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News for Restaurants in Washington DC
December 2009 Archive

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RESTAURANT NEWS

Openings

Newcomer to the Washington DC dining scene, Kellari Taverna offers a 30-seat bar and lounge for lingering while enjoying the restaurant's complimentary bar snacks: a bowl of Greek olives, sheep's milk cheese with crostinis and homemade cookies. After-work and luncheon specials include seafood sliders, a grilled seafood sampler and broiled jumbo lump crab cakes along with additional hot appetizers fit for sharing such as the slow-roasted lamb riblets sprinkled with taygetos oregano and Kellari veggie chips. These bar menu offerings are priced between $4.95 and $18.95. Wine lovers will find 50 wines by the glass, priced between $7 and $14, featuring an impressive selection of Greek varietals. Kellari Taverna also presents a monthly red and white wine that is offered for $25 per bottle. Kellari Taverna, 1700 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20006, 202-535-5274.
 
RIS, from chef-owner Ris Lacoste and co-owner Mitchell Herman, has opened in Washington's West End. Lacoste's signature neighborhood café offers seasonal American cuisine in eight unique spaces. The bar boasts three mounted flat-screen TVs, a series of high-backed chairs and a row of tables. The entire menu is available throughout the restaurant, whether it's a bite at the bar or a more leisurely meal. The menu features classics such as rabbit stew, lamb shank and Nantucket Bay scallops alongside original compositions such as grilled octopus, sardines, grilled Portuguese skirt steak, and fall vegetable Wellington. The menu is executed by Lacoste's team led by chef de cuisine Ed Kwitowski and pastry chef Chris Kujala, whose desserts include daily sundaes. Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner daily. RIS, 2275 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20037, 202-730-2500.
 

News Bytes

Lunch Specials at Zengo
Chef-owner Richard Sandoval's Latin-Asian Zengo is now offering a selection of rice and noodle bowls along with two new bento boxes for lunch. Available Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., these newcomers include the carnitas rice noodles served with pork shoulder, mushroom, cashew, soft egg and hot-and-sour sauce; and beef brisket udon noodles served with shiitake, asparagus, basil, chile Fresno and hoisin broth. The bento boxes at lunch include the Roll Box with a choice of the Angry Zengo roll made with spicy yellowfin tuna, wasabi tobiko, avocado and sesame-chipotle sauce; and a Vegetariano roll made with asparagus, scallion tempura, avocado and sambal aïoli. Prices range from $10 for rice and noodle bowls and from $13 to $19 for bento boxes. Zengo has also added some new Latin-Asian favorites to its happy hour menu, which has been extended Monday through Saturday from 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m. in the bar and lounge. Zengo, 781 Seventh St. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202-393-2929.
 
Et Voila! Bûche de Noël
The French Christmastime tradition of Bûche de Noël ("Yule Log") is on the table at Et Voila! A native of Brittany, France, pastry chef Mickael Cornu offers creative flavors and detailed design on the French holiday favorite. Chef Cornu rolls the bûche from handcrafted sponge cake and frosts each cake with handmade buttercream icing. His cakes are decorated with powdered sugar to resemble snow, chocolate to resemble tree branches and meringue mushrooms. Et Voila! is offering three variations on the classic Bûche de Noël including chocolate sponge cake with hazelnut buttercream, vanilla sponge cake with mocha buttercream, and pear with chocolate bavarois and almond biscuit. Orders must be made 48 hours in advance and can be made by calling Et Voila! at 202-237-2300. The minimum Bûche de Noël order is four slices, and is priced at $4.50 per slice. A whole Bûche de Noël varies from 6-8 slices. Et Voila!, 5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW, Washington, DC 20016, 202-237-2300.
 
New Sommelier at Willow
Willow Restaurant has a new sommelier, Christianna Sargent, who recently completed her Certified Sommelier of Wine courses through the Italian Association of Sommeliers. Along with her daily task of choosing the right wines, Sargent will lead weekly tastings and private classes at Willow Restaurant. To date, her most popular class has been a chocolate pairing where the understanding of terroir is developed while chocolates of equal cacao percentages from seven different regions of the world are paired with wines from seven distinctly different terroirs. Willow Restaurant, 4301 Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203, 703-465-8800.
 
The Source's Carrot Cake for Sale
For the month of December, The Source by Wolfgang Puck is looking to make home entertaining that much easier by offering its 15-layer carrot cake made-to-order and available at the restaurant for purchase. Executive chef Scott Drewno's moist, spiced cake with cream cheese filling is available in small (4-8 people), medium (10-12 people) and large (12-20 people) sizes, and priced at $30, $60 and $90 respectively. To place an order, email [email protected] or call 202-637-6100. The Source by Wolfgang Puck, Newseum, 575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202-637-6100.
 

Chef Shuffle
Santanna Salas, a longtime member of the Mina Group, has been appointed pastry chef at Bourbon Steak. Salas presents guests with contemporary interpretations of desserts such as a bitter chocolate cake with hazelnut ice cream and milk and honey ganache; a unique tiramisu with mascarpone mousse, espresso sponge and a cocoa sorbet; and a Macallan 18 butterscotch pot de crème served with pumpkin spice cake, butterscotch caramel and pepitas. Bourbon Steak, Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, 2800 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20007, 202-944-2026.
 

Closings

CLOSED FOR GOOD
Take your taste buds on a walk down memory lane! Check out our exclusive closed restaurant database for Washington D.C. to virtually visit your favorite dining spots from the past. La Colline, R.I.P.

Check back soon for more news.

CULINARY EVENTS
Want to learn to cook? Try new dishes? Meet a foodie friend for fun? Check out our compilation of culinary events in your area.


View our calendar of Wine Dinners & Tastings in Washington DC

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