Allan Javery – DC on Heels

First Look

Mark Heckathorn — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 05:25:22 +0000

Orange Anchor Sails Into Georgetown

Orange Anchor, the newest nautical-themed restaurant and bar from restauranteur and yacht owner Reese Gardner, is set to open in Georgetown’s Washington Harbour on Friday.

Orange Anchor, which officially opens Friday, will have a 50 percent off soft opening Wednesday and Thursday.
(Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

For boaters, Orange Anchor will employ a deckhand who will help you dock your boat. If you call in your pre-paid order or place it online, someone will deliver salads, sandwiches, ice and Solo cups to your boat between Apr. 1 and Oct. 30. If you’d rather eat inside, there are dedicated changing rooms to get out of your sailing duds into something more appropriate.

For boaters and landlubbers, there will be 40 varieties of rum, as well as cocktails from corporate beverage director Boris Stojkovic. And since you don’t want to break a bottle on your boat, there will be 10 canned beers served in Orange Anchor koozies guests can keep as well as 10 craft brews on tap. Also, each table will be set with Champagne flutes for a complimentary pour from the captain.

The Marlin Spike (left) is made with Avuá Cachaça, a Brazilian rum, smoked pineapple and spiced syrup over ice topped with lime foam. Ten canned beers (right) will be served in koozies. (Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The menu from corporate chef Allan Javery, which features 60 percent new dishes, is sandwich and seafood-heavy including oysters four ways — chilled, grilled, fried and in Champagne-filled half shells. There’s also a shrimp and lobster roll, seared tuna nicoise salad, seafood chili, Ahi tuna burger, Anchor Dog wrapped in bacon and topped with mustard crab salad and crispy shallots, and crabcake BALT with bacon, avocado, lettuce and tomato. Soups and salads range from $6-$16 and sandwiches from $12-$18.

Lobster mac ‘n cheese (left) made with Maine lobster, a five cheese blend and cavatappia pasta, and the shrimp and lobster roll with Maine lobster, North Carolina shrimp and tarragon aioli on a butter-toasted roll are on the menu. (Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Small bites include clams casino, crispy tuna roll, sautéed shrimp, seared scallops and foie gras, duck confit corn dogs – confit leg of duck corn battered and fried – and caviar tacos with Yukon potato shells filled with Hackleback caviar ($32 for two). A la carte proteins include sword fish, twin lobster tails, seared tuna and mussels. Shard sides include lobster mac ‘n cheese and crab fritters. There will also be a seasonal fish posted on the feature board. Small bites are priced from $8-$32, a la carte items from $18-$38 and shard sides from $8-$14.

The 124-seat dining room and 15-seat bar were designed by Maggie O’Neill of SwatchRoom. Anchors are featured on the wall behind the bar and the Yacht Club wall, which features photos of yachts including Gardner’s “Knot Yours.” They are also branded into the sides of the wooden booths. There’s even a real anchor on the wall between the bar area and dining room. Chairs are orange and blue, while the booth backs are blue and white striped fabric and the seats are orange vinyl with accents of light wood and stainless steel. There are boat cleats to hang coats or bags, porthole-style mirrors, rails and buoys. Even the hostess stand looks like a boat’s helm with wheel, speedometer and compass. The floor-to-ceiling windows that open onto the patio in warm weather.

The nautical interior includes (clockwise from upper left) the host stand, the dining room, booths and the bar.
(Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Gardner also owns the Virginia-themed Copperwood Tavern in Shirlington; Second State in Dupont Circle inspired by his native Pennsylvania, and the upcoming Union Social in NoMa.

Orange Anchor, 3050 K St. NW, will be open Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Mondays through Thursday from 11 a.m.-1 a.m., Fridays from 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. begins Feb. 21. Oyster Hour with $1 is available from 5-6 p.m. weekday, and happy hour is from 4-7 p.m. weekdays with $1 off beers, signature cocktails and wine by the glass. Although the restaurant official opens Feb. 13, if you go in Feb. 11 or 12 for the soft opening you’ll get half off your tab. For boat delivery or help docking, call 202-802-9989.

Food Bites

Mark Heckathorn — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 16:01:00 +0000

Jonah Kim to Open Noodle Bar in Ballston

Chef Jonah Kim, formerly executive chef of the now-closed PABU Izakaya in Baltimore’s Four Seasons hotel, has announced he will open a full-service noodle bar and small plates restaurant, Yona, at 4000 Wilson Blvd. in Ballston this spring. It will be next to partner Mike Isabella’s Kapnos Taverna and Pepita.

Chef Jonah Kim will open Yona noodle bar in Ballston next spring. (Photo: Yona)

Kim’s first concept, Yona will be a full-service, casual restaurant open daily for lunch and dinner. The menu will feature both traditional and more inventive takes on ramen, including Kim’s tonkotsu pork broth and noodles made exclusively for the restaurant. In addition to ramen, the dinner menu will offer small plates that reflect Kim’s Korean heritage and Japanese culinary training such as steamed duck buns, crispy Brussels sprouts with fermented chili mayo, and Korean-style chicken wings double-fried with a gochujang-bourbon glaze. The lunch menu will focus on quick-serve items for including donburi rice bowls and ramen. Yona’s beverage program will feature a selection of craft beer, sake, and specialty cocktails designed by Taha Ismail.

Natalie Park Design Studio will work with Kim to design the 1,500 square foot space, which will reflect traditional Japanese noodle bar aesthetics and minimalist Japanese architectural design details, accentuated with urban-inspired elements.

“A ramen shop will be a perfect complement to the neighborhood, and we’ll have a lot of fun with the small plate Asian dishes we serve at dinner,” Kim said in a press release.

Yona will be Isabella’s first restaurant venture as a business partner with no influence on the menu. Isabella’s Kapnos Taverna is expected to open this winter, and the Mexican cantina, Pepita, in early 2015 in the same building.

Previously, Kim was executive sous chef and chef de cuisine at DJT and RM Seafood in Las Vegas, Harbour and Blue Fin in New York City, and Uchi in Austin, Texas.

All Set Restaurant & Bar to open in Silver Spring

Jennifer Meltzer and chef Edward Reavis plan to open the 4,740-square foot All Set Restaurant & Bar at 8630 Fenton St. in the Montgomery Center in downtown Silver Spring in early spring 2015.

An architect’s rendering of the All Set Restaurant & Bar dining room. (Graphic: All Set Restaurant & Bar)

All Set promises a contemporary twist on seasonally inspired dishes that reflect Reavis’ passion for fresh ingredients, nutritious foods and unforgettable flavors.

“The menu will feature American cuisine inspired by the traditions of coastal New England,” Reavis said in a press release. “Moderately priced, the menu consists of diverse offerings. The dishes available will be comforting and current, all while supporting local farmers and suppliers.”

The restaurant will be open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as brunch on weekends. The restaurant, designed by Streetsense, will include a 125-seat dining room, 15-seat bar featuring a raw seafood display and a 24-seat outdoor patio. A private dining room will also be available for private events.

Reavis, from Emporia, Va., most recently worked as sous chef at Cru Oyster Bar in Nantucket, Mass. He previously worked at Gaylord National, Morton’s Steakhouse, the Capitol Grille and several other D.C. restaurants including Tico, The Front Page, District Commons and Burger Tap and Shake.

Toast the holidays at Bibiana Osteria with Christmas cocktails

Bibiana Osteria Enoteca’s beverage director Michael King has created 25 new seasonally inspired drinks, a countdown to Dec. 25.

Bibiana Osteria Enoteca is serving 25 special cocktails for Christmas through Dec. 24. (Photo: Greg Powers)

Among the list of festive cocktails is the Christmas Cookie with espresso, Prosecco grappa and lemon air; the Belladonna with bourbon, apple cider and cranberry; the Variopinto with Prosecco grappa, orange, honey, fig, ginger and rosemary tincture; and the Carino with Boyd and Blair, quince and pear jam, lemon and honey. The cocktails, being served through Dec. 24, are $12 each.

Bibiana is located at 1100 New York Ave. NW and is open for lunch weekdays from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Dinner is served Monday through Thursday from 5:30-10:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:300-11 p.m.

Slate Wine Bar & Bistro serves special holiday shopping lunch

This may be the season of giving, but shopping for gifts can be a chore. So Slate Wine Bar & Bistro, 2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is offering a three-course holiday express lunch and glass of wine for $20.

Slate Wine Bar & Bistro is serving a three-course holiday express lunch with a glass of wine for $20. (Photo: Gilt City)

Diners can start with duck breast egg rolls, mushroom bacon bruschetta, Cesar salad, or Slate salad for an appetizer. Main courses include Slate’s grilled cheese with turkey, gruyere, cheddar and Applewood bacon; chicken bacon tacos; fish tacos; the Slate Burger; or a Ruben sandwich. Dessert includes a warm fudge brownie or tres leches cake. All with a glass of a special vintage.

Also for the holidays, owner/sommelier Danny Lledo has selected special wine flights, glasses and bottles, which will be available through Dec. 30. Selections include a 2013 Seifried Sauvignon Blanc ($11/glass or $38/bottle), a 2012 Iris Pinot Gris ($12/glass or $40/bottle), a La Follette Chardonnay ($12/glass or $40/bottle) and a 2011 Joh. Jos. Prüm Kabinett Dry Riesling ($15/glass or $55/bottle). A flight of the white wines is $25. Red wines include a 2013 Finca la Mata Tinto Fino ($10/glass $36/bottle), a 2011 Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles Grenache/Shiraz ($15/glass or $55/bottle), a 2011 Ponzi Pinot Noir ($18/glass or $70/bottle), a 2012 Mauritson Zinfandel ($16/glass or $60/bottle). A flight of the reds is $28.

Lobster ME opens in Westfield Montgomery mall

Lobster ME opened its first East Coast restaurant late last month at Westfield Montgomery, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, as part of the malls’ new dining terrace.

Lobster ME opened recently in Westfield Montgomery mall serving lobster rolls. (Photo: Bethesda Magazine)

Lobster ME serves lobster rolls featuring Maine lobster in a variety of flavors, including Cajun and Vietnamese, as well as traditional Maine Style. The menu features a variety of other lobster entrees such as lobster mac & cheese and lobster tacos. Lobster ME makes every item to order out of its ‘scratch’ kitchen using premium ingredients and sustainably harvested lobster from Maine.

“Lobster ME was founded with the goal of changing how people think about and enjoy lobster,” said CEO Jeffrey Fine in a press release. “We set out to create a unique dining experience that went beyond the lobster norms of white tablecloths or plastic bibs. The company is in expansion mode and as we considered locations for our first east coast location, we chose this city because the D.C. area loves lobster almost as much as we do.”

The Westfield Montgomery location will be the company’s third. The chain currently operates two Las Vegas restaurants including a location at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino and another at the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Casino Resort. Lobster ME also operates a food truck in Las Vegas.

The restaurant’s interior design pays homage to the traditional lobster shacks of Maine, updated with refined materials and finishes for a more modern aesthetic. The Bethesda location was built from preserved old growth timber, reclaimed from the Penobscot River in Maine.

Lobster ME is open from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. on Sunday.

DC Harvest offers late night, weekend happy hour

DC Harvest, 517 H St. NE, is offering late night happy hour from 11 p.m.-1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, along with the standard happy hour from 5-7 p.m. daily.

DC Harvest on H Street offer a weekend, late night happy hour at the bar. (Photo: Washingtonian)

The menu includes chef Arthur Ringel’s Bloody Mary oyster shooter with Green Hat gin for $4; Old Bay dusted popcorn for $2; arugula salad with grilled radicchio, kamut, roasted carrots, quinoa and verjus vinaigrette for $4; lamb sausage sliders with tomato jam on a potato roll for $3; chef Arthur’s home-smoked nuts with almonds, pistachio and walnuts for $3); and a choice of sheep, goat or bleu cheese for $4.

From the bar, all draft beers are $5 including Starr Hill Pilsner, DC Brau “El Hefe Speaks”, Atlas “District Common”, Flying Dog “The Truth” Imperial IPA, Port City Monumental IPA and Three Stars Peppercorn Saison. Cans of Natty Boh are $3. Wines by the glass are $5 and include Cline Syrah & Pedroncelli Sauvignon Blanc. Cocktail specials are the Harvest Rickey made with Green Hat Gin, lime juice and club soda; and the New Fangled mad with Catoctin Creek rye, orange, grapefruit bitters and pineapple juice. Both are $6. The happy hour menu is available at the bar only.

Second State adds Sunday brunch

Second State, the Pennsylvania-themed restaurant at 1831 M St. NW that opened in October, recently began Sunday brunch service. Brunch is available from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sundays.

Steak and eggs with breakfast potatoes from Second State’s Sunday brunch menu. (Photo: Second State)

Corporate executive chef Allan Javery’s menu features seasonal American cuisine in which every ingredient is sourced from local farmers within a three-hour drive from D.C., with an emphasis on Pennsylvania farms. Diners can enjoy everything from not-so-classic benedicts to local raw and grilled oysters.

The brunch menu includes scotched egg, a boiled egg wrapped in breakfast sausage, breaded and fried served on a bed of frisee; duck hash, duck leg confit with potatoes, onions, bell pepper and two poached eggs; blueberry ricotta pancakes with creamy ricotta and fresh blueberries served with orange honey butter and rum maple syrup; quiche Lorraine with crisp bacon, caramelized onions and gruyere in a flaky crust; blue crab benedict with Old Bay hollandaise; breakfast burrito with eggs, chorizo, black beans, corn salsa and queso fresco; smoked salmon benedict with tomato jam, pickled red onion, and hollandaise; the State foie burger with Hudson Valley foie gras caramelized onion and banana jam; and the farmers salad with True Farms mixed lettuce and arugula, roasted winter squash, toasted pepitas, pomegranate seeds, bleu cheese crumbles and a pomegranate-balsamic vinaigrette. Brunch items range from $5-$26.

Second State offers a selection of handcrafted cocktails. Highlights include the Steel City Bloody Mary; kale Mary; Franklin’s milk punch with brandy, apple cider reduction, milk, lemon and nutmeg, as well as classics like the bellini and mimosa. Cocktails are priced from $8-$10. Second State is also offering bottles for the table. Guests can order a bottle of Veuve Clicquot for $45, or opt for a barrel of Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania rye whiskey, which also comes with mixers, ice, lemons and limes for $80.

Diners are encouraged to wear their Sunday best. Women who wear dresses and men who wear jackets get a choice of one complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot or glass of Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania rye whiskey upon arrival.

Food Bites

Mark Heckathorn — Sat, 18 Oct 2014 16:18:38 +0000

Maggiano’s Opens in Springfield

Maggiano’s Little Italy opened at the new Springfield Town Center, formerly the Springfield Mall, at 6500 Springfield Mall on Oct. 17. This is Maggiano’s 49th restaurant and joins others in Chevy Chase and Tysons Corner.

Maggiano’s Little Italy opened in the new Springfield Town Center on Oct. 17. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The Springfield restaurant seats 279 in two dining rooms and the bar and another 28 on the patio. It added about 150 jobs in the area.

Executive chef and managing partner Manny Duron and Fairfax County Supervisor Jeffrey McKay cut a 10-foot fettuccine ribbon after mall officials opened the rebuilt shopping center as managing partner Todd Crisson, president Steve Provost, the 150-member staff and others looked on. The restaurant also gave the Make-A-Wish Foundation’s Mid-Atlantic chapter a check for $5,081.63, proceeds from alcohol sales at its friends and family night earlier in the month.

Executive chef Manny Duron and Fairfax County Supervisor Jeffrey McKay cut a 10-foot long fettuccini ribbon to open the new restaurant. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The restaurant will serve Maggiano’s signature dishes such as its Rigatoni “D,” as well as rotating seasonal dishes. The kitchen also offers the new “Lighter Take” menu, which features new preparations of classic dishes, including chicken parmesan and fettuccine alfredo, which deliver the same flavors and generous portions with at least one-third fewer calories.

Another menu feature Maggiano’s brings to Springfield is “On the House Classic Pastas,” which sends guest who orders one of eight pastas home with a second Classic Pasta of their choice. Since launching this offer in 2009, Maggiano’s has given away more than 11 million Classic Pastas, keeping true to the thriving spirit of generosity which originated in Little Italy neighborhoods where no guest went home without leftovers in their hands.

Following the pasta-cutting ceremony, we got to sample some of Maggiano’s classic dishes served family style including appetizers such as crispy zucchini frittes with lemon aioli, which were delicious, calamari frittes with marinara sauce, which are tender from being soaked in buttermilk overnight, and the chopped salad with crispy prosciutto, tomatoes, blue cheese, avocado and house dressing. For entrees, the staff brought out plates of chicken marsala with mushrooms and marsala sauce, which with my favorite because it was juicy and pounded thin with whole mushrooms; chicken picatta with capers and lemon butter, tasty but a bit dry; Taylor Street baked ziti with Italian sausage, pomodoro sauce and Italian cheese blend; the Rigitoni “D” with herb roasted chicken, mushrooms, marsala cream sauce and caramelized onions, which give the dish a sweet taste; and the lighter take fettuccine Alfred with hand-cut fettuccine, grilled chicken, asparagus and light asiago cream sauce.

Of course, as any good Italian meal should be, we finished with dessert including New York-style cheesecake with strawberries, which was decadent; tiramisu made from ladyfingers soaked in espresso with mascarpone cheese; and chocolate zuccotto bites, bite-sized portions of its chocolate zuccotto caked made with Sambuca mousse.

Maggiano’s in Springfield is open from 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and noon-9 p.m. on Sunday.

Second State opens Tuesday; will charge $1 for ice

Copperfield Tavern’s Reese Gardner will open his Second State Restaurant, a Pennsylvania-themed eatery, on Oct. 21 at 1831 M St. NW at the old Mighty Pint location. The restaurant is named for Gardner’s home state of Pennsylvania, which was the second state to ratify the Constitution, and will be the source of many if its food and spirits.

Second State Restaurant will open in Farragut on Tuesday. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Corporate executive chef Allan Javery’s seasonal menu change four times a year and feature American small bites along with featured prime cuts of local game, farm-raised poultry, beef and fresh fish to accompany the hearty, family-style sides. Every ingredient will be sourced from local farmers within a three-hour drive of D.C., with an emphasis on farms in Pennsylvania.

A menu carryover from Mighty Pint is the pierogies, or polish dumplings, but these will be homemade, filled with mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese, and sautéed with bacon and caramelized onions in brown butter. Other Pennsylvania dishes include roasted pheasant with pan-roasted pear onions, apples and a cider jus; a venison chop rubbed with coffee and cocoa and topped with blackberry compote; roasted tea-smoked duck breast with poached pears and blueberry jus; and a pecan-crusted trout filet with beer butter. All the proteins come a la carte and are priced from $19-$36. Starters, small plates and shared sides are all separate.

The bar program, spearheaded by corporate beverage program director Boris Stojkovic, will incorporate fresh, local, seasonal ingredients found in the homemade syrups and mixers. Guests will enjoy freshly squeezed juices for cocktails, and a large selection of 29 rye whiskeys. Cocktails range from $11-$17 and the ryes range from $9-$33.

But drinkers beware, if you want your drinks on the rock, it will cost you $1 more (per rock). Crushed ice will be free. Bar manager Phil Clark told the Washington City Paper that the ice is worth the extra charge because it doesn’t have the “minerally taste” of less ice. It’s also “unclouded,” meaning it doesn’t have the bubbles and cracks of normal ice cubes that Clark says can change the experience of a cocktail. Second State’s ice will come from D.C. boutique ice company Favourite Ice.

Local designer Maggie O’Neill of SwatchRoom, who also designed Copperwood Tavern, also designed Second State. The restaurant, which seats 69 in the dining room and another 12 at the bar, has a palette of creamy bleached wood, steel blues and warm grays with exposed beams and a polished concrete floor on the first level. Iron and crystal mixed with distressed metals and a few historic artifacts will pepper the space and speak to materials indigenous to Pennsylvania including Pennsylvania Dutch hex signs and old Pennsylvania hunting licenses. The second floor includes a wall of windows, corrugated metal, and blue, gray and cream upholstery with semi private booths.

Second State will be open daily for lunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday and for dinner from 5-10 p.m. seven days a week. Brunch will be served from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. “Oyster Hour” with $1 oysters will be available from 5-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

City Tap House hosts pumpkin smash with Elysian Brewing

City Tap House, the craft beer-focused restaurant at 901 9th Street, NW, will host Dick Cantwell, co-founder of Seattle’s Elysian Brewing Co., from 5 p.m.-closing at 1 a.m. on Oct. 20.

Seven taps at City Tap House will be dedicated to Elysian’s pumpkin beers on Oct. 20. (Photo: City Tap House)

Elysian has brewed over 350 craft beers since it opened in 1996. On Monday, seven City Tap House draft lines will be dedicated to Elysian’s popular pumpkin beers including Night Owl Pumpkin Ale; The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale; Dark O’ the Moon; Punkuccino; The Lost Abbey Sardonic Pumpkin Dark Wit; The Gourdfather; and Hansel & Gretel. Prices range from $6-$13.

Also, City Tap House has purchased a 250-pound pumpkin from Nalls Farm Market in Berryville, Va., which will be hollowed out, filled with beer and tapped just like a keg.

Sonoma celebrates American cheese month throughout October

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar, 223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE , is celebrating National American Cheese Month throughout October by showcasing its American artisanal cheese collection with a Thursday happy hour from 4:30-7:30 p.m. featuring chef Josh Hutter’s selection of three hard-to-find, unconventional and downright stinky American cheeses. The happy hour will also offer a wine flight to accompany the chef’s cheese selection.

Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar is celebrating American Cheese Month. (Photo: The Apparatus Mag)

The cheeses include Humboldt Fog from Cypress Grove Chevre in California, Point Reyes Original Blue from Farmstead Cheese Co. in California and Grayson from Meadow Creek Dairy in Virginia. The cheese flight is $13 during happy hour and $15 other nights. Wines, which are $16 during happy hour and $18 other times include a 2011 Man O’ War Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand, a 2013 Giacomo Bologna “Braida” from Ital and a NV Emilio Hidalgo “Gobernador” from Spain.

On Oct. 30 from 4:30-6:30 p.m., Sonoma will host a free artisanal cheese and wine tasting with Hutter, wine program director Woong Chang and local cheesemakers.

American Cheese Month is a celebration of North America’s diverse cheeses, and the farmers, cheesemakers, retailers, cheesemongers and chefs who bring them to the table. The celebration of American-made cheese was Created by the American Cheese Society and held annually throughout the month of October.

Jack Rose Dining Saloon host fall carnival on Oct. 25

Jack Rose Dining Saloon, 2007 18th St. NW, will host “Tour de Fall Carnival” – an afternoon beer carnival with a New Belgium tap takeover, from noon-5 p.m. on Oct. 25 celebrating Colorado-based brewery New Belgium’s fall beer line-up.

Jack Rose Dining Saloon will host a “Tour de Fall Carnival” on Oct. 25 from noon-5 p.m. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The roof-top carnival will feature beer floats, psychic readings, a photo booth, carnie games like bottle ring toss and “guess your weight in beer” along with carny fare such as corn dogs, cotton candy, and popcorn from executive chef Russell Jones.

The beers include New Belgium’s newest fall releases. The free party will include $5 specials on New Belgium drafts including La Folie, a sour brown ale; Le Terroir, a dry-hopped sour ale; Pumpkick, a limited-release spiced pumpkin cranberry ale; 1554, a black lager; Hop the Pond, a double IPA; Tour de Fall, an Amarillo and Cascade dry-hopped pale ale; Ranger IPA, a dry-hopped American IPA; Abbey, a Belgian-style Dubbel; Fat Tire, a Belgian amber ale; and Rampant IPA, an Imperial IPA.

No carnival is complete without games and prizes. Guests can play several carnie games for free – like testing their taste buds on the “Sour Your Face Off” Wheel, playing “Pin the Mustache on the Ranger” or blind taste-testing New Belgium brews to win tokens to exchange for prizes.

Zaytinya to host Mario Batali on Oct. 26

Zaytinya will host a mezze lunch with chef Mario Batali on Oct. 26. (Photo: Amazon)

Next Sunday, Zaytinya will host Italian chef, former Iron Chef and host of ABC’s The Chew Mario Batali for a special mezze lunch crafted by Zaytinya chef Michael Costa in celebration of Batali’s new book, America: Farm to Table, co-authored with The Washington Post‘s Jim Webster.

The event will take place at Zaytinya on Oct. 26 starting at 12:30 p.m. Seating is limited, and the $95 ticket price includes a multi-course menu featuring several dishes from the cookbook, special wine offering, tax and gratuity and a signed copy of the cookbook. Ticket are available https://nvite.com/MarioatZaytinya/marioatzaytinya here.

A portion of the proceeds will support FRESHFARM markets.

D.C. chef Richard Sandoval publishes cookbook

D.C. chef Richard Sandoval has published a new cookbook. (Photo: Richard Sandoval Restaurants)

Chef Richard Sandoval, who owns Masa 14, Zengo, Ambar, Toro Toro and El Centro D.F. in the DMV, has published a new cookbook, Richard Sandoval’s New Latin Flavors, which includes 125 recipes.

Sandoval grew up in Mexico City. In 1997 he opened his flagship New York restaurant, Maya, after gaining the attention of New Yorkers with his contemporary French restaurants, Savann and Savann Est. His 35 concepts that reflect his interest in pan-Latin cuisines are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New York, Virginia and Washington, D.C., as well as in Dubai, Mexico, Qatar and Serbia.

The cookbook, which hit bookstores on Oct. 13, is also available at all of his restaurants for $29.95. The collection of recipes offers a new vision of contemporary Latin cooking. Many of them are inspired by his popular restaurants including quesadillas, ceviches, arepas and enchiladas, and are streamlined for the home chef.

Each page offers unique dishes and cultural fusions such as the meeting of Japan and Mexico with Sandoval’s togarashi tuna in mini won ton bowl, Tex-Mex with brisket nachos with chipotle Cheese Sauce, and Venezuelan corn pancakes with American tomato jam and cheese.

Sandoval has also concocted cocktails to accompany the plates. He features traditional Latin spirits — tequila, mezcal, cachaça, rum and pisco. A variety of salsas, guacamoles, and other cocktail snacks are offered to get the party started.

Photographer Penny De Los Santos provided the images. She is a senior contributing photographer to Saveur, and her work has appeared in numerous cookbooks and publications ranging from National Geographic to Paris Match.

Matt Zagorski is new executive chef at Cuba Libre

Matt Zagorski is the new executive chef at Cuba Libre D.C. (Photo: Plate Online)

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 9th Street, NW Suite A, appointed Matthew Zagorski its new executive chef. He will spearhead the kitchen in Washington, D.C. under the direction of two-time James Beard award-winning chef-partner Guillermo Pernot.

Zagorski joins Cuba Libre in D.C. after training at the restaurant’s flagship location in Philadelphia under Pernot. In his new position, Zagorski will oversee the menu and kitchen staff.

A Pennsylvania native, Zagorski joined GuestCounts Hospitality in 2013 and immediately began training at Cuba Libre’s Philadelphia location. He was responsible for the day-to-day kitchen operations and overseeing the culinary and stewarding staff of over 30 chefs and culinary personnel.

He has more than 15 years of restaurant industry experience. A graduate of the Pennsylvania Institute for Culinary Arts, he launched his career by working under chef Terrence Fuery at Philadelphia’s Striped Bass. There Zagorski worked through all stations of the kitchen, later becoming both saucier and morning sous chef. He also worked at notable Philadelphia restaurants LaCroix at the Rittenhouse Hotel and Rouge98. While at Rouge98, Zagorski was named one of the Top Ten Chefs of Philadelphia. He was also invited to participate in the South Beach Miami Burger Bash.

In 2009, Zagorski teamed up with Rob Wasserman to conceptualize and open 500 Degrees, a burger joint in Philadelphia. From there, he pursued work in consulting, assisting with new concepts and the openings of local restaurants. In December 2011, Zagorski opened his first solo project, Hickory Lane American Bistro. In 2013, he left his position as executive chef and partner in order to join Cuba Libre.

Eat4Life

Mark Heckathorn — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:21:56 +0000

Colorectal Cancer Down 30% in Decade

Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Every year, about 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 people die from it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But there is good news in a sturdy released on Monday.

About 200 guests attended Chris4Life’s Eat4Life event at Longview Gallery to raise funds and provide healthy meal options.
(Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Eat4Life

March is colorectal cancer awareness month. And on Monday, the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation held his second annual Eat4Life chef cook-off at Longview Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW. Chris4Life is the group behind (pun intended) Love Your Butt ads on Metro and public service announcements on local TV stations.

About 200 guests passed up green beer on St. Patrick’s Day to help raise funds for colon cancer research, to support colon cancer patients and their caregivers, and to increase colon cancer awareness.

At Eat4Life, chefs Victoria Alt of Lavagna in Barracks Row; Carlos Gonzalez from Pinstripes bowling-bocce-bistro in Georgetown; Allan Javery of Copperwood Tavern in Shirlington; Frederik de Pue from Table in Shaw; Scott Drewno from The Source by Wolfgang Puck at the Newseum were given a list of colon- and cancer-friendly foods. They had to come up with a dish based on the list providing guests healthy meal options.

The dishes (clockwise from upper left): house-smoked salmon on Swiss chard pancake, maple-glazed salmon with quinoa, crudité salad, red quinoa pilaf with grilled portabella mushroom and pumpkin seed pesto and the winner, lobster toast. (Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Each chef had a station where they served their dish and discussed their dish and restaurant. Alt served house-smoked salmon on a Swiss chard pancake with herb lemon yogurt. Gonzalez dished out maple glazed salmon with agave nectar, fresh cherry tomatoes and cucumbers over quinoa with cranberries. Javery made red quinoa pilaf with grilled portabella mushroom and pumpkin seed pesto. De Pue tossed up a crudité salad with arugula and baby spinach with raw Belgian endive, red and yellow beets, turnips, green beans and carrots with a caviar of eggplant and black truffles with lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil and black pepper. And Drewno came up with lobster toast, his riff on shrimp toast, with lobster, broccoli and chili peppers on a grilled pancake.

Colon-friendly foods are high in dietary fiber and contain calcium such are best along with foods with Vitamin D, non-starchy vegetables and foods with selenium. Those include salmon and other fish; lean poultry; dark green, leafy vegetables such as kale, spinach, Boston lettuce, romaine lettuce and endive; beans and legumes; asparagus; broccoli; okra; mushrooms; oranges; barley; brown rice; and bran.

Colon cancer down 30 percent in decade: Study

The rate of colon cancer has fallen 30 percent in the past decade for Americans over 50 thanks to a tripled rate of colonoscopies, according to a report published Monday in CA: A Cancer Journal of Clinicians. The study shows the correlation between increased screenings and the falling rates of colon cancer. Colon cancer deaths have fallen 3 percent over those same 10 years.

“This is one of the great public health success stories of the decade,” said Richard Wender, chief cancer control officer at the American Cancer Society, whose researchers wrote the report.

The researchers said screening rates have climbed in recent years. The number of Americans aged 50 to 64 who have had a colonoscopy — which allows doctors to detect and remove polyps before they become malignant — has almost tripled from 19 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2010. Colonoscopies in those 65 and over rose from 55 percent in 2000 to 64 percent in 2010, according to the report. To further reduce colon cancer cases and deaths, the American Cancer Society has set a goal of screening 80 percent of eligible people by 2018. Colon screenings are now free under the Affordable Care Act.

But, the reports contain other troubling news about colorectal cancer too. The risk of the disease among blacks is 25 percent higher than among whites and 50 percent higher than among Asian-Americans. Experts attribute the differences to genetics and socioeconomic factors, which can significantly reduce access to screening.
In addition, during the past decade colorectal cancer has risen by 1.1 percent a year in people under 50. The report cites rising obesity rates and poor eating habits — two risk factors for colorectal cancer — as possible explanations for that increase among younger adults.

Scott Drewno, executive chef at The Source by Wolfwang Puck, had the best tasting dish with his lobster toast according to diners. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

And the winner is…

Drewno’s dish was the crowd’s favorite for taste for the second year in a row. Gonzalez took first place for healthiest meal option voted by the guests.

“A high-fiber diet is really important,” Drewno told DC on Heels. With an Asian fusion menu, “we have so much produce on the menu. Stir-fry is healthy and tastes great.”

Gonzalez said Pinstripes offers several colon-friendly items including gluten-free pasta and pizza, local vegetables including kale and spinach, rice flour, buckwheat waffles on the brunch menu and other items that can be made colon-friendly like using aguave instead of refined sugar.