Adams Morgan’s Jack Rose has long been known for boasting the most extensive whiskey selection in Washington, with a collection that clocks in around 1,600 bottles. With that kind of drinking reputation, food hasn’t always been the main focus. Now owner Bill Thomas and his team have hired chef Russell Jones to revamp the menu, drawing in diners with whiskey-friendly Southern fare.
Jones, a former Restaurant Eve sous chef and alum of Le Paradou and Vinoteca, looks to his South Carolina roots for inspiration. Snackers at the bar can nibble smoked whiskey wings and shrimp hushpuppies with Old Bay aïoli for dunking, or grab friends for a two- to four-person “supper plate” heaped with pickled veggies, deviled eggs, pimiento cheese, and more. Seasonal entrées run the gamut from comfort fare, such as a bone-in pork chop with braised collards and polenta, to lighter options like Swiss-chard agnolotti and grouper with shiitakes and ginger. On the side: skillet cornbread with honey butter and house bacon jam.
The new lineup launches Monday in the dining saloon and will be offered from 5 to 10 Sunday through Wednesday and 5 to 11 Thursday through Saturday. Night owls can drop by late for an abbreviated offering> of snacks such as freshly shucked oysters and house fries, served until 1 on Friday and Saturday night.
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.
