DC-area businesses honor Biden, Harris with inauguration-themed menu items

Ice Cream Jubilee

When Ice Cream Jubilee owner Victoria Lai first came across a video of Biden’s granddaughters discussing his ice cream taste, she had a sense of the flavors she’d introduce to recognize the new administration.

Biden’s granddaughters described how he loved vanilla with chocolate sprinkles or vanilla chocolate chip, with each offering a different take on his taste. So, because they also mentioned how Biden believed ice cream brought families together, one of Ice Cream Jubilee’s four new flavors is Vanilla Chocolate Chip. A news release describes the flavor as “a classic crowd pleaser and Joe’s favorite flavor made with vanilla beans and dark chocolate chips.”

The shop, with locations in D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, has also rolled out new flavors it calls Cuppa Joe, Cardamom Amaretto and Rose’ Mimosa.

“President-elect Joe Biden loves ice cream, and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is a huge foodie,” Lai told WTOP. “So just working with them, thinking about things that they would love and celebrating inauguration, which every four years, no matter what party, is always a big deal.”

The “Cuppa Joe” flavor features beans roasted at D.C.-based Zeke’s Coffee, and the flavors honoring Harris celebrate her California and Asian-American roots, Lai said.

“Kulfi is a traditional South Asian, sort of ice milk, ice cream-like dessert that has cardamom flavors in it,” Lai said. “And so we made a similar flavor, but then added notes of amaretto and almonds to give it a California freshness.”

Ice Cream Jubilee is offering four-flavor ice cream flights and take-home pints, which will be available until Jan. 22. Order can be placed on the store’s website, and nationwide shipping is available.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to No Kid Hungry, a nonprofit that works to offer free meals for kids in need.

“Part of our ice cream mission is to make people happy, with a focus on kids,” Lai said. “The unfortunate reality [is] that during the pandemic and even before the pandemic, there are lots of kids in our Washington, D.C.-area region who don’t have sufficient access to food or healthy foods.”

While the Biden and Harris-inspired flavors will be available for a short time, Ice Cream Jubilee is already planning flavors for the Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

Capo Italian Deli

Capo Italian Deli, the Florida Avenue establishment behind the increasingly popular Fauci Pouchy, has launched “Biden Bubbly” in honor of next week’s inauguration.

Capo is offering 750-milliliter bottles of Chandon and a smaller personal serving of Champagne. The larger bottle is $39.

Natalie Flynn, Capo’s marketing manager, said the concept for a “Biden Bubbly” idea came to Bar Manager Rohit Malhotra shortly after Biden was projected to win the election.

Each bottle is designed with a portrait of Harris and Biden holding hands. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, with a limited number of bottles available.

Specialty packs featuring Fauci Pouchys and Biden Bubbly will also be offered in the week leading up to the inauguration.

“[Malhotra] was like, ‘Oh my God, let’s sell Champagne,’ because the day that the results were announced, I think more Champagne was sold in D.C. than in the previous two New Year’s Eves combined,” Flynn told WTOP.

The Biden Bubbly bottle was first advertised on Instagram on Tuesday night, and within an hour, Flynn said about a dozen orders had been submitted.

During the pandemic, Capo has evolved from a speakeasy concept to a well-known bar offering creatively named cocktails.

When things shut down in the spring, Capo launched its first Fauci Pouchy, an ode to infectious disease specialist Dr. Anthony Fauci, and the menu has evolved ever since. It launched a limited-edition pouch when Fauci threw out the first pitch at Nationals Park, created one that paid homage to Lebanon after August’s blast in Beirut and introduced a You’ve Got Mail cocktail when there were issues with the U.S. Postal Service.

Currently, Capo is offering the original Fauci Pouchy, the Pina Kamala and Joe Imbiben. It has also sold Trumpkin spice lattes and Mike Pencicillin drinks. The menu continues to evolve.

“You’re always adapting; you’re always trying to figure out what’s next,” Malhotra said. “Every time, it seems like we progress a little bit. With the COVID, with what we’re doing, we opened up indoor dining in the summer, and then now, we’re closing. You can’t really ever get comfortable with the situation you have in stock, particularly right now.”

Gerrard Street Kitchen

Gerrard Street Kitchen is celebrating the inauguration with a cocktail it calls We the People and a mocktail deemed The All-American.

The We the People features gin, Curacao, dry vermouth and club soda and is garnished with fresh raspberries. The mocktail includes Torani Blue Curacao syrup, lime juice, ginger beer and fresh raspberries.

Both beverages are available for takeout only through the end of January, according to a news release.

The cocktail is $14, and the mocktail is $8.

“The martini is an American cocktail, and is the quintessential power drink in a power town,” said Jaime Velasquez, the restaurant’s executive chef and food and beverage director, in a statement. “Our mocktail version is a testament to President-Elect Biden’s teetotaler practices. The azure hue of both drinks gives a nod to the Democratic Party color and pairs well with the Gerrard Street Kitchen menu inspired by many regions in Southeast Asia.”

Gerrard Street Kitchen is inside The Darcy Hotel.

Atlas Brew Works

D.C.’s Atlas Brew Works has brewed up two beers in honor of the upcoming inauguration.

It will release the Amtrak Joe’s Pilsner and Madam Veep’s IPA this weekend.

Atlas describes the Amtrak Joe pilsner as a light and crisp beer brewed with Saaz and Mt. Hood hops. It has an ABV of 4.7%.

The Madam Veep’s IPA is a 5.7% ABV pale ale with citrus flavor and is brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops.

Both beers were made in a collaboration between Atlas Brew and OccasionAles.com. Both were available for preorder online in mixed six-packs, 12-packs or 24-packs, starting at $16.99, although 270 cases have already sold out.

The beer will be available for pickup at Atlas Brew Works’ Half Street Brewery and Tap Room in Navy Yard starting Jan. 16.

Atlas Brew Works opened its original Ivy City tap room and brewery in 2012. Its Navy Yard location, directly across from the Center Field Gate at Nationals Park, opened last spring.

Atlas recently expanded its direct to consumer shipping to Maryland and Ohio, in addition to Virginia and Pennsylvania.

WTOP’s Jeff Clabaugh contributed to this report.

Women’s Food Fest

Women’s Food Fest, a group of women food entrepreneurs in D.C., is offering an “inauguration swag bag” that features food, wine and gifts. It costs $140.

It includes:

• Biden Brownies from We, The Pizza
• Ultraviolet Rose from Cork Wine Bar and Market
• Guava BBQ Sauce and Plantain Chips from Colada Shop
• Marinated Olives and Walnut Biscotti from Pizza Paradiso
• Infused organic olive oil dip and awaze dip from Letena Ethiopian Restaurant
• Handmade pasta from Hank and Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen
• Vegetarian pasta sauce from RIS
• A congratulatory cocktail from Buffalo & Bergen
• A cookie pack from Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats
• Oatmeal cream pie from Brookland’s Finest
• Red, white and blue fish salts from DC Fishwife
• A coupon for Ben’s Chili Bowl
• Hot sauce by Maya Fiellin