Just as I was beginning a healthier diet what should appear in my mailbox but two wonderful books from Lifelong Books, both dedicated to vegan cooking. How psychic is that? Terry Hope Romero, who has written a number of cookbooks on the subject, and was voted “Favorite Cookbook Author” by VegNews in 2011, has come out with Protein Ninja: Power Through Your Day with 100 Hearty Plant-Based Recipes that Pack a Protein Punch. It’s especially geared to vegans who feel they might not be getting enough protein in their diet. I take that to apply to those of us who work out a lot as well as those who are strictly vegan. Now I do not purport to be vegan, or even vegetarian (I can’t/won’t give up eggs or seafood), but there are some fantastic recipes in these pages that can benefit all of us.
You may already be familiar with Romero’s books Vegan Eats World, Salad Samurai and Viva Vegan!, but she was also co-author of Veganomicon, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, and Vegan Pie in the Sky to name a few. In her latest cookbook she gives us recipes for every meal of the day. Gratefully they are quick and easy, as well as ethnically diverse. No bored palates. The collection offers plant-based protein dishes that are more sophisticated and creative. One might easily say, gourmet.
Though Romero is vegan for ethical reasons of kindness to animals, there is much current evidence that this philosophy is leaning towards another scientific proof – that eating vegan is a solution to climate change. Think about it. The less impact on the environment, the healthier the planet. Okay, enough science. Pretty soon I’ll need footnotes. In any case, it’s fact-based. Trust me. Google it.
In her book Romero offers tons of advice on how to easily up your protein intake. She also tells you what dishes can be frozen, which is tremendously helpful to those of us on the go. And though many of these recipes call for a myriad of different ingredients, mostly staples, there is enough symbiosis between recipes that you won’t feel as though you’re wasting food or money. Also helpful is the recipe icon guide that lets you know which dishes are gluten-free, soy-free, etc.
It was nearly impossible to choose one recipe from all these tempting vegan burgers and patty recipes (there are seven and she calls them “Burger Bowls” since they consist of a full meal) or her “Bakery Basket” (that includes amped up biscuits, waffles and the like). Dressings make up another group of recipes and they are super-creative, like the Dill Pickle Thousand Island Cashew Dressing. But here is Romero’s recipe for White Bean Cashew Ricotta Toast that can be made savory or sweet.
White Bean & Cashew Ricotta Toast
Makes about 2 cups spread in less than 30 minutes
I’m probably pushing the boundaries of what can be called a ricotta, but this satisfies my craving for a mellow, creamy spread without the usual help of tofu that plays well with fresh toppings, such as baby kale, arugula, and thinly sliced tomatoes or radishes or cucumber. Or go bold and use it as a base for sweet toast, too: sliced strawberries and chopped fresh mint, or a swirl of almond butter, chopped dates, and a dusting of cinnamon.
SPREAD
½ cup unroasted cashew pieces
1/2 cup hot tap water
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or navy beans, well drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons mild flavored olive oil
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
½ teaspoon salt
Hot whole-grain or sourdough toast
SAVORY GARNISHES
Baby kale leaves
Diced cherry tomatoes
Ground sweet paprika
Freshly ground black pepper
SWEET GARNISHES
Thinly sliced strawberries
Fresh mint leaves
Date syrup or pure maple syrup
Pink sea salt
Make the spread: In a small bowl, combine the cashew pieces with hot water and soak for at least 20 minutes, or until the cashews are tender. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the soaking water and drain away the rest.
In a food processor, blend the drained cashews and the reserved soaking water into a thick, slightly grainy paste. Add the beans, olive oil, lemon juice, agave nectar, and salt. Pulse into a thick mixture, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl. Don’t overblend; it’s preferable that this have a somewhat grainy texture. Taste and add a pinch more salt, sugar, or lemon juice, if desired.
Use immediately, or chill for at least 30 minutes for the flavors to develop.
Slather over hot toast and top with either the savory or sweet garnishes.
~~~~~
The path cookbook author Elina Fuhrman took to arrive at her passion has been a circuitous one to say the least. As a war correspondent and journalist for CNN, she’d fashioned a career writing about international conflict in far-flung hot spots. But nothing could have prepared her for the personal battle she faced when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. In her search for health and wellness Fuhrman took on the challenge like the professional she is – researching, studying and interviewing doctors and nutritionists, from both Eastern and Western medicinal cultures. She calls her search her “healing pilgrimage”. The result is her debut cookbook. You might even call it a guide – Soupelina’s Soup Cleanse – Plant-Based Soups and Broths to Heal Your Body, Calm Your Mind and Transform Your Life. It has a little bit of schtick and a lot of tried and true recipes for the same freshly made soups she sells to her tony clientele in Los Angeles.
Fuhrman uses an artist’s palette of vegetables to inform her recipes – a nod to the “rainbow” concept of eating right. The first few dozen pages describe the application of Ayurvedic (from the Sanskrit “science of life”) principles to diet and lifestyle. She further delves into homeopathy, Chinese medicine and folk remedies, now commonly referred to as “alternative medicine”. Fuhrman makes a strong case for including these ancient theories and practices into her holistic regimen and offers 3- and 5-day detox cleanses, extreme for some, yet useful for those seeking a dramatic kickstart to their diet.
From quirkily named soups like “Easy Peas-y”, “Don’t Kvass Me Any More Questions”, a title derived from her Russian roots, and a cold soup called “Brave New Watermelon” that incorporates watermelon rinds (who knew?), it’s a book to teach as well as inspire. I particularly liked reading the prefaces to each recipe. They describe why it’s good for you, what symptoms it addresses, and what nutritional benefits it contains.
Here’s a recipe from the book that uses a delicious springtime ingredient – watercress. Though it calls for a Vitamix, you can just as easily use a blender.
GONE WITH THE WATERCRESS
I’ve been looking to bring watercress into my diet for a while, but for some reason, I shied away from its bitter, peppery flavor. Until I read studies that it has significant levels of glucosinolate compounds, which means major anticancer benefits. Having these compounds in your body appears to help inhibit breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancers. When I remembered the delicious roasted chickpeas and carrots dish I had in Capetown, spiced with the intense North African blend called ras el hanout, I decided to play with the flavors. The sweetness of chickpeas totally worked with the bitterness of watercress, and the flavors seriously transported me to another continent. Not to mention the soup’s health benefits: It’s an antidote to fatigue, and great for detoxifying your body, healing your respiratory and digestive systems, and protecting against free radicals.
Serves 4
+ Preheat the oven to 350°F.
+ Combine the carrots and cooked chickpeas with the ras el hanout and a sprinkle of olive oil, and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until al dente. Reserve half of the spiced chickpeas and set aside.
+ Meanwhile, heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add the onion and ginger, and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the nonreserved spiced chickpeas, watercress, salt, and boiling filtered water and simmer until the leaves wilt, about 3 minutes.
+ Transfer the mixture to a Vitamix and blend until smooth.
+ Taste and add salt to your liking.
+ Serve with the hot spiced carrots and reserved chickpeas.
There’s something restorative about being coddled and enveloped in the lap of luxury. Doors magically open, dark coffered wood and gleaming marble floors beckon and the soul-soothing hushed tones of a well-trained staff welcome you into a sanctum sanctorum of elegance and sophistication. It’s the rush that comes from entering a venerable five-star hotel and the Cheshire cat satisfaction of dipping your toes into its posh milieu.
Arriving from beneath the colonnaded porte-cochere and swanning into the stately Hay-Adams on a rain-splattered evening, I had the immediate sense that I was entering an exclusive club. The doormen with their broad smiles and neatly tailored uniforms do nothing to dissuade you of that feeling. Cocktails were calling and the Off the Record bar below stairs was the first stop. This secluded spot is a little known bastion of journos, pols and their minions who end their day at the White House and stroll across Lafayette Park to sip and spin the the day’s news – far from the rough and tumble of the Old Executive Office’s press room. Here one is cosseted by the ornate gilded ceiling and comforted by the dozens of framed political caricatures, a priceless collection housed here under the auspices of the Library of Congress. Cable news blinks updates from strategically placed screens, and on the night we visited a great deal of attention was being paid to the primary election results filtering in. Lately, to reinforce the hotel’s connection to political life, notable political cartoonist Matt Wuerker has been commissioned to design 18 irreverently drawn drink coasters of Washington leaders and politicians. Choose your favorite candidate to cushion your drink.
Cocktails at Off the Record
Keeping a low profile in this cozy, fire engine red room is easy. Wing chairs offer up a view exclusive to one’s table companions, and banquettes, sumptuously upholstered halfway to the ceiling, muffle the sound of negotiations and shared confidences. There is an air of something of consequence about to go down coupled with a calm that mitigates anything that could upend the delicate buzz. It’s positively electrifying in a genteel way.
Matt Weurker’s Bernie Sanders coaster, Kevin “Kal” Kallaugher’s Biden and Obama coasters and Ann Tellnaes’ was commissioned to do additional coasters.
Once one’s appetite is whet over a drink or two, it’s time to repair to the dining room where all is calm, all is white – linens, that is. You prefer privacy? There are alcoves with a view and all the Chippendale-style chairs have comfortable arms. Settle in for a luxe meal, any time of day.
Since this was my last hurrah before beginning a month-long vegetarian diet, I went big and put my trust in Executive Chef Peter Schaffrath. He should know. He’s been in the hotel’s kitchen turning out sumptuous meals for heads of state and assorted VIPs since 2001.
(L-R) Maine Lobster Salad ~ Hamachi Salad
For appetizers we ordered Maine Lobster Salad enhanced with a tangy lemon curd sauce and trout roe; and Hamachi, a delicate salad of fennel, carrot, American caviar and yuzu. We followed with Black Angus beef tenderloin gilded with foie gras and served with Madeira sauce, and Diver Scallops graced with a coconut lobster sauce. Each dish was sheer perfection – exceptionally prepared and elegantly presented.
To cap it off we had rich chocolate soufflés embellished with a heaping dollop of freshly whipped cream. Be sure to order these as soon as you are seated. Pastry Chef Josh Short changes the flavors from time to time, so I can’t promise chocolate. As of this writing pistachio soufflés are the thing for Spring.
Easter Brunch at the Top of the Hay, which offers a bird’s eye view of Lafayette Square with the White House beyond, is lavish. Chilled White Asparagus and Truffle Oil Soup with edamame peas; Baby Romaine Lobster Salad with boiled egg, pickled red onion and basil vinaigrette; Carved Black Angus Beef Tenderloin with Yukon gold and sweet mashed potatoes and Perigourdine sauce; Spinach Tortellini with herb roasted tomatoes and white asparagus; Baked Organic Chicken Breast with oregano and parmesan crust, fava beans, diced heirloom tomato and piquillo pepper sauce, as well as Colorado Lamb Noisettes with Spring vegetables and tarragon lamb jus complemented by either a glass of Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne, a classic Bloody Mary or a Strawberry Orange Mimosa. A dessert buffet created by Pastry Chef Josh Short includes the White Rabbit Carrot Cake; Lemon Bundt Cake with blueberries; Brown Butter Layer Cake with dulce de leche; Mango Coconut Parfait; Bunny Tails BonBons; Rhubarb Cobbler, and many more.
Pastry Chef Josh Short’s Chocolate Soufflé
In addition, during the Cherry Blossom Festival, The Lafayette dining room will offer a Japanese-inspired three-course, pre-fixe dinner menu in addition to the featured menu. The deliciousness starts with an amuse-bouche of cherry Kir Royal, followed by first course options such as Spring Vegetable Salad with kabocha squash puree and matcha tea powder, and Yellowfin Tuna Tartar with smoked avocado and quail egg. Entrees include Caramelized Chilean Sea Bass with seaweed salad, pickled radish, miso, and brown butter sauce, as well as Nori Wrapped Black Angus Strip Steak with steamed Japanese eggplant, matsutake mushroom, and plum wine reduction. Dessert is Caramelia Chocolate Panna Cotta with cherry marmalade and griottines.
If staying at the Hay-Adams during the historic festival is your plan, a specially designed package includes a luxuriously appointed guestroom created by renowned interior designer Tom Pheasant, a chocolate espresso cake with morello cherries, the National Cherry Blossom Festival information packet, and American breakfast for two each day, available through room service or in The Lafayette. This package is available for three nights or more from March 20th 2016 through April 17th 2016. Rates begin at $469 per night for a superior room (excluding taxes) and is based on a minimum three-night stay.
For reservations and information call 202 638-6600 or visit www.hayadams.com
Chef Nongkran Daks Photocredit to Quail Ridge Books
One sunny Sunday afternoon, I stumbled upon this Northern Virginia gem – a hole-in–the–wall called Thai Basil Restaurant. It proved to be an authentic Thai restaurant serving both traditional and southern Thai dishes. The restaurant is owned by the talented Executive Chef, Nongkran Daks, who beat Chef Bobby Flay in a Pad Thai competition on the Food Network program Throwdown! in 2009. Daks was born and raised in Southern Thailand. She was exposed to cooking at the age of 7 and the very first thing she learned to do was pound curry paste. Since then, she has taught in Hawaii, DC, China, Laos, Taiwan, and Thailand and ran a snack bar in Bangkok serving Asian and Western style dishes. Despite her experiences throughout Asia, Daks strives for maximum authenticity in every Thai dish from start to finish. She wants her customers to appreciate the taste of true Thai food.
Wall of Fame
Thai Basil restaurant has been featured in many articles – New York Times, USA Today, the Washington Post, Washingtonian magazine, Zagat, and AOL – among others – earning the government of Thailand’s “Thai SELECT” certification in 2001 & 2007. For those who are not familiar with the Thai SELECT program, it aims to certify and promote authentic Thai cuisine worldwide. For Daks it proves her restaurant serves authentic Thai food. Yet despite all accolades, any first time visitor will immediately take notice of the restaurant’s simple décor with its Thai artifacts, palm leaves and bamboo woven hats hanging above the mirrors and framed photographs of Thai Royal Family as well as Daks’ own family and friends.
Dining Room
After being seated in the dining room, we ordered Thai iced tea while browsing over the menu. This Thai Iced Tea was a pleasant blend of loose leaf red tea with sweetened condensed milk.
Thai Iced Tea
For appetizers, I recommend sharing ‘Goong Hom Pha’, also known as Shrimp in a Blanket. It consists of crispy filo dough filled with jumbo shrimp marinated in oyster sauce, sugar, minced garlic and fresh coriander. It is then wrapped and sealed with egg yolk before deep-frying. The finished product is a cross between a spring roll and crispy wonton, to be dipped in sweet and sour Thai chili sauce.
Goong Hom Pha
Each Asian country has their own way of preparing stir-fried noodle dishes. In every authentic Thai noodle dish, there’s a nice balance of flavors and textures (e.g., sweet, sour, salty, and spicy). The most popular dish at a Thai restaurant would be ‘Kway Teow Pad Thai’ a type of stir-fried rice noodles. I was a bit surprised to learn that Pad Thai may have originated from China as ‘Kway Teow’ meaning rice noodles in Chinese and ‘Pad’ translating to stir-fried in Thai. Thai Basil’s Pad Thai uses medium rice-stick noodles, chopped garlic, dried shrimp, chopped salted radish, bean sprouts, eggs, chopped scallions, your choice of protein (shrimp, tofu, chicken, beef or pork), lime, palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind sauce, vegetable oil, and crushed roasted peanuts.
Pad Thai
The dish is very fragrant and full of color and flavor and the rice noodles soft and moist. Bean sprouts and scallions provide an occasional crunch to the dish. The protein gives the dish texture and the palm sugar serves as a natural sweetener while acting as a thickener.
The tamarind sauce had just five ingredients – tamarind juice, palm sugar, water, fish sauce, and a dash of salt. Since it takes at least an hour to prepare the noodles and Pad Thai sauce, Chef Daks prepares these items in bulk in the morning before the start of business. After these items are prepared, she warms up oil in a pan, adding various ingredients (garlic, dried shrimp, salted radish, protein) to give the oil an array of flavors. After removing the protein, she adds the ready-to-cook noodles and water, stirring to ensure the noodles are somewhat separated. After the noodles are done, she returns the protein to the pan, frying an egg, mixing everything together and adding the scallions and bean sprouts to the pan. The finished dish is garnished with a lime wedge and bean sprouts.
This is a most delicious Pad Thai…the preparation and years of training come across with every bite. If you are in the neighborhood, give it a try!
Samantha Lee
Samantha Lee has been a foodie since the day she was born. Growing up, her grandparents owned Tung Bor Chinese Restaurant, the first dim sum restaurant in the DC area. In her free time, she loves to bake and cook. As a student at American University, she sold her baked goods (e.g., brownies, cheesecakes, cookies, and cupcakes) on campus. Since then, she has expanded her culinary knowledge and skills by enrolling in many DC area cooking classes when she learned from local greats including Amy Riolo, Robyn Webb, Marie Ostrosky, Mike Isabella, George Pagonis and Spike Mendelsohn. She has been blogging about food via Yelp since October 2014.
These recipes from Nielsen-Massey are too delicious not to share. For the Decadent Chocolate Pudding be sure to use only the best semi-sweet chocolate you can find. May love find you and light your path.
May love find you and light your path?
Decadent Chocolate Pudding (Serves 5) – Yields about 2 ½ cups
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup of powdered sugar
8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 ½ teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Chocolate Extract
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract
In a heavy saucepan, combine the cornstarch and milk. Bring to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks with powdered sugar until they are pale yellow and have thickened. Gradually pour into the cooled milk mixture. Place saucepan back onto low heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not let it simmer or boil. Remove from heat and then add melted chocolate, vanilla, chocolate and coffee extracts. Pour into individual serving bowls or ramekins. Chill 3-4 hours until set. Serve with Espresso Whipped Cream.
_______
Espresso Whipped Cream (Yield about 1 cup)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract
In a chilled bowl, combine all ingredients and whip with an electric mixer until fluffy. Serve with Decadent Chocolate Pudding.
______
Rose Water Scented Sugar Cookie Hearts (Makes about 3 Dozen)
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup superfine sugar (purchase or process granulated sugar for 20 seconds in a food processor)
2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3¼ teaspoons Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Rose Water
2 eggs
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar (for dusting work surface)
¼ cup all-purpose flour (for dusting work surface)
Position oven rack in the center of oven and preheat to 350⁰F. Line two large, heavy light-colored baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until blended; set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, add butter, sugar, cream, vanilla extract and rose water; beat with a handheld mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low; add eggs one at a time and beat after each addition. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients one half at a time.
Divide dough into two even pieces, press each piece into a disk shape, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. Dough should be cool and firm but easy to work with.
In a small bowl, whisk confectioners’ sugar and flour until blended; set aside. Working with one piece of dough at a time, place on a clean, dusted surface. Roll dough to about ⅛-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut heart shapes and transfer with a thin offset metal spatula to prepared cookie sheets. For even baking, do not overcrowd cookies. Gather remaining dough, cover with plastic and chill. Continue with second chilled dough.
For best results, bake one sheet pan at a time until done, about 10 minutes; remove and place cookies on wire racks to cool. Decorate and store in an airtight container.
______
Rose Glaze and Rose Piping Icing
Ingredients:
1¼ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Rose Water (may substitute with Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract)
variety gel food colors
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and meringue powder. Add water and rose water, stir until smooth.
Glaze cookies in desired colors and set aside to dry before piping. For the piping icing, remake the glaze recipe and add additional confectioners’ sugar, one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Divide icing into small bowls; add desired gel colors.
Secret Chopsticks Brings Classic Chinese to Rosslyn – Pennsylvania 6 Challenges DC’s Established Steak and Seafood Houses – Let’s Do BBQ! Texas Jack’s Style – Austrian Embassy Focuses on Art and Photography with a Side of Schnitzel
A dinner consisting of a parade of eleven courses is all in a day’s work, isn’t it? It was for me at Executive Chef/Partner Robin Li’s new Chinese restaurant, Secret Chopsticks in the luxurious Turnberry Tower in Rosslyn. Li, along with Dim Sum Chef, Tonia Wang, are sticking to the classics, preparing regional Mainland Chinese cuisine, rare in the DMV.
The dining room at Secret Chopsticks
Li’s early training came from a stint in the US Navy who sent him to the Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park to hone his skills. After his hitch was up, he returned to the school to graduate and then back to China where he opened an American-style steakhouse. Thankfully he turned his sights back to the States and Chinese cuisine.
There are so many dishes to triumph here. On a recent visit the menu listed a variety of dishes sans description, though I’m told that will soon be corrected to better inform diners. Dumplings sheer as silk stockings and consommés as delicate as French haute cuisine are artistically presented and often garnished with a single goji berry. Most dishes come lightly poached, with few fried offerings. Those that are, like crispy tofu skin, are light as a feather.
From the Tofu Blossom soup, which looks like a chrysanthemum in full bloom, dishes were nicely timed – – not rushed. Though the menu offers a la carte or dim sum, you can opt for an 11-course tasting menu to experience dishes that highlight the best of Mainland China and showcase some unusual ingredients not commonly seen in our area’s Chinese restaurants. A delicacy called “fengo” uses a bok choy cousin called yu choy, a tender green incorporated into a superb dumpling and Li’s rendition of crystal shrimp dumplings, the hallmark of all great Chinese chefs, is spot on.
An intriguing array of craft cocktails, surprisingly more in keeping with the hipper watering holes in town, rise to the level of excellence. Though they change from time to time, we found the cocktails to be beautifully balanced and original. Try the ‘Bao Bao Green Tea Mojito’ (my personal favorite) or ‘Turn Down Service, For What?’, a play on rapper Lil Jon’s hit song. And winter’s wrath may be tamed by a drink aptly named, ‘Happy Toddy’. Whatever you choose, be sure to cap it off with Durian Pastry with Durian Ice Cream. Notwithstanding all the horror stories you have heard about durian’s overpowering taste and aroma, Li tames the fruit into a delicious and refreshing confection. www.SecretChopsticks.com
Pennsylvania 6 – A New Downtown Hotspot Challenges the Old Guard
The bar at Pennsylvania 6
Pennsylvania 6 is presenting some serious competition to downtown steak-and-seafood establishments, and it starts with a gorgeous interior that is spacious without being cavernous. Anchored by large oak columns, the large Carrera marble bar gleams with stainless steel accents. Tinted mirrors are inscribed with the cocktail and seafood specials of the day. The afternoon I was there the I Street afternoon sun spilled onto the rustic wood floors lighting up a hammered metal bucket filled with juicy citrus fruits. And since atmosphere sets the tone for the direction the menu will take, comfortable seating at properly-lit linen covered tables allowed us to be able to see our food without sacrificing ambiance. Beyond the bar white subway tiles surround an Oyster Bar where crustaceans are nestled in their icy beds. Maine lobsters and oysters from both coasts awaiting their star turn. It’s everything you would hope for from a restaurant keen to dispel any whiff of newness.
(L-R) A cozy setting — The elegant private dining room
On the walls a well-curated collection of old photos, magazine covers, antique prints, original oil paintings, and equestrian art add to the clubby atmosphere. Off to one side tweed-covered sofas by a fireside beckon guests to linger awhile.
Executive Chef Mark Plessis
This is the sort of place to celebrate a promotion, mark anniversaries and birthdays, and impress clients. It is upscale dining with a twist, overseen by Executive Chef Mark Plessis and Culinary Director Brian Cook. And though the prime steaks and grand seafood towers are lavish, the approach is new and stylish. Foie Gras Mousse gets an apple cider gelee, Kona Kampachi Crudo gets gooseberries, and steaks get a choice of sauces from peppadew chimichurri and bordelaise to gorgonzola butter. Sides are excellent too, especially the Duck Fat Fries.
(L-R) Kona Kampachi Crudo with gooseberries — Tuna Crudo
As for desserts, it’s well nigh impossible to choose only one, so order a few and you be the judge – the Spiced Apple Cake and assortment of Mini Crème Brulees are divine.
A trio of Creme Brûlées
I don’t always mention service in my reviews since if they know who I am, it may not reflect what other diners experience – and if they do not, it can be just as good, or just as bad as if they did know. But in this case, the staff at Pennsylvania 6 is a breath of fresh air – well-trained, knowledgeable and crisp about their duties, striking the right balance between amenably responsive and respectfully unintrusive. What a joy, since good food and a pretty place only go so far. www.Pennsylvania6DC.com
Texas Jack’s Serves Up Killer BBQ from Former Brooklyn-Based Chef
What does a kid who learned about barbecue in Brooklyn know from Texas barbecue, you might ask? A lot, as it turns out! In 2004 Executive Chef Matt Lang began his career in Manhattan at the much-lauded Pearl Oyster Bar, while still attending the French Culinary Institute. Three years later he was running the kitchen at Fette Sau, a newly launched barbecue restaurant in Brooklyn where he created a menu inspired by every American region that offers barbecue.
Chef Matt Lang wrangles a juicy brisket
Fette Sau was voted the number one barbecue restaurant in New York by Zagat, holding that position for each year Lang ran the kitchen. In 2007 Fette Sau was lauded with a glowing review from The New York Times. Later Lang competed on the Food Network barbecue show, Best in Smoke, competing against barbecue mega-giants like Famous Dave, Chris Lilley, and Brad Orrison, among others. Lucky for us, he landed in the DMV.
At Texas Jack’sBarbecue, housed in the former Whitey’s in Clarendon, there is a whole lot of cheffin’ goin’ on. And Lang has taken the don’t-mess-with-Texas motto and upped the ante by circling the mains with some healthful sides that really rock.
The bar scene at Texas Jack’s
Did I love this place? To bits! First off Lang sources high quality meats – strictly upper cut short ribs from Allen Brothers in Chicago; pork from the Duroc heritage breed from Missouri; Habanero sausage from Mitch Berliner and Stanley Feder’s locally based MeatCrafters; and sustainably-raised organic chickens from Freebird in Pennsylvania. Local farmers fill in the produce blanks as much as seasonally possible. This is not your average barbecue joint. Expect these high end ingredients to express a far better product. But there are some things that just don’t need changing, like the fluffy-soft traditional Martin’s Dutch Potato Bread the pulled pork sandwiches are served on.
(L-R) Ribs, habanero sausage and sides — Pulled pork sandwiches
Owner Steve Roberts knows cowboy vittles from his roots in Montana and wanted to bring the real deal to Arlington. A Greek, whose background is in food service, Roberts already has five successful Cleveland restaurants under his belt. He’s kept the original scuffed-up concrete floors and opened up a few arched windows that had been hidden behind brick walls that once separated the two buildings. Now there’s a clear view to the expansive bar from the main dining room. And he’s added some cool touches of his own. Chairs and tables are custom crafted from reclaimed wood and food is served up on blue-and-white enamelware. Styrofoam is out and only blue-striped cloth napkins are used. This isn’t Cousin Bubba’s roadhouse.
But let’s get to the menu. As mentioned the meats are top notch, especially the melt-in-your-mouth brisket. But so are the sides. They’re outrageously delicious. Wrap your palate around a few of these, if you will. I’m especially partial to the Kale Salad and a side with corn.
(L-R) Pulled pork nachos — Mountains of kale, sides and a platter of brisket
Smashed Cucumber Salad with yogurt, rice wine vinegar and jalapeño; Warm Potato Salad, fried potatoes with a warm bacon vinaigrette; Esquites, grilled corn off cob with mayo, Mexican cheese, cilantro and jalapeño; Fried Chick Pea Salad with chorizo, epazote and lime juice; Fried Brussels Sprouts with lemon juice and parmesan; Not So Spicy Coleslaw with jalapeño, cilantro, red onion and cotija cheese, as well as Macaroni & Cheese. No Masa Sope Style Smashed Fried Potatoes with beans, pulled pork and cheese; Nachos with beans, pulled pork, white queso, crema, salsa verde and salsa roja; Chilaquiles, a smothered version of nachos; Kale Caesar Salad with croutons and parmesan; Burger, a classic double with American cheese, lettuce, tomato and piquin chile mayo; No Meat Burger with wheat berry, shiitake, porcini and chickpea; Pork Sandwich with not so spicy coleslaw and sriracha pickles; Brisket Sandwich with a fried egg, queso blanco and poblano; and Smoked Tofu Tacos.
As for dessert, it appears to be a work in progress. High hopes for the locally made pies touted by the waiter, were quickly dashed when I encountered leaden pie crusts and scant fillings that had more in common with a jar of jam. Skip dessert for now.
Along with lunch and dinner service, there is Sunday brunch (brisket hash rang my bell) and takeout. Free parking in the evenings in the lot next door. www.TXJacks.com
Art and Pastries with Love from Vienna
Two weeks ago the Austrian Cultural Forum, an organization that organizes and supports a variety of cultural events (concerts, film screenings, exhibitions, theatre, lectures, panel discussions, symposia) here in Washington, presented a program dedicated to their latest art installation. In the light-filled atrium of the embassy, press and guests gathered to hear remarks by the newly installed Ambassador Wolfgang Waldner, visiting dignitary Dr. Danielle Spera, Director of the Jewish Museum Vienna, Andreas Pawlitschek, Director of the Austrian Cultural Forum Washington and Helena Hartlauer, head of Media Relations representing the city of Vienna.
Ambassador Wolfgang Waldner. – Photo credit: (c) Vienna Tourist Board
A guided tour of the highlights of the exhibit included works by the noted photographer Erich Lessing, curated by his daughter Hannah Lessing. Erich Lessing fled Vienna for Palestine in 1939 and returned to Vienna in 1945 to become one of the most important Austrian and international photographers, as well as a photojournalist for the Associated Press in 1947, a full member of Magnum Photos Paris and the official chronicler of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising against Soviet occupation.
Known for his candid pictures of major political moments of his day, Lessing was best known for his documentation of the signing of the Austrian State Treaty. The picture now serves as the iconic symbol of the rebirth of Austria as a sovereign state after World War II. His famous portrait subjects included the likes of Dwight D. Eisenhower, John Foster Dulles, Konrad Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle. From the 1960s on he turned his focus to the arts, notably serving as on-set photographer for The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews, which celebrated its 50-year anniversary in 2015.
The eclectic selection includes landscapes in Israel of quasi-biblical dimensions, images of post-war beauty queens, the documentation of daily life in post-war Vienna, and sensitive impressions of Jewish customs and ceremonies.
One of the exhibits of most interest to the guests was by Philadelphia-born Andrew Mezvinsky. A GOOD DAY, his compelling multimedia installation, is based on Primo Levi’s account of survival in Auschwitz, and titled THE JEWISH MUSEUM VIENNA ON INTERNATIONAL COURT. A young Jewish-American artist who, five years ago, chose the city of Vienna to be the center of his life and creative work, Mezvinsky’s work contemplates a single day in Auschwitz in 1944. Inspired by the Jewish-Italian Holocaust survivor Primo Levi’s autobiography If This Is a Man, Mezvinsky depicts Levi’s traumatic experiences in the concentration camp, including a chapter titled “A Good Day”, which describes a day at the end of winter when the first rays of sun heralded a relief from the cold.
Mezvinsky creates series of drawings, reminiscent of fairy tales, or even the figures of Commedia dell’Arte, which he brings to life in animation. What initially appear as idyllic scenes reveal themselves to be poisoned – arising to depict one of the darkest moments in the history of Europe as the Third Reich expanded. Mezvinsky approaches the agony of Auschwitz from various perspectives; addressing the yearning for normalcy in the savage reality of an extermination camp, and reflecting on the basic conditions for human survival. His interacting multimedia exhibition, consisting of an animation film and a series of drawings, also with an interactive component, symbolizes liberation and an interminable will to survive.
