The Weekly Feed: Crisp and Delicious Edition
Dish of the Week: Po boys
Where: Acadiana, Breadline, Johnny's Half Shell, Bardia's, and Hank's Oyster Bar
Mardi Gras is coming up this Tuesday. It is that wonderful time of indulgence right before the abstention of Lent. And we all associate this indulgent day with New Orleans. What better way to celebrate than with some po boys? Nothing could be better than a mess of fried seafood on crusty French bread, "dressed" (with mayonnaise, lettuce, tomatoes, remoulade, and a touch of cocktail sauce), though traditionalists also accept roast beef with debris gravy (gravy with small bits of beef).
For those on a hunt for a po boy, the best time to do so is at lunch, since most D.C. joints don't serve po boys outside of that time. The most authentic experience can be found at Acadiana, which serves their po boys on Lendenheimer's bread with a side of Zapp's Crawtators. You have the option of going for fried oysters, roast beef with "debris" gravy, or a less-traditional version with barbecue shrimp and garlic butter.
Another option is Breadline, though you will have to wait until Thursdays when their oyster po boy shows up on the special menu. (During soft-shell crab season you can find a soft-shell crab version instead.) Breadline's version includes a kicky slaw and remoulade, but contrary to the restaurant's name, serves it on a slightly odd spongy bread. It's not the best option, but will do in a pinch.
You can also check out Johnny's Half Shell for their sure-to-be-authentic po boys with fried shrimp, oysters or roast beef with debris gravy. Lover of all things New Orleans, Ann Cashion, makes sure that her po boys are up to snuff.
If you are looking for non-lunch hour po boys, head on over to Hank's Oyster Bar or Bardia's New Orleans Cafe.
Small Bites
ZOMG Sonic Slushes
In DCist Arts Co-Editor Missy Frederick's first weekly restaurants and retail column for the Washington Business Journal, Top Shelf, she lets us in on some pretty sweet news. For all those who have been salivating over Sonic ads for the past few years, there is hope! Sonic is scouting locations for several dozen Sonic Drive-In restaurants in the D.C. area.
Winning recyclers
Local food bloggers, The Bitten Word, were named in the London Times' top 50 world's best food blogs. Their blog puts all their food magazine recipes to work rather than letting them accumulate dust in the corner. Congrats guys!
Slider sweep
Good Stuff Eatery's Spike Mendelssohn had a near sweep of the awards at the South Beach Food and Wine Festival's Burger Bash. He beat out Bobby Flay with sliders topped with bacon, sharp Vermont cheddar, fried Vidalia onion rings, and chipotle BBQ sauce. He received the coveted People's Choice Award, as well as Best Dressed Burger, and the Golden Grill. The only award he didn't win was for best potatoes, but let's just pretend that one doesn't count. One commenter on Grub Street did note on the post, "If that photo is any indication, Mendelsohn also took home the Worst-Dressed Ham award."
Whisk-y me away
CommonWealth will be hosting a whisky dinner on March 2 at 6:30 p.m. It will include six single malts - Clynelish, Oban, Singleton, Talisker, Caol Ila, and Dalwhinnie - alongside a four-course meal. Scotch Master John Heffernan will be speaking at the event. The cost is $60 plus tax and tip. Call 202-265-1400 for reservations.