Fried fugu. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user istolethetv.

There’s no more notorious food than fugu—a.k.a. puffer fish, a potentially deadly Japanese delicacy. So young sushi chef Jason Zheng caused a stir when he told the City Paper's Chris Shott that he hoped to offer puffer at the Hamilton, a new downtown DC 24-hour mega-eatery whose offerings include sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls.

In Japan, sushi chefs-in-training test their skills by how well they can carve puffer. The fish contains a poison 20 times as lethal as cyanide. If the chef fails to remove the tetrodotoxin, diners are in danger. In Tokyo last November, a woman almost died after eating fugu liver at a two-Michelin-star establishment. The chef who prepared it was suspended for serving such a dangerous morsel.

Only one known Washington-area restaurant currently serves fugu: Kaz Sushi Bistro in DC’s Foggy Bottom. Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi orders the fish from Wako International Corp. in New York City, the only fugu importer approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Only a select group of restaurants are certified by Wako to buy the fish, and Wako lobbied for years to get approval; all of the company’s fish comes from Shimonoseki, Japan, home to an expert group of slicers trained to remove all traces of tetrodotoxin. The fish doesn’t come cheap: Okochi paid Wako $90 a pound for farm-raised fugu in 2011. The prices proved too steep for Terry Segawa, owner of Bethesda’s Tako Grill, who says he stopped serving fugu in 2010 due to rising costs.

When a twice-yearly shipment comes in, Okochi creates a $150 dinner featuring various preparations. He says he thinks his diners, most of them American, understand that fugu served stateside in legal restaurants is about as safe as any other sushi: “They don’t pay $150 to die from eating dinner.”

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Corduroy chef Tom Power (center) and wife Natsu Onoda Power talk wine with Cashion’s general manager Justin Abad.

It seems like much of Washington tucks into bed before midnight, but that’s when a night kicks into gear for many of the area’s chefs, line cooks, and bartenders. What are their top spots for fueling up and relaxing after a long day?

Chefs Omar Rodriguez of Jaleo Crystal City and Ruben Garcia of parent company Think Food Group hit the Passenger in downtown DC (1021 Seventh St., NW; 202-393-0220) for such late-night eats as a kimchee-topped hot dog or hummus with fava beans. Though Tom Brown’s amusing cocktail names—such as the Cougar Tail, a mix of Calvados, allspice liqueur, and lime juice—may entice some, this duo sticks to Manhattans, Sazeracs, or beer in a can, preferably Dale’s Pale Ale, Porkslap, or even Pabst Blue Ribbon.

Passenger mixologist Derek Brown occasionally goes for some Old World charm at Georgetown’s Bistro Français (3124 M St., NW; 202-338-3830), which serves until 3 am weekdays, 4 am weekends. “After a 12-hour shift,” he says, “what would you rather eat—a trio of foie gras textures or roast chicken and fries?”

Ed Witt of 701 in DC’s Penn Quarter likes the bars at the nearby restaurants Proof (775 G St., NW; 202-737-7663) and the Source (575 Pennsylvania Ave., NW; 202-637-6100); he’s often joined by chef pals including Graffiato’s Mike Isabella, Bibiana’s Nick Stefanelli, Proof’s Haidar Karoum, and the Source’s Scott Drewno.

Call ahead and BlackSalt's M.J. Gimbar can order hard-to-get fish. Photograph by Scott Suchman

Just like fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish have seasons. We asked Jeff Black of DC’s BlackSalt seafood market to suggest other choices if what you’re looking for isn’t available. Plus, sustainability expert Barton Seaver gave us tips on what to avoid no matter what month it is.

For Grilling: Fish with some heft lend themselves to the grates of a grill—salmon, tuna, and swordfish are all popular. Chef Barton Seaver likes the smoky flavor grilling gives bluefish and wild striped bass. He also recommends shucking oysters and placing them cup side down—to cook in their juices—and drizzling them with a bit of herb butter.

Buying half a cow might sound daunting. But if you have enough freezer space and like to get creative with unusual cuts of meat, buying bulk orders of beef, lamb, and pork straight from the farm save money. Here are three farms area locavores swear by.

Former restaurant chef Jamie Stachowski now makes great charcuterie.

Two former restaurant chefs are running mobile butcher shops. Former Tallula chef Nathan Anda brings Red Apron Butchery to farmers markets in DC’s Dupont Circle (20th St., NW, between Q St. and Massachusetts Ave.) and Penn Quarter (Eighth St., NW, between D and E sts.). He also sells at Planet Wine. Anda turns local meats into bacon pastrami, Italian-style cold cuts, and a marvelously garlicky saucisson. Later this year, he plans to open a USDA-certified headquarters where meat will be butchered and sold as well as a string of smaller butcher shops. Jamie Stachowski of the late Restaurant Kolumbia supplies many top kitchens with Stachowski Brand Charcuterie, but his boldly flavored meats (sausages, cured meats including bresaola and coppa, galantines, and terrines) are available at farmers markets in Alexandria (301 King St.), Falls Church (300 Park Ave.), and DC’s Palisades (48th Pl. and MacArthur Blvd., NW).