In the June 2013 Issue
Starr Attraction
Le Diplomate Parisian Bistro Cozies Up to D.C. Diners
by Rachel G. Hunt
Philadelphia's prolific and eclectic restaurateur Stephen Starr opened his first D.C. location recently in an old dry cleaner's building on 14th Street in Logan Circle. It has been fascinating to watch the transformation from impersonal industrial to cozy French bistro over the past several months — a credit to Starr's instincts and imagination. In fact, he only decided what kind of restaurant he would open after he had found the empty space while touring Washington.
The decision seems to have paid off: Le Diplomate is generating buzz and business as a Parisian haven in Washington, D.C.
Starr turned to Shawn Hausman, who's designed the interiors of several of his other restaurants, to bring his vision for Le Diplomate to life. Hausman and colleague Jessica Kimberley scoured France for artifacts and have brought together a pleasing assemblage of pieces that recreate the feel of an authentic French bistro, notably the large zinc bar.
In the May 2013 Issue
Grandmother Russia
At Mari Vanna, Hospitality Complements Hearty Fare
by Rachel G. Hunt
Eating out in Washington got a little cozier — Slavic style — in January when Mari Vanna opened downtown. Defying the minimalist and industrial chic trends that have been prevalent in the area for some time now, Mari Vanna's delightfully overstuffed interior surrounds visitors with chintzes and china. Chandeliers, Russian tchotchkes, bookshelves, old family photos and comfortable worn rugs combine to create the feeling of being in someone's dining room. And that's the whole point.
Mari Vanna was a mythical Russian grandmother who invited weary travelers into her home and fed them traditional dishes and drinks before sending them on their journeys. The restaurant recreates this legend of Russian hospitality embodied in Mari Vanna in a 6,500-square-foot eatery on Connecticut Avenue. Patrons are welcomed warmly by staff and shown to tables where heavy dark bread made with dried fruits, fresh green onions and radishes, with salt and oil for dipping, arrive to satisfy the hungriest and heartiest of travelers.
In the April 2013 Issue
Hidden Garden
Jardenea's Farm-to-Fork Approach Checks in to Rejuvenate Melrose Hotel
by Rachel G. Hunt
There is a well-kept secret in Foggy Bottom. Tucked away in an inconspicuous corner of the newly renovated Melrose Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue, Jardenea is a talented newcomer that's plating out beautiful and flavorful dishes for lucky hotel guests and local diners who have discovered the secret.
When Remington Hospitality Services undertook its distinctive revamp of the Melrose Hotel near Georgetown, they set out to create a restaurant that matched the elegantly chic new feel of the boutique property. To do that, they brought in a team from their One Ocean Resort and Spa in Atlantic Beach, Fla. Culinary Director Ted Peters and executive chef Nate Lindsay, previously from Azurea, the acclaimed restaurant at One Ocean, hope to repeat their success in Washington by making Jardenea a refuge for hotel guests and a destination dining spot for area residents.
Though newcomers to D.C., Peters and Lindsay are well versed in the slow food paradigm prevalent in Washington fine dining. They describe Jardenea's farm-to-fork take on the concept as "inventive, current and conscientious." (Jardenea derives its name from the French word for garden, jardin.)
In the March 2013 Issue
Balkan Modernization
At Ambar, Serbian Native Re-Imagines Hearty Fare Through Modern Filter
by Rachel G. Hunt
In January, Ivan Iricanin opened his first restaurant in D.C., Ambar, finally realizing his wish to give Washington-area diners a chance to sample the cuisine of his native Serbia. Knowing that Balkan cuisine — especially in its purest traditional form — might be too much for American palates, even in an internationally savvy city like Washington, Iricanin decided to give his menu a modern twist.
Iricanin had help from his partner chef/restaurateur Richard Sandoval and friend and colleague Kaz Okochi. The team that created the popular restaurants Masa 14 and El Centro have been successful at introducing new cuisines to the area and knew what they had to do with Ambar.
To create the right menu, last summer Iricanin took a tasting trip to the Balkans, where he immersed himself in the cuisine while looking for the right staff to lead the kitchen. He discovered a creative young chef in Belgrade who was already reinterpreting traditional Serbian dishes through a modern filter at his restaurant Mala Fabrika Ukusa (which translates to Little Factory of Taste). The team invited chef Bojan Bocvarov to take on the challenging job of transforming the protein-rich, fat-laden cuisine of Serbia and the Balkans into dishes that would be accessible to American diners.
In the February 2013 Issue
Impressive Range
Voltaggio Migrates to Chevy Chase With Emporium of Specialties
by Rachel G. Hunt
Locally grown celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio has returned to the Washington area with Range, his new venture in Friendship Heights that gives diners a chance to discover what Frederick, Md., has been enjoying since Voltaggio left Charlie Palmer Steak in 2008 to open Volt, his first solo venture in his hometown.
A year later, he and his brother Michael were the finalists on Bravo TV's hit show "Top Chef," catapulting both to culinary fame. Michael took the title of "Top Chef," but Bryan certainly hasn't done too badly for himself. The James Beard Award nominee continued to rack up awards and acclaim for Volt, which put Frederick on the dining map (also see "After Four Years of Fame, Volt Still Energizes Historic Frederick" in the August 2012 issue of The Washington Diplomat).
Also See: Civil Cigar Lounge is a rare treat, offering up one of the few premium cigar lounges in the entire area.
In the January 2013 Issue
Buben Branches Out
New Woodward Eatery Earns Well-Deserved Spot at the Table
by Rachel G. Hunt
For almost two decades, chef Jeffrey Buben has helped shape the D.C. dining scene. With the opening of Vidalia, his lauded Southern-infused modern American restaurant in 1993, Buben set a high standard early on for fine dining in the District.
With an almost obsessive reputation for quality, Buben led Vidalia from one accolade to another, garnering practically every major culinary award the area has to offer. Following on Vidalia's success, Buben opened Bistro Bis in 1998 to almost equal acclaim. Located in the Hotel George, the contemporary French restaurant quickly became a Capitol Hill fixture. For the next 15 years, Buben and his staff turned in consistently superior performances at both locations, along the way training several young chefs who went on to make names for themselves, including Peter Smith of PS 7's, Eric Ziebold of CityZen, and R.J. Cooper of Rogue 24.
In the December 2012 Issue
Tight Ship
Geoff Tracy Applies Statistician's Eye To Replicate Success of Chef Geoff's
by Rachel G. Hunt
In September, Geoff Tracy expanded his growing culinary imprint with Chef Geoff's Rockville, bringing his hard-nosed business approach that has built up a string of successful area restaurants to a location that could use it. Chef Geoff's Rockville fills a void in the old space that once housed Houston's restaurant for many years, and more recently was the site of the defunct British gastro pub Againn Tavern.
The expansion of Tracy's evolving dining empire to the Maryland suburbs (there are two other Chef Geoff's in Washington, D.C., and one in Tysons Corner, Va., as well as Lia's in Chevy Chase, Md.) will introduce Rockville diners to the casual-fine dining formula, dictated by exacting standards, that has made his other restaurants popular hotspots.
In the November 2012 Issue
Busy Isabella
'Top Chef' Vet Adds Bandolero To Growing Local Empire
by Rachel G. Hunt
Chef Mike Isabella is a busy man — and a growing brand. Not that long ago, the tattooed "Top Chef" contender turned D.C. culinary restaurant phenom was dishing out Mediterranean tapas at Zaytinya under the watchful eye of José Andrés. But since his last appearance on Bravo's proving ground for aspiring celebrity chefs in 2011, Isabella has opened two unique concept restaurants — Graffiato and Bandolero — and has two more in the works (the Greek-themed Kapnos and a sandwich spot called G).
He's also got a new cookbook and just last month was designated a State Chef as part of the State Department's Diplomatic Culinary Partnership program (see story). His new title added a few embassy stops and outreach meetings with restaurant owners and vendors to his recent trip to Greece and Turkey, which he took to conduct research for one of his upcoming projects.
In the October 2012 Issue
Going Whole Hog
At the Pig, No Animal (Part) Is Left Behind
by Rachel G. Hunt
When founders David Winer, Antonio Oquendo and Josh Hahn created EatWell DC in 2003, they wanted to give local residents good and affordable dining-out options in Logan Circle and the surrounding area, options they believed were sorely lacking at the time.
Beginning with Logan Tavern, the group expanded to include Commissary and the Heights, also bringing Winer's previously owned Grillfish into the fold. While the company keeps growing, the opening of its newest place, the Pig on 14th Street just north of Logan Circle, represents a departure, and downsizing, of sorts.
The Pig is a cozy neighborhood spot that's smaller than other EatWell establishments — seating only 80 diners (with another 15 at the bar). It's also more of a concept-driven destination than its sister ventures, which focus more broadly on American cuisine.
But that doesn't mean the Pig is any less ambitious — quite the opposite. It goes whole hog, literally.
In the September 2012 Issue
French Fixture
La Côte D'Or Brings Café Coziness to Virginia
by Rachel G. Hunt
Just off Route 66 in a rapidly transitioning area on the Falls Church-Arlington border sits a squat little building that looks a bit out of place amid the recent development. The building is the home of La Côte D'Or Café, a cozy, romantic spot for a special occasion or just an excellent meal. Though it's been a long-time favorite of many loyal patrons, the French eatery remains relatively unknown to those outside of Northern Virginia.
La Côte D'Or is the inspiration of Raymond and Lynne Campet. Veterans of the D.C. restaurant world, the Campets sold their enormously popular French restaurant on Capitol Hill, La Brasserie, in 1992 to open a new restaurant closer to home.
In the August 2012 Issue
Electrifying Run
After Four Years of Fame, Volt Still Energizes Historic Frederick
by Rachel G. Hunt
Nestled on the piedmont of Catoctin Mountain, Frederick is a charming small city in Maryland that has a long, rich history, as well as a bright future. Since it was laid out as a town in 1745 by German settlers less than 50 miles north of Washington, D.C., Frederick has played an important role in Maryland's history, serving as a strategic crossroad between east and west, north and south. So perhaps it is not surprising that it should be the birthplace of a pair of talented young brothers destined to establish themselves as important players in the evolving contemporary American fine dining movement.
In the July 2012 Issue
Wine and Dine
The Curious Grape Satisfies Both Oenophiles and Foodies
by Rachel G. Hunt
When the owners of the Curious Grape wine shop lost their lease in May last year, they were faced with both a challenge and an opportunity. After 10 years in Shirlington, Va., during which time they garnered praise as one of the Washington area's top wine shops and venues for private wine tastings, they wanted to find a new location in Shirlington Village that would be convenient to loyal customers. Changing space gave owners Suzanne McGrath and Katie Park, both of whom hold certifications from the Society of Wine Educators, the chance to bring to life an idea that had been percolating for some time.
In the June 2012 Issue
Nightclub with Taste
Lima Broadens Its Base With Latin-Asian Fujimar
by Rachel G. Hunt
Washington's pulsating nightlife scene is usually more flash than substance when it comes to the food, but every once in a while, culinary quality shines through the glam.
In February, local hospitality entrepreneur and promoter Masoud Aboughaddareh reopened the restaurant at his popular K Street nightclub Lima. With a new concept and design, Fujimar intends to up the culinary stakes and broaden its young club-going customer base with a nouveau Asian-Latin theme.
In developing the menu, executive chef Raynold Mendizabal explores how Asian immigrants to Latin America may have adapted their cuisine to the new ingredients and culture they encountered. (Diners familiar with the former Lima's menu will see some continuity between the new and old menus.)
In the May 2012 Issue
Casual Comeback
Can Low-Key La Forchetta Resurrect Roberto Donna?
by Rachel G. Hunt
The much-acclaimed and much-talked-about chef Roberto Donna has returned, once again, to Washington, D.C. Joining forces with Hakan Ilhan, a highly successful local restaurateur, Donna has taken the executive chef role at La Forchetta, an Italian trattoria in the Spring Valley neighborhood on the edge of American University's campus.
When Donna left the area after Galileo III, his highly touted comeback venture, shuttered last fall amid widely reported legal and financial troubles, it looked like it would finally be the end of an era marked by incredible highs and lows. A protégé and partner of iconic chef Jean-Louis Palladin, Donna himself was responsible for developing many of the area's top chefs in his various kitchens.
In the April 2012 Issue
Madison's Rebirth
The Federalist Harkens Back To Different Time — Sometimes
by Rachel G. Hunt
When the iconic Madison hotel was purchased last year by Atlanta-based real estate investment firm Jamestown Properties, the new owners set out to restore the property to its former glory as the hotel of choice for statesman, politicians and celebrities alike. The plan included a complete makeover of the interior and a new restaurant that would link the hotel to its historical referents.
It was the latest reincarnation of a hotel that seemed to be experiencing an identity crisis of sorts — the type that periodically afflicts many of the city's historic properties as they find themselves tugged by the desire to preserve their traditional appeal on the one hand, while keeping up with the changing times on the other.
In particular, the Madison, opened in 1963, has sometimes struggled to balance its historic character with its modern leanings (most evident in the building's contemporary façade), but a $20 million renovation seems to have struck the right blend of old and new.
In the March 2012 Issue
Acacia Act II
New Chef Rejuvenates Casual But Creative Bistro
by Rachel G. Hunt
Acacia Bistro and Wine Bar is the type of place that you might drive or walk by time and again before you even realized it was there. A small spot, seating only 60 people in the dining room and eight at the bar (95 with outside dining area), Acacia takes advantage of its corner location on Connecticut Avenue and Yuma Street with huge windows on two sides that let in plenty of light, even on drab winter days. The sidewalk seating expands the space significantly and is a lovely spot for clement days any time of year.
In the February 2012 Issue
Intoxicating Elisir
Fine Dining is in the Details At Enzo Fargione's New Eatery
by Michael Coleman
A decade ago, Penn Quarter was a culinary wasteland; today, it's pure gourmet glitz.
With gentrification, cheap Chinese takeouts faded as Oya and Sei began serving up sumptuous sushi and sultry ambience. Rasika showed us Indian food could be saucy and chic. Proof seduced with upscale comfort food, bold wines and big buzz. Today, neighborhood chef Michel Richard is even trying to make meatballs cool.
Penn Quarter's ongoing evolution has sparked intense interest in the downtown restaurant scene. But unfortunately, a refined dining experience can be hard to find amid all the hype.
In the January 2012 Issue
Lucky Route 13
Charlotte Hotel in Onancock Offers Delectable Eastern Shore Escape
by Rachel G. Hunt
Wintertime in Washington, especially after the holiday madness winds down, can be a bleak, even boring time. But that's all the more reason to venture out of town for a short daytime excursion. Local getaways are not only for the prime spring and summer months — they also make for nice wintry escapes, especially when there's good food at the end of your destination that offers a welcome change of pace to D.C.'s frenetically ultra-trendy dining scene.
Blink twice though and you may miss the turn off Route 13 that takes you west and back through time to the small former colonial tobacco port of Onancock, Virginia. Located at the southern end of the Delmarva Peninsula, Onancock sits on a small area at the head of Onancock Creek
In the December 2011 Issue
Fame and Substance
Mike Isabella's Graffiato: 'Top Chef' Recognition with Jersey Italian Roots
by Anna Gawel
Photo: Jessica Latos
The Blacks are back with their fifth restaurant, continuing with the quality, seafood-driven concept that's earned Jeff and Barbara Black local acclaim while venturing into new territory: the trendier urban confines of downtown D.C. The husband-and-wife chef-owners behind Black Restaurant Group, responsible for BlackSalt, Black's Bar and Kitchen, Black Market Bistro and Addie's, have churned out another gem with a bright future in Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and the separate bar space Black Jack along 14th Street in Logan Circle.
Having hewn closer to the outskirts of Washington, D.C., in suburbs such as Bethesda and Rockville, Md., Pearl Dive marks the Blacks' first foray into a more up-and-coming downtown locale. Up-and-coming though is a clichéd description of Logan Circle, which in recent years has firmly established itself as a destination in its own right, very much in the youthful bohemian spirit of the U Street or H Street corridors.
In the October and November 2011 Issues
Rachel Hunt's Dining column is on a temporary haitus and will return in December.
In the September 2011 Issue
Fame and Substance
Mike Isabella's Graffiato: 'Top Chef' Recognition with Jersey Italian Roots
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
In June, the Chinatown/Penn Quarter transformation continued with the opening of chef Mike Isabella's first restaurant, Graffiato, in an abandoned print press building on 6th Street. After three successful years as the executive chef of Zaytinya under the direction of José Andrés during which time Isabella's work garnered much critical acclaim, and two stints on television in Bravo's popular show "Top Chef," Isabella has turned his attention to a project that allows him to explore the possibilities of the traditional Italian cooking he learned from his grandmother growing up in New Jersey.
Using a small plates concept, Isabella has designed a menu that brings together influences from his prior work in New York, Philadelphia and Atlanta, as well as his travels where he mastered the nuances of Latin, Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine.
In the August 2011 Issue
Hearty Cheers
The Queen Vic British Pub Adds Royal Fun to H Street
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
The evolving Atlas District, heart of the H Street corridor revitalization in Northeast, became a bit more spirited this spring with the opening of the Queen Vic British pub. The brainchild of Ryan Gordon and his British wife Roneeka Bhagotra, as well as partner Kevin Bombardier, the Queen Vic is named after a pub in the long-running British television soap opera "EastEnders."
Like its namesake, the Vic gives guests a glimpse of this storied English tradition, offering them first and foremost a comfortable spot to — what else? — drink. The Queen Vic's drink list features more than 30 beers from Great Britain as well as a few Indian varieties that pair nicely with the curries on the menu.For the more adventurous, the Vic offers beer and hard cider-based cocktails that are nothing if not inventive. Noel's seduction, a bizarre concoction of Guinness, Kahlua and Frangelico, is dark, rich and makes a perfect dessert if you forgo the more solid options.
In the July 2011 Issue
Savvy Business
901: Von Storch's Latest Venture Is Smart Addition to Penn Quarter
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
Washington's Penn Quarter neighborhood continues to evolve as one of the area's premier dining destinations with the opening of 901 Restaurant and Bar. Located at 9th and I Streets across from the Washington Convention Center, 901 is the first upscale venue for developer David von Storch, owner and president of Urban Adventure Companies Inc., the group responsible for the Capitol City Brewing Company as well as an expanding D.C.-based Vida Fitness.
Through his latest restaurant, von Storch aims to offer diners the kind of high-end experience that typifies his other ventures. To achieve the look, he turned to Stoneking/ von Storch Architects, his brother Stephen's Virginia-based company, as well as Hallock Design Group out of Miami to create an industrial chic space that is stunningly eye-catching.
In the June 2011 Issue
Healthy Appetite
Seasons 52 Satisfies With Fresh, Affordable, Filling Food
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
Seasons 52, a Florida-based chain noted for its fresh and healthy cuisine, opened its 17th restaurant — and the first located in the Washington area — last month, just in time for the "quick let's get fit for the summer" season that's suddenly upon us. After months of being wrapped in heavy sweaters and stoking the fires with rich, heavy comfort food to stave off the cold, appetites turn to lighter fare. And Seasons is the perfect place to feed that need while staying fit.
As the name suggests, Seasons has a menu that is reworked four times a year to reflect seasonal availability, while adding new dishes weekly to capture ingredients at their peak of flavor and quality — inspired by the fresh appeal of farmer's markets that generally last 52 weeks a year (hence the second reference in the name). The Seasons 52 concept, which originated in Orlando in 2003 with the opening of the first Seasons, pairs the trend of seasonal-based freshness with the growing desire to eat well while still feeling well about it.
In the May 2011 Issue
Soul Searching
Michel Richard Ventures Into Virginia Carrying Echoes of His D.C. Restaurants
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
Michel Richard has been wooing Washington diners since he launched Citronelle in 1994, his flagship restaurant that immediately took hold and catapulted Richard — and in the process, Washington, D.C. — from national to international acclaim. Richard's particular brand of California-nuanced French (or is it French-infused California?) was new to the area and set the watermark for fine dining that emphasized lighter and more creative dishes with a dash of humor.
Following the success of Citronelle, Richard eventually separated from his other ventures in California to make the East Coast his base, opening a second D.C. restaurant, Central, in 2007. Joining the ranks of celebrity chefs wishing to offer diners a more accessible venue to taste their wares, Richard designed Central along the bistro line and developed a menu that included classic yet casual foods such as burgers and fries, fried chicken, mussels and ribs. While the palate is very different, the approach to the food is much the same, whimsy in conception and design, with devout seriousness paid to the execution. Central has indeed been noted for offering the quality and consistency of its much pricier cousin.
In the April 2011 Issue
Reliable Source
Newseum Restaurant Delivers Puck the Chef, Not the Celebrity
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
Being stuck in airports several times this winter, I had idle time to consider the ubiquity of the Wolfgang Puck Express kiosks and eateries that seem to have sprouted like mushrooms in response to the airlines' decision that they aren't, after all, really responsible for feeding their passengers anymore. After so much growth, diversification and sheer market saturation — have you bought the latest Puck casserole dish? — I wondered how the rest of Puck's culinary empire was faring, and whether his brand success has impacted the quality of his bread and butter: the celebrity chef's signature restaurants. A visit to The Source sheds some light on whether Puck has become more celebrity than chef.
Born in Austria, Puck began cooking, sometimes as a pastry chef, with his mother when he was a child. After stints in some of the best kitchens in France, including Maxim's in Paris, he was advised by a friend to come to the United States, and the rest, as they say, is history.
In the March 2011 Issue
Dim Sum Deliciousness
Ping Pong's Little Parcels of Creativity Pack Big Flavor
by Rachel G. Hunt
Photo: Jessica Latos
Welcoming the Chinese New Year and the "year of the golden rabbit" seemed to call for firecrackers and dancing dragons, so on a recent chilly February morning we headed out to Chinatown for our annual dose of sparkly cordite and savory Asian fare. It also seemed like the perfect occasion to stop by Ping Pong Dim Sum to see how things have evolved since its opening a little over a year ago.
Less than two blocks from the iconic Chinatown arch, Ping Pong Dim Sum is worlds away from the old-fashioned Chinatown of yesteryear. And although the restaurant, like many of the hotspots that have opened up since the Verizon Center inspired revitalization of the area, is part of a chain, it's a far cry from the formulaic tourist traps that are crowding out the neighborhood's original inhabitants.
