The Weekly Feed: Wit' Whiz Edition
Dish of the Week: Cheesesteaks
Where: JJs Cheesesteaks
Cheesesteaks are delicious. Beef, cheese, bread... what could go wrong? And for some folks, all those fancy cheesesteaks with provolone, cheddar or American just won't cut it. Some of us were maybe, just maybe, fed a lot of Velveeta by their grandmas when we were younger. We want... need the Whiz, the scary electric orange goop that melts oh so nicely. And that's where JJ's Cheesesteaks enters the scene.
JJ's Cheesesteaks is located in the old 14U coffeeshop at the corner of 14th and U Streets. The cheesesteak joint officially opens on Saturday with a $1.99 special for their sandwiches from noon to midnight.
Managed by brothers Jamal Mufti and Ali Hawa, they offer a menu of classic sandwiches named after famous Philly landmarks, public figures, and pop culture references for $5.75. Or you can go off menu and create your own for $7.75. And like the other Philly-style sandwich place, Taylor, they get their bread from Philly, using the same Amoroso rolls as the famous Pat's and Geno's.
Aside from steak filling, they offer chicken, ham, tuna, and turkey. They didn't forget vegetarians; there's also a veggie burger option chopped up in the style of a cheesesteak, and they make sure to prepare your veggie burger on a separate part of the grill, away from any animal bits. If you don't want to fill up on a cheesesteak, you can order fries with cheese and/or turkey bacon. They have yet to set their hours, but are definitely gearing up to be open after last call.
Small Bites
Hola Estadia
Tom Sietsema reports on the Going out Gurus blog that Proof owner Mark Kuller plans to open Estadio, a Spanish-themed restaurant in Logan Circle. Headed by Proof chef Haifar Karoum, the 80 percent Spanish menu will feature tapas and larger raciones, as well as cold plates of Spanish meats and cheeses. Interestingly, Kuller sought the approval of local Spaniard Jose Andres while designing his restaurant's concept as a play off of Mario Batali's Casa Mono in New York. Expect the floors to run red as diners have the option to order wine in a porron (think glass watering can). I'm guessing local dry-cleaners will be cashing in soon after its opening.
Scotch in a box
Compared to some D.C. apartment prices, $500/year for a downtown booze locker doesn't seem so extravagant. That's the price restaurateur Mark Weiss has set for a personalized scotch locker in his new gastropub, Againn, set to open October 27 at 1099 New York Ave. NW. Weiss tells Zagat that on top of the high-end pub favorites, such as shepherd's pie and bangers, and the 75-beer list/1000-bottle wine cellar, the focus on single-malt Scotches will be a unique addition to D.C.'s happy hour scene.
Ray's your glass
In the ever-burgeoning spread of the Ray's empire, Michael Landrum has decided to add wine proprietor to his repertoire. But don't expect a brick-and-mortar shop with witty signage. Instead, Ray's Retail Wine will offer custom order and direct purchase services of wines by the case for pick up at Ray's. The services, including party planning and cellar building, are available through Ray's the Steaks sommelier Mark Slater, formerly of Citronelle. For those of you living from bottle to bottle, with barely enough closet space to function as a "cellar," Ray's is licensed to sell singles up until midnight. More information is available by emailing raysretailwine@verizon.net.
Small Bites written by Eddie Kim