Just as Mother’s Day centers on brunch, the chosen man-tivity for Father’s Day revolves around the grill. Whether you’re planning on a gift that will set the course for his summer barbecues or a special meal to distract him from his ’cueless city life, we have a few ideas in mind.
If you haven’t purchased a present, consider a grilling class at Acadiana for you and your pop. The course, which will be held on the restaurant’s outdoor patio this Saturday from 1 to 3 PM, includes tips on how to prepare dishes like whole pig, Wagyu skirt steak, and shrimp, and summery sides such as grilled ricotta salata and tomato salad. The best part: A sit-down lunch of all the above is included, alongside unlimited wine and beer for dads ($85 per person). E-mail for reservations, or call 202-408-0201.
For dads who like to unwrap their surprise before hitting the barbecue, we have a gift guide with plenty of flame-friendly items. Top picks: a pirate-chef apron, a cookbook for creating rock-and-roll Malaysian barbecue, and/or the perfect gin for mixing a fireside G&T.
Sometimes taking the helm and letting dad kick back is the best present of all. Gear up for the grill with tips for the perfect burger from the sultan of Ray’s restaurants, Michael Landrum, or two beefy recipes from Bourbon Steak toque Adam Sobel (yes, they were for Valentine’s Day, but you can show love to Dad, too).
Not a red-meat eater? One of our all-time favorite finds is the marinated, spiced-grilled chicken from chef Haidar Karoum. The flavorful chicken thigh is the hidden gem on Estadio’s menu, and perfect for restaurant-size parties, as most of the work can be done a day in advance.
For city-dwelling dads who love smoke but don’t have access to fire, check out our review of the Smoking Gun (just think of it as a handheld Big Green Egg). Another good cheat: a precooked, two-pound porchetta (a.k.a pork-belly-wrapped pork loin) from Red Apron, available for preorder online and pickup at farmers market stops like Dupont Circle or Penn Quarter. All it requires is a quick crisp in the oven, and your urban dad will forget his open-fire fantasies as he slips into a porky haze.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
