Food

Linda Roth • June 22, 2015

From those wonderful folks who brought you Ripple and Roofers Union comes Jug & Table. Drawing on the best of both, it expounds on Ripple’s mission of making quality wine approachable while offering Marjorie Meek-Bradley’s new menu. That menu includes lux snacks served in très chic jars, as well as an international array of grilled cheese sandwiches, created upstairs in the beer-centric Roofers Union kitchen. This new addition to Adams Morgan (across the street from my new office) offers 20 wines by the glass as well as sharable jug options. Sommelier Theo Rutherford started as Ripple’s sommelier before going on to helm wine programs at Rogue 24, Fiola and Café Dupont. Now he’s back.

Chef Update: Executive chef Brian Sonoskus takes the reins at Tupelo Honey Café, slated to open in the Clarendon/Courthouse section of Arlington as this issue goes to press. Tyler Alford will be chief mixologist at this Southern-food inspired restaurant, which showcases craft sparkling sangria and 23 craft beers. Lisa Odom has been tapped as executive chef at Succotash, slated to open mid-summer at National Harbor. She hails from Miami, where she worked at Oolite Restaurant & Bar and Tongue & Cheek. There is an additional connection to Succotash culinary director Edward Lee, of Louisville, Kentucky: they are both Korean Americans who developed their culinary reputations in the South.

Cathal Armstrong will open One Loudoun in early 2016, next to Uncle Julio’s and across from Matchbox in the central artery of the project’s downtown section. Concept TBD.

Nick Stefanelli, formerly of Bibiana](http://www.bibianadc.com/), plans to open Masseria in the Union Market district. The name derives from a farm in Italy’s Puglia region. Slated to open this summer, it will seat 60 in a setting evocative of an Italian country estate. His team includes David Kurka, general manager and advanced sommelier, formerly of Brabo and CityZen; and Julien-Pierre Bourgon, head bartender of cocktail lounge PX.

DC-based [Matchbox Food Group](http://matchboxfoodgroup.com/home) announced plans to open three more locations in Northern Virginia in the next year — in Pentagon City in Arlington, Potomac Mills in Woodbridge and One Loudoun in Ashburn. The company used a “friends and family” fundraising model to start off, but will soon offer opportunities to accredited investors.

Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill](https://www.woodranch.com/), which features Texas-style brisket, St. Louis smoked ribs and Carolina pulled pork, plans to open in Springfield Town Center in Virginia on June 8. This will be the California-based chain’s 16th location and the first outside of the Sunshine State. The company plans to eventually open 25 East Coast locations, including several in the D.C. area.

The [RAMMYs](http://www.ramw.org/) were born one year before David Letterman began “The Late Show.” The 33rd annual RAMMY Awards Gala takes place Sunday, June 7, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Pavilion sponsors include the Embassy of Argentina, with Argentine chef Diego Biondi; Wines of Chile; Foods from Chile; Meat and Livestock Australia; and the Embassy of Peru, which will have a full pisco bar.

Linda Roth is president of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Reach her at Linda@LindaRothPR.com.

Kelly Byrnes •

The Rammy awards proclaimed Fiola Mare as this year’s best new restaurant in Washington, D.C. The Washington Harbour-based seafood restaurant, which opened its doors in Februrary 2014, beat contenders Crane & Turtle, the Partisan, Republica and TICO to earn top marks.

The Rammy is the latest honor for chef-owner Fabio Trabocchi’s eatery, which has made a splash since its debut. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have dined there. Fiola Mare was featured in the March 12, 2014, Georgetowner with Trabocchi and his wife Maria shown on the cover.

The Italian-inspired cuisine has also launched Fiola Mare onto Washingtonian’s Best Restaurants list, Wine Enthusiast’s Best Wine Restaurants. The restaurant was named Zagat’s Best Restaurant in D.C.

Trabocchi’s menu highlights an extensive wine list, seafood dishes like lobster ravioli and elegant Italian pastries.

The husband-wife team manages two other D.C. restaurants, Fiola and Casa Luca, located in the Penn Quarter and Mount Vernon Square neighborhoods, respectively.

Sponsored by the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the 33rd annual Rammy awards honored local chefs and restaurants in 21 different categories.

Aside from Fiola Mare, three other Georgetown-area establishments—Bourbon Steak,Pizzeria Paradiso and Capella Hotel —were selected for Cocktail Program of the Year, Beer Program of the Year, and Pastry Chef of the Year for Agnes Chin of the Grill Room at the Capella.

To learn more about Chef Fabio and Maria Trabocchi, click here

As provided by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington, the following is a complete list of winners of the 33rd Annual Rammy Awards:

Joan Hisaoka Allied Member of the Year: EagleBank

Duke Zeibert Capital Achievement Award: Herbert Miller, Western Development Corporation, Chairman & CEO

Restaurant Employee of the Year: Evan Labb, Evening Star Cafe

Restaurant Manager of the Year: Joseph Cerione, Blue Duck Tavern

Rising Culinary Star of the Year: George Pagonis, Kapnos

Service Program of the Year: Marcel’s by Robert Wiedmaier

Regional Food and Beverage Producer of the Year: Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

Favorite Gathering Place: Bar Pilar

Upscale Casual Brunch: Le Diplomate

Everyday Casual Brunch: The Daily Dish

Favorite Fast Bites: Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza

Upscale Casual Restaurant: Mintwood Place

Everyday Casual Restaurant: DGS Delicatessen

Beer Program of the Year: Pizzeria Paradiso, Georgetown

Cocktail Program of the Year: Bourbon Steak

Wine Program of the Year: Iron Gate

Pastry Chef of the Year: Agnes Chin, The Grill Room

Formal Fine Dining Restaurant: The Restaurant at Patowmack Farm

New Restaurant of the Year: Fiola Mare

Restaurateur of the Year: José Andrés and Rob Wilder, ThinkFoodGroup

Chef of the Year: Victor Albisu, Del Campo and Taco Bamba

Jody Kurash • May 21, 2015

Anyone who follows my column knows about my love affair with pisco, which started when I lived in Peru. Little did I know then that pisco has a Bolivian partner-in-crime called singani.

Peru and its landlocked neighbor, Bolivia, share many things, including the Incas, the Andes, alpacas and altitude. When it was part of the Spanish empire, the area that became Bolivia was known as Alto (Upper) Perú.

Many folks regard Bolivia’s national liquor, singani, as a variation of Peru’s pisco, but there are distinct differences. While it’s true that both are technically brandies forged from grapes, singani differs from pisco because it is made from one specific varietal: white Muscat of Alexandria grapes. Singani hails from the Bolivian Andes and can only be produced within its appellation or specified landmark boundaries.

According to singani.com, distillation began in the 1500s when settlers began producing wine. The affluent residents of Potosí, a silver-mining town that was one of the richest cities in the world in its day, began to ask for a stronger drink with which to celebrate. In the community of Singani, a distilled spirit was produced for the wealthy. “Singani” has been in production ever since.

I got a chance to sample singani last autumn when I was traveling through Bolivia. In La Paz, I met up with one of my dearest Peruvian friends, Miguel Luis Roque, a musician who had been staying and playing in Bolivia for several months. During his time traipsing throughout the country often referred to as “the Tibet of the Americas,” Miguel had developed an appreciation for its native spirit.

Singani has a smooth taste and a hint of sweetness similar to pisco. However, Miguel wanted me to appreciate the subtleties of my newly discovered elixir. He insisted on doing a side-by-side comparison between singani and a bottle of pisco I had brought from Peru. When weighed against one another, I found singani to be a bit drier, with a slightly spicier flavor.

After sampling each straight up, we mixed them both in a traditional Bolivian cocktail called the chuflay. Technically a highball, a chuflay consists of singani mixed with lemon soda (or sometimes ginger ale). It’s usually served in a collins glass, garnished with lime.

This cocktail was a breeze to make. In the corner stores, we found a super-tart carbonated lemonade drink sold in liter bottles. This beverage was an excellent complement for the tangy flavor of the grapes, and the tender spiciness of the singani gave it a bit of a zesty aftertaste. It was as refreshing as breathing La Paz’s 12,000-foot mountain air.

I later learned that singani is free of methanol, which accounts for its smoothness. It also contains no congeners, which can contribute to hangovers. I appreciated this fact when I got up four hours after our tasting session to go mountain biking on Bolivia’s notorious highway of death.

For a long time, the only way for Americans to enjoy singani in their home country was to bring it back in their suitcases after a trip to Bolivia. However, according to websitesinganiusa.com, Ace Beverage in Washington is the first place where singani formally went on sale in the U.S. Movie buffs will be interested to know that Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh has begun producing his own brand of singani (Singani 63) that can be purchased online.

The traditional toast when drinking singani is “La vida es buena” (“Life is good”). I couldn’t agree more with this sentiment on the joyous day when I spent the night reminiscing, not only with close amigo Miguel but with my Lima-based travel partner (and Miguel’s former music collaborator) Lowell Haise Contreras. Cheers!

The Chuflay

1.5 ounces singani

4 ounces lemon soda or lemonade

Add singani to a collins glass, then add lemon soda. Garnish with lemon or lime.

Sallie Lewis •

With cranes animating the Tysons Corner skyline, the Silver Line extension and a new Hyatt Regency, it’s clear that the area is experiencing a major facelift.

Just three miles away, in McLean, Virginia, another facelift is underway at Evo Bistro. The restaurant, which opened in 2007, has gone through a succession of leadership changes over the years, but the original owner and executive chef, Driss Zahidi, is back, restoring the restaurant’s authentic Mediterranean character.

Zahidi was born and raised in Casablanca, Morocco, a city that exhibits a variety of culinary styles and influences. The oldest of five children, he regularly helped his mother in the kitchen. By the time he was in high school, he landed his first job as a line cook. After college, he got a master’s degree in physics and spent a year working in France as a chemical engineer before returning to his passion for cooking.

In 2000, Zahidi moved to the United States, relocating to Washington, D.C., after a brief stint in New York. He worked in a number of commercial kitchens before co-founding Evo Bistro. Zahidi’s goal since the beginning was to serve elegant, upscale Mediterranean cuisine alongside an extensive wine list, which he did until 2011. At that time, Zahidi left Evo Bistro, which slowly moved away from its Mediterranean roots.

In February of this year, Zahidi’s ambition to restore Evo Bistro to its original concept became a reality when he resumed ownership and the executive chef position. He also continues to operate Le Mediterranean Bistro in Fairfax, a French Moroccan restaurant, which he opened in 2013.

At a recent Evo Bistro lunch, the atmosphere was relaxed and inviting. The open dining room was bathed in natural light and accented with colorful artwork by Buck Nelligan. The menu has shifted back to a Mediterranean montage of dishes influenced by Spanish, French, Italian and Moroccan flavors. Tapas range from garlic shrimp with white wine sauce to lightly fried artichokes with jalapeno aioli, sweet peppers stuffed with wild mushrooms and savory goat cheese and saffron paella.

“Back home we used to have paella weekly,” said Zahidi of his Moroccan upbringing. The restaurant now has three paella dishes to choose from: a vegetable version, rich with piquillo peppers, spring squash and asparagus; a chicken and chorizo rendition with wild mushrooms and peas; and a seafood interpretation with mussels, shrimp and scallops.

The menu’s diverse flavor portfolio complements the diverse wine selection for which Evo is known. In addition to this impressive wine list, Evo Bistro also has a retail wine shop, with every bottle on the list available for purchase either individually or by the case. Guests can call ahead and pick up their order or simply take it home after their lunch or dinner.

Since Zahidi’s return, every day at Evo Bistro is a cause for celebration. Tuesday is Spanish Night, with a variety of paella specials plus 25 percent off Spanish wine bottles. On Thursdays, diners get 50 percent off select Champagne bottles, and on Mondays and Wednesdays until 9 p.m., and Fridays at lunch, guests get 50 percent off featured wines.

Additionally, from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, Evo has happy hour in their bar and lounge that includes $5 and $6 drink specials, plus $6 and $9 tapas. The workweek lunch special is also not to be missed, with three tapas plates for $12.
Evo Bistro sits in the crosshairs of a fast-growing region, and Driss Zahidi’s return helped sharpen the restaurant’s focus while restoring its originality. Evo Bistro has successfully revamped its look and reclaimed its identity as McLean’s premier destination for Mediterranean cuisine.

Evo Bistro, 1313 Old Chain Bridge Rd., McLean, Virginia.

Sallie Lewis •

What happens when an innovative winemaker partners with one of D.C.’s hottest restaurants? A custom wine is born.
That’s exactly what occurred when [Michael Shaps Wineworks](http://www.michaelshapswines.com/) of Charlottesville, Virginia, paired up with the [Red Hen](http://www.theredhendc.com/). The new arrival is named Dahlia, a vanity label of rosé wine.

Virginia viticulture grows stronger every year, thanks, in part, to producers like Shaps. Making wine in Virginia since 1995, Shaps started a wine consulting business in 2000. In 2007, he launched his own independent winery, focusing on small-batch production.

Prior to his Virginia winemaking days, Shaps’s interests were in Burgundy, France, where he earned a BPA in oenology and viticulture from the Lycée Viticole de Beaune and worked at Chartron and Trebuchet in Puligny-Montrachet as an assistant wine maker. Since 2004, he’s been a partner in the boutique Maison Shaps Winery in Meursault.

Shaps travels to France every other month and enjoys applying Burgundy winemaking philosophies to his Virginia business. Ordinarily, all the traveling back and forth would be exhausting, but Shaps is clearly doing what he loves. “The passion of winemaking keeps me grounded,” he said.

Unique to Shaps’s impressive portfolio is his contract winemaking service and custom crush facility, the first of its kind in the state. With this service, independent growers and individuals interested in making their own wine can work with Shaps and his team from start to finish to create something unique, from sourcing grapes to designing a label and bottling for distribution. With access to Virginia’s finest vineyards, the team has many grape varieties to work with – from Chardonnay to Cabernet Franc to Viognier.

When the Red Hen in D.C.’s historic Bloomingdale neighborhood was looking to create a spring-to-summer rosé, something unique that would complement their summer menu, they knew just the person to call. Sebastian Zutant, co-owner of the Red Hen with the restaurant’s sommelier and beverage director, has known Shaps for many years.

“He’s one of the pillars of Virginia wine,” said Zutant, adding that Shaps is “more of a naturalist” when it comes to local winemakers. For example, his wines utilize natural yeast fermentation.

On March 23, after working with Shaps, the Red Hen’s Dahlia rosé launched, with the namesake flower on the label. “Stylistically it’s a very different rosé,” said Zutant. Strawberry-driven with red fruit flavors, the wine is pale in color: blush with a light orange tint. “It’s a hard-to-say-no-to, knock-back rosé,” he said.

The wine’s easy drinkability and fair price-point ($10 a glass, $40 a bottle) has made it a strong seller. It pairs particularly well with lighter fare, from scallops to fish. Zutant suggests trying it with the restaurant’s black linguini with squid; the dish’s pickled Fresno chilies add heat, but the wine’s crispness cools the palate.
“I’m definitely going to be making more next year,” said Zutant.

**Shaps Pairings in Great Falls**

On April 28, the celebrated [L’Auberge Chez Francois](http://www.laubergechezfrancois.com/) in Great Falls celebrated Michael Shaps with a special five-course meal prepared by chef Jacques Haeringer, each course paired with Michael Shaps and Maison Shaps wines.

A grilled breast of chicken with morel mushrooms paired beautifully with a Maison Michael Shaps Savigny-Les-Beaune 1er Cru from 2012. Shaps actually lived in the French village of Savigny at one time. The wine he chose showcased the true essence of Burgundy Pinot Noir, with the firm tannins characteristic to the village.

Next, a roasted and coffee-crusted filet mignon with Bordelaise sauce was paired with a Michael Shaps Petit Verdot from 2010. This dark, inky wine brought diners back to Virginia and exuded blackberry notes with coffee and cocoa.
[gallery ids="117619,117622" nav="thumbs"]

Georgetowner • May 6, 2015

Boston-based Michael Schlow of Tico plans to open The Riggsby, an American restaurant with European influences, in the Carlyle Hotel just off Dupont Circle at 1731 New Hampshire Ave. NW. Philippe Reininger, most recently executive chef at J&G Steakhouse, will oversee the kitchen. Daniel Lobsenz, most recently at Roofers Union, will be general manager. The artwork and décor is by Schlow’s artist wife, Adrienne. It will seat 40 in the bar and 75 in the dining room. A summer opening is planned.

Asheville, North Carolina-based Tupelo Honey Café, featuring modern Southern food, plans to open in Arlington’s Courthouse ’hood at 2000 Wilson Blvd., where Dr. Dremo’s used to be, in early June. This is its first Virginia location, with Virginia Beach not far behind. Tupelo Honey has 10 locations throughout the South.

Quick Hits: District Taco will open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Rosslyn (where they started with a food truck) at 1500 Wilson Blvd. It will be their seventh location … A new fast-casual Indian food concept and its sister full-service restaurant, American Tandoor, are slated to open in Tysons Corner Center this September. VSAG, of Founding Farmers and its affiliate restaurants, are working with the Asia-based originators of the concept … Illinois-based Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant plans to open a large restaurant at the former Reston Town Center (now called RTC West), as well as in Ashburn’s Belmont Chase shopping center, entering the Loudoun County market. The RTC West restaurant, with an outdoor patio as well its signature tasting room and a private dining (and barrel-aging) room, is slated to open in 2017. Cooper’s Hawk serves wines it makes with grapes purchased from the West Coast. They have 19 locations throughout the U.S.

Philadelphia-based Public House Investments plans to open Pennsylvania 6, a 265-seat contemporary American restaurant, across from McPherson Square at 1350 I St. NW. The regional American menu is created by culinary director Brian Cooke. Equal time and attention is paid to its cocktail program (each drink will have its own history and origin). The company also operates City Tap House in Penn Quarter. Managing partner Chris Coco is collaborating with local designer Maggie O’Neill to create a modern day supper club and bistro, with three private dining rooms that can accommodate up to 100 seated guests.

Chef Update: Brad Race will be executive chef at Claudia’s Steakhouse in the Investment Building at 1501 K St. NW. He had been executive chef at Bearnaise … Tom Meyer is the chef at Robert Wiedmaier’s Villain & Saint in downtown Bethesda. This is the Tom Meyer from Regine Palladin’s Pesce restaurant in Dupont Circle, not THE Tom Meyer, president of Clyde’s Restaurant Group. But it does offer live music, like The Hamilton.

Openings Update: Claudia Rivas’ Claudia’s Steakhouse is slated to open in late spring … Tadich Grill at 10th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW is now slated to open in early summer … Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria e Bar will open in early May in Westfield Montgomery … Levante’s on 19th Street at Dupont Circle will re-open as Ankara, a Turkish restaurant and bar run by the Aslanturk family. The restaurant seats 120 and nearly that many on the outdoor patio. The cuisine will reflect Turkey’s Persian and Mediterranean influences. Chef Jorge Chicas has strong Mediterranean creds as he did kitchen time at Jose Andres’ Zaytinya in D.C. and Bazaar in Los Angeles. A May opening is planned.

Just opened: Brio Tuscan Grille opened in the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, the third one in the metro area. Columbus, Ohio-based Bravo/Brio Restaurant Group opened the first in Tysons Corner Center and the second in North Bethesda. The restaurant seats 190 inside and 70 on the terrace … Dolcezza opened in CityCenter DC, joining RareSweets in Palmer Alley. The 1,200-square-foot space seats 20 people at a communal table and standing bar. They have a nitrogen coffee program to create smooth, creamy iced coffee using the same high-pressure nitrogen used in the beer and beverage industry … Redskins wide receiver Pierre Garçon and partner Fouad Qreitem of Paisano’s Pizza opened their second QSR SpinFire Pizza in Rosslyn at 1501 Wilson Blvd. … Bonchon recently opened its first D.C. location at the Capitol Riverfront near Nats Park, serving Korean crispy fried chicken … ALL SET Restaurant & Bar opened in downtown Silver Spring’s Montgomery Center, offering a modern take on Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern cuisine. The owners are industry veterans Jennifer Meltzer (front of house) and Edward Reavis (back of house), formerly of District Commons/Burger Tap & Shake. They are “good to go.” Really.

Linda Roth is president of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Reach her at Linda@LindaRothPR.com.

Caitlin Franz • April 28, 2015

It’s easy to get bogged down in over-zealous green marketing campaigns when trying to find high-quality food that is also produced in an environmentally responsible way. Check out the following compilation of local restaurants with local, fresh and eco-friendly menus.

Big Bear Café
Big Bear Café features seasonal produce and dishes, homemade sausages and house-cured fish and bacon. The iconic Bloomingdale spot, a hipster haven, is now open for dinner. The newly expanded patio is the perfect place to enjoy the warming weather. 1700 First St. NW ? 202-643-9222 ? bigbearcafe-dc.com.

Busboys and Poets
Busboys and Poets is a widely popular restaurant with a cozy atmosphere for all ages. Whether for brunch with friends or a romantic date, the menu is well stocked with sustainable food and locally cultivated organic ingredients. Browse the bookstore’s environmental selection while you wait to be seated or after your meal. 2021 V. St. NW ? 202-387-7638 ? busboysandpoets.com

Café du Parc
This authentic French bistro provides a casual dining atmosphere, complimented by its one-of-a-kind menu, enhanced with locally grown produce. The restaurant has three-star certified status from the Green Restaurant Association.1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW ? 202-942-7000 ? cafeduparc.com

Commissary
Another three-star certified Green Restaurant, Commissary offers a place to sit down for a meal at any time of day, plus a bar and a coffeehouse. The P Street venue serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, along with snacks, desserts and smoothies. There’s a cozy lounge area, an outdoor café and free Wi-Fi. This local dining spot obtains its ingredients from the Eatwell Natural Farm in Maryland. 1443 P St. NW ? 202-299-0018 ? commissarydc.com

Table
Boasting menus that change daily depending on the seasonal ingredients on hand, it’s no wonder that hours are spent handwriting each of Table’s menus – in pencil. Tucked away on N Street in Shaw, Table gained the honor of being one of the first restaurants in the United States to be REAL (Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership) Verified by the United States Healthful Food Council. 903 N St. NW ? 202-588-5200 ? tabledc.com

The Pig
As its name would imply, the Pig has a pork-centric menu. The restaurant features locally sourced food, which changes based on the availability of the freshest ingredients. The vegetables used in its dishes are grown on its farm in nearby La Plata, Maryland. In addition, the Pig uses only humanely raised animals and works to create minimal waste. 1320 14th St. NW ? 202-290-2821 ? thepigdc.com

Restaurant Nora
Nora was the first restaurant in America to be certified organic. The venue uses solely organic ingredients and prides itself on farm-to-fork dining. Restaurant Nora utilizes sustainable cooking methods and offers a seasonal dinner menu. 2132 Florida Ave. NW ? 202-462-5143 ? noras.com

1789 Restaurant
An institution in Georgetown, 1789 also happens to be a great place to sample cuisine made with local and organic ingredients. The restaurant’s website features a list of local farms where it obtains its fresh ingredients. Make sure you make a reservation if you plan to dine at 1789. A jacket is required for men. 1226 36th St. NW ? 202-965-1789 ? 1789restaurant.com

Peter Murray •

The Fuchs family’s 90-year-old Wagshal’s empire has a new crown jewel: Pitmasters Back Alley BBQ.

The new venture, housed in an alley alongside Wagshal’s sprawling base in the Spring Valley Shopping Center, is unassuming but noticeable; the reclaimed wood entrance – in shades of amber, maroon and mahogany – stands out from the white walls and loading docks, announcing to passersby that something good is afoot.

And it really is. The literal hole-in-the-wall, 900 square feet with a rustic, pig-centric aesthetic throughout, serves up amazing barbecue, possibly the best in the District.

The quality is no surprise given that Bill Fuchs and his son Brian have been supplying renowned barbecue pitmasters with prime cuts of meat for competitions for years. In ramping up their own barbecue restaurant, they even got a few pitmaster pals to contribute recipes and cooking techniques – the equivalent of state secrets in the barbecue world. (The Washington Post reported that the Fuchses make the cooks at Pitmasters sign nondisclosure agreements.)

Additionally, their experience with Wagshal’s Market and Wagshal’s Deli has lent the Fuchs a unique perspective on meat. Brian takes great pride in the product quality, emphasizing that his team is intimately involved in the process, from farm to table (fear before slaughter can completely “change the taste of the meat,” he says). In the case of the “Kobe” of pork, their Ibérico de Bellota Costilla ribs, that involvement requires international travel, to Spain.

The care put into the meat shows, or, rather, comes through on the palate. The St. Louis ribs don’t fall off the bones – Fuchs says they really shouldn’t – until you take a bite. They feel like butter in between the teeth, but with a scrumptious and savory flavor. The half-smoke, which blows others in D.C. out of the water, is crispy on the outside and tender, with umami flavor, on the inside. The garnishments (chili, fries, cheese and onions) are the cherry on top of a near-perfect package.

Most barbecue joints serve up more pulled pork than you can wag your tail at. At Pitmasters, Fuchs opts for chopped pork, saying that competitors’ pulled pork is often overcooked. The resulting Carolina chopped pork shoulder is succulent and robust, excellent-tasting on its own, without any barbecue sauce. (There isn’t anything on the menu that needs sauce, despite how good the Pitmasters sauce tastes.) Flavor also carries the day for Pitmasters’ smoky, marbled brisket, which practically melts in your mouth as you chew.

As for sides, let’s start with the power players: the burnt ends. The beef and pork burnt ends are delectable little blackened bites rolled in sauce. They crunch before giving way to soft, delicious, slow-cooked meat.

Chef Trini’s “Mother in Law” salsa-cum-slaw – made with pickled veggies, Caribbean flavor (thanks to green mango) and a spicy kick – impresses right off the bat. One would be hard-pressed to find a similar taste elsewhere in the District, let alone the world. The staple sides, like the collard greens and baked beans, distinguish themselves with meat – bacon, that is. The rest of the sides, including the mac ‘n’ cheese and loaded fries (nachos on steroids: covered with cheese, burnt ends and pickled jalapenos), are sure to be crowd-pleasers in all their gluttonous glory.

This review may tempt you to tear up to Pitmasters to get in on all of this hot-meat action. But hold back: the restaurant only offers barbecue to order. You have to call it in, and you can’t eat it there.

Fuchs savors conversation about how his team prepares orders so that they are fresh for customers. Despite the trend of extending smoke times up to 24 hours, the meats are smoked for just a few hours, which Fuchs says is all they need. The restaurant even provides reheating instructions, because, Fuchs says, “you don’t want to microwave ribs.” [gallery ids="102055,134558" nav="thumbs"]

Sallie Lewis • April 23, 2015

On March 3, Ari Gejdenson of Mindful Restaurant Group unveiled his newest venture: Sotto on 14th Street NW. The space is home to a harmonious blend of live jazz, wine, craft cocktails and American cuisine with a smoky finish. Sotto, ‘below’ in Italian, is appropriately located underneath Ghibellina, another of Gejdenson’s popular dining destinations.

The jazz and blues cultural center HR-57 was the former tenant of the building, before moving to H Street four years ago. As a tribute to the building’s past, Sotto has live jazz and blues Tuesday through Saturday, featuring a constant rotation of local artists and aspiring talent.

The restaurant’s ambiance is as sleek and sexy as the jazzy sounds that fill it. Sotto’s dimly lit space, designed by Gronning Architects, incorporates lots of exposed brick, with attractive wood and steel accents for an overall warm, sultry effect. Patrons waiting for a table or simply looking to drink and snack on appetizers can sit at the long wooden bar, flanked by rustic steel barstools.

Sotto’s bar manager Daniel Barnes created his cocktail list based on classics from the 1950s and earlier; think of a “Trolley Car” with spiced rum, blood orange and angostura or an “Ed Ellington” with scotch, Lillet Rose, cranberry and orange. His take on these cocktails goes back to D.C.’s jazz culture, when jazz clubs were really big up and down U Street. “We’re trying to continue that by having jazz here,” said Michael Rosato, Sotto’s general manager.

Executive chef Keith Cabot’s menu reflects regional American cuisine with an emphasis on smoked meats. The chef’s selection of housemade sausages was inspired by Gejdenson’s trip to Austin. Other highlights include the Brussels sprout salad with an herb cream dressing and pomegranates, pork ribs, beef brisket and a delicious half-chicken with a delightfully crisp skin and chili sauce. Sotto also has a sweet selection of desserts, like poached apple with caramel ice cream or banana bread with dulce de leche and chocolate.

Diners can enjoy all of this in one of the restaurant’s cozy booths or at long wooden tables. At the end of the restaurant, a stunning glass wine cellar is the backdrop to the night’s local talent.

Sotto is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner, starting at 6 p.m. [gallery ids="102023,134915,134914" nav="thumbs"]