Girl Meets Food

Washington’s restaurants celebrate the annual Cherry Blossom Festival with menu highlights and spirited cocktails.

From March 26-April 10, 2011, Washington welcomes the return of the National Cherry Blossom Festival and area restaurants show their support serving up creative cherry-inspired cocktails and dishes!

Buddha Bar will participate in the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s “Cherry Picks,” a city-wide restaurant promotion. Buddha Bar will feature a ginger-infused cherry tart ($9) from March 26-April 10.  455 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC. 202.377.5555.

Cuba Libre will offer a festive Cuban-inspired dish of tamarind BBQ duck breast ($25) served with smoked plantain crema and Bing cherry chimichurri.

Cuba Libre’s Cherry Tini ($9) is made with Pyrat XO Rum, Combier, lemongrass infused Guarapo, bing cherries and a dash of bitters.  The Coconut Cherry Frozen ($9) is made with Three Olive Cherry, lemongrass infused Guarapo, coconut puree and a splash of Marischino cherry juice.  801A 9th Street NW, Washington, DC.  202.408.1600.

Throughout the festival, Poste will feature The Plums Blossom, a cherry-infused sake and botanical spirit cocktail finished with plum soda.  555 8th Street NW, Washington, DC. 202.783.6060.

Zentan will feature a Blossom’ed Lychee Milk and Broken Cherry Cookie combo ($12). This unique cocktail is made with lychee, nigori sake and vodka, topped off with a splash of milk foam, in a shot glass. Accompanied by a blend of brandied cherries, lychee bits and almond cherry cookies. 1155 14th Street NW, Washington, DC.  202.379.4366. continue reading… »

Get ready because Pretty Marinated gets you soaked in buzz-worthy spirits, wine and beer.

Did you know the Sidecar cocktail was first created at The Ritz Hotel Paris in 1922, the same year that Jaguar was founded as the Swallow Sidecar Company by Sir William Lyons?

The classic recipe calls for equal parts cognac, Cointreau, and lemon juice, and in 1934, started wearing sugared rims.

Bourbon Steak’s Pear Brandy Sidecar ($8) is a variation of the classic with Clear Creek pear brandy, Combier triple sec, fresh lemon, orange, and honey.  Shaken and served up with a sugar rim.

The Greek Sidecar ($10) at Zaytinya has Metaxa, Cointreau, Luxardo maraschino liquor, lemon juice, and a candied citrus rim.  Shaken, not stirred.

Cava Mezze makes an apple-flavored Calvados Sidecar with Busnel Calvados VSOP, fresh lemon juice, Cointreau, and agave nectar.  How do you like them apples? continue reading… »

The Loving Spoonful breaks out with extraordinary dining for the adventurous.

Parents like to insist that they don’t play favorites, but we all know it’s a lie.

Not the case with Smith Commons co-parent Miles Gray, who will honestly tell you that his favorite dish on the internationally-inspired menu is the lamb chops ($22).

These succulent and juicy morsels are grilled and simply seasoned, with crushed fingerling potatoes, grilled baby eggplant, and dried tomato Julienne.

So what’s so special about these particular baby chops, I ask?

“The grill seals in the juices while giving the chops a nice charred flavor,” he says.

Sounds divine. continue reading… »