Philos Opens Wednesday in Mt. Vernon
Philos mezze and wine bar will open Wednesday in the former Tel’Veh space at 401 Massachusetts Ave. NW in Mount Vernon Triangle.
The restaurant, owned by Richard Jarrouj and Talal Orfaly, will feature small plates from the Mediterranean basin.
“Small plate dining is very trendy in our city, and it works because it allows people to sample more dishes without shelling out a lot of money for multiple entrees,” said Jarrouj and Orfaly in a press release. “It is also the core of Mediterranean cuisine, turning dining into more of an experience rather than a rushed meal.”
Chef Ghassan Jarrouj, previously executive chef at Agora in Dupont Circle, has designed a menu that includes a variety of spreads such as hummus and baba ghannouj, grilled meats such as Merguez sausage and lamb loin chops, and vegetables such as mushrooms with garlic, sherry and parsley and roasted cauliflower with cilantro pesto and tahini sauce. The menu also features cheese boards, charcuterie and warm cheese section that includes baked goat cheese with dried figs, honey and pistachios and grilled halloumi with watermelon and mint. The menu’s core ingredients are garlic, lemon and legumes including chickpeas and lentils, as well a nutrient-dense ingredients such as kale, tahini and Brussels sprouts. Seafood dishes include steamed mussels, grilled octopus, sautéed shrimp, seared sea scallops and pan seared branzino. The dessert menu include baklava, rice pudding, banana cream pudding and ice cream. Dishes range from $6-$14.
Philos’ wine selection includes 20 wines by the glass priced from $8-$13 that will be dispensed by a Vinotemp cooling system and another 25 wines by the bottom priced from $40-$325. Inspired by Mediterranean selections, the wines are predominately from lesser-known regions such as Lebanon, Greece and Bulgaria in addition to local vineyards. The bar also features eight craft cocktails priced from $10-$12, homemade sangria at $8 per glass or $30 per carafe and four draft beers priced from $6-$8.
The restaurant features a curved bar, dark wooden tables and chairs, custom-made banquettes, high ceilings, earthy tones and iron fixtures including Moorish panels on the mezzanine that overlooks the 70-seat dining room. There’s also a semi-open kitchen. Oversized windows provide a glimpse to the 30-seat patio that will be open in warm weather and an abundance of natural light.
Philos will be open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour will be from 4-7 p.m. weekdays.
Karat Cakery visits One Eight Distilling
Karat Cakery’s food truck will be selling both sweet and savory carrot treats including carrot cupcakes, carrot loafs, carrot cakes, carrot ice cream and savory carrot dishes at One Eight Distilling’s weekly open to celebrate International Carrot Day from 1-4 p.m. today, Apr. 4.
One Eight Distilling, 1135 Okie St. NE, will host tours and tasting of its latest spirits every half hour on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests must be 21 or older. Admission is free and registration is not required. There is free on-street parking.
Guests can show their love for carrots by participating in Karat Cakery’s challenges like the “place your order using your best bunny imitation” and rounds of imaginary hoola hoop while holding Mr. Carrot.
BLT Steak offers $10 Congressional Recess Menu
While Congress is in recess through Apr. 11, BLT Steak, 1625 I St. NW, is offering a “Congressional Recess Menu” with $10 dishes at the bar from 5-10 p.m.
The first “Recess Menu” of the year, this promotion is part of a regular series which launched in March 2014 and is offered every time Congress goes on an extended recess.
For the next week, diners can enjoy upscale bar snacks like lamb neck bao buns with lamb confit, charred tomato salsa and curried chimichurri; and gulf shrimp fritters with smoked romesco sauce. For veggie lovers, there will be dishes that include mushroom fricasse with cauliflower hummus and crispy gnocchi with dinosaur kale and oven roasted tomatoes. Other dishes include Wagyu bolognese with ditalini and grilled squid with puttanesca.
Mango Tree begins weekend brunch service
Mango Tree, 929 H St. NW, will debut weekend brunch service beginning today, Apr. 4.
Chef de Cuisine Paul Kennedy, a native of the United Kingdom, has crafted a menu that integrates traditional English breakfast fare with a Thai twist. Appetizers include green papaya salad, poached shrimp, cherry tomatoes, long beans, chili-lime and a Sriracha cocktail sauce, as well as street-style pork-in-a-bag, grilled marinated pork skewers with Thai sticky rice and a sweet tamarind sauce served in a BPA-free bag like traditional street food in Thailand. Entrées include Mango Tree Eggs Benedict, a toasted English muffin, poached egg and hash browns, served with a choice of grilled salmon, Kaffir lime hollandaise and sautéed spinach or braised beef cheeks with green curry hollandaise and sautéed spinach or sautéed spinach with Kaffir lime hollandaise and shallots; salmon scrambled eggs with hash browns and crispy fried bread; Thai-English breakfast inspired by the traditional English breakfast made with morthern-style Thai sausage, crispy bacon, two wok fried eggs, hash browns, grilled portobello mushroom, grilled tomato and fried bread; oven-baked blueberry French toast with whipped cream and blueberry compote; bacon, bourbon and apple pancakes with hash browns and maple syrup, as well as Mango Tree waffles served with a choice of maple syrup, crispy bacon and whipped cream or strawberry and Thai basil compote and whipped cream or freshly cut fruit and ginger with mint syrup. Brunch prices range from $8-$16.
Mango Tree’s new brunch menu is complemented by featured cocktails such as the traditional mimosa; Mary in the Mango Tree with Mekhong and house-made Bloody Mary mix; mango mimosa with champagne and fresh mango purée; lychee bellini with champagne and fresh lychees; The Spirited Thai with Mekhong, fresh lime, lychee and pineapple, and the Thai tea-ni with Thai tea infused vodka, star anise and evaporated milk. Cocktails are priced from $8-$12.
Brunch will be served Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
Red Light launches weekend brunch
Red Light Cocktails & Dessert Bar, 1401 R St. NW, will serve weekend brunch, which will showcase waffles, frittatas and other traditional brunch items, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday beginning today, Apr. 3..
Executive chef Alina Bothen’s brunch menu include Belgian waffles made to order with a choice of toppings such as maple, bacon and caramel; seasonal fruit and fresh whipped cream; or maple syrup, butter and powdered sugar. Three different frittatas will also be available and include a choice of potato, cheddar, bacon and onion; asparagus, mushroom, tomato and parmigiano reggiano; or chicken, spinach, bell peppers and garlic. Other dishes include the gravlox plate with house-cured Swedish lox, tomato, pickled shallots, cream cheese and capers, served with a plain bagel; morning parfait with Greek yogurt, house-made granola and seasonal fruit; a cheese and rillette plate with port salut, zamorano and morbier cheeses served with house-made pork rillette, apricot mustardo, candied walnuts and a cherry/thyme jam, or a choice of two flatbreads: mushroom, taleggio and white truffle oil; and the bacon, caramelized onions and blue cheese. Brunch items range from $7-$16.
Red Light is offering $4 mimosas and $6 Bloody Mary cocktails during weekend brunch along with $12 cocktails such as the El Viejo made with jalapeno tequila, orange, sugar and chocolate mole bitters; the Pseudonym with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, ginger liqueur and orange bitters; and Dead Man’s Tale with spiced rum, Benedictine, lime juice and raspberry mint syrup.
Masa 14 launches unlimited chef’s tasting menu
Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, 20009, has begun offering and unlimited chef’s tasting menu featuring unlimited small plates and free-flowing cocktails.
Available Sunday through Thursday with the last seating at 9 p.m., the menu offers two package options: unlimited Latin-Asian small plates for $49 per person or unlimited Latin-Asian small plates and a selection of bottomless drinks for $65 per person. The entire table must order the same tasting option and guests have two-hours.
The tasting menu includes an array of dishes from the Latin-Asian inspired menu such as she-crab bisque, Hijiki seaweed-jicama salad, charred octopus, roasted cauliflower and lo main noodles with hanger steak, as well as dim sum such as pork belly steamed buns and crunchy shrimp.
City Tap House host release party for Black is the new Wit beer
City Tap House, 901 9th St. NW, will host a release party for Terrapin Beer Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co. ‘s new collaboration brew, Black is the new Wit, on Apr. 6. The two breweries are joining forces to create the perfect wit beer for summer.
Attendees will be one of the first to try the traditional Belgian wit, which gets its absence of color from intensely roasted wheat and dehusked barley. As an added bonus, guests will have the opportunity to interact and discuss the beer with representatives from both breweries from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
City Tap House will fill their tap lines with seasonal and year-round brews from both breweries including Oscar Worthy Coffee, the Slow Ride Session IPA, Ranger IPA, Wild2 Dubbel, the Abbey, and The Skinny Dip from New Belgium as well as the Hopsecutioner IPA, HI-5 IPA, Rye Pale Ale, Liquid Bliss Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, Mosaic Red Rye IPA and the Hop Selection IPA from Terrapin. The beers will be poured from their draft lines until they are sold out.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.