Capital Spice

Toward the end of his stint at Vidalia, Chef RJ Cooper had jumped into the world of the multi-course “experience” tasting menu with both feet.  His “24″ menu got some great coverage from Tim Carman when he was still at the Washington City Paper, and when news came that his first solo concept would be Rogue 24, a restaurant built around the tasting menu, the buzz started building almost immediately.

We’re just a day away from opening now, and those who’ve had a chance to experience dishes firsthand – either in soft opening service over the weekend or at Cooper’s pop-up test run in New York City – have been raving.  We may not have been so lucky as to try the food yet, but we did get to stop by last Friday as Cooper was putting his team through their paces on a couple of dishes.  We got to see the open kitchen in the center of the room alive with activity, and we can only imagine how much more energy there will be when all the seats are filled, too.

Of course we took some pictures, and we also took the time to chat up sommelier Matthew Carroll about the challenges of creating appropriate pairings for a 24-course tasting menu while we were there.

Photos, conversation and “olive paper” after the jump. (more…)

View DC Summer Restaurant Week 2011 – Participating Restaurants in a larger map

It’s that time again – the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington and Destination DC are about to make your afternoon.

About five minutes ago, the site for Washington’s 2011 Summer Restaurant Week went live with more than 200 participating restaurants around the Metro area. This year’s summer foodfest will run from Monday, August 15th, through Sunday, August 21st.  The OpenTable reservations for the most popular tables are probably disappearing while you read this!

With destinations from Trummer’s on Main in Clifton to Smith Commons on H Street, NE, you’ll find plenty of options in your neighborhood offering lunch deals for $20.11 and three-course dinners for $35.11.  But I know what you’re thinking: “This list is alphabetical.  How can I narrow down the choices to just the ones closest to where I live and work?”

That’s where we come in.

You can use the map above to zero in on the neighborhoods that matter most to you – just click on the link below the image to go to the Google map we created.  We’re going to be adding in the OpenTable links this afternoon so you can head there directly from here, but for now you’ll want to check the map and then go to OpenTable to make your reservations.

We’ve offered some advice on Restaurant Week from time to time.  If you haven’t seen it (or if you want a refresher), check out our recommendations after the jump.

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For most of us, July 4th is a day to sit back and relax as we celebrate our nation’s independence.  For Jose Andres, not so much.  The outgoing head of the ThinkFoodGroup has a busy Monday lined up, what with the opening of his new America Eats Tavern and his work with the National Archives’ “What’s Cooking Uncle Sam?” exhibit. We even got an inside tip on what he’ll be doing that morning (which we’ll share after the jump).

America Eats, conceived as a complement to the exhibit, is a pop-up restaurant that has possessed the body of Cafe Atlantico on 8th Street, NW in Penn Quarter.  The restaurant features seating on three levels and a significant facelift that focuses on iconic American images and artwork.  And although the menu is not yet complete, Andres has promised a bill of fare that will serve as a history lesson on a plate, featuring historically significant American recipes along with background information on where, when and why.

We had a chance to drop by the restaurant yesterday and take a look around.  They’ll be working around the clock between now and lunchtime Monday to make sure it’s all ready to go, but what we saw was already well on its way to completion, and there are some decorations that will make you stop and smile no matter where you enter the story of America’s dietary history.

Details and photos – including an impromptu chat with Archivist of the United States David Ferriero – after the jump. (more…)

Good news, Eastern Market!  At 11 AM tomorrow, Pitango Gelato will open its third DC location next door to the original Peregrine Espresso.  Damn – now I’m craving an affogato.

When we got word that tomorrow would be opening day, we immediately took a walk over to Eastern Market to check out the space.  We had been watching the construction with interest, but the news that they were ready still took us by surprise.  What we saw when we got there was a Pitango shop that was just about ready for business.

A few more shots of the interior after the jump. (more…)

Admit it.  There’s at least one cuisine out there that intimidates you.  Whether it’s because of a language barrier, a seemingly complicated dining ritual or unfamiliar ingredients, you’re content to enjoy the countless other restaurants in the DC area and leave that one cuisine to the initiated.

Whatever your hang-up, Northern Virginia Magazine’s Warren Rojas wants to help.  Beginning with the June issue of the magazine (currently on newstands), he’s enrolling his readers in “Food U,” a hand-held guide to some of the most intriguing (and intimidating) cuisines that can be found in NoVA communities.  He’s hoping to help readers better understand the cultural identities that go into iconic dishes with the goal of encouraging them to step outside their culinary comfort zones.

When we first heard about the concept and its online counterpart, Graze Anatomy, we reached out to Rojas to find out what he has in store for readers.  He walked us through the concept, the connection between the Food U piece and the online video, and an early taste of the next edition.

Details after the jump.

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Sure, we all try to be more conscious of where our food comes from these days.  To make sure you’re putting as few steps as possible between the farm and your table, you can shop the farmers’ market week after week, or join a CSA, or even try your hand at growing some of your own produce.  But when it comes to dining out, it takes a bit more diligence to ensure that you’re making good choices.

Photo by Moshe Zusman provided by Ellen Gray

One of the local chefs who has been extolling the virtues of the “Fresh, Local, Seasonal” mindset since before locavores knew what to call themselves is Todd Gray.  The chef who recently brought Watershed to NoMA has been cooking in time with the seasons at Equinox for more than a dozen years.  Last year, he got together with the people behind the annual International Wine and Food Festival to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience: the Urban Farm Table Under the Stars.

The Urban Farm Table was a chance for four local chefs to partner with local producers and really show off their fresh, seasonal ingredients to the best of their abilities.  Guests sat at long communal tables on the Woodrow Wilson Plaza of the International Trade Center and Ronald Reagan Building.  It was such a success that they’ll be back for a second seating on Friday, June 17th.

Details on tickets and a sneak peek at this year’s menu after the jump. (more…)

It’s a great time for democracy, especially among Washington-area food lovers.  You can vote for your favorite Neighborhood Gathering Place, Power Spot, Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene and Your Favorite Restaurant in the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s RAMMY awards over at the Washington City Paper from now until midnight on Wednesday, May 11th.  That last category is completely open – feel free to write in any place you like, as long as you include an address or a location.

And here at Capital Spice we’re whipping votes for another food-related contest.

Our very own Elizabeth is one of TEN NATIONWIDE FINALISTS in OpenTable’s “Mother of All Foodies” contest on Facebook.  Unbeknownst to her, I nominated her and included one of my favorite photos of Elizabeth with Baby Spice this past Halloween (Elizabeth was a diner waitress and Baby Spice was a DC half-smoke).

As with most Facebook contests, this one comes down to a straight-up popular vote.  So we’re reaching out to you, our regular readers, and asking for your help.

If you’re on Facebook, please vote for Elizabeth here.  You’ll be asked to accept the OpenTable “Mother of All Foodies” application in order to vote.  Once you’ve accepted it, you can take a look at the ten finalists and pick your favorite.  The contest runs until 8 PM tomorrow night, so please vote soon!

Sure, it’s a shameless plug for us…but wouldn’t it be nice to bring the title of “Mother of All Foodies” home to the DC area just in time for Mother’s Day?

Make your voices heard in the DC restaurant scene!  And thanks in advance for your help.

With all the group-buying websites out there now, we’re starting to think that we may never pay full price for a meal again.  Unless, of course, we forget the deal certificate.  Don’t laugh – it’s happened to us more than once and it stings every time.

Well you’re (we’re) in luck.  The deal sites are going out of their way to come up with innovative ways to enhance and streamline your experience.  You can redeem some sites’ discounts via iPhone or Android-capable smart phone.  Others remind you when you’ve got a coupon that’s about to expire.

At LivingSocial, they’ve found a way to make it easier for you to take advantage of their specials in the first place: Instant Deals.  These real-time coupons offer deep discounts to nearby establishments, and they can be purchased and redeemed immediately, unlike traditional deals that can only be accessed and used after the sales period has ended.

Sounds like a brilliant way to save some cash at lunchtime, doesn’t it?  Well that’s what the folks at LivingSocial think, too.  They’re test-marketing the concept here in DC (their hometown) prior to taking it to other top markets.  And to give you a taste of just how well it works, they’re launching a massive promotional campaign today.

From 11 AM to 2 PM, more than 100 vendors will offer lunch deals for just ONE DOLLAR EACH.  Log in to LivingSocial via your mobile phone, and they’ll hook you up with a list of participating restaurants within a half-mile of your current location.  You could eat more than 5 meals for the price of a certain sandwich chain’s daily foot-long special…assuming you can hit them all in that three-hour window.

Deals vary from restaurant to restaurant, with most coming down in the $10 to $20 range, with a few standouts giving away as much as $25.  And they only cost you $1 each.  Just remember to tip your server (where appropriate) on the full check, not the amount after discounts and coupons.

The full list of participating restaurants after the jump. (more…)

It’s that time of year again.  The Oscars have come and gone.  The NCAA tournament is far enough advanced to know that our bracket has been well and truly busted.  But excitement is in the air for Washington area restaurants.

Whether by coincidence or coordination, the James Beard Foundation and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) seem to announce the finalists for their annual awards within days of each other year after year.  This year, those announcements came Monday and yesterday, respectively.  Both have been trumpeted on the Twitters, and at least a few of the individual nom-nom-nominations have garnered additional attention for local favorites.

The Beard Foundation doesn’t like to keep their nominees waiting too long.  The winners of their media awards will be announced in a New York ceremony on Friday, May 6th, with the Chef and Restaurant awards taking place at Lincoln Center on Monday, May 9th.  As for the RAMMY winners, they’ll have to wait until RAMW’s “Carnevale da Cuisine” gala on Sunday, June 26th.

As in previous years, four RAMMYs will be decided entirely by popular vote.  Ballots will be included in the April 28th edition of the Washington City Paper, or you will be able to vote online at RAMW’s website.  Those awards include Voter’s Favorite Restaurant, Neighborhood Gathering Place, Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene and Power Spot of the Year, so make sure to show some love for your favorite nominees.

Check out all of the local nominees for both sets of awards after the jump. (more…)

When I got back to my office with the beef for this month’s Charcutepalooza challenge, several of my coworkers lit up with big smiles.  You see, I work with a decent number of Texans, and brisket is the meat of choice in traditional Texas barbecue.  They envisioned a succulent, peppery masterpiece bathed in post oak smoke overnight.  You can imagine the way their faces fell when they learned that the brisket would be bathed in salty, seasoned water instead.

“You’re going to do what with a perfectly good brisket?” was the question.

I could have seen it coming.  I should have seen it coming.  Of course March’s challenge would be corned beef…St. Patrick’s Day is one of the few holidays that is actively associated with a specific dish and it just so happens to be cured meat.

There’s just one problem.  We’re not exactly fans of boiled dinners, stews or braises that involve cooking meat until it loses all trace of its muscular past here at Capital Spice.  Add steamed cabbage and overcooked potatoes and you’ve lost us completely.  So what’s an aspiring charcutiere to do?

I could have fallen back on the Apprentice Challenge, brining a chicken or some pork chops, but it would have felt like a cop-out.  We’ve been singing the praises of brining for years now, and we know from experience the transformative effect it can have on roasted chicken.  We’ve even brined a turkey for our Fakesgiving dinner.

I knew I had to go for the Charcutiere Challenge this time around.  I wanted to anyway, as I’m eager to embrace Charcutepalooza as fully as possible and I’d like to think I’m ready for the varsity team when it comes to curing.  That’s why Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s introductory post was such a lifesaver.

In her description of her get-together with friends, she describes what might be one of the best party games ever: a head-to-head competition between a classic Reuben sandwich and a Baltimore special known as the Cloak and Dagger.  That’s when it clicked for me: I didn’t have to serve my corned beef hot as part of an Irish meal, I could slice it thinly and serve it deli-style.  I could even use the opportunity to introduce our friends to a largely unknown New Jersey treat.

Go ahead and make your jokes about what that might be, then rejoin the group for the process and the results after the jump. (more…)