“The kitchen will pay homage to the restaurant’s diverse staff and their backgrounds with a rotating menu of how holiday meals are celebrated in their specific countries”

3126 12th Street, NE at Jackson St.

From an email:

“For the month of December, Brookland’s Finest Chef Shannan Troncoso will put a spin on the restaurant’s weekly distiller dinner series. The kitchen will pay homage to the restaurant’s diverse staff and their backgrounds with a rotating menu of how holiday meals are celebrated in their specific countries, as well as here in the U.S. In collaboration with Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, each week will celebrate the flavors of a different country with a three-course dinner with cocktail pairings. The first dinner on December 6 will honor the flavors and ingredients of El Salvador with items like Pupusas, Smoked Pork Tamales and Arroz con Leche. The following week’s dinners will highlight flavors of Italy (12/13), New Orleans (12/20) and Mexico (12/27), respectively – all representative of the multi-cultural staff at Brookland’s Finest. Each of the three-course dinners with cocktail pairings is priced at $35 per person, and full menu details can be found below.

Additionally, on New Year’s Eve, Brookland’s Finest will offer a special three-course dinner-for-two menu to ring in the new year. The menu, created by Chef Shannan Troncoso, begins with Shrimp Cocktail with Gulf Shrimp, spicy cocktail sauce and Old Bay vinaigrette; followed by a second course of Surf and Turf featuring Rib Eye with whole Wild Maine Lobster, grilled rapini, roasted garlic mashed potatoes and béarnaise sauce; and finished with slices of Lady Baltimore cake and Red Velvet cake, along with a champagne toast. The special menu is available for $50 on New Year’s Eve only from 5:00 p.m. to close.”

Holiday Distiller Dinner Series Menus:

Week 1: El Salvador (12/6)

Pupusa

Black beans, cheese, curtido salad

Roundstone Rye

Smoked Pork Tamales

Cilantro-lime rice, green chili

Pearousia Old Tom Gin

Arroz con Leche

Cinnamon rice pudding

Catoctin spiked ancho hot chocolate

Week 2: Italy (12/13)

Stuffed Artichoke

Italian breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, garlic butter sauce

Roundstone Rye Manhattan

Manicotti

House made ricotta stuffed shells in spicy marinara

Pearousia Old Tom and Tonic

Grandma Q’s Red Velvet Cake

Vanilla icing

Catoctin spiked cider

Week 3: New Orleans (12/20)

Shrimp Etouffee

Jasmine rice, andouille sausage, trinity sauce

Roundstone Sazerac

Gumbo

Sausage, seafood, veggies, roux amour

Pearousia Old Tom French 75

Banana Flambe Beignets

Traditional yeast fritters

Catoctin spiked hot toddy

Week 4: Mexico (12/27)

Pozole

Pork belly broth, hominy, crispy tortilla

Roundstone Rye Manhattan

Enchiladas

Shredded prime rib with red sauce, roasted chicken with green sauce, blistered shishito peppers and tomatoes, crème fraiche

Pearousia Old Tom and Tonic

Flan

Seasonal fruit, dulce de leche

Catoctin spiked cider