Washington, DC New Menu Report: 08/05/15
August 5 is Oyster Day and there are plenty of places you can go to find delicious rosé or white wine to pair with them, whether you want your oysters raw, baked, fried, or in creamy chowder. Or you might prefer a zippy cocktail. All of this is doable, and can be finished with a flourish. Consider a root beer float or a frozen custard and doughnut concrete, they're all here in the DMV this week.
Brabo Tasting Room
For dining variety, King Street in Old Town Alexandria has a fun range of dining and drinking options, and now Brabo Tasting Room, a Wiedmaier Group hot spot, is encouraging guests to dine well. When you join the fun at the large community table, bar, or patio during Happy Hour (seven days a week 5 to 6:30 p.m.), you can enjoy a menu of punches and red and white wines that rotate frequently and are priced $7 each. For Happy Hour munchies, try the half-priced specialty tarts and classic mussels.
The Grille at Morrison House
This summer, The Grille at Morrison House has been hosting its popular "100 Days of Rosé" menu and now they've decided to extend it through the end of September. The menu highlights unique rosés (sparkling and still) by the glass, the bottle, and as $25 flights—your choice of four 3-ounce glasses. Notable highlights include California and French rosés from Paul Hobbs, Domaine Pelle, and Robert Sinskey.
Quill
Few hotel bars are as elegant, intimate, or as well stocked as Quill at The Jefferson Hotel. For fans of the silver screen, Quill's monthly Indiana Jones cocktail series is just one more reason to visit. This month's signature cocktail, The Chalice Cup, pays homage to the quest for the Holy Grail depicted in the smash hit, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Made with gin, fresh lemon juice, blood orangecello, Lillet rosé, and Herbsaint, this may not promise eternal life, but it's zesty refreshing flavors will revive you after a long day.
Shake Shack
August is a sweet month for Shack Shacks everywhere (except stadiums and airports). The entire month of August, you can get your carb and sugar fix with their Coffee & Doughnuts Concretes. Single servings are $4.75, doubles go for $6.75, and these luscious labyrinths of yumminess are made with vanilla frozen custard blended with marshmallow sauce, and doughnuts made by top-notch local doughnut bakers. Each city will have a different doughnut supplier, and in D.C. Shake Shack has paired up with local fave Astro Doughnuts.
If you have fond childhood memories of cold ice cream floats on hot summer days, head over to any of the D.C. area Shake Shack locations tomorrow, August 6. It's National Root Beer Float Day, and Shake Shack is celebrating by selling their floats for $5.25. Each one is made with Abita Brewing Company's artisanal sassafras-laced root beer sourced from fresh Louisiana spring water, herbs, and pure cane sugar. And the pièces de resistances are the dollops of dense, rich, creamy Shake Shack frozen vanilla custard that is made with wholesome, hormone-free milk.
Summer Whitford is the D.C. City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal and the DC Wine Examiner. You can follow her on Twitter @FoodandWineDiva.