2009 National Cherry Blossom Festival® Cherry Picks Restaurants
Washington, DC restaurants are once again celebrating the National Cherry Blossom Festival, running March 28-April 12, by offering “Cherry Picks,” or cherry-inspired recipes throughout the signature springtime event. During the two-week festival, diners can enjoy a variety of alluring entrées, decadent desserts and delectable cocktails with a special cherry touch at participating restaurants.
Now in its seventh year, the Cherry Picks program brings a new sponsor to the National Cherry Blossom Festival this year, GoOut2Eat.com. New to Washington, DC, GoOut2Eat.com is a marketing tool for restaurants that delivers specials and promotions direct to diners. Restaurants participating in this year's program will get an added boost of publicity and will have a chance to promote special value-added offers through GoOut2Eat.com's online and guerilla marketing efforts surrounding the festival.
The Cherry Picks program is supported by Destination DC, the official convention and tourism corporation for the nation’s capital, and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Blossom watchers can log on to Destination DC’s dedicated cherry blossom webpage, washington.org/cherryblossom, to view blossom-themed hotel packages, festival highlights and more. Beginning the week of the festival, the website will also feature a special section dedicated to Cherry Picks, where culinary enthusiasts can find lists of participating restaurants as well as photos and recipes to create the dishes at home.
Participating “Cherry Picks” restaurants include:
· Adour, featuring Executive Pastry Chef Fabrice Bendano’s Cherry-flavored Pink Macaroons.
· Aria Trattoria, featuring Executive Chef Xavier Deshayes’ Cherry Clafouti with lemon verbena ice cream.
· Art and Soul, featuring Executive Chef Ryan Morgan’s Country Sushi made with Maryland crab roll with horseradish soy.
· Asia Nine Bar & Lounge, featuring Executive Chef Rod Yotmanee’s Sun-dried Cherry Puff appetizer and Blossom Fried Rice.
· B. Smith’s, featuring Executive Chef Ronald Reid’s Spring Garden Salad with sundried cherries and candied walnuts; Grilled Pork Tenderloin with a sweet cherry glaze; and Chocolate Cherry Tuxedo Cake.
· Bangkok Joe’s Dumpling Bar and Café, featuring Chef/Owner Aulie Bunyarataphan’s three-course meals, including Smoke Shrimp-Cherry Blossom Dumpling with cherry-lime cream sauce; Broil Salmon Filet with spicy cherry-basil sauce; and Warm Cherry Custard with sake marinated dried cherry and ginger dust tuile.
· Beacon Bar & Grill featuring Executive Chef Dylyn Coolidge’s Cherry and Short Rib Wontons with ginger sauce.
· Bourbon Steak at the Four Seasons Hotel Washington, DC, featuring Executive Chef David Varley’s Poached Hudson Valley Foie Gras with cherry blossoms, green almonds, and Balinese Long Pepper.
· Café Mozu at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, D.C., featuring Executive Chef Anthony Reynolds’ Mini Chocolate-Coated Cones with warm cherry kirsch compote, cherry sorbet and Minus 8 vinegar.
· Charlie Palmer Steak, featuring Executive Chef Matt Hill’s Berkshire Pork Tenderloin with crispy cheek cauliflower cream and preserved cherry compote.
· Domaso Trattoria Moderna at Hotel Palomar, featuring Pastry Chef Kevin Boxx’s Chocolate Cherry Napoleon with sweet and sour cherries, cherry mousse and chocolate.
· Fahrenheit Restaurant, featuring Quang Duong’s cherry-inspired dinner selections: appetizer options to include Miso soup, Tofu, or Ahi tuna with seaweed and ponzu; choice of entrée to include Seabass with lemongrass ginger broth or Teriyaki Beef; choice of desserts to include Warm Cherries Chocolate Cake or Cherries Clafoutis and Cherries.
· Fyve Restaurant Lounge, featuring Chef Amy Brandweln’s Cherry Parfait with layers of foie gras mousse, amarena cherry marmalade, meyer lemon crema and toasted almond.
· Georgia Brown’s, featuring Executive Chef Jim Foss’ Ma Brown’s Homemade Bourbon and Chocolate Cherry Cobbler.
· The Grille at the Morrison House, featuring Executive Chef Dennis Marron’s Cherry Wood and Tea Smoked Duck Breast with frisee and cherry blossom salad with cherry vinaigrette.
· Hook, featuring Executive Chef Jonathan Senigan’s Cherry-inspired Savory and Sweet menu.
· Hudson Restaurant and Lounge, featuring Chocolate Marquise, Sweet and Sour Confiture, and Cherry Semi Freddo.
· J. Paul’s, featuring Executive Chef Tom Crenshaw’s Baked Brie with cherry marmalade and frisee salad.
· Jackson 20, featuring Chef Derek Simcik’s three-course tasting menu of House-Made Sausage or Pan Seared Scallops appetizer options; Slow Roasted Cornish Hen or Braised Beef Cheeks entrée options; and Cherry Cheese Cake or Pot de Crème dessert options.
· The Jamieson Grill, featuring Executive Chef Nadine Thomas’ House-made Dark Cherry Soda poured over crème fraiche ice cream.
· Juniper, featuring Executive Chefs Jason Dalling and Claire Wetherell’s Duck Proscuitto with a salad of dried cherries and pistachio nuts.
· M Bar at Renaissance M St. Hotel, featuring Executive Chef John Therres’ Chocolate Cherry Jubilee Shortcakes stuffed with vanilla ice cream.
· M Street Bar & Grill, featuring Chef Edgar Melendez’s Cherries and Brie Purse with a cherries-pecan sauce.
· The Melting Pot, featuring Executive Chef Megan Fricker’s Dark Chocolate Cherries Jubilee.
· Old Glory, featuring Executive Chef Richard Brooks’ Grilled St. Louis Ribs basted in a cherry-cola bar-b-que sauce.
· Palette, featuring Executive Chef Arnel Esposo’s Bing Cherry Cured Wild Alaskan Salmon Sashimi.
· Paolo’s Ristorante, featuring Executive Chef Bill McPartland’s Spinach Salad with honey soaked red cippoline onions, gorgonzola dolce and oven-dried cherries, tossed in cherry vinaigrette.
· PS 7’s, featuring Pastry Chef Leon Baker’s Cherry-Chocolate Linzer Tarte with tangerine granite, orange blossom liquid and chocolate crumbles.
· Roof Terrace Restaurant, featuring Executive Chef Joe Gurner’s Duck Breast Montmorency with Muscovy duck breast, Swiss chard, herb roasted red fingerling potatoes and a black cherry reduction.
· Rosa Mexicana, featuring Executive Chef James Muir’s variety of Mexican Sushi, served with Mexican soy sauce and pickled ginger.
· Taberna del Alabardero, featuring Smoked Cream Cheese topped with port-marinated cherry mousse.
· TenPenh, featuring Executive Chef Cliff Wharton’s Four Course Pre-Fix Dinner Menu with wine pairing.
· Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar, featuring Executive Chef Alex Bollinger’s Chocolate Brioche and English Toffee Bread Pudding with Bing cherries and cherry gelato.
· Vinifera Wine Bar and Bistro, featuring Executive Chef Seth Eldridge’s specialty Cherry Blossom Dessert.
· The Willard Room, featuring The Willard Cherry Soufflé served with ginger ice-cream and “Ginjo-Shu” sake.
· Zengo, featuring Executive Chef Graham Bartlett’s cherry-inspired menu items based on Kobe Beef Spring Rolls and Chile Ancho Halibut.
Try a festive cocktail to compliment your blossom-inspired dish:
· Art and Soul, featuring the Cherry Blossom Cocktail (St. Germain elderflower Liqeur; Morello cherry reduction, Regans’ Orange No. 6 bitters and Lucien Albrecht brut rosé).
· Asia Nine, featuring Infused Cherry Sake or the Sakura Caipirinha (Brazilian sugar cane liquor, fresh lime wedge, chopped fresh ginger, fresh cherry).
· B. Smith’s, featuring the Cherry Jubilee Martini (cherry and vanilla-infused vodka, triple sec, splash of grenadine).
· Bangkok Joe’s Dumpling Bar & Café, featuring the Frozen Cherry Bellini (champagne, Bing cherries, cream sherry and lime juice).
· Café du Park, featuring the Sour Cherry Smash (fresh sour cherries, gin, apple liqueur, ginger root and sugar).
· Domaso Trattoria Moderna, featuring the Bubbly Blossom Cocktail (Prosecco and Campari).
· Hook, featuring the Fresh Cherry Cocktail.
· La Tasca Spanish Tapas Bar & Restaurant, featuring Cherry Blossom Sangria (white wine, cherry brandy, triple sec, juice and a cherry).
· The Melting Pot, featuring the Cherry Ginger Snap Martini.
· Mie N Yu, featuring the Cherry Blossom Cocktail (SurReal Grape Vodka; cherry-infused plum wine and cranberry juice sour).
· Neyla, featuring the Cherry Vodka-Infused Cherry Blossom Martini (vodka, green tea, mint, Bonne Maman Cherry Preserves, lemon juice, ginger ale).
· OYA Restaurant and Lounge, featuring Think Pink! (a three-wine flight of pink rosé wines from various regions).
· Palette, featuring a shot of Cherry Sake Float or Cherry Blossom Martini.
· Poste Brasserie, featuring the Cerise en Fleur Cocktail (Skyy Infusions Cherry Vodka, Schochu, St. Louis Kriek Lambic, aloe vera juice and fresh lemon), as well as Sapporo on draft.
· Rosa Mexicana, featuring the Sparkling Cherry-Infused Margarita (Cherry-infused 1800 silver tequila with agave, fresh lime juice and Cava).
· TenPenh, featuring the Sakura Martini.
To find out more about what some of Washington, DC's leading chefs have created as their Cherry Picks, to read the recipes, and make reservations through Open Table, click here.
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