Move over, cronuts and attendant “doissant” knockoffs: Another food with a cult-like following is getting spun in DC. Degrees at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown revamped its menu earlier this week, and now features ramen sliders. The original ramen burger from chef Keizo Shimamoto caused hours-long waits and crowds of thousands when it was served at food festivals in New York and Los Angeles, and has become the white whale of the meat-and-bun world.
The full-size original features a “ramen bun” made of fried noodles, which hugs a beef burger, scallions, arugula, and shoyu sauce. The miniature version from Ritz chef Quang Duong differs in size as well as toppings. Two petite patties arrive garnished with hoisin, Sriracha aïoli, lettuce, and tomato. The noodle bun (the essence of the ramen burger) is a similar makeup of bound ramen noodles, with each half getting a light sear for crunch.
The soup-burger hybrid isn’t the only mashup—or en trend dish—on Quang’s new menu. Influenced by his Asian and French cooking background, you’ll find dishes such as a duck confit bánh mì and French onion soup dumplings—xiaolongbao (steamed buns) filled with soupe à l’oignon and topped with melted Gruyère and a brioche crouton. New cocktails also reflect popular trends. Ever had a shot of Fireball whiskey, one of the current “it” shooters of the college crowd? Well, now you can try the house-made (and, shall we say, handcrafted) version, wherein Maker’s Mark is infused with cinnamon and mixed into a Manhattan-like cocktail. I’ll take mine by the fire.
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.
