DBGB Kitchen & Bar Opens at CityCenter
DBGB Kitchen and Bar, Chef Daniel Boulud’s casual French-American restaurant, opened Sept. 13 in CityCenterDC.
Boulud spent part of his early career in Washington in the 1980s at the European Commission before heading to New York City in 1982 to open the first of his 15 restaurants.
The bi-level D.C. outpost of DBGB has a similar décor to the NYC original. D.C. has a modest 75-seat dining room. There are two private dining room – Salon Bleu that seats 45 and Salon Rouge that seats another 24 – with another 10 or so seats at the bar. Food-related quotes are etched on the glass windows and the walls of the dining room are covered in bookshelves filled with bottles of ingredients, Boulud’s cookbooks and red, white and black plates decorated by local and celebrity chefs including Thomas Keller, Alice Waters and Bryan Voltaggio of Volt.
About half the menu comes from the original restaurant, including house-made sausages such as French-style boudin blanc with truffles or Thai port sausage with chili sauce and basil fried rice. The burger can be ordered individually or ménage à trois-style – classic, crab and pork belly topped — , fried chicken with watermelon and frite de grite, grits slow-cooked with chicken fat, cut into batons and crisped to order.
Executive chef Ed Scarpone – who previously worked as a chef de tournant at Boulud’s contemporary French bistro DB Bistro near Times Square in New York City and most recently as sous chef at Café Boulud, the one Michelin-starred restaurant in the Upper East Side. The D.C. menu includes originals that use local ingredients such as the crabcake-topped “crabbie” burger or Chesapeake fluke grenoblois with cauliflower, capers and grapes.
DBGB is located at 931 H St. NW and is open for dinner from 5-10 p.m. Sunday, 5-11 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 5 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. Brunch is served Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and the bar is open daily until midnight. Eventually, lunch will be added from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Central Michel Richard now serving burnch
Chefs Michel Richard is now serving a $25 three-course fixed-price Sunday brunch at Central Michel Richard. Bottomless mimosas, Bellini’s and bloody Marys are available with the Sunday Brunch menu for an additional $15.
“It is fun, it is simple, it is creative, and it is good,” said James Beard award winning chef Michel Richard in a press release. “We cook what is familiar to everyone and then we add our own flair.”
Brunch is served 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Central is located at 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW.
Richard also named corporate chef David Deshaies as general manager and partner at Central. Deshaies has worked at Richard’s restaurants for 13 years. He began working for Richard in 2001 at Citronelle and rose through the ranks to become Citronelle’s executive chef for eight years. He then became corporate chef of Richard’s restaurants in D.C., Las Vegas and New York City.
“I am thrilled to have David expand his role at Central. He is a wonderful chef and has worked closely with me for many years. There is no one better,” Richard said.
Deshaies will continue in his role of corporate chef, overseeing the quality and operation of Richard’s charitable events, along with assuming the responsibilities of general manager of the Central D.C. location.
“I am grateful to have this opportunity to oversee the entire restaurant,” says Deshaies said. “I love Central, and I understand exactly what Michel wants.”
Dashaies oversaw Sunday’s debut of brunch at Central and is working on an all-day-dining menu at the bard, lounge and patio, which will debut later this fall.
Ray’s Hell Burger reopens at Ray’s to the Third
Owner Michael Landrum has reopened his Ray’s Hell Burger across the street in his former Ray’s to the Third restaurant at 1650 Wilson Blvd., Arlington.
The look remains about the same, but they’ve switched to counter service, and there’s a whole new menu of burgers, cheesesteaks, grilled chicken sandwiches and grilled cheeses. There are even vegetarian options.
Landrum has a history of switching up concepts within his existing restaurant spaces — the original Ray’s the Steaks became a Hell-Burger at one point; a Hell-Burger location briefly offered only cheesesteaks. Both Hell-Burger locations across the street from Ray’s to the Third closed in early 2013 The epic burgers are favorites of D.C. residents and rose in popularity when President Barack Obama ate there multiple times.
The eatery, which is much larger than the original seating 125 diners, will operate similar to the original. Guests will original small or large burgers, which are brought to tables along with beverages including beer and wine. There are also cheesesteaks, including one topped with fried eggs, and grilled chicken sandwiches. Guests can eat popcorn popped in an old-fashioned popcorn machine while waiting for their orders.
Ray’s Hell Burger is open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Taco Bamba celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month
Taco Bamba, 2190 Pimmit Dr., Falls Church, is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month with a rotating selection of classic Mexican dishes. Four specials will be offered, one each week, until Oct. 15.
Last week, the taqueria served gorditas stuffed with tamarind braised beef and topped with pickled watermelon rind and Fresno chiles for $7.50. From Sept. 22-28, the featured dis is mole poblano chicken tamales with toasted sesame seeds for $4.50 followed Sept. 29-Oct. 5 by tacos de cochinita pibil with cebolla escabeche, pork butt braised in achiote, garlic and bitter orange juice roasted in banana leaves, for $4, and finally Oct. 6-12, tostada de bacalao a la Veracruzana, a stewed salt cod with tomatoes, onions, olives and white wine, will be featured for $6.50.
Tuesday, Sept. 16, is Mexican Independence Day and diners can try three of the specials — the gordita, tamale and cochinita pibil taco – for $12.
Fainting Goat celebrates “Bocktoberfest”
Goats have long been a mascot for German “bock” beers, which also means “goat” in German. So The Fainting Goat, 1330 U St. NW, is celebrating Oktoberfest with their own: Bocktoberfest. From Sept. 22-Oct. 5, the restaurant and bar is bringing German pints and housemade goatwurst to U Street.
During the two-week beer-centric celebration, pints and bottles of German beer will be only $5, including: Erdinger Oktoberfest, Bitburger Pilsner, Pinkus Organic Pilsner, a rotating selection of other Oktoberfest and Bock beers, and larger format 17-ounce bottles of Ayinger Weizen Bock will be only $8.
New executive chef Nathan Beauchamp is making his own goatwurst, grilling and topping German-style goat sausage with beer-braised onions and beer mustard for only $8.
The Fainting Goat’s Bocktoberfest specials will be offered during regular and late night happy hours from 5-7 p.m. seven days and week and 10 p.m.-midnight Sunday through Thursday.
Trummerfest brings Austria to Virginia
From Sept. 16-Oct. 30, the third floor gallery at Trummer’s on Main, 7134 Main St., Clifton, Va. will be transformed into an Austrian wine tavern for TrummerFest. Owner Stefan Trummer grew up in Austria, and his roots will be on full display as the restaurant serves up traditional Austrian fare like his mother’s apple cake, cheeses, and unique sausages in honor of Oktoberfest.
The pop-up menu will be served in the restaurant’s gallery room, where works by local artists decorate the walls. Ten exclusive dishes-from meat and cheese board appetizers to desserts will give guests a taste of Oktoberfest.
Drawing on Trummer’s childhood recipes and chef Austin Fausett’s experiences cooking in Austria, the menu at TrummerFest features an authentic representation of Oktoberfest dishes. Highlights include a board of housemade sausages including a umami laden bier sausage, knackwurst and landjager. Goulash mit Spätzle is a slow-braised beef stew with tones of Austrian paprika and creamy cheese spätzle.
“With this menu, we tried to recreate flavors from my native Austria, where I was born and raised,” Trummer said in a press release. “In particular, my mother’s recipe for apple cake brings back memories of childhood.”
TrummerFest will be offered Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5:30-9 p.m. with seating on a first come, first serve basis. Prices range from $7-$21.
Blue Duck Tavern names new culinary team
Ryan LaRoche, 36, has been named the new executive chef of the 216-room Park Hyatt Washington hotel and its Blue Duck Tavern, 1201 24th St. NW, replacing Sebastien Archambault, who moved to the new Park Hyatt New York’s Back Room at One57. Brad Deboy has been promoted to chef de cuisine of Blue Duck Tavern. The new team brings experience to their new positions having worked under such chefs as Douglas Rodriguez, Angela Hartnett, Jeffrey Buben, Joël Robuchon and Rick Tramonto.
A Chicago native, LaRoche joins from Park Hyatt Chicago, where he has served as executive chef since December 2010. Before taking the helm, he worked as chef de cuisine of NoMI, the hotel’s award-winning restaurant, since March 2009. During his tenure, LaRoche helped NoMI garner many distinctions including a Michelin star in 2011 and three stars from the Chicago Tribune in 2012. NoMI was also named one of America’s top restaurants” by Zagat.
Prior to joining Park Hyatt hotels, LaRoche served as executive sous chef at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. LaRoche also worked at Chicago’s acclaimed Tru Restaurant with Rick Tramonto, and Seasons Restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel.
Deboy has worked at Blue Duck Tavern since March 2013, where he served as lead line cook for eight months before being promoted to sous chef. Prior to joining Blue Duck Tavern, Deboy worked as a sous chef at the award-winning Vidalia restaurant in Washington from July 2010 to March 2013. Before moving to D.C., Deboy lived in South Florida where he served as a sous chef at 32 East in Delray Beach. His culinary career also includes working at Cielo in Boca Raton under awarded Michelin starred chef Angela Hartnett. He also cooked at Pranzo in Boca Raton, and Gotham City Restaurant & Bar in Delray Beach.
LaRoche and Deboy will continue Blue Duck Tavern’s farm-to-table culinary vision.
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.