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.

Dish of the Week Spotlight: Masa 14

Kaz's Tuna Ceviche

I reported on the opening a week or so ago; however, to sum up, Chef Richard Sandoval, who brought us his marriage of Latin-Asian flavors, Zengo has partnered with award winning Chef Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro to bring us their new joint concept serving Latin and Asian small plates. After several months of anticipation, the 5,000 square foot restaurant just north of Logan Circle opened on Monday, October 12, 2009. The menu includes seafood dishes, meat and poultry, noodles and rice, to tacos to wood-oven flatbread pizzas ranging in price from $6 to $14. Antonio Burrell will serve as the Chef de Cuisine, formerly of the CommonWealth Gastro Pub in Columbia Heights.

Last week I was fortunate enough to attend a media dinner at the newly opened Masa 14. I tried several items on each portion of the menu. Of the ‘Cold’ offerings on the menu, I tried the Crunchy shrimp / wasabi sauce / lettuce / crunchy rice Temaki Handrolls served in Chef Kaz’s creative presentation of using ice cream cone holders. I thought this was pretty inventive.  They were indeed quite crunchy. For texture, there were green like “roe” but made of wasabi. The handrolls were much larger than traditional sushi rolls, evidently are quite popular in Brazil. I found the handrolls very difficult to bite into. I also didn’t care for the bitter black seaweed wraps. Kaz said that he prepares the handrolls pretty much the same way as sushi rolls, but uses different vinegar.

The Tuna Ceviche / coconut / pineapple / pico de gallo was delicious (see photo above). The dish is very similar to Kaz’s scallops Ceviche that he offers at Kaz Sushi Bistro. He said that he didn’t want to do the same thing and wanted to try something different so decided to use Tuna. He said that there is so much scallop on the menu at the Kaz Sushi Bistro that he took it off the menu. The ceviche was one of my favorite dishes. When I return to Masa 14, I will definitely order the ceviche.

Jicama Salad

Of the cold dishes, the Hijiki seaweed–jicama salad / sesame / chayote / daikon sprouts was probably my favorite or at least tied with the ceviche. I loved the seasonings, smokey sesame flavor, and the crunchy texture. Once I was home I researched some of the ingredients, which were new to me. In my research, I discovered that Hijiki is the most versatile kind of seaweed and  also extremely high in fiber. Jicama belongs to the legume or bean family (who knew?). It is a popular dietary staple in Latin America and widely grown in Mexico and Central America. Jicama looks similar to a turnip or a large radish, and it can be used as an alternative to the water chestnut. Additionally, raw jicama tastes similar to a pear or apple. When jicama is used in cooking it tends to take on the flavors of the ingredients that it is being combined with. Therefore, jicama is a nice complement to various stir-fry dishes because it blends well with many vegetables and seasonings. Jicama is a very versatile vegetable that contains a high amount of vitamin C, is low in sodium, and has no fat and great for menus, as it is available year round.

Of the Hot Dishes, the beef tenderloin with chimichurri, fingerling potatoes, and mushroom escabeche was my favorite. It was at least medium rare, tender, juicy and delicious. I tried the wild mushroom and serrano ham flatbread – I didn’t really care for the flatbreads. I tried the Grilled Baby Octopus, but I’m not an octopus fan, the black cod was too salty, I don’t really like salmon, and the Pork Belly Al Pastor Tacos weren’t very flavorful.

Tuesday’s Feature: New Restaurant Openings

Masa 14 Dining Room - Photo Courtesy of Thrillist

Even in today’s tough economy, miraculously somehow the local DC metropolitan area restaurant industry has managed to bode relatively well despite the downturn. It is even more astounding that there have been so many restaurants opening this fall. The following includes a brief listing of recent restaurant openings:

Kellari Taverna – Owner Stavros Aktipis and Partner Gregory Zapantis have brought their authentic Greek fare and fresh-from-the Mediterranean fish to the nation’s capital from New York City. Executive Chef, Anthony Acinapura will oversee the authentic Mediterranean fare menu featuring specialty appetizers designed for sharing and fresh seafood. Kellari, Greek for “wine cellar”, will feature an extensive collection of Greek and international wines. In the space formerly occupied by Restaurant K by Alison Swope, the 7,500 sqft space has been re-designed by New York designer, Yianni Skordas of Skordas Design Studio to create a warm and inviting European feeling.  Kellari boasts a new ambient lounge and bar, a chef’s table, and a wine cellar. Location: 1700 K Street NW; tel: (202) 535-5274

Masa 14 – Chef Richard Sandoval, who brought us his marriage of Latin-Asian flavors, Zengo has partnered with award winning Chef Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro to bring us their new joint concept serving Latin and Asian small plates. After several months of anticipation, the 5,000 square foot restaurant just north of Logan Circle opened on Monday, October 12, 2009. The menu includes seafood dishes, meat and poultry, noodles and rice, to tacos to wood-oven flatbread pizzas ranging in price from $6 to $14. Antonio Burrell will serve as the Chef de Cuisine, formerly of the CommonWealth Gastro Pub in Columbia Heights. His career also includes working for six years at Vidalia and Bistro Bis under Chef/Owner Jeffrey Buben. Location: 1825 14th Street, NW; tel:  (202) 328-1414  

Red Curry – The family-owned Mai Thai restaurant on King Street in Old Town, Alexandria has opened a new 200+ seat pan-Asian style restaurant in the former 100 King space a so-called cursed location.  Red Curry will offer fine dining establishment with a sushi bar, and dishes representing the best of all Asian countries–Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, India, and Vietnam. On the menu includes: Sushi — selections include nigiri/sashimi/maki, plus signature rolls like the spicy tuna/crab/avocado/fish roe “Union”, the salmon/squid/fried yellowtail/Tobiko “Shogun” and the “Sumo”, stuffed with lump crab. Heartier fare includes “Asian Grill” items like the salmon/shrimp/scallop/pineapple Coconut Curry Seafood and the asparagus/zucchini/peppers Laos Steak, as well as house specials including the lemongrass/leek/okra/tumalie chili sauce Chicken Peppercorn, and Korean-style “Incheon Bulgogi”. Location: 100 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia; tel: (703) 739-9600

SeventhHILL -The owners of Montmartre took over the space next door which was formerly a Ben & Jerry’s and re-designed the inside into a galley pizzeria. Despite the French ownership, all of SeventhHill’s pizzas on the menu are named after nearby Capitol Hill locations, such as Navy Yard and Eastern Market and range in price from $9.95-10.95 for an 8″ and $15.95-16.95 for a 12″. Diners many also custom-top their pies, or go for the Soup-du-Jours or daily panini that use bread fresh-baked in the same brick oven. Location: 327 7th St., SE, Washington, DC 20003. tel: (202) 544-1911

The Reserve – The former Ollie’s Trolley L Street location which has served as a Washington landmark for over 30 years has been reopened after being renovated and renewed to reveal the new Reserve- a 140-seat restaurant/wine bar/lounge by owner and night life veteran, Moe Hamdan. The large and alluring grand castle doors invite patrons to step into the warm and seductive style of the Reserve with finished brick walls, santos mahogany hardwood floors, marble table tops, brushed spiral metal staircases and custom oak wood floors. The newly appointed Executive Chef, Frederik De Pue, a Belgian native will execute Reserve’s new menu of international tapas menu offering tapas such as beef tartar, confided duck pancakes, crusted black sesame tuna, and guinea hen jalousie, there is something for every palate on the menu. In addition, Reserve’s in house sommelier, Olivier Ledoux will preside over his handpicked 100 wines from all regions of the world. Meet Ledoux for his Wine Down Wednesdays – weekly wine tastings that will be hosted by select wineries to educate guests. Location: 1426 L Street, NW; tel: (202) 628-8900)

•  Masa 14–
• SeventhHILL –
• Sou’Wester –
• Bibiana Osteria Enoteca –
• Blue Ridge

Masa 14 Launches with Antonio Burrell as Chef de Cuisine

Chef Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro

Almost every possible ethnic cuisine is represented in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. Well except one – Latin-Asian. Often a restaurant is Latin or it is Asian -rarely would you find both under one roof. Chefs Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Richard Sandoval of La Sandia/Zengo have partnered to bring us Masa 14 – a new Latin-Asian concept slated to open mid-September this year at 1825 14th Street, NW. The new concept will have capacity for 240 guests and features a spacious 100-seat dining room, plus a private dining room which can accommodate parties of 18. In addition, Masa 14 will house one of the largest bars in the DC area with a whopping 65 foot long – 74-seat bar/lounge which is divided into three sections featuring selections of tequila, sake, beer, wine and cocktails. In addition, guests can view the open kitchen complete with a wood-fired brick oven which will be most utilized after midnight for Masa 14’s late night menu.

Recently, it was announced that Antonio Burrell will serve as the Chef de Cuisine of the new 100-seat Latin-Asian hotspot. The Masa 14 menu will include small plates incorporating Asian and Latin flavors ranging in price from $6 to $14. Prior to joining Masa 14, Antonio Burrell most recently served as the Chef de Cuisine of CommonWealth, a British-inspired, American-bred gastropub in Columbia Heights by Executive Chef Jamie Leeds. Burrell also worked for six years in two of Washington’s most elite kitchens: Vidalia and Bistro Bis, under Chef/Owner Jeffrey Buben, who was named “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 1999” by the James Beard Foundation. In addition, Vidalia’s Chef RJ Cooper was named,“Best Chef Mid-Atlantic in 2007”. Burrell started as the Executive Sous-chef in 2000, and worked his way up the culinary ladder learning both contemporary French and contemporary American cuisine. Burrell also served as Executive Chef of Viridian Restaurant in Washington, DC from 2006 to 2008 and Executive Chef of Eleventh Street Lounge in Arlington, VA from 2007 to 2008.

The restaurant will serve dinner nightly, beginning at 5 p.m. and stay open for the late night party crowd on some nights as late as 3 a.m. Brunch will be available Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. For additional information or reservations please call (202) 328-1414 or visit www.masa14.com.