Area Restaurants Serve Up Easter Specials
Easter is a week away, but if you’d rather relax than spend all day in the kitchen, several DMV restaurants are offering Easter specials. Below are some of the restaurants and their specials.
1789 Restaurant
At the historic 1789 Restaurant, 1226 36th St. NW, executive chef Anthony Lombardo will be dishing up an Easter a la carte brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Easter Bunny will be making a guest appearance delivering candy to the children. During brunch service, the first and second courses are included in the entrée price, which ranges from $28-$40. A dessert selection created by pastry chef Ryan Westover is also available with each priced at $10. An a la carte Easter dinner will be served from 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
For brunch, the first course will include Vidalia onion soup served with beer battered Vidalia onion rings; duck prosciutto salad with house smoked ricotta cheese, radish, fennel and citrus poached tangelo; roasted apple strudel with creamy mascarpone, apple brandy cream sauce and local honey; caramelized onion and bacon tartlet with smokey blue cheese, caramelized spring onions and vincotto; and Brussels sprout salad with mustard vinaigrette, pine nuts and Pecorino Toscano D.O.P.. The main course features brown butter Belgian waffles with bourbon maple syrup and rhubarb compote; challah French toast with Nutella, fig preserves and Virginia maple syrup; ham and eggs with house made honey ham, creamed collard greens and scrambled eggs; halibut with creamy farro, baby carrots and lobster rosé beurre blanc; Scottish salmon served with a saffron polenta cake, baby beets and orange carrot emulsion; corned beef and purple potato hash with cipollini onions, fingerling potatoes and fried eggs; or leg of lamb with fennel spiced yogurt, crispy chickpeas and pea shoots.
Dessert lovers can choose from sweet tea and honey with honey crémeux, Red Rose sweet tea ice cream, graham cracker tuile and lemon; harvest song walnut sticky buns with sourdough sticky buns, black walnut, Harvest Song walnut and cream cheese; and the Easter Basket with a kataifi birds nest, bourbon chocolate truffles, pate de fruit, baked peanut butter, dark chocolate and silver.
Reservations may be made by calling 202-965-1789.
701 Restaurant
701 Restaurant, located at 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will be offering a $45 three-course menu, or $22.50 for children 10 and under. Brunch will be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and dinner will be served from 5-9:30 p.m.
Prepared by new executive chef Benjamin Lambert, dishes include Maine crab with hearts of palm, mango and a yuzu vinaigrette; caramelized white chocolate waffle with berries, whipped cream and syrup; roasted wild loup de mer with pea mint puree, fiddlehead ferns, snap peas and a lemon emulsion; and clove roasted ham with whipped potatoes, spring vegetables and a honey mustard glaze. For dessert, guests can choose from crème fraiche semifreddo with roasted strawberries and black pepper candy; flourless chocolate cake with olive oil gelato and sea salt; or rhubarb “pie” with anise brenton, phyllo shards and chantilly cream.
701’s live jazz duo of piano and bass will be performing from noon-6 p.m. during Easter service. Call 202-393-0701 for reservations.
Alba Osteria
Alba Osteria, located at 425 I St. NW is offering an authentic Italian cuisine reflective of the Piedmont region of Italy this Easter. Bottomless brunch will be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $29.95.
Guests can enjoy an all-you-can-eat selection of breakfast pizzas, egg dishes, pancakes and meatballs along with four brunch cocktails. Two standout dishes include the primavera, grilled asparagus, fontina and a sunny side up egg, and the torta pasqualina, a Swiss chard, ricotta and egg tart.
Bottomless brunch must be ordered by the entire table. Menu items will also be available a la carte with prices ranging from $8-$14. To add to the weekend brunch experience, Alba Osteria will offer guests live jazz music from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
From 5-8 p.m., guests can order from executive chef Roberto Donna and chef de cuisine Amy Brandwein’s prix fixe family-style feast, priced at $45 per person. The offering begins with charcuterie followed by minestrone of spring vegetables with basil and parmigiano-reggiano; grilled asparagus with fontina and a sunny side up egg; and radicchio and arugula with cucumber, red and yellow peppers, red onions and parmigiano-reggiano dressing. Next, enjoy potato gnocchi with ramp pesto or the hay infused mezzeluna with burrata, ricotta, parmigiano-reggiano, spinach and butter. For the secondi and contorni course, choose from grandma’s leg of lamb served with roasted potatoes, braised artichokes and mint; ratatuia Piemontese with cauliflower, cardoons, kabocha squash, garlic, cipollini onion and anchovy sauce; or torta pasqualina, Swiss chard, ricotta cheese and egg tart. For the perfect ending, guests can enjoy two decadent desserts: frittelle di mele with fried apple, rum batter, vanilla gelato, caramel and sage, or the polenta bianca with snow white polenta, crunchy caramel and chocolate gelato. The family-style menu must be ordered by the entire table.
For reservations, call 202-733-4454.
Ardeo+Bardeo
Cleveland Park’s Ardeo+Bardeo, located at 3311 Connecticut Ave. NW, offers diners a chance to enjoy the best modern American cuisine from executive chef Matt Kuhn from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Guests will enjoy a $39 three-course, prix fixe menu. A special $9 kids plate will be available for children under 10, which includes eggs, potatoes and bacon.
Appetizer off the menu include spring garlic-Yukon potato soup with black garlic puree, country ham and sottocenere; cod fritters with mustard aioli; and Shenandoah lamb tartare with harissa aioli, black olive tapenade and mint. Entrée choices include Icelandic char with green chickpeas and fava bean ragu, lemon puree, arugula and smoked tomato aioli; house Benedict with an English muffin, lump crab, asparagus, hollandaise and a sunny egg; Roman style gnocchi with lamb bolognese, smoked feta and egg 63; and the Berkshire pork duo with brick oven porchetta, crispy cheek, Anson Mill grits served with a pickled kale and fennel salad. Dessert choices include dark chocolate peanut bar with peanut butter mousse and caramel ice cream, or the coffee and doughnuts with espresso anglaise, Nutella glaze and hazelnut brittle. Bottomless champagne or mimosas will also be available for an additional $14.
For reservations, call 202-244-6750.
Bastille
Bastille, 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria, is serving a three-course prix-fixe Easter brunch from 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for $49. Children under 12 are half price.
The brunch includes a first course of Maine lobster bisque with crème fraiche and feuillete; beignets of rock shrimp served with preserved citrus and saffron aioli; spring mesclun salad with baby carrots, radishes, almonds and fresh goat cheese; roasted beets and spring mesclun salad with Roquefort cromesqui, toasted walnuts and roasted shallot vinaigrette; asparagus caesar salad with white anchovies, hard-boiled egg, capers, parmesan shavings and brioche croutons; and terrine of foie-gras maison with pain d’epices and macerated fruits.
Entrees include pan-roasted local sea scallops and creamy asparagus risotto with herb emulsion; sustainably farm-raised organic Scottish salmon filet with gratin dauphinois, spring vegetables, and béarnaise sauce; biscuits, poached eggs, smoked salmon, Hollandaise sauce and caviar with potato gratin & spring vegetables; organic Amish chicken breast with jus naturel, roasted potatoes with chorizo, artichokes and fennel;
mussels steamed in a light lemon cream with white wine, garlic, shallots and herbs served with pommes frites; grass-fed Angus beef filet mignon with two fried farm-fresh eggs, gratin dauphinois and spring vegetables; a grass-fed angus beef burger with a fried egg on a brioche bun with tomato, lettuce, aioli, caramelized onions served with pommes frites; or three-cheese macaroni gratin served with a side of organic lettuce.
Dessert includes a trio of artisanal cheeses; strawberry ice cream with compressed strawberries, an almond crisp and vanilla crème fraiche; cheesecake ice cream with morello cherry compote and graham cracker; hazelnut panacotta with chocolate sorbet, candied orange and a hazelnut crisp; vanilla bean crème brûlée, a classic custard infused with imported Madagascar vanilla beans and served with a caramelized sugar top; and Valrhona Manjari chocolate truffle bread pudding with salted caramel ice cream and chocolate fudge sauce.
For reservations, call 703-519-3776.
Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca
Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, located at 1100 New York Ave. NW, offers tempting Italian fare this Easter. Executive chef Nicholas Stefanelli is preparing a three-course, prix fixe menu, which includes an Italian sampling of antipasti for the table followed by a choice of secondi and a tasting of desserts to share.
Priced at $45 and $20 for children under 12, the menu includes popular favorites such as marinated artichokes with white wine and mint; rice fritter with peas, prosciutto and mozzarella; poached rockfish with leeks and Rappahannock clams; confit white asparagus with sunny side up eggs and parmigiano; and grilled beef sirloin with twice baked potatoes and rosemary aromatic oil. For the perfect ending, a dessert tasting is designed to share with families and includes cassata Siciliana and pastiera Napoletana.
Bibiana’s Easter feast will be available from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. For reservations, call 202-216-9550.
Blue Duck Tavern
Executive chef Sebastien Archambault and chef de cuisine Daniel Singhofen at the Blue Duck Tavern, 24th and M Streets NW are introducing new seasonal, American classics to the restaurant’s Easter menu. Brunch will be offered from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for $95 for adults and $42 for children between 6-12. Children under 5 are free.
The three-course, fixed-price menu begins with a choice of starters, including seasonal salads, meats, breads and cheeses on display throughout the open kitchen. Next up, guests will have a choice of entrée and sides from the holiday menu. Highlights include biscuit breakfast sandwich with kale, lamb merguez sausage and a sunny side up egg; duck confit hash with fried egg, green peas, chanterelles and romaine hearts; baked eggs and shrimp with sofrito, baby spinach and shellfish sauce; wood oven seared scallops with green peas, bacon, spring onions and vermouth emulsion; slow roasted prime rib of beef with horseradish sauce and natural jus; as well as eight-hour roasted veal breast with fava beans, sugar snap peas and morel mushroom gravy.
Brunch concludes with seasonal desserts, which are on display in the pastry pantry. Standouts include lemongrass panna cota; carrot cake with cream cheese mousse; coconut custard cream cake; milk chocolate jasmine tea custard; and a spring candy station.
Call 202-419-6755 for reservations.
Bombay Club
Located just one block from the White House at 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, the Bombay Club will offer its popular champagne buffet brunch this Easter for $28 per person or $40 with bottomless champagne from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Guests will enjoy live piano music and a buffet of traditional brunch fare with highlights including lamb palak with spinach, garam masala and ginger; shrimp pulusu with mustard, tomato, curry leaf and tamarind; bagare baingan with eggplant, onion, tamarind and sesame; as well as badami murg with chicken, onion, yogurt and almond.
For more information or reservations, call 202-659-3727.
Café Dupont
On Saturday, Apr. 19, Café Dupont and Bar Dupont will host an Easter celebration to welcome spring.
In its first-ever “Egg Hunt,” the Dupont Circle restaurant and bar will distribute decorative eggs with special promotions and deals from Axis Salon, Beadazzled, ordin’s Paradise, Secondi, Tranquil Space and Washington Sports Club to patrons. Those same businesses will fill eggs with a variety of promotions and discounts from Café Dupont and Bar Dupont for distribution in their stores. Patrons will be encouraged to redeem these gifts, like a free cocktail, complimentary appetizer or discount, on their next visit to the restaurant and bar.
Also, the café and bar will hide eggs filled with sweet treats on the outdoor patio for guests to scavenge from 2-5 p.m. while they enjoy music from featured DJ Wolf Detrix. Participants who tweet their egg hunt findings with the hashtag #CafeDupontEggHunt will be entered to win a dinner for two (value $100) from Café Dupont, which will be awarded the same day. The egg hunt begins at 11a.m. and is open to all patrons.
The Carolina Kitchen
Chef Lance London of The Carolina Kitchen, with locations in Northeast D.C., Largo and Hyattsville, is offering three Southern-style Easter dinner catering packages with all the trimmings.
The silver package, which feeds 12-15 and is priced at $249, includes the choice of whole turkey or honey glazed ham, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, candied yams and 15 pieces of cornbread. The gold package, which feeds 12-15 and is priced at $325, includes all of the above plus stuffy, cranberry sauce, gravy and 20 pieces of cornbread. The diamond package, which serves 20-30 people and is price at $625, includes two whole turkeys or honey glazed hams, two containers of macaroni and cheese, two containers of collard greens, two containers of candied yams, two containers of stuffing, two containers of cranberry sauce, two containers of gravy, 40 pieces of cornbread and a choice of two sweet potato pies or two apple, peach or blackberry cobblers.
A la carte items are also available including carrot, lemon, red velvet, pineapple coconut or chocolate cakes that serve 24 people for $59, sweet potato pie for $25, apple, peach and blackberry cobblers for $25 and a Southern favorite banana pudding which serves 12-15 people for $49.
Food can be ordered from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. through Apr. 17 and picked up before 7 p.m. on the day of your choice.
City Tap House
City Tap House at 901 9th St. NW is serving a grand Easter brunch buffet at $40 per person with seating at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
There will be three brunch stations with hot, cold and dessert items. The hot station will include omelets made to order, a waffle station with traditional topping and syrups including blueberries, strawberries, Chantilly crème and Nutella; bacon and sausage; breakfast potatoes; scrambled eggs with cream cheese and chives; country sausage with buttermilk biscuits; and carved turkey, Virginia ham and roast beef.
The cold station will include smoked salmon with cream cheese, onion, capers and lemons; assorted bagels with flavored cream cheeses, Nutella and peanut butter; an assortment of breakfast pastries and muffins; sliced fruit and berries; a make-your-own parfait station with vanilla yogurt, almonds, dried fruit, honey crisp granola, dark chocolate and white chocolate; and a fresh juice bar including orange juice, grapefruit juice and a juice du jour. The dessert station will feature a chocolate fountain.
City Tap House will also have a make-your-own mimosa bar on Easter featuring Poema Cava and assorted purees and juices for $12. Also on tap will be a “Hoppy Easter” beer flight, including IPA beers.
For reservations, call 202-733-5333.
Daily Dish
Along with the regular brunch menu and make-your-own bloody Mary bar, the Daily Dishat 8301 Grubb Road, Silver Spring, will offer Easter specials from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Special include a lobster omelet with fresh poached lobster, asparagus and fontina cheese at $17; and shrimp and stone-ground grits with cheddar cheese and smoked ham and three shrimp garnish of wilted greens topped with a poached egg for $18.
For reservations, call 301-588-6300.
Et Viola!
Et Voila!, the classic Belgian French bistro located in the Palisades neighborhood at 5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW will showcase festive holiday specials in addition to their regular brunch and dinner menus on Easter.
Guests can order the rack of Colorado lamb served with potato tartiflette and girolle mushroom; boudin blanc with green asparagus and dried plum pudding; skate wing meunière with fresh spinach, lemon zest and potato foam; or the oeuf à la coque with cauliflower mousse, bread points and lobster salpicon. To end the meal, diners will enjoy dessert eggs crafted out of fine Belgium chocolate.
Et Voila! will be open regular hours for brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and dinner from 5-10 p.m. Specials range from $9-$33.50 each. Featured bottomless cocktails are available for $12.
For reservations, call 202-237-2300.
Mio Restaurant
Chef Giovanna Huyke and visiting chef Roberto Hernandez will be serving a Latin-inspired brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Mio Restaurant, 1110 Vermont Ave. NW.
The collaborative menu between the two Puerto Rican chefs will include starters of cannellini with greens and sweet pea salad with mint and ginger dressing; quail longaniza Scotch eggs with pimento mayo-ketchup; tuna, cilantro madness and sofrito ham deviled eggs; crispy root vegetable gallete with house cured smoke salmon; barbeque pork bun; and asparagus with manchego and bacon with chunky vinaigrette. All starters are $12.
Entrees, priced from $22-$26, include pan seared salmon with fennel slaw, goat cheese and sweet peas; ham with caramelized pineapple, sugar and spice in a red wine sauce; roasted leg of lamb with rosemary and lemons, plantain mash and guava infused dark sauce; and rabbit fricassee mountain style. Desserts include pineapple upside down cake, lemon pie, tapioca soup with mango and strawberry sorbet with cilantro passion fruit sauce; and chocolate cake with basil ice cream all priced at $10. Children will receive take-home goodie bags with Easter eggs and alfajores and guava cookies.
For reservations, call 202-955-0075.
Nopa Kitchen+Bar
Nopa Kitchen+Bar American brasserie located in the heart of Penn Quarter at 800 F St. NW will showcase garden fresh vegetables, select meats and fish prepared with a touch of French influence Easter Sunday. A prix fixe three-course menu will be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $40.
Prepared by executive chef Greg McCarty, dishes include chilled asparagus with sauce gribiche and smoked trout; steak tartare with harissa mustard and parmesan toast; eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon or smoked salmon and breakfast potatoes; potato gnocchi with sautéed mushrooms, asiago and black truffle; roasted hake fish with piperade fondue and giardiniera vegetables; or lamb navarin with spring vegetables and tagliatelle.
Dessert prepared by pastry chef Jemil Gadea will include liege waffles with strawberry compote and grand marnier chantilly cream; palascinta, Hungarian-style crepes filled with raspberries and lemon mascarpone; brioche pan au chocolate with malted milk ice cream; or rhubarb fruit salad with buttermilk lemon sorbet.
For reservations, call (202) 347-4667.
The Oval Room
Guests looking for an elegant dining experience, need look no further than The Oval Room, 800 Connecticut Ave. NW. The prix fixe Easter menu, specially crafted by executive chef Tony Conte, features three-courses, which will be served from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $50 per person or $75 per person with wine pairings.
Guests will dine on dishes such as white asparagus with morels; whipped egg sauce and toasted hazelnuts; Carolina sweet shrimp with fragrant black sauce and charred scallion condiment; rack of lamb with charred eggplant, spring onion and juices of spring peppers; and fluke with parsnip, lemongrass broth and ginger rice. For dessert, guests can enjoy vanilla ricotta fritters with lemon curd ice cream; yogurt lime semifreddo with a chocolate-almond crust; Tres Leches Cake with mint strawberry salad and strawberry ice cream or cocoa-carrot cake with cocoa crumble.
For reservations, call 202-463-8700.
Ted’s Bulletin
Ted’s Bulletin at 505 8th St. SE, 1818 14th St. NW and 11948 Market Street, Reston is serving an Easter-basket inspired PeepTart and a frothy robin’s egg milkshake from Apr. 17-20.
The house made strawberry pop-tart with Ted’s signature glaze is covered with sprinkles and capped with a fluorescent Peep. The robin’s egg milkshake has a rich vanilla flavor with crunchy Robin’s Egg malt candies mixed in and is topped with whipped cream and even more robin’s eggs. You can add Baileys Irish Cream for additional vanilla flavor and an adult take on the sweet treat.
Ted’s Bulletin is open Sunday-Thursday from 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m.-11:30 p.m.
Zaytinya
From Apr. 20-May 3, José Andrés and the culinary team at Zaytinya, located at 701 9th St. NW, invite Washingtonians to celebrate the rich tradition of Greek Easter.
Throughout the two-week celebration, Zaytinya will pay homage to one of Greece’s greatest celebrations of food, music and festivity. An array of Mediterranean inspired dishes created by chef Michael Costa will feature specialties such as loukamades, traditional Greek fritters soaked in a honey lemon syrup; omeleta me sparangia, asparagus omelette with feta and dill, and mayiritsa, traditional lamb avgolemono soup with smoked lamb liver, rice and onions. Dishes are priced from $7.50-$10 each.
For lunch or dinner reservations during the two-week celebration, call 202-638-0800.
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.