Every week, Washingtonian food editor Jessica Sidman rehashes the latest news from Washington’s food and drink scene in a newsletter, which you can subscribe to here.
Hi there,
Food Editor Jessica here for your weekly food news update.
The Nationals’ home opener is just days away (April 3), which means it’s time to brush up on the latest stadium food offerings. New this season: “loaded” tater tots from a stall called See. You. Tater., gelato-babka push-pops from On Rye, bao buns from Budweiser Brew House, and much more. Also, there’s now a nifty app that let’s you skip the concession lines and order food and drinks directly from different vendors.
What else should you be eating right now? Sandwiches. My colleague Ann Limpert writes in this month’s print issue about the state of the sandwich in DC. Spoiler alert: it’s strong, particularly at places like Chase the Submarine, Smoked and Stacked, Pineapple and Pearls’ daytime cafe.
Speaking of which, Pineapple and Pearls chef/owner Aaron Silverman might be moving that cafe to a new location. He’s in talks to take over the historic carriage house that’s home to Capitol Hill’s Bayou Bakery. Assuming all goes as planned, Silverman would serve sandwiches, pastries, and coffee throughout the day and wine and small plates in the evenings.
Another wine bar to get excited about: Maxwell Park coming to Shaw in April from sommelier Brent Kroll. The menu will have some fun rotating themes like wines from islands or volcanic soil. There will also be some savory cocktails and bites from chef Tony Conte, who worked with Kroll at Oval Room and now owns Inferno Pizzeria Napoletana.
There are plenty of new openings to keep you occupied in the meantime. Here are the highlights:
Arroz
Mike Isabella’s most ambitious restaurant to date takes on Spanish cuisine. The restaurateur behind Kapnos and Graffiato is trying to set the place apart from the competition by drawing inspiration from Portugal and Morocco as well as southern Spain. You also won’t find tapas, although sharing is still encouraged.
Le DeSales
French-Belgian chef Raphael Francois earned Michelin stars in London and spent two years at New York’s Le Cirque. Now, he’s overseeing the kitchen at this modern French bistro, opening today in downtown DC. We’re intrigued by his whole roast chicken for two, and the cocktails from Cotton & Reed’s Lukas Smith.
Rosario
DC has lots of fancy Italian places, but if you’re craving some Italian-American comforts, you might want to check out Adams Morgan’s latest addition. Smoke and Barrel chef Logan McGear is making his own pastas and offering classics like osso bucco and parmigiana with a choice of eggplant, veal, and chicken (or even vegan chicken).
Have a good week, everyone! Comments? Questions? Email me at jsidman@washingtonian.com.
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Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
