Citronelle Under Construction As Chef Michel Richard Expands To New York
• November 6, 2012

Even as Hurricane Sandy was quickly approaching
the nation’s capital this Saturday, groups
were holding steadfast for their reservations
at Central Michel Richard. One group outside the
restaurant was eagerly waiting for French chef
Michel Richard’s American restaurant to open, but
Kulene DiCerce fondly remembered her experience
at Citronelle.

It was “one of the most memorable meals of my
life,” said DiCerce.

If DiCerce is right, Richard’s cuisine is about
as memorable as the man himself. Inside Central,
Richard was thrilled to hear about his fans’ enthusiasm.
He clasped his hands and asked, “Where
is she?” Richard has been getting praise like hers
from Washingtonians since Citronelle opened at
the Latham Hotel in 1993. The restaurant closed in
July for repairs to the structure of the Latham Hotel
caused by water damage.

Richard did not expect the repairs to take as long
as they are. “One morning, they called me,” he said.
“They said, ‘Michel, we are going to be closed a
few days.’ And in a few days, now it is becoming a
few months or a year.”

The renovation of the Latham Hotel and
Citronelle is already in process. Citronelle has been
gutted, and Richard is excited about its rebirth.

“They are going to have to hire a designer to
redesign the restaurant. I want that restaurant to be
a fresher version. A new Citronelle,” said Richard.
“That’s what I want. A nicer, a better looking restaurant.”

A designer has not been chosen yet for the redesign.
Mel Davis, Richard’s spokesperson, said she
expects Citronelle to reopen in the second quarter
of 2013, in time to celebrate its 20th anniversary.

Meanwhile, Richard has been plenty busy.
Central has introduced a pre-theatre menu, and he’s
just been invited to open a new restaurant at the
New York Palace Hotel. The new, yet-to-be-named
project is something of a homecoming for Richard,
who opened his first pastry shop in New York when
he first came to America in the 1970s.

“I’m going back now, 38 years later. The accent’s
still the same. L’accent is still the same. Same
French accent. I am very excited. And, you know,
the reason I am so excited is that I’m opening a
pastry shop.”

Richard will be making numerous trips to New
York to prepare to open the restaurant but reassures
us that D.C. is his home. “My wife loves it,” said
Richard. “It is a nice town. I love to be next to the
president.” [gallery ids="101042,136308,136303" nav="thumbs"]

Culinaire Reopens
•

Culinaire Restaurant has just re-opened its
doors to the public. Billed as a one-ofa-
kind eatery and a part of the culinary
curriculum of the International Culinary School
at the Art Institute of Washington, the student
run restaurant aims to provide delicious food
and an all-around positive dining experience to
its patrons while acting as a unique instructional
environment for students of the Art Institute’s
culinary program.

Culinaire first opened its doors to the public
in 2008. The restaurant is open for eight weeks
each academic quarter and serves both lunch and
dinner. The menu changes quarterly, and this
term entrées include seared trout, carrot pasta,
Cornish hen, seared pork loin and grilled beef.

“The idea behind having a full service restaurant
at the Art Institute of Washington is to
provide our students with the opportunity to
work in a kitchen that simulates the environment
of a real working kitchen,” said Chef
Andrew Policelli, a culinary instructor at the
International Culinary School at the Art Institute
of Washington.

At Culinaire, students are on the forefront
of both the kitchen and the restaurant fronts.
Though they work under the supervision of
Chef Michael Roll and a team of credentialed
faculty chef instructors, students are involved
directly in all aspects of the restaurant, including
food preparation, serving guests, preparing their
kitchen station and breaking down their stations
at the end of the day.

Policelli further explained the idea behind a
student-run eatery and the benefits of having a
working restaurant to serve as a lab for students.

“[It] allows the students to experience both
sides of working in a restaurant: preparing the
guests’ food and serving them from beginning
to end,” Policelli said, “[It’s] a complete instructional
environment for students that offers a
quality dining experience to its patrons.”

Every Art Institute with a culinary program
has a working restaurant, according to Policelli.
This hands-on experience allows students to
experience a working restaurant firsthand and
is very beneficial in preparing them for careers
in this field.

In the end, Culinaire benefits the surrounding
community as well as students at the Art
Institute.

“Why settle for lukewarm mystery meat, last
night’s leftovers or a microwave dinner, when
you can enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared
bistro-style meal?” ask those of the restaurant in
a press release.

Anywhere from 50 to 150 patrons a week do
just that, visiting Culinaire and seeing the students
in action weekly while enjoying a freshly
created lunch or dinner.

Culinaire’s menu includes their four main
entrées for the quarter and a wide selection of
drinks, appetizers, sides and deserts. Prices
range from $2 to $12.?

Culinaire is located at 1820 North Fort
Myer Drive, Arlington, Va., near the Rosslyn
Metro, and is open on Mondays, Tuesdays
and Wednesdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
for lunch and 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. for dinner.
Reservations are recommended and can be
made by calling the restaurant at 703-247-3841.

The Latest Dish October 17, 2012
• October 17, 2012

**Quick Hits:** Four Seasons Hotel will open a **Fashion Caf?** as well as an Eno Wine
Bar in early 2013. **Al Dente** (formerly La Forchetta) will open a second location at 425 I Street, NW, in late summer 2013. **Fuel Pizza** will open its third D.C. location on Georgia Ave, NW, near Howard University next spring. **Riscatto**, a new restaurant serving Mexican and Latin foods will open on 14th Street, NW, where Galileo III (before that, Butterfield9) was. Riscatto in Italian means ?ransom? so I hope they don?t hold anything or anyone hostage. Newsom restaurant is slated to open in the iconic Hubert Newsom Building at 1110 H Street, NE.

Stephen Starr?s first venture into the D.C. market, **Parc Deux**, is slated to open at 14th and Q Streets, NW, where the Shirt Laundry oper- ated for years. Based in Philadelphia, Starr is a renowned restaurateur, from **The Continental** to **Buddakan**. He chose his French concept to expand into D.C. His original **Parc** is in Philadelphia. This is his second, hence the name. Parc Deux will be a French bistro and caf? serv- ing classic French cuisine for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch. Permitting process is in the works.

**Chipotle?s** new **ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen** is applying to open in Georgetown at 2805 M Street, NW, by the beginning of 2013 (isn?t everyone?). They have to ?Pass Go,? regarding fast food/QSR requirements. It will be their second location in D.C. ? and the world.

Country rock group, Rascal Flatts, which is known for their wonderful music will now also be known for their wonderful restaurants.Rascal Flatts Restaurant Group plans to open in the D.C. metro area some time next year. The company?s first restaurant is in Phoenix, Ariz.

Chef & GM Update: Chef RJ Cooper will open in Merrifield?s Mosaic District. Not a **Rogue 24** concept, but probably high- end for Mosaic. It?s a big space ? 5,000 square feet on the first level, and 2,000 square feet of rooftop space. A spring opening is targeted. **Cyclone Anaya?s**, a Texas-based Mexican restaurant named for a professional wrestler will also open in Mosaic District, offering finer Mexican dining. A fall opening is scheduled. Other restaurants slated to open there include: **Matchbox, Taylor Gourmet, Sweetgreen**, and something from Black Restaurant Group (**BlackSalt, Addie?s, Black Market, Pearl Dive Oyster Bar**).

The Latest DishSeptember 6, 2012
• September 6, 2012

Passion Food Hospitality (PFH) is now going Mexican. Their newest restaurant will be Mexican-themed. Fuego Cocina and Tequileria is slated to open in the former Market Tavern space in Clarendon in early October. Chef Alfredo Solis, who comes from Mexico City and has worked with PFH for more than a decade, will head the kitchen. This time, their research was not done in the country of note, but in Chicago, home of great Mexican restaurant chef and restaurateur, Rick Bayless, who is renowned for his Mexican cuisine. As proof of authenticity, the tortillas will be made from corn, not flour.
Speaking of Mexican, Victor Albisu, formerly of BLT Steak, is going Mexican too. His new Mexican restaurant, Taco Bamba Tacqueria will specialize in authentic tacos at its Falls Church, VA location next to Plaza Latina, a Latin market owned by his mother. A fall 2012 opening is planned.

Bart Vandaele of Belga Caf? on Barracks Row plans to open his second restaurant, B Too, in the burgeoning 14th Street corridor at 1324 14th Street, NW. Vandaele plans to open the restaurant before the end of the year on a special date ? 12/12/12. Check out Washington Business Journal, which is chronicling this new venture from lease signing to opening day.

Latin chef, Richard Sandoval, owner of Zengo, Masa 14 and El Centro D.F. (the latter two with Kaz Okochi), has signed a lease for a fourth D.C. restaurant at 1300 Eye St. NW, to be called Toro Toro. Sandoval already has one Toro Toro open in Dubai, UAE, and another opening soon in Miami. As fusion appears to be a favorite theme, Toro Toro will combine Brazilian steakhouse items with Latin tapas. Innovative cocktails are always part of the mix.

Randy Norton of Great American Restaurants plans to open their first Maryland location in Gaithersburg. The new restaurant will be a Coastal Flats and will seat 250, about the same size as other Coastal Flat restaurants. Right now, it?s still a hole in the ground called Crown Farm, as it?s not slated to open until early spring of 2014.

Ralph Brabham will open his second Beau Thai (get it?) on Mt Pleasant St, NW in Mount Pleasant. It will be three times larger than the original, located in D.C.?s Shaw neighborhood. It will also offer a private dining room and cooking classes. A winter 2013 opening is planned, hopefully before the presidential inauguration.

Denver-based Smashburger plans to expand into the D.C. metro area at mach speed. Their first location will be in Fairfax at Blvd Marketplace. They are working on deals in Dupont Circle, Germantown and Rockville, MD; Sterling, Arlington, Bailey Crossroads, Gainesville and Reston, VA. CEO Tom Ryan will create a Capital Burger special for this region.

Brothers Mustafa and Omar Popal, owners and operators of Caf? Bonaparte and Napoleon Bistro, plan to open a third Georgetown restaurant, Malmaison (French for ?bad house?) on Water Street, NW this fall. Malmaison is also the name of Napoleon and Josephine’s chateau on the outskirts of Paris, in keeping with their French-Napoleonic theme.

Ch-CH-CH Changes: La Forchetta on New Mexico Ave, NW has been re-named Al Dente to differentiate it from La Forchette, a French restaurant in Adams Morgan that has been there for years. The Fairmont Hotel has added Juniper Xpress, a take-away weekday lunch option named for its big sister, Juniper restaurant. Morton?s (now of Houston) plans to renovate its 15-year-old downtown steakhouse location. EatWell DC plans to go back to its roots at Grillfish in D.C.?s West End with a smaller menu that will change seasonally with more sustainable seafood. Changes were to begin by Labor Day. Felipe Milanese was named as new executive chef.

Lebanese Taverna in DC?s Woodley Park is being completely gutted and renovated. There has been $1.5-million investment to re-do the 22-year-old restaurant. Additions will include a lounge, communal table and an expanded private room. They may even reserve a couple of tables just for locals, as the conventioneer crowd is heavy in that area. The Connecticut Ave. restaurant will reopen with a streamlined, smaller menu (the hummus will never change) Lebanese Taverna has 11 locations in the region, including six full-service restaurants, four cafes and a market. And speaking of renovation, John Fulchino and Ann Cashion of Johnny?s Half Shell on Capitol Hill are renovating its 1,000-square-foot patio. There are now sun-resistant ivory curtains, a 14-foot-long copper bar and 10 new cocktails. Cashion?s other restaurant, Taqueria Nacional, is moving from its Capitol Hill site to 1409 T Street, NW sometime this fall.

Quick Hits: A German fast food place called D?ner Bistro is opening in Adams Morgan this month. If it sounds familiar, it?s because you live in the far west ‘burbs, as the first D?ner Bistro is in Leesburg. Pei Wei Asian diner, a fast-casual national chain from the folks who brought you PF Chang?s, is slated to open on 18th Street, NW, in Dupont Circle. Panera Bread will open a fourth D.C. location in Chinatown at 673 H Street, NW. Matt Gray?s Amorini Panini in Penn Quarter will have a sister operation when its second location opens at 801 18th Street, NW in downtown DC in 2013. Shake Shack signed a deal to open at 9th and F Streets, NW, next to the Spy Museum, by mid-2013. The burger chain currently has locations in Dupont Circle and at Nationals Park.

*Linda Roth Conte is president of Linda Roth Associates, Inc (LRA) specializing in making creative connections through media relations, marketing initiatives, community outreach and special events for the hospitality industry. Contact Linda at (703) 417-2700 or linda@lindarothpr.com. Visit her web site at [www.lindarothpr.com](http://www.lindarothpr.com)*

Cow Milk, It Does NOT A Body Good
• August 22, 2012

It was a day of motorcycles and a red Vespa, chefs and 3 Pie Sisters, haystack rides, sheep cheese and wine tasting.

Our adventure started with breakfast at Brassiere Beck hosted by Chef Robert Wiedmaier, co-founder of the original “Chefs on Bikes,” where we indulged in our first inviting meal of the day. On my plate I found berries toppled over the sinful Belgian waffles I’ve been hearing call out my name. A passion for cooking up a hot steamy meal in the kitchen and motorcycles brought together a full table of DC’s top chefs decked out in their biker gear.

Soon after the meet and great, local chefs revved up their motorcycles and lead the scenic tour through Maryland’s countryside towards local farms and vineyards, sponsored by the Maryland State Department of Agriculture, with the set intention of building relationships with area chefs and purveyors of produce, wines, meats and other farm-raised products.

Our first stop found us at Shepherds Manor Creamery in New Windsor, Maryland. The artisan sheep cheese lead to wine tasting at Black Ankle Vineyards in Mount Airy, which prepared us for a succulent lunch at Family Meal in Frederick, hosted by James Beard and Bryan Voltaggio.

What struck a cord with me the most was our visit to Shepherds Manor Creamery, owned by Colleen and Michael Histon, passionate pioneers in the sheep dairy cream industry in the US. Throughout the tour, Colleen revealed several informative facts that lead the neuronal synapses in my brain to start firing. I have seen dozens of patients who are intolerant or sensitive to cow milk, and few severely allergic. I began to question if those sensitive to cow milk would have the same sensitivity and symptoms towards sheep milk. I recalled sitting in class at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in Tempe, Arizona listening to Dr. Mona Morstein rave about how we have the wrong cows in America. She mentioned that people who are intolerant to cow milk in America are able to travel to France and indulge in French cheese without any symptom presentation. As I question why, I came home to sit down with my computer and began my extensive research.

We Have the Wrong Type of Cows

Cow milk is made up of three parts, fat or cream, whey and milk solids. The milk solids are potentially the most problematic, specifically the protein beta-casein because of its effect on digestion. Beta-casein may be present as one of two major genetic variants: A1 and A2. Beta-casein is a chain of 209 amino acids in length. A2 beta-casein is the original beta-casein protein because it existed before a mutation occurred in European herds a few thousand years ago that lead to the development of A1 beta-casein. A2 beta-casein has the amino acid proline at position 67 in the 209 amino acid sequence, whereas A1 beta-casein has histidine. Proline is a non-essential amino acid, which means the human body can synthesize it. Human milk, goat milk, sheep milk and other species’ milk contain beta-casein that is A2 like because they have a proline at the equivalent position. Histidine is an essential amino acid, which is produced in adults and metabolized into the neurotransmitter histamine.
A1 beta-casein protein, unlike A2, has been linked as a potential etiological factor in Type 1 Diabetes, ischemic heart disease, neurological impairment including autistic and schizophrenic changes and autoimmune disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. The side chain coming off either proline or histidine is a small peptide protein called BCM7, a very powerful opiate. In A1 beta-casein cows, histidine is weakly attached to BCM7 and is liberated in the gastrointestinal tract of people who drink A1 cow milk. In these people, BCM7 is significantly found in the blood and urine and interferes with their immune response. Injecting BCM7 in animal models has been shown to provoke Type 1 Diabetes. Most striking is how BCM7 selectively binds to the epithelial cells in the mucous membranes like the nose and stimulates mucous secretion, therefore if you find yourself with a stuffy nose after indulging in cheese, you now know why. In A2 beta-casein cows, the proline strongly binds BCM7 thereby keeping it out of the milk, GI tract, blood and urine of A2 cows and humans drinking A2 milk. BCM7 is not found in goat or sheep milk because they are all A2 beta-casein animals; therefore these types of milk might be better tolerated by those who are sensitive to cow milk.

The A2 beta-casein cows are from older breeds of cows such as the brown and white Jersey and Guernsey cows. They are Nordic descent, later to have settled in France and produce milk that is easiest to digest. Some five thousand years ago a mutation occurred turning proline into histidine, thus producing A1 beta-casein cows that are black and white in color, also known as Friesians and Holstein cows. Holstein cows have been around for centuries in Holland and are the predominant cows currently in the US. All American dairy cows have this mutated beta-casein and are predominantly A1 cows.

Considering the French and their cheese, I discovered that the French never accepted these A1 beta-casein breeds of cow, claiming them to have lousy milk. If you have noticed that your milk sensitivities act up in America but not while in France, this is the reason why. Why then did the Americans adopt the lousy milk cows you question? Perhaps it is because the A1 beta-casein cows produce larger quantities of milk than their A2 counterparts. Once again we have chosen quantity over quality. If you are interested in converting your A1 breeding cows to A2, purchase a few A2 cows, breed them with the A1 cows, perform a simple genetic test costing $25 per cow, isolated the A2 cows and breed them with one another, add 10 years of selective A2 breeding and all of your cows will be A2.

Sheep Milk Does a Body Good

Dairy sheep produce an average of 3-4 pounds of milk (half a gallon) per day, whereas their bovine compatriots produce 53 pounds of milk (6 gallons) per day. Primary U.S. dairy sheep breeds include the East Friesian (Germany) and the Lacaune (France). Now giving 1-2 lbs of milk per day, Colleen says, “It’s like liquid gold, you don’t get too much of it.” Which is refreshing to hear in our hectic, fast-paced, consumer-driven society.

Sheep milk is highly nutritious, richer in vitamins A, B, and E, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium than cow’s milk. Sheep milk contains 6.5% fat and 5.5% protein, twice as rich as cow or goat milk. It contains a higher proportion of short- and medium-chain fatty acids, which are absorbed more efficiently in the gastrointestinal tract and better metabolized. Further, sheep milk has more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than the milk from pigs, horses, goats, cattle, and humans. CLA is a cancer-fighting, fat-reducing fat. The fat globules in sheep milk are smaller than the fat globules in cow’s milk, making sheep milk more easily digested. Sheep milk also has lower lactose content than cow’s milk, making it more suitable for people with a perceived intolerance.

Data from the British Sheep Dairying Association shows that although whole sheep’s milk has a higher fat content than cow’s milk (6.5% to 2.5%), it also has a higher content of essential vitamins and minerals than cow’s milk. Calcium content in sheep’s milk is between 162-259mg/100g compared to 110mg/100g for cows. In sheep’s milk thiamine (Vitamin B1) is 1.2mg/l to 0.5mg/l for cow’s milk, comparatively riboflavin (B2) is 4.3mg/l to 2.2mg/l, niacin (B3) is 5.4mg/l to 1.0mg/l, pantothenic acid (B5) is 5.3mg/l to 3.4mg/l, pyridoxine (B6) is 0.7mg/l to 0.5mg/l, cobalamin B12 is 0.9mg/l to 0.03mg/l, biotin is 5.0mg/l to 1.7mg/l and folate content for both is 0.5mg/l.

Part of the problem with milk products available today in North America is that nearly all have been pasteurized in order to be legal for selling. Pasteurization denatures proteins, destroys enzyme activity in food, and may alter how the food is digested, a likely cause of allergic reactions in many people. Further, cow’s milk may be rich in hormones and antibiotics, which have been added to their feed. Goat and sheep’s milk are less likely to contain hormones and additives and are more easily digested.

A proposed theory to consider is that humans were never designed to digest the milk of cows, sheep or goats. Our bodies are designed to consume human mother’s milk for the first six months to several years, allowing us the proper nourishing vitamins and nutrients for healthy development, and then move on to other foods. Teens or adults become lactose-intolerant because the enzymes to digest any kind of milk stop being produced by their digestive system. Those whose ancestors did not consume milk are commonly found to be lactose intolerant. In areas where milk has traditionally been a staple, people have developed the ability to continue digesting milk into adulthood.

On that note, as an educated reader and consumer, we now know that A2 beta-casein cows are better tolerated than their A1 beta-casein counterparts. We have evaluated the health benefits of sheep versus cow’s milk, and are left with making informed decisions for ourselves that lead to better health and well-being.

A Great American Lamb Jam
• August 10, 2012

The American Lamb Board hosted its second annual Lamb Jam in Washington, D.C. on Monday, May 21 at the Eastern Market. Hosted by 94.7 Fresh FM’s Tommy McFly, the event featured 18 of D.C.’s top chefs, who prepared ewe-nique American lamb tastes and competed for bragging rights in each of four cut categories and the chance to be crowned DC Lamb Master. Executive Chef John Citchley from Urbana was named “Best in Show” for the second year in a row, for his Lamb Leg Pupusa with Queso Blanco and Lamb Tongue Curtido. Chef Critchley will take his local Lamb Jam win to San Luis Obispo, California in September to battle other lamb-loving chefs in a Master Lamb Jam competition at Savor the Central Coast.

Fans of lamb enjoyed butchery demonstrations from Wagshal’s Pam the Butcher, live music, Jefferson’s bourbon slushies and dozens of local beer and wine pairings. Competing chefs took home the following notable accolades:

•“Best in Show Overall” and “Best Leg” – Chef John Critchley or Urbana for his Lamb Leg Pupusa with Queso Blanco and Lamb Tongue Curtido

•“People’s Choice” – Chef Adam Sobel from Bourbon Steak for his Sausage and Peppers Lamb Sausage

•“Best Loin” – Chef Rodney Scruggs of Occidental Grill & Seafood for his Dried Rub Grilled Lamb Loin Salad

•“Best Shank” – Chef Dimitri Moshovitis of Cava Mezze Restaurant for his Braised Lamb Shank Ravioli

•“Best Shoulder” – Chef Nick Stefanelli of Bibiana for his Stuffed Lamb Shoulder

For more information about the American Lamb Board and to view winning recipes from the Washington DC American Lamb Jam, please visit www.FansofLambDC.com, like the American Lamb Board on Facebook or follow @FANofLAMB on Twitter.

American Lamb Trivia

•American Lamb is produced in nearly every U.S. state
•Texas is the largest U.S. producer of lamb
•American Lamb has a more generous meat-to-bone ratio than other lamb varieties.
•The average American consumers only 1 pound of lamb per year—compared with 61 pounds of beef, 59 pounds of chicken and 46 pounds of pork.
•Lamb is healthy! It’s a lean meat, with an average of 175 calories, 8 grams fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, and 80 miligrams of cholesterol per 3-ounce cooked portion. It’s also a good source of protein, vitamin B12, niacin, zinc, selenium, iron and riboflavin.
[gallery ids="100825,125512" nav="thumbs"]

Seasons for Imagination: Best Brunch?
•

In the film adaptation of the novel, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” by Roald Dahl, actor Gene Wilder opens the door for a group of lucky odds and ends to explore a land of endless, edible gems. And as the children and parents alike scatter amongst the sugar and spice, Willie Wonka Wilder vibrates the room with a tune entitled, “Pure Imagination.” There on the premises of everyone’s food fantasy, Wonka declares there is no life to compare to, well, “true imagination.”

Washingtonians, I’d like you to take a moment and imagine your ideal Sunday brunch. Could it be a well-made Bloody Mary or possibly a refined and delicate Benedict? Ah, I see you now as you giggle and chew on what you thought you knew was your favorite spot on Sunday. Indeed, D.C., what if I told you about a new brunch on the scene that will blow every brunch you’ve ever brunched away to sea? And I promise it’s not only in your imagination.

Seasons Restaurant, located in the underbelly of the Four Seasons Georgetown, has been known for years as the power breakfast hot spot for D.C.’s political VIPs. Yet after a recent $1-million-dollar face-lift from the scalpels of design hotshot Michael Dalton of Strategic Hotels, Seasons has become so much more than a place to eavesdrop on Tuesday mornings. Using the base of what we already knew as top-notch service and dining, Seasons steps further up as Washington’s best Sunday brunch. Truth be told, executive chef Douglas Anderson, and his talented sous chef Jeffrey Hillman went to the extreme to make sure no diner leaves unsatisfied (or underweight, for that matter).

At Seasons, they love to switch it up. One thing you can be sure of is their changing and always inventive “action stations.” On my recent trip to Seasons, I was entertained by the Peruvian-style ceviche bar where scallops, shrimp and red snapper were diced and drowned on the spot in a citrusy zing and hand-made for each patron. To accompany my ceviche, I visited the endlessly replenished seafood bar stacked mountainously high with Blue Point oysters, crab claws and jumbo shrimp. Furthermore, I didn’t miss the selection of prepared seafood bites, including the house-cured selection of smoked salmon. One of my favorites is the seared ahi tuna over a perfectly compressed mango salsa. In seafood alone I ate well beyond my golden ticket price of $80, thus making Seasons’ brunch also an excellent value.

So, is it the best brunch in Washington? For those who enjoy a fixed-price buffet with excellent service, quality products and lots of it, the answer is yes. With the continuous pours of Franco Nuschese’s sparkling Falanghina Il Sogno and an opulent selection of Bloody Marys, brunch has never felt more luxurious in the District. Though chef Anderson will not deny any customer a choice from his daily breakfast menu, I recommend the $80 all-you-can-drink mimosas, coffee and brunch buffet option. And you get what you pay for. The perimeter of the restaurant is lined with countless options for your brunching. Yet, if you do decide to order from the chef’s menu or you choose to visit Seasons on another occasion for breakfast, I do recommend both the inventive corned beef hash croquet with bosomy, bouncing poached eggs or the Boursin and crab egg white omelet.

Yet for Sunday’s brunch, I recommend eating a large meal Saturday night in preparation for indulging in a three-to four-hour feast, starting at 10:30 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m. Go early, and eat leisurely. Reservations are highly recommended. Besides the seafood options, expect to see spreads of all sorts: charcuterie and cheeses, eight salad selections, the finest of pastries, an omelet bar, six selections of sides ranging from grilled asparagus to cipollini and crispy pancetta, crab cakes and short ribs and a bagel selection. Just to shout out a few.

Still, what floored me (literally) was the feast of desserts hidden in a separate room and catering to the young at heart. Executive pastry chef Charles Froke took it home with the most imaginative bite-size creations that will have you licking the wallpaper in a tizzy. Definitely snag a taste of the decadent but surprisingly elegant Snickers in a cup and use a spoon to crack open one of those mini crème brulees. The only thing missing was a chocolate waterfall. [gallery ids="100774,100775,100776,100777,100778,100779" nav="thumbs"]

A Bunch of Brunches for Mother’s Day
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Brasserie Beck
Enjoy savory crepes and waffles at Robert Wiedmaier’s contemporary Belgian restaurant. A favorite at Beck is the large selection of daily cheeses served with Apricot cake. Reserve a spot for brunch on the outdoor patio between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Lost Society
Lost Society serves food with a party. From 1-5PM $40 all you can eat gourmet brunch and bottomless champagne mimosas. Choose from the Victorian dining room and a second level rooftop lounge.

Michel Richard’s Citronelle
Citronelle will be offering a gourmet buffet served in Michel Richard’s Kitchen from 11 a.m. till 3 p.m. Choose from some of Richard’s favorite dishes including salads, entrees, sides and desserts. $85 adults and $37 kids 12 and under.

Coco Sala
Chocolate, Champagne and Flowers Brunch at Coco Sala serves a multi-course meal, champagne cocktail and chocolate surprise for Mom. $60 for adults and $30 for children 10 and under. Brunch is served 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Café Milano
Choose from Prosecco, Bellini, Mimosa and Rossini at Café Milano’s Sparkling Brunch Menu. Customize your own omelet at the Egg Station then indulge your sweet tooth with Neapolitan fogliatelle. Served 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. $95 for adults, $35 for children 12 and under.

Bistro Francais
Celebrate Mother’s day at the Champagne Brunch a la carte. The champagne menu is served with the house salad or soup du jour and an entrée. The small, meaty menu is a carnivore’s delight. Brunch served 11 a.m to 4 p.m.

Sequoia
Sunday brunch at Sequoia features live jazz and bottomless mimosas for $34.95. Pastry chef Jonathon Wilson keeps you coming back to his Petit Dessert Station of assorted parfaits. You’ll love Sequoia’s beautiful view of the Potomac. [gallery ids="99243,104134,104155,104139,104151,104144,104148" nav="thumbs"]

Bacio Pizzeria: More Than a Place for Pies
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When Atilla Suzer is asked if he ever would have imagined having “this” ten years ago, he responds with a definitive “no.” “This” is Bacio Pizzeria, a thriving carry-out pizza joint in Bloomingdale.

Ten years ago, Suzer was living in his native Turkey as a just laid-off journalist, about to depart on his first trip to America. He landed in Glen Burnie, Maryland, where he enrolled in English-as-second-language courses and eventually moved to the District. His first job was as a dishwasher in a large chain pizza store, where his only words, he said, were, “Yes boss, no boss.” That first job paid $3.50 for training, because, the manager told him, he hadn’t mastered English yet. After six months of completing schooling though, he brought up his hourly wage and ended up quitting.

He says as an immigrant he didn’t have many choices for work. So, he stayed on the “pizza” route because he started making friends in the business. They’d call him if there was an open job, and eventually made his way to a manager job at Italy Pizza on Florida Avenue in Northwest. When it came up for sale, he had saved enough and bought it.

After successfully running the restaurant, he sold his half to his partner and started on the path that would eventually lead to Bacio. “I was looking for an investment neighborhood and a job that I like to do.” He explains his choice in Bloomingdale as an economic investment, because it’s not quite to “developed” status, but there isn’t a lot of competition and the residents have a little extra income to spend on the more expensive, organic ingredients that he wanted to offer.

Before Bacio, 81 Seaton Place, N.W., was a garage, and it had to be completely converted, a process that took nearly one-and-a-half years. Nearly a year ago, Green Paws opened, an organic pet shop that is graced by Suzer’s own black lab, Miles. Six months later, Bacio opened below. Suzer’s wife, a journalist, runs the website and marketing, while Suzer runs the day-to-day.
Suzer made all the design choices, from an antique Coca-Cola refrigerator complete with glass bottles and Turkish floor tiles, to a genuine farmer’s table he got at an auction. He made the choice to make it mainly a carry-out establishment. And he chose not to put bars over the front windows.

“When you go to a place, you want to eat there and not just get out of there as soon as you can. Sometimes, you go to carry-out stores and they are dirty, dark; you wait behind the glass,” he said. “Here, you come in you can see it’s clean, and psychologically it makes people open their appetites.”
He also decided to keep the hours short and not do delivery.

“If I were looking for profit, I could do delivery or late night, but we’re all natural organic downstairs. If I want people to come try the pizza and see quality and get to know each other, face-to-face is better than talking on the phone. And they don’t even know where it is in the neighborhood.”

The menu consists of eight neighborhood-named pizzas like the “Shaw,” which is ham, baby arugula, ricotta, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto and the “Eckington,” more of a meat-lovers with ham, sausage, onion, pepperoni and mozzarella. It also features several calzones, salads and pints of ice cream from Moorenko’s, made locally in Silver Spring. Suzer also offers several beverages, including fresh-squeezed orange juice that pays homage to Turkey, where he says shops will have several fresh-squeezed juice for only $1.

He doesn’t keep the store open past 10 p.m., mainly because he wants to be respectful of his neighbors, the people who will ultimately make him successful or not.

“If the neighborhood is going from non-developed to developed, you’re teaching people, and that takes time. Out of ten customers, six say, ‘I was feeding my dog from the super market, and now I want to feed him from natural food.’ And you have to be patient and tell them the differences between this food and that food,” he said. He said it would be a few years before Bacio turns a profit, but for right now, he and his wife aren’t in a hurry. “It’s not about you, it’s about the people that vote for you. You can have a $1-million investment or $10,000, it doesn’t matter. People will decide.”

Bacio’s is located at 81 Seaton Place, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20001. Visit them at baciopizzeria.com, or call 202-232-2246. Store hours are Monday and Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
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Growing Interest for Organic Drinks
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Americans have become increasingly interested in organically grown products during the last few years. According to a survey by the Organic Trade Association in 2011, sales of organic food and beverages have grown from $1 billion in 1990 to $26.7 billion in 2010 in the United States. www.ota.com/organic/mt/business.html. As we grow more and more concerned with the quality of our food, it’s little wonder that we also have started to expect more quality from our drinks.

On March 22, the launch of American Harvest Organic Spirit was celebrated at the Hamilton on 14th Street. Behind the bar was top mixologist Todd Richman, mixing delicous-tasting specialty cocktails for the enthusiastic crowd that had showed up to taste the organic goods.

“The market for organic spirits is growing nicely, people are looking for the best quality spirits and ingredients to make cocktails with,” Richman said.

American Harvest, vodka made from organic winter wheat that is sustainably grown in Idaho, is a tasteful addition to the growing selection of organic spirits available around Washington. Several liquor stores in Washington will have the new vodka in stock. “It’s exciting to work with American Harvest as a base spirit, because the quality of the spirit and the organic nature drives me to use organic ingredients from local farms when possible,” Richman said. Among other organic spirits you can find in local liquor stores, are Square One Organic Spirits www.squareoneorganicspirits.com/index.html and TRU Organic Vodka and Gin www.greenbar.biz.

Todd Richman’s favorite organic cocktail, “Local Harvest”:

Ingredients:
2 parts American Harvest
4 fresh basil leaves
3 lime wedges
3 thin slices of cucumber
¼ part agave nectar

Muddle basil, lime and cucumber. Combine with American Harvest and agave nectar in a cocktail glass filled with ice. Shake hard and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with basil leaf and a slice of cucumber.