Monday January 27, 2014
It’s Restaurant Week!! Learn about Alexandria’s magnet restaurants and what they mean to our city’s regional and national appeal.
In recent years, the reputation of Washington’s restaurant scene has soared nationally. Not coincidentally, more Alexandria restaurants are climbing the list of DC’s top dining venues. Our celebration of Alexandria’s dining scene features Chef Cathal Armstrong – one of the best-known chefs in the culinary industry, exhibiting great culinary command creativitiy, technique, presentation, and even business. He will share his vision – including why he chose Alexandria as the base for his growing gastronomic empire. Alexandria-based food writer Jordan Wright will talk about Alexandria’s rising stature in the DC dining scene and share tips on places you should know about. Claire Mouledoux of the Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association (the organization that gives us “Restaurant Week”) will explain how this dining renaissance benefits our city.
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| FEATURED SPEAKERS |
 Star Chef Cathal Armstrong |
Irish chef Cathal Armstrong’s cuisine and philosophy reflect ideas planted in the atypical Dublin household of his childhood, where garlic was used fearlessly and fruits and vegetables were grown in the garden. The family’s travel business launched Armstrong into a myriad of different countries, cultures and cuisines where he began to develop an appreciation for gastronomy in the differing landscapes of Europe. As the family traveled, Armstrong was educated in the languages he now speaks fluently: English, French, Spanish, German and Irish. For those not versed in the Dubliner’s native language, the “t” in Cathal is silent.
At the age of seven, Armstrong began his annual student exchange in France with the Boudain family. His food curriculum involved visiting truffle-farms and vineyards, eating peasant-style food and picking fruits and vegetables on the farm. These early culinary experiences inspired Armstrong’s philosophy. He is committed to sourcing locally, valuing animals and respecting the land, so much so that Armstrong cites innovative farmer David Lankford of Davon Crest Farms in Maryland as one of his biggest inspirations. Armstrong is now an active member of The American Farmland Trust, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the nation’s agricultural resources.
At the age of 20, Armstrong opened a fine dining restaurant in the Dublin suburbs with two partners. After a two-year tenure atThe Baytree, Armstrong decided to move to Washington DC where for the next 11 years he moved his way through various top kitchens learning the fundamentals from mentors including Greg Mitchell of New Heightsand Jeffrey Buben of Bistro Bis. It was during his time spent at Gabriel under Gregory Hill that Armstrong met his future wife and business partner Meshelle Armstrong. Together, they dreamed of a place where they could balance a commitment to farmers with their vision of fine dining.
The Armstrongs found it in Alexandria, where in April 2004, 13 years after first arriving in DC, they opened Restaurant Eve. The modern American restaurant (with French, Spanish and Irish influences) showcased Armstrong’s playful personal style and deep-rooted commitment to purveyors. In the summer of 2006, Armstrong openedEamonn’s A Dublin Chipper and PX, or The PX, a cocktail-driven speakeasy lounge five blocks from Restaurant Eve. Both venues are named for Armstrong’s children, Eve and Eamonn. Armstrong has since been inducted into the Share Our Strength Leadership Council, a group of culinary notables from around the country who advise this non-profit dedicated to eradicating childhood hunger in the U.S. Armstrong’s self-described “pork fetish” and the Irish roots at the base of his culinary experience are showcased in decadent but playful dishes like “Bacon, Egg, and Cheese.” The dish makes full use of the versatility of pork fat with a cured and braised pork belly, seared to order, a tender crepe with ham and leeks, and a rich golden cheddar foam.
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Claire Mouledoux
Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association |
Claire is the Director of Communications for ACVA, Alexandria’s nonprofit tourism marketing organization, which contributes to the economic vitality of the city. Each year $738 million in visitor spending generates $23.7 million in tax revenue, providing needed city services and helping to support the community’s many small businesses. Claire directs the overall message and voice of the Alexandria visitor brand by managing ACVA’s communications strategies and guiding a team of professionals in media relations, social media and digital marketing. An Old Town resident with a passion for the city, she has been promoting the allure of Alexandria’s remarkable dining, shopping, arts and history for nearly four years as part of the ACVA team. Formerly the Director of Communications for the Torpedo Factory Art Center, she currently serves on the advisory board of The Art League and is an active member of the Mid-Atlantic Tourism Public Relations Alliance.VisitAlexandriaVA.com
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 Jordan Wright
Whisk & Quill |
Jordan Wright is an accomplished writer on food, spirits, travel, and theatre. Her clients have included the tony Georgetowner and hip sister publication the Downtowner, the Washington Examiner and San Francisco Examiner, as well as LocalKicks.com, DC Metro Magazine, Washington Life Magazine, Washingtonian Magazine, MDTheatreGuide.com, Indian Country Today On-Line and Print Publications, The Alexandria Times, Hartkeisonline.com, and now DCMetroTheaterArts. Her articles feature restaurant openings, food and wine events, food-oriented film reviews, food trends, restaurant reviews, food memories, new food products, hotels, spas, resorts and interviews with the country’s leading chefs – from Jose Andres and Top Chef’s Carla Hall, to CakeLove’s Warren Brown and Top Chef’s Spike Mendelsohn. She has also interviewed famed chef and TV star, Anthony Bourdain, Eric Ripert, cookbook author Joan Nathan, and director Robert Kenner for an in-depth article about his film Food, Inc. |
Program
Co-Chairs: |
Alan Dubow, Shari Bolouri, Terri Hauser andMichael Hobbs
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All programs are held at:
Holiday Inn Eisenhower Metro Center – 2460 Eisenhower Avenue CLICK HERE for directions
Reception at 6:15 p.m. (Cash Bar) Buffet Dinner at 6:45 p.m.
| MEMBER PRICE |
NON-MEMBER PRICE |
SAVE BY PLANNING |
| $28 |
$33 |
with reservations made by 5:00 pm on the Friday prior to each meeting |
| $35 |
$40 |
for late reservations and walk-ins |
Program only 7:15 p.m. (free to members/$5 non-members) – Presentations are followed by a question and answer session based on written questions from the audience. Programs end promptly at 9 P.M.
Dinner reservations strongly encouraged. Seating is not guaranteed for walk-ins. CLICK HERE TO RESERVE YOUR SPACE
Agenda:Alexandria, a non-partisan, non-profit organization which began in 1998, sponsors eight dinner meetings a year with presentations on topics of interest to Alexandrians. Membership is only $35 a year and open to anyone, whether or not you live or work in Alexandria. Topics are wide-ranging and past topics have included such issues as transportation, education, the arts, public safety, history and preservation, public health, the City budget, the waterfront, the environment and aging in Alexandria.
December 6, 2013
Cary Pollak for Whisk and Quill
Held at DC’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show has seen an annual increase in attendance since Denise Medved first introduced the event in 2001. Featuring a vast selection of products related to both the food and entertainment industries, the show’s success has recently allowed Medved and her Tiny Kitchen, Inc. production company to expand into the Houston and Dallas markets.
Throughout the two-day run attendees enjoy face time with more than 200 local and national vendors, attend “Tasting and Entertaining” workshops, talk to cookbook authors at book signing stations, wander through countless aisles to sample tasty tidbits from some of the finest local restaurants at the “Grand Tasting Pavilion”, shop for gifts at the “Holiday Bazaar” and watch cooking demos on the “Food Lion Cooking Stage”. This year some of the country’s leading chefs gave demonstrations featuring recipes from the National Beef Cook-off Recipe Contest. All these activities were included in the day’s admission charge. Additional ticketed events showcase live culinary performances by celebrity chefs.
 A colorful display of smoked seafood products from the Neopole Smokery of Baltimore, MD and Washington, DC A local luminary who has previously demonstrated at the show is Francois Dionot whose L‘Academie de Cuisine has distinguished itself over the past thirty years as the premier training ground in our area for avocational and professional chefs. Listening to the celebrated chef’s stories about his experiences at well-known restaurants in Europe and the U.S. and about developing the distinguished cooking school, was worth the trip.
 L’Academie de Cuisine founder Francois Dionot, with wife Patrice and daughter Claudine The ever-charming Hugh Acheson, whose easy and friendly manner seemed almost incongruent with the entrepreneurial and culinary skills that have brought him to the top of his profession, was one of the chef demonstrators. Acheson is Chef/Co-owner of the former Five & Ten and The National restaurants in Athens, GA, along with Empire State South restaurant in Atlanta. He is also an occasional judge on Bravo’s Top Chef and holds the honor of being nominated six times for a James Beard Foundation Award. In the past he won “Best Chef Southeast” for his work at Five & Ten. He is the author of the James Beard Foundation Award winning cookbook, “A New Turn in The South”. At this year’s show he dazzled the audience with his version of Frogmore Stew.
 Television chef and restaurant owner Hugh Acheson Joe Yonan, Food and Travel editor at the Washington Post, was also on board. Yonan, who has led his paper’s food writers to two awards by the James Beard Foundation for the nation’s best food section, put his professional chef’s diploma from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts and journalism degree from the University of Texas to good use by demonstrating a Kale and Mango Nicoise Salad recipe from his recent cookbook, Eat Your Vegetables: Bold Recipes for the Single Cook. He showed us how to massage raw kale leaves so as to soften them for a salad. He pointed out that this technique avoids other harsh methods of softening, such as drenching them in oil and acidic liquids until they wilt.
 Washington Post Food and Travel editor Joe YonanWashington Post Food and Travel editor Joe Yonan Whether you run into Chef Luigi Diotaiuti at a cooking demo or at his acclaimed DuPont Circle restaurant, Al Tiramisu, you know you will be in for good food and good fun. The affable Italian teamed up with food historian, culinary anthropologist, cookbook author and television personality, Amy Riolo, to make pistachio nut baklava. Off stage onlookers were so close they were asked to participate. We all helped to pile on layers of phyllo dough and watched as the chef drenched the dessert in lemon-infused sugar syrup.
 Food Writer Cary Pollak makes baklava with Chefs Amy Riolo and Luigi Diotaiuti Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, the husband and wife team who star on the cooking show, Extra Virgin, on The Cooking Channel, were also at the show. Debi is an American actress who counts the iconic movie Goodfellas among her credits, and Gabriele is a musician from Tuscany. They are both consummate entertainers who love to cook. Together with their young daughter, Giulia, they put on a lively demonstration of Tuscan cooking, preparing seared grouper over Israeli couscous. At one point things got a bit racy when Debi admitted that they argue when they cook. Gabriele agreed that they resolve their disagreements by drinking wine … or by “making kids”. Realizing that the discussion was getting off topic, seven-year old Giulia drew laughs from the audience by asking, “You guys know I’m here, don’t you?”
 Debi Mazar, Gabriele Corcos and daughter Giulia on the Celebrity Stage The Metropolitan Cooking and Entertaining Show is great family fun for those who enjoy learning more about food and entertaining. There are culinary delights of all types from chatting with vendors and sampling their wares, to meeting cookbook authors, to enjoying cooking demonstrations by notable American-based chefs. Plan on visiting this exciting open-to-the-public show when it returns in the fall of 2014.
Chef Diotaiuti and his partner Amy Riolo are planning a culinary tour beginning in Istanbul and continuing to Athens and the Greek Isles next October 2014. They have graciously consented to share their recipe for Pistachio Baklava with Whisk and Quill’s readers.
Baklava is enjoyed throughout much of the Mediterranean and Middle East thanks to the influence of the expansive Ottoman Empire that ruled much of the region for centuries. This version is most popular in Turkey. During our upcoming culinary cruise from Istanbul to Athens, we’ll experience hands-on phyllo making at Istanbul’s most legendary confectionary shop.
 Pistachio baklava
Pistachio Baklava/Fistik Baklava
Recipe by Amy Riolo and Luigi Diotaiuti.
Makes approximately 24 pieces
Ingredients
For the syrup:
3 cups granulated sugar
2 large strips of lemon peel
Juice of 1 small lemon
For the baklava
1 (1 pound) box phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
1 cup clarified butter
1 pound shelled unsalted pistachios, finely ground
¼ cup granulated sugar
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Butter a 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Make the syrup by combining sugar, 3 cups water, peel, and juice in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Discontinue stirring and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.
- To assemble the baklava, remove phyllo dough from package. Trim it with a sharp knife to fit the pan you are using, if necessary. Wrap excess dough in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Cover bottom of baking pan with 1 sheet of phyllo dough. Brush clarified butter evenly over the top. Stack another sheet over the top. Brush with more clarified butter. Continue stacking and brushing with butter until half of the phyllo dough is used.
- Combine pistachios with sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well to combine.
- Sprinkle ground pistachio mixture evenly across the top, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish. Continue layering remaining phyllo dough and brushing with clarified butter. Brush top layer with clarified butter.
- Position the pan as if it were a rectangle. With a long, sharp knife, cut phyllo into 6 strips vertical strips across the wide side of the pan(three-quarters of the way down).
- Cut 4 equally spaced vertical lines over the strips (three quarters of the way down) to create 24 squares. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes total, or until golden. Rotate pan every 20 minutes to ensure even browning.
- Remove from oven and drizzle with one ladleful of syrup at a time – allowing syrup to absorb in between ladlefuls. Once baklava has a glistening top and has absorbed syrup, discontinue adding more. Reserve additional syrup for a garnish if serving baklava at a later date. Syrup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- Once cooled, sprinkle tops of baklava pieces with a few ground pistachios. Baklava can be covered and stored at room temperature for a day, or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Always drizzle with additional syrup before serving.
To find out more about Amy and Luigi’s upcoming tour visit – http://www.yourcruisesource.com/two_chefs_culinary_cruise_-_istanbul_to_athens_greek_isles_cruise.htm.
Photo credits: Cary Pollak
November 11, 2013
Cary Pollak for Whisk and Quill
Whether you’ve been an area resident for a while or are a newcomer, there’s a good chance that the first catering company you ever heard of was Ridgewells. Maybe you’ve been one of the fortunate ones, nabbing an invitation to an event catered by the prestigious company. Certainly you’ve caught a glimpse of the lilac-hued trucks as they tool around the Beltway or seen them parked behind a museum or private home.
 Table setting in the Ridgewells tasting room Recently this stalwart of entertaining expertise celebrated its 85th anniversary with a private dinner party in the tasting room of its Bethesda, Maryland headquarters. It was an evening of showcasing the latest dishes for the fall/winter season and heralding the company’s ambitious plans for their 85th anniversary celebration. To show its appreciation to the region that has supported it for so long, Ridgewells is embarking on a year-long program of “85 Days of Giving”. During the year eighty-five deserving entities will be the recipients of Ridgewells cuisine. It’s their way of giving thanks to community organizations for all of their charitable efforts.
The first gift Ridgewells donated was to cater the gala for Bethesda’s Imagination Stage, a theater they have supported since its inception in 1979. A few days later the company surprised the staff at Kaiser Permanente’s Gaithersburg Chemo Suite with a delivery of gourmet cookies. The company has set up a Twitter account to update its followers on their journey of giving @RIDGEWELLSDC.
 Sausage stuffed quail being prepared for the dining room While dinner guests were learning about this generous outreach program, they were treated to elegant passed hors d’oeuvres of Reuben fritters with spiced Russian dressing, spicy tuna soba noodle spring rolls, sweet pea fritters with apple mint chutney and mini meatball grinders on naan. Once guests were seated dinner began with a fabulous smoked fish fritter topped with kimchee, creme fraiche and an edible, purple sweet potato leaf. Each tidbit packed a unique and assertive flavor, and you might be hard pressed to imagine a better way to “fritter” away your time while the main dinner was being prepared.
 Smoked fish fritter, one of three types of fritter appetizers served One of the features of Ridgewells’ tasting room is a full view of the kitchen through a wall of glass where guests can watch the elegant plating of the evening’s delicacies.
 Stuffed quail as presented on the plate Our host was the ebullient Susan Lacz, co-owner of the company since 1997. She and partners, Thomas Keon and Jose Valado, are the most recent additions to a fabled line of ownership that dates back to 1928 when Charlie Ridgewell, a butler on the British Ambassador’s staff and Margueritte Ridgewell, a chef at the French Embassy founded the business. Their daughter, Fifi, and her husband took over the business after World War II, and it remained family owned until 1984, when it was purchased by the Chicago department store chain, Carson, Pirie, Scott and Company.
Ms. Lacz announced that the dinner would be served family style, sometimes known as French service, a style of serving in which servers present large platters to each guest to take whatever amount they would prefer. Dinner consisted of local quail stuffed with sausage and nestled in a lovely demiglaze; risotto studded with Brussels sprouts; slices of red beets and tangerines with a delicate ricotta; quinoa salad with Meyer lemon; and kale Caesar salad.
 Quail surrounded by side dishes Lavish tablescapes showcased an autumn theme. And no site was left unadorned. Pumpkin-studded flower arrangements fit for any dinner party centerpiece even adorned the powder rooms. Another touch of whimsy were deceptively clever desserts disguised as ice cream bars. The luscious Autumn Spiced Cakesicles were filled with cake and pumpkin mousse and served with a poached pear.
 Cakesicle dessert Since Ridgewells first opened its doors, dining and entertaining trends in the National Capital Area have swung from baroque to barbecue and everything in between. Despite changes in political administrations, economic upturns and downturns, and shakeups in the company’s corporate structure, Ridgewells has remained at the top of their game. This year they truly have something to celebrate. Their generous project of 85 Days of Giving is yet another indication of their good taste.
Photo credits: Cary Pollak
Cary Pollak, Guest Contributor
July 1, 2013
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Whisk and Quill is delighted to welcome guest contributor Cary Pollak a Washington-based attorney, veteran reporter, feature writer and culinary educator. Cary’s articles have appeared in DC Style, Capitol File and www.DCDigest.com. In addition he is a writer for the National Press Club’s members’ newsletter, The Wire.
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After a two-year change of venue to Washington, DC the Fancy Food Show has returned to its West Side digs in the recently renovated Jacob Javits Convention Center in New York City. For Communications Director, Louise Kramer, who was delighted with their stay in the nation’s capital, the show’s return to the Javits Center, “was like coming home.”
The show has grown immensely since its inception in 1955 and features over 260,000 innovative specialty food products. Even with a three-day window it’s almost impossible to cover 354,000 square feet of exhibit space filled with 2400 exhibitors and their exciting products. Attending the numerous food seminars and cooking demos can present even more of a challenge.
For a retailer on the hunt for new products, a visit to that section of the show is all they’d need. But for the casual visitor, strolling aimlessly, there’s no sense in racing down the aisles, especially with all the tempting displays of candies and cookies, olives and oils, vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood products set out for sampling.
 Bins of Olives and Mushrooms – Photo Credit Cary Pollak When you discover a new product at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s or any other supermarket, there’s a good chance it debuted at this show. The ubiquitously known Perrier, Ben & Jerry’s and Terra Chips are just a few of the thousands of products that have debuted at the Fancy Food Show over the years, so it is especially interesting to search out new offerings there. Many of the exhibitors highlighted below either introduced new foods or are perennial favorites.
Twice a year the Specialty Food Association announces the winners of the sofi Awards for specialty outstanding food innovation in 32 categories. One of the most coveted awards is “Outstanding New Product”, and this year two cheeses, Point Reyes Bay Blue produced by the Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company in Marin County, CA, and The Fine Cheese Co. Pearls of Pure Goats’ Cheese distributed by Artisan Biscuits Ltd. of Britain and Ireland, tied for first place. The former stood out for its “fudgy texture and sweet caramel finish,” and was hosted by Farmstead’s Donna Hagan.
 Farmstead’s Donna Hagan – Photo Credit Cary Pollak The latter was not much to look at swimming in a bowl of sunflower oil, but a marinade of garlic, herbs and crushed pink peppercorns gave it a distinctive flavor. For a list of the winners visit http://www.specialtyfood.com/sofi/finalists/2013/.
 sofi Award winner from Artisan Biscuits Ltd. – Photo Credit Cary Pollak Stories of the sacrifice and determination that go into creating a successful food product abound. Vanessa Miller of New York City was a primary school teacher when she decided to bottle her delectable salad dressings. She created a company name, Get Dressed Salads, and though she knew how to obtain the bottles, design a label, and find a production factory, she was short on cash. Miller got help from the fund raising website www.Indiegogo.com but still had to put up all the money she had as well as sell some of her own jewelry before she had enough to get her project off the ground. Her dressings are now available at about six local gourmet shops and online at www.abesmarket.com. This was Miller’s first Fancy Food Show and the www.express.com website identified her dressings as one of “eight brands worth a bite” at the show.
 Vanessa Miller of Get Dressed Salads – Photo Credit Cary Pollak Another newcomer to this year’s show was former marketing specialist, Julie Busha, whose Slawsa is a new kind of relish that works well on grilled meats or as a dip. Busha has foregone starting a family and buying a bigger home, pouring all her profits back into the company for marketing efforts. Each retail account she landed was as the result of a pitch personally made by Julie, who explained how she would market her brand to move it off the shelf. Within 18 months her product was selling at 4200 retail outlets.
 Julie Busha of Slawsa – Photo Credit Cary Pollak Owner/chef Alain Sinturel’s popular Trois Petits Cochons produces a line of all-natural paté and charcuterie. This charming if somewhat stoic gentleman lets the long row of sofi awards atop his display case speak for itself. The little porkers on the company logo, however, are all smiles. And why not? Business has been booming since the company started modestly in Greenwich Village in 1975. Last year they introduced a new line of pork-free products. Could that be another reason why the little fellows are smiling?
 Alain Sinturel of Trois Petits Cochons – Photo Credit Cary Pollak My favorite packaged cookie of all time, Almondina, is a former winner of the sofi for Outstanding Classic. These crunchy wafers studded with nuggets of almonds and raisins are uniquely delicious. Other products look somewhat like it, but none can deliver as amazing a taste as Almondina’s. Grandma Dina had baked these treats in her kitchen in Haifa, Israel. Grandson Yuval Zaliouk, a world famous former conductor of the London Royal Ballet, orchestrated a business plan and today its Ohio plant produces 200,000 cookies daily. Dina’s great-granddaughter, Tamar Markham, was proud to display her family’s product.
 Tamar Markham of Almondina – Photo Credit Cary Pollak Although the Fancy Food Shows are open only to the trade, if you have ever thought of starting a business that is any way related to gourmet foods, gaining access to this extravaganza is reason enough give it a try. It’s the greatest collection of sights and bites you’ll ever come across.
June 4, 2013
Jordan Wright
Special to DC Metro Theater Arts, Broadway Stars, and localKicks
 Jordan Wright, Publisher/Writer on Food/Spirits/Travel/Theatre Whisk and Quill, LLC As the sole celebrity judge for this weekend’s Taste of Del Ray, I’m pondering how I’ll be able to select a winner from a slate of twelve very qualified competitors vying for just one trophy. A nicely balanced three-person panel might have taken some of the heat off of me, but organizers were firm. “One judge!” they insisted in unison. So there you have it. Yours Truly acceded to their demands. The event will take place in the heart of Del Ray in the tented parking lot of the Virginia Commerce Bank on Mount Vernon Avenue on June 9th from 1 till 3pm and I’m hoping you’ll be there.
The plan is to sample everything from cheese to chocolate and pizza to BBQ. Everyone gets to taste the dishes. There’ll be French, Mexican, Modern American and Italian tastings that I expect to wash down with glugs of coffee from Swing’s, a century-old coffee roasting company that recently moved their operations into an historic building in the Soho-hip community.
Following in the footsteps of previous judges Rock Harper (third season winner of Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen), and Carla Hall (of Top Chef and ABC’s The Chew) will not be an easy task. I’ll need to channel my inner Sonya Thomas aka “The Black Widow”, a Virginia native and uber competitive eater who can put away forty-five Nathan’s hotdogs in ten minutes. I’ll have five minutes per restaurant to sample their wares. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.
Sheriff Lawhorn Gayle will announce the Chef’s Choice Award (That’s me!) and the People’s Award Choice (That’s you!). Let’s hope I don’t get arrested for public gluttony.
Here’s the line up and the link. Artfully Chocolate, Cheesetique, Del Ray Café, Del Ray Cakery, Del Ray Pizzeria, Dos Amigos, Evening Star Café, Pork Barrel BBQ, Rosemarino d’Italia, Swing’s Coffees, Taqueria Poblano and The Happy Tart.
www.VisitDelRayVA.com. Bring your discerning palates and a big appetite.
Jordan Wright
Special to The Washington Examiner
May 2, 2011
Ah! The requisite Mother’s Day brunch tradition – a singular opportunity to secure your yearly standing with your mother, grandmother, spouse or mother-in-law. Here are a few elegant dining ideas designed to take it up a royal notch.
Adour at the St. Regis Hotel – Executive Chef Julian Jouhannaud, helming Alain Ducasse’s DC outpost, presents a glorious five-star fixed price menu that echoes spring with yellow fin tuna tartare, seared foie gras with wild apples and grapes, Ducasse’s ambrosial signature cookpot of green vegetables coupled with mushroom duxelle, and a choice of Maine lobster thermidor with morels, striped bass Riviera style with braised fennel, or roast veal loin with au gratin vegetables. For dessert, think regally, with the Louis XV praline crunch and raspberry macaron with rosewater cream. Brunch is $88.00 per guest and is served from 11 till 4pm. For reservations call 202 509-8000.
 Kiwi Mango Mousse at Seasons - photo credit to Jordan Wright Seasons at The Four Seasons Hotel – Under Executive Chef Doug Anderson’s beautifully expressed cuisine, mothers will be duly impressed with the sumptuous open buffet as they dine beside the C & O Canal in tony Georgetown.
The elegant dining room features lavish breakfast fare of omelets, cheese blintzes with wild blueberry sauce, and fresh berry-topped waffles to iced oysters, shrimp, crab claws, snapper seviche, house-cured salmon, grilled octopus with citrus and caper salad and Maine lobster rolls. Carved rack of lamb and beef sit beside a groaning board of dozens of crafted salads and hot side dishes like double truffle meatloaf cupcakes, green pea and Virginia ham arancini, mini chicken pot pies. A separate room is devoted entirely to the most exquisite desserts imaginable. The gold standard for brunch in this city. Brunch is $100.00 per guest and is served from 10 till 3pm. For reservations call 202 944-2000.
CityZen at the Mandarin Oriental, uber Chef Eric Ziebold has a dazzling open buffet menu with a modern American twist featuring such delicious openers as blackened tuna with pickled okra, blue fish rillettes and smoked salmon. To refresh the palate choose tangerine and beet or a light asparagus salad. Brunch classics include scrambled eggs with biscuits and country gravy, dark and stormy ribs, Nona’s Cecelio’s spinach malfate and barbequed Carolina shrimp. Dessert is playful with made-to-order crèpes, butterscotch popcorn and banana pudding to mention a few. Brunch is $65.00 per guest and is served from 11 to 3pm. For reservations call 202 787-6868.
At the Park Hyatt Hotel’s Blue Duck Tavern in DC’s West End Executive Chef Brian McBride, alongside new hire Sous Chef Eric Fleischer, presents a three-course brunch with starters and desserts served buffet style, and entrees ordered from a specially designed menu. Here you’ll find eggs served with rock shrimp and potato roesti or cod cakes with buttermilk sauce, lump crab cakes, mustard seed crusted salmon with champagne cream, roasted beef tenderloin with foie gras sauce, and braised lamb shank with fava beans. Brunch is served from 10:30 to 3:45pm and is $90.00 per guest. For reservations call 202 419-6755.
The Jockey Club at the Fairfax Hotel is the posh spot for the embassy crowd and Secretary of State Hilary Clinton who loves the Dover sole here. Executive Chef Mark Timms has been wooing and wowing guests with his creativity and classic technique since his arrival this February. Mother’s Day brunch at the hotel features starters like matzoh ball soup with chicken and dill, local field greens with lavender vinaigrette or carrot parfait with caramelized ginger. Fabulous entrees are the sea bass with orange mist cream, roasted sunchokes and pistachio powder, beef tenderloin with duck fat fried potato logs, chicken Wellington with buttered foie gras mashed potatoes, or scallops with pickled watermelon and lemon curd. Dessert is chocolate crème brûlée with pistachio biscotti. Brunch is $40.00 per guest. For reservations call 202 835-2100.
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