Every Friday the We Love DC drinks team will wrap up the week’s feature nights with reviews of each artini entry, to culminate at the gala on March 31st. We kicked off Week One last Friday; let’s see what Week Two had at the bar.

ARTINI 4: Jon Arroyo, Founding Farmers
Inspiration: Behind Every Good Man, Nina Chanel Abney, 2010, acrylic on canvas
Reviewer: Moses

What kind of beverage can be inspired by one of the hottest young American artists, Nina Chanel Abney? Abney was named to Forbes magazine’s “30 Under 30” this year, and her work starred in the Corcoran’s “30 Americans” exhibit this past autumn. Abney’s Behind Every Good Man depicts her characteristic mask-like facial imagery and buzz of sexual energy, creating an unsettling scene, where one look captures both terror and resignation. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Features
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Sneak Peek: SŪNA Pop-up

The pop-up restaurant phenomenon is taking over DC, but if you are looking for a place to pop your taste bud cherry, here it is. From March 21-25, three incredibly young and talented chefs are taking over the new Living Social event space for a unique culinary collaboration to showcase what they have in store for us at their upcoming restaurant, SŪNA. The triple threat team is made up of Chefs Johnny Spero (Komi and Townhouse), Erik Bruner-Yang (Toki Underground), and Ari Gejdenson (Acqua Al 2). SŪNA, due to open at the end of this year in Eastern Market, will offer Spero’s unique perspective on modern progressive cuisine that reflects both his professional and personal experiences. I was invited for a sneak peek of the pop-up menu and witnessed firsthand how chef Johnny Spero literally creates art, of the tastiest kind, on a plate. Not only are the dishes aesthetically beautiful, but they are also creative, delicious, and given the same attention in every detail. This is what a pop-up experience should be made of– energy, dedication, innovation.

Chef Johnny Spero will be spearheading the SŪNA project and continuing his strong focus on sustainability, supporting local farms and cooking seasonally as he and his co-chefs develop the menu and concept. Chef Spero’s culinary resume is impressive; he worked at Komi here in the District and Townhouse in Virginia, and has traveled the globe to stage at some of the best restaurants, including NOMA in Denmark (oh hey, it was rated #1 in the world), and spent a week at Alinea in Chicago.

Tickets to this coveted culinary event are priced at $120 and include an 8-course meal with 4 pairings. For a visual tasting of what to expect from it, read (and drool) on…

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Food and Drink, Special Events
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Fun, Flavorful Fundraising: The Embassy Chef Challenge

Chef Devin E. Johnson, Embassy of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and judge Tim Carmen, food reporter for The Washington Post. Photo by Don Tanguilig

Perhaps nothing exemplifies a nation’s identity and culture more than its traditional cuisine. Among the highlights of Washington DC are the many cultures represented among its host of communities, international organizations and embassies (more than any other city in the world).

Unbeknownst to most of us, hidden talents are creating culinary masterpieces behind the walls of Washington’s embassies. These embassy chefs are themselves cultural ambassadors, sharing their national dishes for state dinners and other events, without the media attention or fanfare of other top restaurant chefs.

The 4th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge, sponsored by local non-profit Cultural Tourism DC, culminated in a fun and flavorful fundraising event Thursday night at the Ronald Reagan Building. Cultural Tourism DC promotes the cultural treaures of Washington through a host of events, neighborhood heritage trails, culture events for kids, the month-long international festival Passport DC and more.
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