1789 Reopens with Tasting Menu Format
1789 Restaurant, 1226 36th St. NW, reopened Tuesday after a three-month kitchen renovation, roof replacement, new HVAC and touch-ups with a new tasting menu format replacing its former a la carte selection.
In addition to a new roof, the summer renovations included a new kitchen equipped with a French top range, induction burners and sous-vide equipment, which allowed for the more ambitious menu. Next year, the neighboring F Scott’s event space will be closed next summer and the large bar and dining room added on to 1789. That space will reported have a more casual menu with neighborhood diners in mind.
“We’re excited about the new flat top stove,” said executive chef Samuel Kim. “It opens up technical and creative opportunities for the kitchen and a perfect time for us to offer a prix fixe menu. The tasting menus will allow our guests to experience more dishes at a great value.”
Kim first worked at 1789 a decade ago under then-chef Ris Lacoste. He returned two years ago from New York where he work at the Michelin-starred Modern and Colicchio & Sons.
The restaurant now features a four-course prix fixe meal for $85, a five-course meal for $97 and six-course meal for $109. Although dishes from the tasting menu can be ordered a la carte, there are no prices printed on the menus. Previously, appetizers were about $18-$26 while entrées were priced from the upper-$30s to lower-$40s.
“Now that the set price is the set price, I’m hoping people can be more adventurous about what they eat, and not stick to the house salad because of being budget-conscious—maybe try the sweetbreads or foie,” Kim told Washingtonian magazine.
The new menu is divided into six sections including cold and hot appetizers, fish, meat, cheese and dessert with four selections in each. Diners can pick four, five or six dishes for any category, with a maximum of two from the meat and fish sections. And there are no surcharges. Although the menu changes daily, diners could skip dessert and order Maine lobster AND rib-eye, getting a better “deal” since dessert is less expensive than an entrée.
Dacha Beer Garden adds supper club above market
Dacha Beer Garden is adding a supper club on Thursdays in the loft above the market beginning Sept. 15 from 7-9 p.m. The cost is $150 per person including tax, tip and drink pairings.
Dacha Supper Club, 1602 Seventh St. NW, will offer diners a five-course meal from James Beard Award-nominated chef Quentin Frye, who most recently ran his own Torta Cocina, a Monday night pop-up at Songbyrd Café that served the Mexican sandwiches. But it is no longer on the Songbyrd calendar. Prior to that, he was executive chef at Bloomingdale’s Big Bear Café and worked at Oyamel before that. But since this spring when the beer garden opened for the season, he’s been slinging brats, fried pickles and giant pretzels at Dacha – not exactly James Beard-quality cooking.
“It’s the moneymaker down there, and we get to play around with food again up here,” Frye, who has also worked in Hawaii, Texas and Mexico, told Washington City Paper.
Frye’s first supper club menu includes appetizers of grilled shishito peppers with bottarga butter and yuzu kosho, and oyster beignets made with skinny dipper oysters and served with Green Goddess aioli. The first course is burrata with charred tomato jam, basil piston and country bread followed by the second course of rabbit cavatelli with rabbit confit, carrot butter and Cipollini onions. The main course is lamb saddle with Calabrian chile, peperonata and roasted garlic with sides of creamed beet greens, green and yellow ramono beans with green sofrito and ricotta salata, and smashed red thumb potatoes with tarragon butter. Dessert is a pear crostata with black pepper, maple, walnuts and cream cheese gelato.
Meals area limited to 16 people and will be served family style at a communal table Tickets must be purchased online.
Bibiana holds fundraiser for Italian earthquake victims
Bibiana Osteria Enoteca, 1100 New York Ave. NW, is hosting a fundraiser for the Croce Rossa Italiana (Italian Red Cross).
Now through Sept. 30, $4 will be donated to the organization from the sale of every order of spaghetti all’Amatriciana with tomato, guanciale, red onion, pepperoncini, frascati wine and pecorino priced. The dish is $24.
Dram & Grain introduces globally-inspired cocktails
Dram & Grain, the underground cocktail bar at Jack Rose Dining Saloon, 2007 18th St. NW, is honoring some of the world’s finest drinking cities with cocktails inspired by Tokyo, New Orleans, London, San Francisco and Havana.
The new 25-cocktail “Dram & Global” menu pays homage to the techniques and ingredients that have shaped the cocktail world.
Each bartender helmed a different city: decadent spirit-forward sips of New Orleans, diverse and culinarily-influenced drinks of San Francisco, meticulously crafted and artfully delicate cocktails of Tokyo, scientific and molecular styles from London, and tropical-inspired sips of Havana. The cocktails range from $13-$16.
Drinks from New Orleans include the Bisou (á la Bijou) made with Edinburgh gin, green chartreuse, Palo Cortado sherry, Cocchi torino and Bergamot Rinse and the Beans Anne Rice with Ilegal mezcal reposado, Wild Turkey 101 rye, brown rice vanilla syrup, angostura and Jerry Thomas Bitters. Representing Tokyo are the Sakura Cobbler with Maywine cordial, cherry blossom syrup, lemon juice, sea salt/coriander bitters and angostura, and the Hai Baller with Mizu shochu, Suntory Whisky Toki, Fuji apple soda and a burdock chip. From Havana come the Padise Lost made with Mount Gay Black Barrel, honey-roasted peanut, Cynar, Amontillado sherry and Lime, and the Non-Practicing Santero with Catoctin Creek peach brandy, Appleton reserve 12-year, Guanabana, almond milk and nutmeg. From San Francisco comes Falcon Punch made wth Espolon Reposado, grilled saffron pineapple gomme, Plantation pineapple rum and lemon, and Teahouse Tipple with Jensen’s, basmati syrup, lemon juice, matcha green tea, egg white and yuzu-Lillet espuma. And representing London is the Improved London Sour made with Glenfiddich 14, English toffee orgeat, orange, lemon and angostura bitters, and the Excelsior Gimlet with Ford’s gin, granny smith gomme, lime and ruby port espuma.
More restaurants offer election-themed cocktails
Blackwall Hitch, 5 Cameron St., Alexandria, and Off the Record, the bar at the Hay-Adams hotel, 800 16th St. NW, have jumped on the bandwagon offering election-themed cocktails through election night.
Blackwall Hitch is offering The Righteous made with Deep Eddy cranberry, Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, cranberry juice and sauvignon blanc garnished with a lime wheel reflecting the Republican party or The Laudable with Cruzan light rum, Lillet Blanc and Blue Curacao garnished with an orange peel for the Democrats. Both cocktails are $11 each.
Off the Record is offering four cocktails for guests to show their support of the 2016 presidential candidates by casting their vote by ordering one of the drinks. Choices inlcude the Hillary’s Last Word made with Bombay Sapphire, lime juice, green chartreuse, Luxardo maraschino and grenadine garnished with a maraschino cherry and lime zest or the Kainenhattan with Plantation rum, Antica Formula red vermouth and angostura bitters garnished with a maraschino cherry and an orange wheel to reflect the Democratic party. For Republicans, there is the Trumpy Sour mad with Knob Creek bourbon whiskey, whiskey barrel-aged bitters, lemon and honey garnished with a sprig of thyme and a dehydrated lemon slice and the Pence’s Tea Party with Laphroaig 10- year whiskey, Oban 14-year whiskey, Amaretto Disaronno, Bénédictine, orange juice, ginger syrup and vanilla extract garnished with crispy bacon and an orange peel. All four cocktails are priced at $16 each.
The hotel has also commissioned political cartoonists Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher and Matt Wuerker to create collectable drink coasters of Clinton, Trump, Kane and Pence. Guests can take their coaster home with them when leaving the bar.
Rosa Mexicano adds weekend brunch
Rosa Mexicano, 575 Seventh St. NW and 153 Waterfront St., National Harbor, begins serving its new weekend brunch menu today.
Brunch will be served Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The menu includes free skillet cornbread topped with agave-lime butter, sautéed peppers and onions, and cilantro for the table. Additional offerings include sopes benedict, poached eggs over corn masa cakes with Canadian bacon and hollandaise; crab cake with chipotle hollandaise or spinach and mushroom with pasilla de Oaxaca crema; tacos de huevos, scrambled eggs a la plancha with rajas, bacon and queso Chihuahua; bistec con huevos, grilled marinated skirt steak with eggs any style, enchilada ranchera, sweet potato hash and guacamole; huevos Rosa, sunny-side up eggs over a crisp tortilla and refried black beans, topped with roasted tomato-chipotle sauce, salsa verde, ham, peas and cheese; hevos Josefina, caramelized onion, chorizo and potato with melted Chihuahua cheese and scrambled eggs layered on tostadas with mestizo crema and pico de gallo; and churros French toast, a Mexican donut crusted French toast topped with fresh berries and served with piloncillo syrup.
For a boozy brunch, diners can order a variety of cocktails by the glass or pitcher including traditional and frozen pomegranate margaritas, Bloody Marias and Marys, mimosas and red or white sangria.
Astro Doughnuts offers four September specials
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, 1308 G St. NW and 7511 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, has added new seasonal doughnuts for the month of September.
Available at both locations and on its food truck, the four doughnuts include the chocolate crunch bar ($3.10), a chocolate doughnut with chocolate glaze, chopped chocolate crunch, cocoa powder and chocolate buttercream; the lemon matcha ($3.10) with lemon curd filling, matcha green tea glaze and sour lemon drizzle; the roasted bananamMalt ($2.85) with roasted banana glaze, chocolate malt drizzle and crushed malt balls; and the spiced pear almond ($2.85) with spiced pear glaze and almond brittle crumble.
Also new this month and available throughout football season is a new selection of fried chicken wings. Beginning today and available every Saturday, Sunday and Monday at both stores, football fans can order either six Korean BBQ or honey Sriracha Buffalo wings served with a side of blue cheese or ranch dressing for $8.95. A party pack that serves four is also available, which includes 24 wings, kimchi coleslaw and four cheddar biscuits for $45.
Neal Place Tap & Garden hosts Oktoberfest parties
Neal Place Tap & Garden, 1300 Fourth St. NE, is kicking off autumn with Oktoberfest events featuring local beers and brats.
From 3-6 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11, a $35 ticket will get you a plate of German fare featuring bratwurst on a pretzel bun with German potato salad and coleslaw plus three pints of your choice.
From 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, the $35 ticket will get you a plate of German fare featuring bratwurst from Meats & Foods with sauerkraut and German potato salad plus three pints of your choice.
Brookland’s Finest hosts Civic vodka dinners
Brookland’s Finest Bar & Kitchen, 3126 12th St. NE, is teaming up with Republic Restoratives Distillery for a “Distiller Dinner” collaboration menu each Tuesday in September.
The three-course prix fixe menu is $35. Each course will be complemented by a specialty cocktail featuring Republic Restoratives’ Civic vodka. The menu includes an appetizer course of local cured meats and cheeses with a honeydew-jalapeno Civic Collins; an entrée of stuffed wild Maine lobster with shrimp, leeks, polenta, broccoli rabe and a citrus beurre blanc served alongside a pomegranate-peppercorn woodthrush (pomegranate-peppercorn infused vodka with lime juice and simple syrup over crushed ice); and a lemon crème brûlée accompanied by a pumpkin martini. For dessert.
Kapnos hosts Toast to Italy wine dinner
Kapnos, 2201 14th St. NW, hosts a vino-filled evening with Count Francesco Marone Cinzano of Col d’Orcia, the producer of Italy’s Brunello di Montalcino red wine at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
The meal pairs sustainably grown, biodynamic wines from Count Francesco’s Tuscany estate with four courses. Tickets are $95 per person and include food, wine, tax and gratuity.
The menu includes a first course of antipasti of burrata, salumi and arancini paired with organic Erasmo, Barbera – Granache, Maule Valley, Chile 2014 followed by the second course of maitake ravioli with pecorino and candied pumpkin seeds paired with Col D’ Orcia, Brunello di Montalcino, Toscana, Italy, 2011. The main course is roasted short rib with fava and harissa paired with Col D’ Orcia, Cabernet Sauvignon, “Olmaia,” Toscana, Italy, 2009. Dessert will be baklava with honey, almonds and walnuts paired with Col D’ Orcia, Moscadello, “Pascena,” Toscana, Italy.
The Pig hosts Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day party
The Pig, 1320 14th St. NW, will host a “Halfway to St. Patrick’s Day” party with Ireland’s Glendalough Distillery from 4-10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
The party features whiskey tasting flights of the Glendalough Double Barrel, Glendalough 7 Year and Glendalough 13 Year all night for $8. Four cocktail specials will also be available, with each featuring a different Glendalough product including Double Barrel, 7-Year, Seasonal Gin and Poitin with canapés to pair.
Bastille celebrates 10th anniversary
This month, Bastille, 606 N. Fayette St., Alexandria, is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and chefs Christophe and Michelle Poteaux have planned a variety of events to celebrate.
Beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14, the restaurant will host a five-course foie gras dinner priced at $125 including wines ($85 without wine pairings). The menu includes duck prosciutto wrapped black mission fig, foie gras cromesqui and duck fat-espelette popcorn paired with Gewürztraminer as an prelude; foie gras torchon with five-spices poached pear, brioche French toast and “Sauternes” gelee with Domaine de Souch, Jurancon Moelleux 2009 as an appetizer. That will be followed by a surf and turf course of lobster tajine and roasted foie gras with Moroccan-inspired spiced summer vegetable stew paired with Dirler-Cadé, Grand Cru Kessler, Pinot Gris (Alsace) 2010 and tournedos rossini, grass-fed Angus filet mignon with foie gras mousse, truffle demi-glace, royal trumpet mushrooms, pommes rissolées in duck fat and glazed carrots with Chateau Moulin Noir, Lussac-Saint Emilion 2010. The final course is crème caramel au foie gras with apricots, pistachio and honey-cardamom tuile with Muscat de Beaumes de Venise.
On Wednesday, Sept. 21, diners will receive a free slice of vanille bavarois birthday cake with almond dacquoise, orange date puree, banyuls caramel and candied almonds, and dulcey chocolate garnish.
On Wednesday, Sept. 28th, at 6:30 p.m. the restaurant will have a “Best of Bastille” menu featuring some of the favorite dishes of the restaurant’s decade long history, such as escabeche of sea scallop; roasted Moullard duck breast with red-wine pomegranate gastrique, mushrooms, figs, pears and shallots; and roasted rockfish filet with preserved lemon sauce, zucchini, fennel and leek fricassee and a special surprise dessert. The four course menu is priced at $119 with wine pairings included; $79 without wine pairings.
Slate Wine Bar to host magnum wine tasting
On Thursday, Sept. 15, from 5-8 p.m., Slate Wine Bar + Bistro, 2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, will feature magnums — 50.8 ounces of wine in a bottle that can pour approximately 10 glasses.
Guests may choose any four tastes for $20. Magnums will include: NV Paul Roger Brut, Pinot/Chard, Champagne, France; 2013 William Fevre, Montee de Tonnerre, Chardonnay, Chablis Premier Cru, Burgundy, France; 2015 Whispering Angel Rosé, Gren/Syrah/Cis, Cotes de Provence, France; 2014 Uno, Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina; 2013 Gary Farrell, Pinot Noir, Russian River, Sonoma, Calif.; 2010 Prima, Tinta de Toro, Toro, Spain; 2012 Mauritson, Zinfandel, Rockpile Ridge Vineyard, Sonoma, Calif.; and 2010 Marchesi di Barolo, Cannubi, Nebbiolo, Piedmont, Italy. For an additional $10, guests can have a bonus taste of 1977 Dow’s Vintage Port, Porto, Portugal.
In keeping with the magnum theme, attendees are encouraged to don their favorite Magnum PI attire such as Hawaiian shirts, real or fake mustaches, “Island Hopper” t-shirts and Detroit Tigers baseball caps.
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.