La Vie to Open in The Wharf Development

Social Restaurant Group, which owns Provision No. 14, The Prospect and Bonfire, will open La Vie, a French-Mediterranean restaurant, at The Wharf, a $2 billion development at the Southwest Waterfront in late-fall 2017.

La Vie from the Social Restaurant Group will open at The Wharf in late-fall 2017. (Image: Hoffman Madison Waterfront)

The 9,800 square-foot restaurant will feature a 1,100 square-foot al fresco terrace. Boasting waterfront vistas, the restaurant is the company’s largest project. It will also serve the resident pool deck above. The restaurant will have access to a 5,000-square foot rooftop terrace that can be used for special events and other functions.

The beverage program will focus on coastal-inspired cocktails and beachside imbibing. Additionally, there will be a large focus on rosé wines, Champagne, house-made sodas, hand selected craft beers and an infused beer and shandy menu.

The menu will feature seafood towers, a moules frites program, sweet and savory tartines, and a menu of brioche burgers, such as a butter-poached lobster, Moroccan-spiced lamb and shrimp avocado burgers all served on warm, house-made brioche buns. A selection of communal offerings will also be available.

Other tenants at The Wharf announced so fat include Del Mar, a two-story Spanish and seafood restaurant from Fabio Trabocchi; Requin, a Mediterranean restaurant from chefs Mike Isabella and Jennifer Carrol; Hank’s on the Water, from Hank’s Oyster Bar’s chef Jamie Leeds; Potomac Distilling Co., a rum distillery and two-story tavern; Rappahannock Oyster Bar in an historic oyster shed at the Municipal Fish Market; Kirwan’s, an Irish pub; Taylor Gourmet; and Dolcezza Gelato.

Central introduces new three-course prix fixe brunch

Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, launched a new $27 three-course prix fixe Sunday brunch program.

Central Michele Richard has a new three-course prix fixe Sunday brunch. (Photo: Joy Asico)

The brunch menu includes new dishes such as yellow tomato gazpacho, cured salmon and scallion omelet with duck confit in addition to longtime favorites like eggs Benedict, chocolate and blueberry pancakes and fried chicken and waffle. For the third course, diners will choose a dessert such as macarons, mousse, sorbet and more. The new brunch menu also features bottomless mimosas, bellinis and Bloody Marys for an additional $15.

Central is open for brunch from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Jardenea Lounge unveils seasonal cocktails

Jardenea Lounge located in the Melrose Georgetown Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Ave., has introduced a new seasonal cocktail menu.

Jardenea Lounge in the Melrose Georgetown Hotel has a new seasonal cocktail menu that includes the cucumber and basil Collins. (Photo: Jardenea Lounge)

Priced at $12 each, every drink uses colorful ingredients including pineapple, grapefruit and watermelon juice in addition to flavor infusions such as cashew fruit and house-made orangecello. Cocktails include watermelon agua fresca with Stolichnaya vodka, lime juice, watermelon juice and mint simple syrup; the cucumber and basil Collins with Hendricks gin, cucumber juice, basil simple syrup, lemon juice and soda water; the Aranciata with house-made orangecello, prosecco and elder flower; and the Melorse with Kappa pisco, lemon juice, pineapple shrub, simple syrup and egg whites.

Ambar introduces new lunch specials

Ambar, 523 Eighth St. SE, has added new selections to its lunch menu featuring classic Balkan fare, gluten-free options and 15 open face sandwiches served European style from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. weekedays.

Ambar has new lunch items including the chef’s platter with veal soup, Balkan salad, cheese pie, Balkan kebab and stuffed sour cabbage. (Photo: Ambar)

There are plenty of vegetarian choices and diners can take advantage of Ambar’s lunch specials featuring a choice of any two sandwiches and a glass of house wine, a beer or fresh-squeezed lemonade infused with rosemary or mixed berry lemonade for only $16. Diners can also choose a signature salad with a glass of house wine, a beer or lemonade for $13. A cup of soup and dessert can be added for $5.

Menu newcomers include a meat pie, crispy phyllo dough filled with beef, pork and garlic yogurt; a cheese pie, crispy phyllo with cucumber yogurt and ajvar; a ham and cheese crepe made with gouda, tartar sauce and panko bread crumbs; spicy sausage with green peas and root vegetable stew; Balkan kebab, beef and pork with spring onions, kajmak and fries; a summer pepper with beef and pork, root vegetables and dill cream; and the chef’s platter with veal soup, Balkan salad, cheese pie, Balkan kebab and stuffed sour cabbage. Dishes range from $8-$19.

Del Campo offers new asado to-go menu

Del Campo, 777 I St NW, has a new asado to-go menu.

Del Campo’s asado to-go menu has items that can be taken home and cooked on the grill. (Photo: Del Campo)

Available throughout the summer, the menu brings Del Campo’s Argentinean asado experience from the restaurant to backyard cookouts with a variety of packaged and a la carte options available to go and ready to cook on the grill.

The El Gaucho package includes two 10-ounce bone in short ribs, two chorizo Del Campo, one veal sweetbreads, two prime hanger steaks one grilled chop and a wild greens salad with chimichurri and salsa criolla for $110. The El Asador option includes two 18-ounce dry-aged ribeyes, two chorizo Del Campo, two chorizo Argentino, two morcilla, one veal sweatbreads, two Brazilian spiny lobster tails, two jalapeno mashed potatoes, one grilled chop and one wild greens salad with chimichurri and salsa criolla for $175. Both packages serve four people. Other items are available a la carte ranging from $2-$100. The full menu is available online.

Orders must be placed 24 hours in advance.

Toro Toro has new late night menu

Pan-Latin steakhouse Toro Toro, 1300 I St. NW, has a new late night dinner menu available Sunday through Thursday from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. and on Friday and Saturday from midnight-2 a.m.

Toro Toro is serving a new late-night menu including this classic choripán with sweet Argentinean chorizo on a ciabatta roll. (Photo: Toro Toro/Facebook)

The menu features small bites such as classic choripán with sweet Argentinean chorizo on a ciabatta roll with ají amarillo aioli and vegetable slaw; beef alcapurria with plantain-yucca masa, Roseda Farm beef and roasted rocoto aioli; short rib arepas with corn masa, hoisin sauce, nikkei slaw and Mexican crema; pan con chicharron with crispy pork belly, kabayaki sauce, roasted sweet potato and criolla sauce; and yuca buñuelos with jalapeño, Oaxaca cheese and aji verde. The snacks are prided from $8-$10. Night owls can pair snacks with $6 draft beers or $6 bottled beers. Diners can also order craft cocktails for $9 each.

Guests can show off their dance moves in the restaurant’s 5,000 square-foot lounge where a DJ will spin Latin, house and top 40 hits on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 p.m.-3 a.m.

Columbia Room launches Latin American summer cocktail menu

The Columbia Room, 124 Blagden Alley NW, is ushering in summer with a new seasonal cocktail menu inspired by Central and South American flavors, cultures and countries, including traditional Latin American beverages and spirits from El Salvador, Chile, Ecuador, Peru and more.

The Columbia Room’s new summer cocktail menu includes We Came for the Gold (left to right), Coctel de Tamayo and the bottled Jote. (Photos: Bobby Spero)

The menu launched last week in the tasting room, spirits library and punch garden. The new drinks are inspired by the heritage, lives and travels of the bar’s staff.

The drinks incorporate a wide array of spirits including singani, pisco, rum, chichaa and Chilean wine paired with fruit and vegetable ingredients such as guava, banana, iceberg lettuce and passion fruit.

The tasting room’s three- or five-course tasting menu features five new summer cocktails, including the Coctel de Tamayo made with singani, scotch, dry curaçao, banana, passion fruit, orgeat, cane sugar, lime juice and black-lemon bitters. In the spirits library, the We Came for the Gold is a mix of miso-infused pisco, ginger-lime cordial, honey, maraschino liqueur and red shiso leaf. In the punch garden, the bottled Jote is made with Chilean wine, citrus oleo syrup, amaro ciociaro and sparkling mineral water topped with a lime wheel and seasonal berries.

The new summer menu will is available until mid-September.

Palette 22 debuts new Palette Passport program

Palette 22, 4053 Campbell Ave., Arlington, in the Village at Shirlington has introduced a new “Palette Passport” program.

Palette 22 offers a new Passport program for groups of 6-12. (Photo: Mark Heckthorn/DC on Heels)

Priced at $25 per person, the program showcases a rotating selection of three to four plates per guest, including dessert, of the chefs’ favorite internationally-inspired dishes and regional foods from around the world during dinner service from 4 p.m.-close for parties of six or more.

The program highlights dishes from the snacks, meat and seafood, brick oven flatbreads, tacos and sliders, and sweets section of the menu.

Chefs team up for Poppy’s Pop Up dinner series

Chef Andrew Markert of Beuchert’s Saloon is teaming up with pastry chef Jennifer Costa formerly of Centrolina for a pop-up, outdoor dinner series this summer. Poppy’s Pop Up is a series of six dinners with each having its own theme.

Poppy’s Pop Up’s first dinner on July 8 will highlight Sonoma County, Calif. (Photo: Poppy’s Pop Up/Facebook)

The first dinner highlights the bounty of Sonoma County, Calif., at 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 7. A portion of each ticket will benefit a different non-profit organization. The first dinner benefits Mary’s Center.

Costa came up with the concept to honor her late grandfather who was nicknamed Poppy and because the state flower of California is the poppy. The two chefs became friends during their time at Johnson and Wales University. She will prepare the dessert while Markert supplies the savory portion of the family-style dinner. Surprise guest chefs and mixologists will contribute to the series.

Each event consists of a three-course, family style meal paired with beverages and a small take-home surprise. Other dinners will be held on July 21, Aug. 11, Aug. 25, Sept. 8 and Sept. 22. Dinners will be held at an undisclosed location Guests will receive an email the morning of the dinner with the location and directions.

Tickets are $95 per person. Thursday’s dinner is limited to 20 diners with subsequent dinners limited to 40 diners. Tickets can be purchased online.

Lonnie Zoeller named executive chef at Policy

Lonnie Zoeller, formerly executive chef of Vinoteca and The Royal, has been named the new executive chef at Policy restaurant and lounge, 1904 14th St. NW.

Lonnie Zoeller, formerly of Vinoteca and The Royal, is the new executive chef at Policy.
(Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Zoeller has launched a new menu with Latin-American influences, refining the restaurant’s locally sourced daily offerings and supplementing menu staples with seasonal specialties. Summer menu items include shared plates such as pork belly chicharron with lime, agave and pickled red onions; crispy duck stuffed arepa with black beans, radish salad, cotija and aji picante; and a more upscale version of the street-food salchipapas with chorizo, hand-cut fries, salsa rosada and fresh cheese. The menu also features larger dishes such as smoked duck breast with pineapple and plantains maduros, and Strip Streak with roasted carrots, fennel, avocado, cotija and chimichurri.

Zoeller also launched social nights, a two-hour rooftop patio package for 12-24 people that offers gourmet picnic-style cuisine served along with seasonal punch bowls and beverages. Picnic items include a pimento style cheese spread, corn on the cob with smoky garlic butter and a sausage platter with charred peppers, onions and chimichurri sauce. It is hosted on the restaurant’s newly renovated rooftop patio.

Prior to Vinoteca, Zoeller worked at Zaytinya. He began his career as a dishwasher and line cook at a local restaurant as a teenager. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., he worked at various restaurants in the Northeast, including as a sous chef under James Beard Award-winning chef Sam Reda at Buffalo Chophouse in Buffalo, N.Y. He also spent six years cooking at Els Casals restaurant in Sagas in Northern Spain.