Food

Dana Farrior • October 23, 2014

When it was founded in 1979, Martha’s Table was a safe haven for the District’s most vulnerable — a refuge that provided a sense of security for children and families in an unforgiving world.

35 years later and Martha’s Table continues to act as a beacon of light in the community.

Although Martha’s Table provides potential helpers with a long list of volunteer opportunities, it can be difficult to find time to participate in onsite events. So, this fall, Martha’s Table is making it easier for D.C.’s citizens to support the community from the comfort of their own dinner tables.

On October 26, Martha’s Table invites its supporters to host their very own One Pot Supper Fundraiser. The objective is to hold simultaneous fundraisers all around the city where friends and family can enjoy good food and raise hunger awareness.

“At small tables of six and bigger tables of 60, people will come together to get the discussion going about hunger in the Washington, D.C. area,” said Patty Stonesifer, CEO of Martha’s Table.

Guests attending a dinner will enjoy a delicious meal at no expense to them. Instead, a pot will be passed where guests can make a contribution to raise funds for the organization.

Longtime supporter and past employee of Martha’s Table, Areesah Mobley, intends to host a dinner for 20 but is prepared for more. Although she has some ideas of what she wants to cook she hasn’t quite solidified her plans yet.

First timer, Chad Hoeft, was familiar with Martha’s Table but had yet to work with the organization until Stonesifer reached out to him. “I wanted to get involved to shed light on a situation I think most take for granted. Having access to food is something most of us don’t think twice about,” he said.

The best thing about the fundraiser is that it makes involvement accessible to everyone, Stonesifer says. Unlike Sips & Suppers, a Martha’s Table fundraising event held in January, it allows a younger audience to get involved because hosting doesn’t require a large budget.

Interested in hosting your own One Pot Supper? Information is available in the host toolkit at marthastable.org.

Sallie Lewis •

Chez Billy Part Deux

Exploring the culinary offerings of Southern France has never been easier thanks to the newly opened Chez Billy Sud at 1039 31st Street in Georgetown. As a sister restaurant to Petworth’s popular Chez Billy, the two will share Chef Brendan L’Etoile, with key differences in ambiance and menu direction.

The elegant dining room at Chez Billy Sud, formerly Café La Ruche, is airy and fresh with light sea foam walls illuminated by gilded mirrors, gold leaf accents and windows. Bistro chairs and white tablecloths are classic and chic without pretension. In the warmer months, patrons can sip a glass of rosè and dine al fresco in the restaurant’s quaint courtyard.

Chez Billy Sud lives up to its name with a menu driven by flavors from the south of France. Hors d’oeuvres range from frisee salads to warm olives fragranced with champagne vinegar, rosemary, fennel and oranges. Entrées vary from pan-roasted trout with lemon caper brown butter to mussels, beef bourguignon and duck confit. Desserts like spiced apple tarts and profiteroles glazed in chocolate satisfy the sweet tooth. Unlike Chez Billy’s large bar program, Chez Billy Sud has a small yet memorable hand crafted cocktail menu for imbibers wish distinguished tastes. Start off with one of five specially crafted cocktails, like an Armagnac old fashioned or a Negroni, to get your evening going. For dinner, pair your meal with a French vin from the venue’s impressive wine list, and let the culinary flair of Southern France come over you, if only for a night.

Chez Billy Sud is currently only open for dinner, but stay tuned in the coming months as they add brunch and lunch services.

A Medley of Flavors at Mama Rouge

The newly opened Mama Rouge at 3000 K Street features a medley of culinary influences, all of which come together to create an exceptional neighborhood dining experience.

Located on the Georgetown waterfront in Bangkok Joe’s old home, this Southeast Asian French bistro has a flair for bringing out the best flavor profiles from various cultures’ cuisines, including Vietnamese, Thai and French. Aulie Bunyarataphan, the chef and owner (along with husband, Mel Oursinsiri) wanted to create a menu based on Southeast Asian and European cooking traditions that was thoughtfully tailored for an American palate and served in a contemporary French bistro setting.

The lively dining room with its red and teal color scheme is subdued with sophisticated French tables and bistro accents. This is the perfect backdrop for the diverse and colorful menu offering at Mama Rouge. Sample everything from pho, Pad Thai and dumplings to crab cake francaise, steak au poivre and duck a’lorange. Cocktails and wine have a French focus, yet Bunyarataphan’s Thai grandmother, the original Mama Rouge, inspires many of the menu items. This dichotomy between Southeast Asian and French influences is what gives Mama Rougea feel entirely its own.
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Sonya Bernhardt • October 9, 2014

I recently had the pleasure to meet with Angel Cervantes, a well-known bartender at the Rye Bar located inside Capella Hotel. Our mission: to create a special cocktail using Agricole Rhum products in honor of our 60th anniversary. True to his name, Cervantes is not only a seasoned bartender, but a creative mixologist and a spice flavor expert. His creative origins go back many years. He’s worked in some of the industry’s top places including Michel Richard’s Citronelle and Red Sage. Agricole rhum is of French origins, produced in Martinique and imported by Nikolai Konick, who sponsored our celebration. It differs from regular rum in that it is squeezed from sugar cane juice instead of molasses. Nikolai lent his hand to our cocktail experiment.

At first, I wanted to celebrate our anniversary with one light-colored cocktail and one dark-colored drink. Trained by tradition, I had my mind set on vodka for the light but was less sure about the dark cocktail. So, a friend and I tried one of Cervantes’ agricole rhum drinks. We were immediately impressed (and craved more of the delicious liquor). The drink we concocted is served in a tumbler with an oversized ice cube and an aromatic shaving of fresh ginger. Simply put, it’s the best version of the classic dark and stormy I have ever had.

Then, the white rhum martini arrived. The drink took our breath away, and the concoction even impressed Nikolai, who was astounded by the delicacy. The sophisticated, mature rhum met its match with the sweetness of the martini’s lavender infused simple syrup, and a splash of champagne.

Here are our two celebratory recipes, which I will treasure for years to come.

The Roffman
1 1/2 ounces of Clement Rhum Vieux Agricole Select Barrel
Dash of bitters
1/2 ounce fresh ginger shavings
Serve with over-sized ice cube

Amy’s Agricole Martini
1 1/2 ounces of Clement Premiere Canne Rhum
½ ounce of fresh lemon juice
½ ounce lavender infused simple syrup
½ ounce of Campari
Splash of Champagne
Serve ice cold

Robert Devaney • September 29, 2014

Gourmandization in the best sense: DBGB Kitchen and Bar made its D.C. debut Sept. 12 and looks to become a big hit on the dining scene, if its festive, food-filled kick-off party was any indication. Chef Daniel Boulud, who got his start in Washington, said he was happy to return to D.C. The casual French-American DBGB marks the New York-based chef’s first restaurant in D.C. The two-level place is in the CityCenter at 931 H St., NW.

On hand were hundreds of Boulud’s friends and admirers — and, of course, his family and his famous chef pals. About his early mentor in D.C., Boulud said of pioneering chef Jean-Louis Palladin: “He was the finest chef Washington ever had.”

Best seen as a little bit brasserie, a little bit bistro, half French, half American, DBGB is described by Boulud as his “tribute to casual American dishes I’ve come to love since moving to the states, all done with a French flair.”

DBGB says it will be serving “seven varieties of house-made sausages, three house-ground gourmet burgers, seasonal Lyonnais-inspired cooking and hit dishes from the original downtown, New York City restaurant.”

Nick Massella • September 25, 2014

Brunch is one of the best meals of any week. It’s typically a group venture, but not exclusively. And it’s usually filled with caffeine and Bloody Marys – bottomless or on demand, depending on your choice.

With the end of summer, Sunday brunch on area patios will soon become a thing of the past. As we continue into fall and approach the winter, you can continue your weekly gathering with friends and family inside some of the areas best brunch destinations.

Below are our five favorite brunch places in Georgetown to help boost your weekend.

What can only be described as the most gluttonous of brunch endeavors, Farmers Fishers Bakers (3000 K St., NW) brunch buffet is almost guaranteed to please all. It features a combination of buffet-served and passed menu items, including a chef-prepared omelet station, grilled thick-cut bacon and harvest French toast with bananas Foster. For those seeking more lunch-like options, go for the honey pot fried chicken with cheesy grits, jambalaya and the purple and black kale salad. Add in the day’s special blended tiki bowl, which serves two to four people, and your entire party is sure to leave satisfied.

Tucked away in Cady’s Alley is Leopold’s Kafe (3315 Cady’s Alley, NW), an Austrian bistro with some of the best-prepared brunch dishes in Georgetown. While its brunch menu changes weekly to feature seasonal quiches, omelets and hash dishes, you should be sure to check out their staple lemon soufflé pancakes served with raspberry compote, maple syrup and whipped cream.

If you’re looking for the quintessential Georgetown brunch experience, look no further than Martin’s Tavern (1264 Wisconsin Ave., NW). While the menu isn’t very exciting, Martin’s is best for enjoying your go-to dish at the venue you feel most comfortable in. After all, the restaurant is nearly a monument in Washington and its charm is also impressive. If you’ve yet to try, go for the Tavern Treat, a split English muffin loaded with crab meat and mushrooms with herb hollandaise sauce, carrots, zucchini and squash.

Should you be looking for a seafood-inspired menu, splurge for the Fiola Mare (3050 K St., NW) Signature Brunch, which packages one appetizer, one entrée and a dessert of your choosing with a pastry and breadbasket for $65. From there, go for the lemon mascarpone pancakes, shrimp and grits or short rib hash. But get your stomach prepared for more because that choice only takes care of one of your brunch courses. For a delightful drink, try the Amalfi Coast cocktail, a sweet and refreshing blend of Grey Goose vodka, limoncello and lemon juice.

For those looking to up their brunch game or celebrate something monumental, Seasons over at the Four Seasons (2800 Pennsylvania Ave., NW) offers an $80 brunch buffet serving an array of fine-dining breakfast, lunch and seafood dishes. Its buffet options are grand and expansive, ranging from grilled lamb chops and Jamaican jerk quail, to oysters on the half shell and Maryland crab cakes, to colorful and wide-ranging market salads.

Nick Massella • September 18, 2014

During the afternoon of Sept. 13, the Georgetown BID hosted its annual Taste of Georgetown, a journey for the palate of Georgetown dining and beverage options. In its 21st year, the event relocated from the crowded hill of Wisconsin Avenue between Blues Alley and South Street to K Street at the Georgetown waterfront, shielded from afternoon showers by Whitehurst Freeway.

More than in years past, the Taste of Georgetown featured menu options from 35 local restaurants, including 1789’s compressed watermelon with lime salt and candied jalapeño and the Grill Room at the Capella’s beef tartar. Craft beer and wine were also offered in a special section including 3 Stars & Mercury from Pizza Paradiso and Paradise Springs Vineyards Chardonnay from Eno Wine Room.

In addition to a massive three-pound Baked & Wired cupcake eating contest, guests’ attention turned to the stage for the Georgetown Chefs Showdown between chef Gerard Pangaud of Malmaison, chef Kristy Cleaveland of the Ritz Carlton’s Degrees and chef Melanie Kurtz of Paolo’s. In the end, chef Pangaud took the win with his team, best preparing a dish comprised of secret ingredients, including Georgia skupernongs and Maryland soft crabs. The “Iron Chef”-like showdown was sponsored by Whole Foods.

At the Pinstripes station, kids played bocce ball, hula hoop, got their faces painted and participate in balloon-animal-making. Adults enjoyed alcoholic beverages in the Craft Beer & Wine Tasting Pavilion. Parents and kids alike enjoyed live country and bluegrass music brought to you by Gypsy Sally’s. Bands playing included Human Jukebox Country, Letitia Van Sant & the Bonafides and Justin T Rawick and the Common Good.

Proceeds from the event benefited the Georgetown Ministry Center.
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Peter Murray • September 15, 2014

The Taste of Georgetown is back for its 21st year, Saturday, Sept. 13 at a new location on the Georgetown waterfront (K Street between Wisconsin Avenue and Thomas Jefferson Street).

Expect a plethora of food, fun and music all brought to you, courtesy of the Georgetown Business Improvement District and a handful of sponsors, including Long & Foster, Whole Foods, Bank of Georgetown and PNC.

The main attraction is, of course, the food. Dean & Deluca, Luke’s Lobster, I-Thai, Malmaison, Rialto, Filomena Ristorante, Tackle Box, Thunder Burger and many more will be there, offering two small signature dishes each. Dishes cost $5 for one or $20 for five.

The event menu is enough to get your mouth watering well in advance of the event. In addition, there will be a competition a la “Iron Chef” between some of Georgetown’s best chefs, challenging them to create a unique dish with specified ingredients. Baked & Wired, on the other hand, will be hosting a cupcake-eating competition. At the Pinstripes station, kids will be able to play bocce ball, hula hoop, get their faces painted and participate in balloon-animal-making. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy alcoholic beverages in the Craft Beer & Wine Tasting Pavilion, where single drink tickets go for $4 and packs of three for $10.

Parents and kids alike can enjoy live country and bluegrass music brought to you by Gypsy Sally’s. Bands playing include Human Jukebox Country, Letitia Van Sant & the Bonafides and Justin T Rawick and the Common Good.

All proceeds from the event go towards the Georgetown Ministry Center and its services to aid the area’s homeless. Don’t miss out on After Taste Happy Hour, where event-goers can keep the party going with deals on food and drinks at some of Georgetown’s best restaurants. For more information, visit the event’s website at tasteofgeorgetown.com.

Robert Devaney • September 10, 2014

Another Georgetown classic is about to vanish, and another Georgetown classic was about to vanish.

Chadwick’s on K Street — the friendly, classic hamburger joint where everyone knows your name — will close Aug. 31, according to former owner and Chadwick’s founder Michael Kirby, who has been assisting the Russo family with the business after the death of owner and restaurateur Tom Russo.

Kirby — who began Chadwick’s 47 years ago — also confirmed that Mr. Smith’s has purchased the business at 3205 K St., NW, which includes all licenses and leases. Kirby also said he believed that the Chadwick’s in Alexandria would continue.

As for Mr. Smith’s — “the friendliest saloon in town” at 3104 M St., NW, since 1965 — it will close within weeks, probably by Sept. 1, its general manager Juan Andino told several media outlets a few days ago.

Andino told ABC 7 News and others that the Boston-based landlord is raising the rent to levels his business cannot afford. He also said that he hoped to relocate the restaurant elsewhere in Georgetown, just as those who ran the closed Neyla have indicated.

Mr. Smith’s with its piano bar and sing-alongs along with its back patio and vintage furnishings is known to many Washingtonians as a spot where they had some of their first dates. On Sept. 1, expect to see Mr. Smith’s in its new location on K Street.

Nick Massella •

Tucked away on 19th Street between M and N streets is Ristorante i Ricchi (1220 19th St. NW), a Washington staple for fine Italian cuisine since 1989. The concept, which mimics a Tuscan garden with live plants filling Italian urns atop salmon-colored terra-cotta tile, was brought to Washington by Christianne Ricchi and Francesco Ricchi as the Washington cousin to their restaurant in Tuscany, Trattoria i Ricchi. Twenty-five years later, i Ricchi (pronounced ee ree-key) is still going strong in Dupont Circle.

For owner and chef Christianne, who has since parted with Francesco, serving authentic Tuscan cuisine is key. At i Ricchi, menu items, including the Pappardelle sul Coniglio (broad pasta ribbons tossed with savory Tuscan rabbit sauce) and the Le Salsicce con Fagioli all’ Uccelletto (grilled homemade sausage with cannellini beans and tomato) are brought to Washington from Italy, with a number of dishes coming directly from the Ricchi concept outside of Florence.

“Today, people are looking for authenticity. They’re looking for the real deal,” said Christianne. “A lot of thought goes into what we do – we’re almost cerebral in what we serve – and there has to be a true connection to Italy.”

For i Ricchi, Christianne’s dedication to remaining authentic has enabled the restaurant to survive a drastically different city than when it first opened. But just as Washington has changed, so must i Ricchi.
“I’ve taken this opportunity to go back to Florence and I’m looking forward to bringing a lot of the things I’ve discovered and rediscovered in Tuscany back to Washington,” said Christianne.

Moreover, Christianne recently signed a long-term lease in the restaurant’s current location and is planning significant renovations, including the addition of an early morning coffee and breakfast bar, which will also serve as a wine bar in the early evening and through the night.

Outside of the kitchen, Christianne is passionate about two women’s organizations she has established in recent years. Two years ago, with her daughter Olivia, Christianne wanted to celebrate and earmark International Women’s Day. That motivation led to the creation of the i Ricchi Women’s Club, a group that boasts 3,000 members and holds gatherings on topics ranging from health to politics to business to family.
Christianne also leads a group she refers to as “the DEWDs,” the Distinguished Executive Women’s Dinner. The group consists of 150 executive women who come together monthly at i Ricchi for cocktails, dinner and networking.

“I often ask myself why I’m in this business. And the thing I come back to, over and over, is the people factor,” said Christianne. “Being a restaurateur and chef gives you a very unique opportunity to interact with people on a different, very intimate level. A big part of the job is nurturing and taking care of people. People come to your restaurant and put themselves in your hands so to speak. So there’s a level of trust that’s established that you will take care of them and treat them well. And when you do that, there’s a special bond that’s created.”
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