Chinatown

Corn Flake Crusted French Toast photo courtesy of Poste

From a press release:

Poste Moderne Brasserie’s recently installed executive chef, Dennis Marron, has created a new brunch menu of rustic, brasserie-style dishes with a modern twist. In addition, the mixology team at Poste, led by lead bartender Jason Wiles, has created a lineup of seasonal brunch cocktails as well as a build-your-own bloody mary bar.

Brasserie Brunch Menu: Chef Marron has created an assortment of comforting brunch fare such as the Eggs Poste made with tête de cochon, slow poached eggs, country bread, sauce gribiche and hollandaise sauce; the BB&E with a brunch inspired twist on the classic beef bourguignon, served with slow poached eggs, truffled polenta, sautéed spinach and grilled country bread. To satisfy the sweet tooth, old favorites such as the house made doughnuts served with chocolate ganache, lemon curd and seasonal jam will continue to be offered, alongside new dishes such as the Corn Flake Crusted French Toast served with apple butter, dried fruit compote, and rosemary-maple syrup. Guests wanting to go a more savory route can enjoy the Onion Soup Burger made with Virginia grass fed beef, comté cheese, caramelized onion soup and an onion bun, the Mister Crunchy (Croque Monsieur made with grilled ham, comté cheese, country bread and Mornay sauce) and Miss Crunchy (Croque Madame made with grilled ham, comté cheese, brioche, béchamel and a sunny side up egg).*

*The complete brunch menu is available here.

Brunch Cocktails:

In addition to the bloody mary bar, the beverage team has created a new menu of morning-friendly cocktails to complement Chef Dennis Marron’s brunch dishes:

· Mr. Mango-rium’s Wonder Emporium ($8) 10 Cane rum, mango, lemon and mint;
· War of the Rosemary ($8) Grand Marnier, Aperol, orange, grapefruit, lemon, rosemary;
· Hair of the Greyhound ($8) Square One vodka, grapefruit, cucumber, tarragon, and a touch of salt;
· Le Pamplemousse ($8) Plymouth gin, lavender syrup, grapefruit juice, sparkling wine;
· Grand Mimosa ($16) unlimited refills of a brunch classic with freshly squeezed orange and grapefruit juice.

Build-Your-Own Bloody Mary Bar: During Saturday and Sunday brunch (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.), diners can help themselves to a smorgasbord of house-made bloody mary mixes, hot sauces, vodka infusions, and condiments in order to whip up the perfect bloody mary. Guests can select house-infused spirits such as smoky bacon-infused vodka, and are able to customize their cocktail with a large array of bloody mary mixes, fresh tomato juice, and a mix of house-made and local hot sauces. Those looking to pack some heat in their morning cocktail can start with the horseradish-chile pepper vodka and top it off with some house-made ‘Goin’ postal hot sauce’, a dash of lead bartender Jason Wiles’ homemade habanero vinegar and zesty Worcestershire sauce. Additionally, the bar offers house-pickled green onions, green beans, olives and a seasonally rotating spread of herbs and garnishes, all of which is subject to change on a weekly basis. Bloody marys are $8 each.

Poste is located by Hotel Monaco at 555 8th Street, NW.

Back in Jan. 2012 Fuel Pizza opened up at 1606 K St, NW in the former Burger King space. At that time they had a contest giving away free pizza for a year. On Sat. I noticed that the Chinatown location at the corner of 6th and F St, NW was looking super close to opening. It’s not clear if they’ll be offering another free food for a year contest when they do, stay tuned.

Anyone try the K Street location? How’s the pizza?

Dear PoPville,

I’ve been confused and amused by the ongoing saga of Wagamama. I saw the door was open and there was a man inside cutting plywood. Seems like a baby step though, because the entire space was a concrete shell. It’s pretty much waiting for Godot at this point.

This def. looks promising compared to just a couple of weeks ago.

Wagamama will be, at some point, located at 418 7th St, NW in the former Olson’s bookstore.

418 7th St, NW

707 6th St, NW

Free wine alert.

From a press release:

On Saturday, March 31 Boxwood Estate Winery of Middleburg, VA will release its Rosé 2011. Graffiato will be the first and only restaurant in the District of Columbia to carry the new vintage through April 7. Join us for a complimentary glass of Rosé from 12-2pm and stay for lunch to enjoy several dishes Chef Isabella created to pair with the wine.

Scallop Caponata $16
eggplant, zucchini, basil

Crudo of Hamachi $10
sofrito, roasted tomatoes

Saffron Spaghetti $12
clams, chili

Advance reservations are recommended, but not required as Rosé will be available to all guests 21 and over at the first floor bar and in the main dining room.

Rose 2011 Blend:
Merlot: 46%
Cabernet Franc: 35%
Malbec: 19%

Tasting Notes:
Pale pink-orange color. Aromas of fresh apricot ,strawberry, thyme, and star anise, leading to strawberry and savory flavors. Extraordinary balance, freshness and length.

Signs for “Healthy Eating” have gone up at the corner of 7th and D St, NW in Penn Quarter. A permit posted on the front door lists the name as Protein Bar. More when they get closer to opening this summer.