Dish of the Week: Hash
Where: Estadio, J&G Steakhouse, Birch & Barley, Blue Duck Tavern

All the food sections and blogs are talking about what they think will be the food trends in 2011. Lots of pie, lots of macarons, lots of cocktails…but one that we’ve seen neglected in D.C. has already come to life: hash. The dish has stealthily made its way on to a number of menus across town, and the version at Birch & Barley made it on to our list of favorite dishes in 2010.

And you can’t blame chefs. A piece in this week’s New York Times extols the literal meat and potatoes simplicity of the dish. Chopped meat, potatoes and onion are bound together with the yolk from runny fried eggs; it is an appealing savory alternative to the usual sweet French toast and pancakes.

At diners, the dish often appears as a hot mess, with origins that seem to be the previous evening’s leftovers. But many restaurants have now taken the dish to another level, using better cuts of meat and adding additional seasonings, to the objection of traditionalists.

I’m a big fan of the salty, spicy chorizo and morcilla that are used as the meat base for the hash at Estadio. Though less cohesively adhered together than most hash, it helps to emphasize the quality and flavors of each ingredient in the hash. Meanwhile the short rib hash at J&G Steakhouse is hearty, meaty, and cheesy to the point that eating just half fills you up.

Where do you fall on the hash divide? Do you prefer yours served up at a greasy spoon? Or do you prefer the posher brunch versions?