Washington, DC New Menu Report: 3/29/17
April is around the corner, and you can almost smell the new spring menus being whipped up in restaurant kitchens around the District. Not matter what mood you're in or what type of cuisine you prefer, there's a menu to suit your palate preferences. Shimmy up to the bar for Cuban empanadas and cocktails, explore refined, modern French-inspired menus at a high-end food emporium, and dine on a fresh spring menu from the city's best chef. That's the menu report for this week. Bon appétit!
Cuba Libre
Eat many empanadas? If you love savory bites of goodness wrapped in dough then you won't want to miss Cuba Libre's celebration of National Empanada Day on Saturday, April 8, from 4 to 7 p.m. Head over to Penn Quarter and take advantage of the Dollar Empanada Happy Hour available exclusively in the rum bar and lounge. For this particular happy hour, the restaurant is serving a $1 empanada called Mamá Amelia that's made with chicken, beef picadillo, and pulled pork that's paired with a classic Cuba Libre ($5), which is a blend of Don Q Añejo rum, Coca-Cola, and fresh lime.
Dean & DeLuca
Dean & DeLuca in Georgetown has launched a new menu. Starting April 1, you will be able to order full-service, chef-driven catering menus and services from this leader in fine foods. The chef behind the new catering program is corporate executive chef Brian Bistrong, who just joined the family in March 2017. His culinary résumé makes him the perfect man for the job, judging from his years of experience working with stellar chefs like David Bouley, the late Bernard Loiseau, and Wolfgang Puck.
This new venture will offer full-service catering for weddings, business functions, and just about any kind of special event (intimate or extravagant) that Dean & DeLuca's clients can imagine. Personalization and attention to detail will be the hallmarks, and classic dishes combined with modern inventive food will drive the vision of each and every event.
Be sure to find out more about the exclusive "Dean & Deluca Pop-Up," which is a customized experience that allows guests to fill their very own canvas bag of goodies with items such as candies, nuts, cookies, truffles, macarons, gummies, or custom items appropriate for the event type and style. Attend the catering program's preview on Friday, March 30, from 6 to 8 p.m. to sample new hors d'oeuvres. It's free and open to the public. To view menus or for more information on Dean & DeLuca's full-service catering program, contact the director of catering, Debra Erber, at debra.erber@deandeluca.com.
The Oval Room
We've been waiting with baited breath for the new seasonal menu chef John Melfi creates at The Oval Room. This time, it's a seasonal change with a twist: He's introducing a special Friday evening three-course tasting menu that will be available all summer long. It launched last Friday, March 24, and as usual Melfi's genius has come to fore. Look for enticing dishes like crispy lamb belly confit, smoked yellowfin tuna and potato agnolotti, and an absolutely fresh mango pannacotta for dessert. The price is $55 per person (excluding tax and gratuity).