WASHINGTON — Not that long ago, D.C. was a foodie wasteland. There were limited dining options and only a handful of innovative chefs.
Today, the District is one of the friendliest food cities in the country, known for its variety of hip hangouts, celebrity chef outposts and exceptional restaurants. Best of all, during Restaurant Week (Aug. 17-23), diners can experience many of the top establishments at a discount. Three-course lunches are $22; dinners are $35. And 250 restaurants in the District, Virginia and Maryland are participating.
Now lest you think I have forgotten about wine, here are four area restaurants that will be featuring wine pairings specifically designed for Restaurant Week:
La Chaumiere, a classic French-country establishment in Georgetown, is offering two wines by the glass during Restaurant Week. The white wine is a beautiful Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Domaine La Craie Sancerre from the Loire Valley in France ($13). It pairs beautifully with either the trout or the roasted Cornish hen.
The red offering is from a grand cru estate in the Saint-Émilion appellation of Bordeaux, France. At $17 per glass, the 2011 Les Cadrans de Lassègue, the estate’s second label, has been recommended with the delicious beef short ribs. La Chaumiere is located at 2813 M St., NW.
Celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s Italian eatery, Aggio, pairs Voltaggio’s food with Kathy Morgan’s wine selections. Morgan is one of just a handful of Master Sommeliers in town, and she has put together a fabulous list of ala carte wines by the glass for the Restaurant Week menu.
Guests can also choose a pairing with all three courses for an additional $20.15. Here are a couple sample pairings with a la carte glass prices:
The Caesar Salad will pair beautifully with the 2014 Argillae Orvieto from Umbria, Italy ($11). Morgan’s choice for the Tonnarelli Nero (Maryland blue crab, jalapeño, sea urchin, bay spices) is the 2013 Lageder Pinot Bianco from the Alto Adige region in Italy ($10). Finally, the 2013 Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona, Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany ($14) is a match made for the pork shank. Aggio is located at 5335 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
The romantic wine bar and bistro Vinoteca serves up small plates and larger entrees, and is located in the U Street Corridor. Best of all, a bocce court can be found on the outside patio.
During Restaurant Week, Vinoteca is offering three full glasses of wine for $30. The chilled pea soup with avocado pairs nicely with Patricius Hárslevelü (pronounced harsh-level) from Tokaj, Hungary. And the squid and shrimp pasta with house-made spaghetti will be paired with the Domaine Guindon Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire Sur Lie from the Loire Valley in France. Vinoteca is located at 1940 11th St., NW.
Glover Park’s Slate Wine Bar features wines from around the world in a modern-rustic room with exposed brick. The new American menu by Chef Danny Lledó is a melting pot of flavors, based on the chef’s upbringing in the kitchen and in the vineyards of his native Portugal.
Lledó is offering a thoughtful selection of wines to go with each dish offered on the pre-set three-course menu for just $20 for half-glass pours.
Some of the highlights include a Quinta Encontro, Baga and Merlot blend from Portugal to go with the duck breast egg rolls; a Duckhorn Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, California, will amp up the jumbo lump crab cake; and for dessert, the house-made creamy cheesecake with peaches gets support from a Biutiful Sparkling Rosé, made from Grenache, from Spain. Slate Wine Bar is located at 2404 Wisconsin Ave., NW.
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If you have a special bottle of wine that you have been waiting to open, here are a few tips:
The District of Columbia allows patrons to bring their own wines to a restaurant that has a corkage policy. It is important to understand that the ability to bring your own wine to a restaurant in the District is a privilege, not a right.
If you are bringing a bottle with you, make sure that the same wine is NOT offered on restaurant’s wine list. I strongly advise that you call the restaurant ahead of time to let them know what wine you are bringing so you can to avoid this situation.
Next, make sure you understand the restaurant’s corkage policy and pricing, since both can vary widely. The District no longer has a cap on corkage fees, so the per bottle charge is set by each restaurant. It can run anywhere from $15 to $50 dollars, so ask in advance and remember, be respectful of the restaurant’s policy. After all, it’s a restaurant, not a catering hall.
I also recommend that you always offer a taste of the wine to both the sommelier and your server. A little kindness goes a long way. And remember to tip generously. It will definitely help your server forget the bottle of wine they did not sell to your table. (If enjoying more than one bottle, try to order at least one bottle of wine off of the wine list as a way of showing appreciation.)
