Washington, DC New Menu Report: 8/17/16

With each new upscale, well-done restaurant opening in D.C., the culinary landscape becomes more competitive with other major U.S. food-centric cities. D.C. is now going to be list in the Michelin Guide, we are seeing more independent, chef-owned restaurant start-ups, and diversity of choice is the watchword. This week, and month, foodies can tickle their taste buds with caviar, do a marathon of omakase, and sip their way around flights of rum. Olé, everyone!

Blue Duck Tavern

If lounging at the beach isn't luxe enough for your upscale tastes, how about sampling food fit for the czars.  We suggest you make a reservation to explore a special taste treat called A Petrossian American Caviar Plate. It's available exclusively at the Blue Duck Tavern Lounge at Park Hyatt Washington during dinner service beginning Tuesday, September 6. Executive chef Franck Loquet, and Blue Duck Tavern's chef de cuisine Brad Deboy, are serving one-ounce tins of sustainably harvested, California-raised white sturgeon plated on custom-designed plated created especially for the lounge by DC-based Cloud Terre Tableware. Each serving comes with potato blinis accompanied by traditional garnishes that include chopped hard-boiled eggs,  crème fraîche, and  red onions.

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar

August 16 was National Rum Day, but at Cuba Libre Restaurant, they are using this as an excuse to offer drink specials the entire month of August. From August 1 to August 31, during lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch service, you can sample a Don Q flight and a second flight called Tour of the Dark Side "of Rum" Flight that features one-ounce pours of three handpicked rums. The Don Q Flight includes Don Q Gold, Don Q Anejo, Don Q Gran Añejo and Tour of the Dark Side "of Rum" includes Cruzan Black Strap, St Croix, US Virgin Islands, Coruba Dark Rum, Jamaica, and Ron Miel, Canary Islands, Spain.

Masa 14

Make my omakse a Masa 14 selection, please. If you have never experienced the Olympian endurance eating sport of Japanese omakase, experience it this summer at Masa 14. Richard Sandoval and Kaz Okochi are introducing an expansive omakase feast featuring dishes prepared by chef de cuisine Ryan Ratin. His progressive take on cuisine is always exciting and this fantastic meal is only priced $40 per person (tax and gratuity not included) with a minimum of three plates per guest. It is available Sunday, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.; Monday through Thursday, from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday from 3 p.m. to 12 Midnight.

For more Washington DC dining and travel news, click here. Summer Whitford is the D.C. Editor and a food, drink and travel writer at The Daily Meal. You can follow her on Twitter @FoodandWineDiva and on Instagram at thefoodandwinediva. Read more of her stories here