Rammy nominations announced!

RISING STAR CHEFS ... Liam LaCivita, The Liberty Tavern; Jon Mathieson – Inox, Mike Isabella Zaytinya; Nicholas Stefanelli – Bibiana; Shannon Overmiller – Majestic Café. Photo by Michael Birchenall http://bit.ly/d6XeMU

On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, restaurateurs, celebrity chefs and key restaurant industry players flocked to The Ritz-Carlton in Washington, DC for a celebration as the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington announced the 2010 RAMMY Award Nominees. Hosted by emcees Nycci and David Nellis, hosts of Dishing it Out on Federal News Radio, Washington, DC’s only food and beverage centric radio show.

The nominees for the DC’s “Oscars” annual restaurant awards, aka the Rammys Winners from the following categories will be chosen by a panel of judges, and announced June 6. The following nominees are chosen by an anonymous panel judges comprised of  esteemed food/restaurant writers and critics:

Fine Dining: The nominee is a member restaurant that demonstrates an unwavering standard of dining excellence in food, service and ambiance.  The nominee must have been in business a minimum of two years by December 1, 2009. 

• Fine Dining Finalists: 2941, Michel Richard Citronelle, Minibar by José Andrés, The Oval Room, The Source by Wolfgang Puck

Upscale Casual: The nominee is a member restaurant that demonstrates a commitment to dining excellence in food, service and ambiance. The dining experience may be more casual than Fine Dining, the price point lower, but the commitment to excellence is paramount. The nominee must have been in business a minimum of two years by December 1, 2009.  

• Upscale Casual Finalists: Central Michel Richard, The Liberty Tavern, Proof, Vermilion, Zaytinya

New Restaurant: A restaurant that must have been opened between December 1, 2008 and November 30, 2009 and already distinguishes itself as a pacesetter in food, beverage and service.

• New Restaurant Finalists: Bibiana, Birch & Barley, Bourbon Steak, Eventide, Inox

Chef: The nominee is an executive chef or chef de cuisine who demonstrates consistent standards of excellence and serves as an inspiration to other food professionals.  The nominee displays a dedication to the artistry of food, exhibits an ongoing commitment to the community and may be from any type of establishment.  The nominee must have been a chef for the past five years with a minimum of two years based in the Metropolitan Washington area.

• Chef Finalists: Bertrand Chemel of 2941, Scott Drewno of The Source, Daniel Giusti of 1789, Vikram Sunderam of Rasika, Haidar Karoum of Proof

Rising Culinary Star: The nominee is an “up and coming” chef who demonstrates exemplary talent, shows leadership and promise for the future.  The nominee must have been based in the Metropolitan Washington area for a minimum of two years.

• Rising Culinary Star Finalists: Michael Isabella of Zaytinya, Liam LaCivita of The Liberty Tavern, Shannon Overmiller of The Majestic, Nicholas Stefanelli of Bibiana, Jon Mathieson of Inox

Pastry Chef: The nominee is a restaurant pastry chef who prepares desserts and pastries and demonstrates a high standard of excellence and culinary artistry.  The nominee serves as an inspiration to other food professionals.  The nominee must have been a pastry chef for the past five years with a minimum of two years based in the Metropolitan Washington area.

• Pastry Chef Finalists: Anthony Chavez of 2941, Amanda Cook of CityZen, Josh Short of Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Fabrice Bendano of Adour, Travis Olson of 1789

Wine Program: The member restaurant is distinguished by the quality, diversity, clarity and value of its wine program.  The nominee’s wine program best suits the cuisine and style of the restaurant while enhancing the dining experience.  The nominated restaurant must have been in operation for a minimum of two years by December 1, 2009.

• Wine Program: 2941, Michel Richard Citronelle, Dino, 701/Ardeo/Bardeo/Bibiana/Bombay Club/The Oval Room/Rasika, Proof

Beverage/Mixology Program: New for 2010! The member restaurant is distinguished by the quality, diversity, creativity, clarity and value of its beverage program.  The nominee’s beverage program best suits the cuisine and style of the restaurant while enhancing the restaurant experience.  The nominated restaurant must have been in operation for a minimum of two years by December 1, 2009

• Beverage/Mixology Program Finalists: Brasserie Beck, EatGoodFoodGroup (Eve, PX), Founding Farmers, PS 7’s, Tabard Inn

Manager: The nominee is a manager or general manager in the food service industry who displays the highest level of professionalism and leadership with a member business. This person must be an inspiration and mentor to all his/her co-workers displaying outstanding service, an excellent work ethic and a positive image.

• Manager Finalists: Souheil Moussadik of CoCo. Sala, Ryan McCarthy of Passion Food Hospitality, Ashley Williams of Mie N Yu, Mark Politzer of Bourbon Steak, Fernando Contreras of KAZ Sushi Bistro

Employee: The nominee is a non-managerial employee of a member business who serves as a model employee by displaying outstanding service, an excellent work ethic and a positive image.  This nominee must have been working in the food service industry for a minimum of three years by December 1, 2009.

• Employee: Corina August of Mie N Yu, Joe Bolam of Urbana, Adolfo Cajchon of Seasons, Marco Guzman of Café Atlantico, Jose Orantes of Dino

The public at large will have the esteemed opportunity to weigh in and choose the winners in the following category with a special ballot appearing in The Washington City Paper April 29 or online at www.ramw.org:

Neighborhood Gathering Place: This nominee is a restaurant that demonstrates a high standard of quality and congeniality rooted in its neighborhood.

• Neighborhood Gathering Place: Bar Pilar, Belga Café, Cork, EatBar, Kemble Park Tavern

Restaurant Power Spot: This nominee is a top choice member restaurant, a spot to “see and be seen” with the movers and shakers on the national and local political and business scene.  It best exemplifies “how Metropolitan Washington works.”

• Restaurant Power Spot: Art & Soul, BLT Steak, Bombay Club, The Source, Teatro Goldoni

Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene: This nominee is a member restaurant or hotel bar that is innovative with an energetic scene (atmosphere, drink menu, etc.) with a hip and eclectic crowd and is a great people watching and meeting place.

• Hottest Restaurant Bar Scene: Birch & Barley and ChurchKey, Bourbon Steak, Masa 14, Posto, POV

The 2010 RAMMY Award winners will be announced at the RAMMY gala on June 6, 2010 at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC. The theme of the 2010 RAMMY Awards is “We’ll Always Have… Restaurants,” and is a play on a famous line from the 1940’s movie Casablanca. 1940’s era glamour will influence the décor and attire and infuse the evening with an air of intrigue. Tickets to the RAMMYS may be purchased by calling 202.331.5990 or by email at rammys@ramw.org.
 
A portion of the proceeds from the gala will benefit the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Association Education Foundation to fund scholarships for culinary education students, enabling them to develop and expand their career opportunities in the restaurant industry.

This Weeks Dining in DC (DID) Inbox

Seasonal Specials:

Photo courtesy of Affinia Hotels

As summer comes to an end, Art and Soul will offer another opportunity to take advantage of the restaurant’s outdoor patio. Replacing the summer’s Crab and Beer Wednesdays, the restaurant’s seasonal patio with a warm comfy fire pit, will now be the site of a delicious mid-week barbeque.  Starting Wednesday, September 9th, Art and Soul will hold Wednesday Patio Barbeque Feasts, where guests can enjoy southern BBQ while cozying up to the outdoor fire pit as the seasons change and the fall foliage arrives.
 
The Patio Barbeque Feast will include a plate piled high with a variety of barbequed delights including Smoked Baby Back Ribs, Beef Brisket, Carolina Barbeque Wings, Coleslaw, Cornbread, Baked Beans, and a duo of unique barbeque sauces – Carolina and traditional flavors. The meal is $25 per person. Additionally, Art and Soul serves will offer new autumn brews including Alewerks Tavern Ale, Duck-rabbit Milk Stout, Penn Brewing Weizen, and Old Dominion Octoberfest. Buckets of six 7 oz. “nips” are also available for $14. The Patio Barbeque Feast will take place 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. on Art and Soul’s patio every Wednesday throughout the fall, weather permitting.  

The bar at The Source by Wolfgang Puck

The Source by Wolfgang Puck is introducing the “Hour of Power” taking place Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. in the lounge. This happy hour alternative features a trio of food items paired with a flight of wines for $25 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity. Executive Chef Scott Drewno is kick-starting his new menu with a unique trio pairing in which guests can enjoy three types of dumplings, each matched with a specially selected glass of wine (the complete menu is included below). The offerings will change frequently, and future specialties will include trios of soups, spring rolls and ribs. The current menu is available through the month of September.
 
The Source by Wolfgang Puck is located at 575 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (entrance on 6th Street). The dining room is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner Monday through Thursday from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 11 p.m. The bar is open from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday. For reservations please call (202) 637-6100.

Announcements: 

Photo courtesy of City Paper

Today the Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG) announced the appointment of Kyle Bailey as Executive Chef of Birch & Barley and ChurchKey, the group’s first restaurant and beer bar in the District of Columbia opening this fall. In addition to Birch & Barley and ChurchKey, the company operates Buzz Bakery, Evening Star Café, EatBar, Planet Wine, Rustico, Columbia Firehouse, Star Catering, Tallula and Vermilion, all located in Northern Virginia.

 A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Bailey has made his way to the nation’s capital after working in several notable New York restaurants. He most recently served as the executive chef of Allen & Delancey, a Michelin-star restaurant in New York City. The restaurant provided Bailey his first opportunity to head a kitchen, and his work was praised in numerous publications, including New York Magazine, Debonair and Gothamist. 

Bailey’s inventive cuisine and appreciation for local produce is evident in the menu he has conceived for Birch & Barley, located in the ground floor of a two-story building located at 1337 14th Street NW. His modern American menu will include appetizers such as Charred Octopus with warm fingerling potatoes, pickled eggplant and fried capers and Char tartar with yuzu, ginger, basil and sesame chips. The menu will include a pasta section with rotating selections all made fresh in-house, such as Tagliatelle with braised rabbit, carrots, chives and housemade ricotta. The format of Bailey’s menu will allow guests the ability to enjoy his pasta selections as a first course, a mid-course or an entrée. Bailey has conceived an imaginative menu split into four sections: Fresh, Pressed, Roasted and Fried. Artichoke hearts with sheep’s milk ricotta and chestnut honey are a welcome ‘fresh’ snack, while ‘fried’ and spicy Hush Puppies are destined to be a crowd pleaser. For ‘pressed’ or ‘roasted’ options, guests can try the Truffled grilled cheese with tomato soup dip and the wood-fired Flatbreads with toppings such as Port-glazed Black Mission figs and Gorgonzola crema focata.

Anniversary Celebration:

Bangkok Joe’s is celebrating their 6th anniversary on September 15th; and to pay homage to patrons’ favorite dishes over the years, Chef Aulie has created a 5 course tribute menu with her best selling and most memorable dishes that will be available from September 15th through 30th.  She has also included something new for the menu: Siam Sunrays cocktail.  The cocktail was created by her nephew Paul Sirisant, a Smirnoff Ambassador in Thailand, to help boost tourism in and around the country.  Just as Cuba has the Mojito, Thailand now has the Siam Sunrays.   Aulie just returned from a trip to Thailand where she visited with her nephew and perfected the recipe so she can give the taste of Thailand in a glass to guests at Bangkok Joe’s this fall.

Bangkok Joe’s also offers half-price wine nights on Mondays and Tuesdays from 4 p.m. until close when guests can enjoy bottles of wine like Salmon Creek Pinot Grigio and Salmon Creek Pinot Noir for $14.00.

 To Do:

• Virginia Wine Fest Bus Trip on Saturday, September 19th that includes all of the following:
  Round-trip, luxury bus transportation – buses leave Clarendon Grill &
  Front Page – Arlington @ 10AM – Leave Wine Fest at 6PM
  Admission ticket into the Wine Fest (minimum $25 value)
  Unlimited Wine Samplings @ Wine Fest of over 300 different Wines
  Huge, VIP Tents w/ seating in front of Main Stage ( for our guests only)
  Souvenir Wine Glass
  All-Day, Live Music from Multiple Bands
  Pre & Post Parties at both bus/restaurant locations
   

Holiday Happenings:

BOURBON STEAK, Michael Mina’s restaurant situated within the exclusive five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Georgetown, is pleased to unveil its tempting Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve menus for the upcoming holiday season.  BOURBON STEAK will be the place to dine and celebrate among family and friends with delicious menus reflecting fabulous seasonal finds, from roasted Ayreshire Farm heirloom turkey and salt roasted prime rib, to Worcestershire braised short ribs, brown butter-basted Maine lobster and roasted Grimaud Farms duck prepared by Executive Chef David Varley.  BOURBON STEAK also features private dining room with custom furnishings and expansive windows overlooking the C&O Canal for those who wish to celebrate and dine privately with up to 22 guests.
 
On Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26th, BOURBON STEAK will offer an a la carte menu from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with holiday specials to include starters such as Brown Butter-Basted Maine Lobster with Acquerello Carnaroli Risotto and Perigord Black Truffle; Roasted Chestnut Soup with Foie Gras Cromesguis and Spices Marshmallows and Endive & Asian Pear Salad with Candied Walnuts, Pomegranate, Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue.  Entrée choices include Salt Roasted Prime Rib with Yorkshire Pudding, Horseradish Cream and Braised Oxtail; Glazed Duroc Pork Rack with Mustard Fruit and Stuffed Cabbage, as well as Roasted Ayreshire Farm Heirloom Turkey with Foie Gras Stuffing, Grilled Turkey Sausage and Cranberry-Orange Confit.  For dessert, Pastry Chef Lincoln Carlson will feature Kabocha Squash Sticky Toffee Pudding with Butter Pecan Ice Cream, and Pumpkin Seed Nougatine; Winchester Apple Confit with Spiced Rum Financier and Goats Milk Dulce de Leche as well as Silken Chocolate Panna Cotta with Red Velvet Cake, Cocoa Nib Ice Cream and Crispy Beets, the perfect ending to any holiday feast.  Menu specials range from $11 to $44.