About Dan About Town
Party photographer Dan Swartz’s diary of bashes, benefits, and galas.
Leave it to Wolfgang Puck to bring to the table (literally) a crowd of Washington’s most notable residents, including ambassadors, journalists, philanthropists, business leaders, and administration officials, for yesterday’s opening celebration of the world famous chef’s latest restaurant.
CUT by Wolfgang Puck, located inside the newly renovated Rosewood Washington D.C. hotel in Georgetown, formally fêted its launch Tuesday evening with a spirited reception that stretched well past its official end time.
That should come as no surprise given the sumptuous spread of the restaurant’s menu offerings made available to guests, including passed caviar bites, mini beef heart skewers, warm biscuits and Edwards country ham, and a raw bar that kept churning out spoon and platefuls of locally sourced rockfish and tuna tartare. And that was all before you got to the kitchen-side meat-carving stations featuring whole bone-in New York strip steak and Peking duck.
While the CUT concept–a “refined steak restaurant”–isn’t new (outposts already exist in New York, Las Vegas, and Beverly Hills) to foodies, executive chef Andrew Skala was still intent on differentiating the DC location from its peers by specifically highlighting the culinary diversity of the Mid-Atlantic region. Signature steaks can therefore be found on the menu alongside dishes that source ingredients from local ranchers, farmers, and fisherman, including Virginia Black Bass with baby artichokes and Fire-Roasted Eggplant with green curry, crispy garlic and dill.
Puck was even quick to personally jump behind the stove last night and whip-up some Sweet Corn Tortelloni with Kewsick Creamy ricotta and marjoram for Politico Publisher Robert Allbritton and his wife, Dr. Elena Allbritton, and CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer!
Yet food is only half of the equation at CUT, which also boasts an extensive beverage program. The cocktail and wine list features offerings from several local vineyards and distilleries, such as a private label rye whiskey from Catoctin Creek Distillery. A dedicated Negroni section with five different concoctions, as well as a roving beverage cart serving Old Fashioneds made-to-order, round out the menu.
The vibe at Tuesday’s celebration was more neighborhood housewarming than blowout bash, with nearby Georgetown residents forming a significant portion of the crowd. Indeed, Wolfgang is no stranger to Washington having made frequent trips to the city over the past decade and was quick to pickup conversations with old friends where they last left them during his most recent visit. All over a brimming plate of food and a freshly topped-off glass, of course…
