Specialty Food Magazine is the leading publication for retailers, manufacturers and foodservice professionals in the specialty food trade. It provides news, trends and business-building insights that help readers keep their businesses competitive.
Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/62387
District Commons RESTAURANT GUIDE A massive raw bar and spacious Mintwood Place's Cedric Maupillier Rogue 24 The intriguing juxtaposition of a fine-dining restaurant set up in a gritty city alley is just one of the draws at Chef R.J. Cooper's Rogue 24. Located in the Shaw neighbor- hood's historic Blagden Alley, the restaurant offers a signature 24-course tasting menu, as well as a 16-course menu, both available with creative beverage pairings. Cooper and his team construct each petite avant-garde dish from a gorgeous open kitchen in the center of the dining room. For a taste of the experience, a salon in front serves a la carte dishes and handcrafted cocktails to walk-in guests. 922 N St. NW (entrance on Blagden Alley); 202.408.9724. $$$$ CITY FAVORITES Bibiana Some of the best Italian fare in the city can be found at Ashok Bajaj's chic Bibiana. Go-to signatures on chef Nick Stefanelli's menu include black spaghetti with Maryland lump crab and dates stuffed with foie gras mousse. The chef's creativ- ity comes through in dishes like burnt lounge make District Commons a popular hangout, and the American comfort food makes it a worthy dinner date. wheat cavatelli with coffee-fennel sausage, kale and red chile. See if the weekday bar lunch special—one of the city's best bargains—is on offer: your choice of pasta with wine or soda and sorbet, which will set you back only $15. 1100 New York Ave. NW; 202.216.9550. $$$ Birch and Barley & Churchkey The beer program at this Logan Circle hotspot may be the best in the country, but the selection of 550 or so brews are certainly not the only attraction. Husband-and-wife team chef Kyle Bailey and pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac create a seasonal American menu, while beer director Greg Engert wrangles the impressive list of brews. Owner Michael Babin and his team are building a brewery near the Nationals baseball stadium to start producing their own craft beers. 1337 14th St. NW; 202.567.2576. $$$ Central Chef Michel Richard's Citronelle is one of the city's best fine-dining spots, but head to Central for a more egalitarian taste of Richard's whimsical cooking. The lively brasserie pays homage to the chef's favor- 70 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com ite American foods, alongside unmistakably French dishes. That means New England clam chowder shares the menu with steak tartare. The playful "faux gras" is made with chicken liver, and the lobster burger is a worthy splurge at $30. 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202.626.0015. $$$ Estadio Crowds flock to this buzzing Spanish joint for the excellent tapas. Start off a meal with a gin and housemade tonic or a "slushito," boozy frozen slushies that change flavors to suit the season, like coconut with rum, lemon grass and lime. Then fill the table with shareable dishes like garlic sauteed shrimp, blistered shishito peppers and roasted baby chorizos with house-made potato chips. Weekend brunch brings fried eggs with morcilla hash and Spanish toast with walnut butter. 1520 14th St. NW; 202.319.1404. $$ Proof Whether for a celebratory meal or a casual bite at the bar, Proof hits a multipurpose sweet spot in the nation's capitol. With his first restaurant, wine aficionado Mark PHOTO: COURTESY OF SCOTT SUCHMAN PHOTO: COURTESY OF LEN DEPAS PHOTOGRAPHY