Estadio Leaves Fat Baby, Goes to Charleston
Estadio, 1520 14th St. NW, has split from former parent Fat Baby Inc. and is expanding to Charleston, S.C.
Owner Max Kuller, son of Fat Baby founder Mark Kuller, who died from cancer in 2014, has split from the company now owned by his uncle Jason Kuller, which also owns Doi Moi on 14th Street NW and Proof in Chinatown.
He plans to open a smaller 57-seat version of the 14th Street Spanish spot this winter in Charleston, along with members of the D.C. restaurant’s opening team, chef Rufino Bautista and barman Adam Bernbach. The Charleston City Paper reported that Charleston chef Alex Lira, formerly of Lot and Bar Normandy, will lead the kitchen initially.
“We want all our restaurants to do well. They’re all my dad’s legacy, and we decided to reorganize in a way that we can focus on the things we’re passionate about,” Max Kuller told Washingtonian magazine. He began his industry career at the Spanish spot, working his way up from a server to wine director.
Charleston was a big draw because of its lack of Spanish tapas spots and its reputation as an established food town.
As for the D.C. location, no major changes are planned, although gin lovers will find Bernbach, who previously lead neighboring cocktail bar 2 Birds 1 Stone, is devoting more time to growing Estadio’s beverage program—especially rare and vintage gins procured on frequent trips to Spain.
Occidental Grill offers mixology classes
Bar manager and head mixologist Frankie Jones at the Occidental Grill & Seafood, 1475 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, invites guests to join him behind-the-bar for custom mixology classes.
Designed for groups of two to 12, the class allows participants to develop the creative direction. Standout topics in the past have included Jones’ “Pantry Raid” class – using everyday pantry items to enhance handcrafted cocktails in distinctive ways. Moving beyond basics like basil, Jones explores red onions, vinegar, turmeric, bell peppers, and even bouillon cubes. In another class, “I Just Want to Impress My Friends!” he shows participants how to look and sound like a certified mixologist. Jones reveals everything from the reason mixologists shake cocktails a certain way to techniques for perfecting egg white foam.
Participants can opt to embark on a guided journey through the cocktail world with themes ranging from pairing the perfect flight to blending a signature sip for brides- and grooms-to-be.
To schedule mixology classes or learn more, call 202-737-4147 at least two weeks in advance. Classes start at $75 per person, last approximately two hours and include four cocktails. Food can be ordered, separately, in advance.
Italian restaurants donate pizza profits to cancer group
During National Pizza Month this October, Lupo Marino, 40 Pearl St. SW, Lupo Verde, 1401 T St. NW, and Lupo Verde Osteria, 4814 MacArthur Blvd. NW, will be selling pizzas from $13-$19 with 10 percent of pizza sales being donated to Susan G. Komen, since October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Lupo Marino, the newly opened Southern Italian “street food” concept at The Wharf development, is offering six varieties of pizza on its menu including the Lupo Marino with porchetta, roasted pepper relish, broccolini and pecorino; the Santa Brigida with tomato, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and arugula; the San Daniel with prosciutto crudo, arugula and olive oil; the Funghi with garlic confit, foraged mushrooms, pecorino crema, preserved lemon and oregano; the Calabrese with tomato, spring onions, anchovy, fresh mozzarella, parsley, olives and pecorino; and the Norcia with salame di Norcia, roasted mixed peppers, San Marzano tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
Lupo Verde offers the Parma-Napoli with tomato sauce, capers, stracciatella di bufala, prosciutto di parma and rucola; the Sandra Zappo with pomodoro, mozzarella, spicy sausage and chili; the Pizza Bianca with taleggio cream, rapini, cipollini onion, fresh mozzarella, smoked scamorza and a sunny side up egg; and the Margherita with mozzarella, tomato and basil.
And Lupo Verde Osteria has added two specialty pizzas for National Pizza Month. They include the Pizza de Mortazza with burrata, sliced mortadella and pistachio; and the Burattini a Leche with marinara, burrata, spicy rapini, anchovies and lemon zest.
Dish & Dram adds coffee and tea program
Beginning Oct. 1, The Dish & Dram, 10301 Kensington Parkway, Kensington, presents a coffee and tea program featuring women-owned business with 15 percent of sales of French press coffee and bags of their branded coffee donated to the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center for the month of October for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The restaurant will serve four coffees roasted for them by the local D.C. Southeastern Roastery: Mexican Chiapas, a mild medium-dark roast coffee with strong cocoa and chocolate flavors; Ethiopian Guji, a dark sweet roast with flavors of lychee and strawberry; Nicaraguan Red Catuai, a bright yet balanced light roast with flavors of sweet green pepper and tomato. The Nicaraguan and Ethiopian coffees will be available as a French press for $4 and as a one pound bag for $14.50. The Mexican coffee will be their daily “cuppa” for $2.25.
The restaurant also partnered with Great Falls Tea Garden to create a selection of 10 teas, including a rotating selection of blooming flower tea balls served in a glass pot. In addition, owner Laurie Bell created two unique specialty teas: The Dish & Dram Darjeeling from the foothills of the Himalayas with fruity and floral notes; and the Kensington Grey, a softer and more complex version of traditional Earl Grey with berry and flower petals and a touch of vanilla. All teas are served in a press for $5.
Hay-Adams debuts Omarosa coaster and themed cocktails
The Hay-Adams, 800 16th St. NW, released a new political coaster, available throughout the fall at its Off the Record bar, of former White House staffer and Apprentice contestant Omarosa Manigault created by cartoonist Matt Wuerker.
Guests at Off the Record will be able to sip on fall cocktails while also showing their support for favorite politicos. New fall cocktails include the Twenty-First Amendment with Maker’s Mark whiskey, Pimm’s No. 1, Sprite, mint leaves and orange; The Apprentice with bourbon, honey, lemon, mint leaves, blackberries and lime zest, garnished with granulated sugar; and the non-alcoholic Apple Lemonade, a house-made lemonade with ginger ale and fresh apples. Cocktails are $17-$19 and mocktails are $8-$12. Guests may take their coaster home with them.
Red’s Table adds five new fall cocktails to menu
Red’s Table, 11150 South Lakes Drive, Reston, has added five new fall cocktails featuring seasonal ingredients, such as pumpkins, apples, beets and fall spices. The cocktails are available until Dec. 21, the first day of winter.
The new seasonal drinks include the Beet Martini with Hendrick’s gin, fresh beet juice, lemongrass, honey and sage; the Chase Manhattan with Bulleit rye, vermouth and black walnut bitters; the Pumpkin Mojito with silver rum, pumpkin syrup, mint, lime juice and a splash of soda water; the Brandied Apple with apple-infused brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice, caramel and apple simple syrup; and the Raspberry Ginger with Bulleit rye, Mount Defiance raspberry liqueur, lime juice, fresh mint, ginger beer and candied ginger. Drinks are priced from $10-$15 each.
Mission Navy Yard celebrates National Taco Day
Mission Navy Yard, 1221 Van St. SE across from Nationals Park, will celebrate National Taco Day on Thursday, Oct. 4, with $3.50 chorizo, chicken and veggie tacos from 5 p.m. until closing.
The bar and restaurant will also offer $7 Mission margaritas and $22 margarita carafes all night.
MXDC Cocina Mexicana celebrates National Taco Day
MXDC Cocina Mexicana, 600 14th St. NW, will celebrate National Taco Day by offering seven variations of the traditional Mexican dish consisting of a corn or wheat tortilla folded or rolled around a filling during lunch and dinner.
Exclusively on Thursday, Oct. 4, MXDC will offer carne asada, beef with a soy-ginger marinade, pico de gallo, pickled red onion and avocado; pollo, chicken with chile marinade, fajita salsa and avocado; cochinita pibil, braised pork shoulder with pickled red onion, cilantro and garlic aioli; hongos with huitlacoche, wild mushroom, truffled corn salsa and tomatillo; mahi mahi, with a baja beer batter, grilled pineapple chutney and chipotle aioli; steak barbacoa with refried pinto beans, chile barbacoa and tomatillo sauce; and fried oysters with corn milk, cabbage, jalapeño and cilantro. Tacos will be available a la carte for $7 for an order of two.
Red’s Table hires new executive, pastry chefs
Red’s Table, 11150 South Lakes Drive, Reston, has appointed John Conway its new executive chef and Dave Weir its new pastry chef.
Conway brings 25 years of experience to his new position, having worked in restaurants throughout Ireland, New York and Virginia. As a boy, he assisted his mother, who ran a bed and breakfast in his hometown of Wicklow, Ireland. He later enrolled in the Dublin College of Catering and graduated with honors. While in college, he was also part of a team of chefs who represented Ireland in the Bocuse d’Or World Cooking Contest, a biennial world chef championship.
In 1990, Conway began working as a pastry chef at the Rathsallagh House Hotel & Gold Club, set in an 18th century, ivy-clad country house. Over the next two years, he rose through the ranks and was eventually promoted to sous chef. In 1996, he relocated to New York City, where he accepted a position as head chef at Eamonn Duran a year later. He worked at the restaurant for four years before relocating to Great Falls, Va. in 2002 to serve as executive sous chef at The Old Brogue Irish Pub. Three years later, he was promoted to executive chef until he joined Red’s Table last month.
Weir has 21 years of experience. He most recently served as a pastry cook and bread baker at Bread Furst in D.C., under the direction of baker Mark Furstenberg. Weir hails from Belfast, Ireland, and graduated with honors from L’Académie de Cuisine in Gaithersburg, Maryland. After high school, he spent 15 years traveling the world.
From 2000 to 2015, he worked as a bartender, server and manager at restaurants throughout Colorado Springs, Colo., Montreal, Belfast and Dubai. In 2016, he relocated to Reston and enrolled in the pastry arts program at L’Académie de Cuisine. After graduating in March 2017, Weir accepted a position as a pastry cook and bread baker at Bread Furst, where he worked until September when he moved to Red’s Table.
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.