Stew of calamari, shrimp, clams and mussels in a coconut and citrus broth at Urbana.

Dish of the Week: Shellfish stew with coconut and citrus broth
Where: Urbana

Most hotel restaurants have a reputation for bland decor and mediocre food with a menu that tries too hard to appeal to a broad audience. While Urbana in the Hotel Palomar doesn’t really have such a reputation, the recent appointment of Chef John Critchley to head the kitchen may prove to move the restaurant even further away from the mundane.

Among several changes to the menu — described as “brasserie-style Mediterranean fare” — Critchley has added one dish that approaches Thai food. The seafood stew starter, which features firm mussels, clams, and shrimp with tender squid rings and tentacles in a coconut and citrus broth, comes across as a light take on a Thai curry. Rather than an amalgamation of seafood-y flavors, each type of seafood maintains its individual identity, which is augmented by the piquancy and brightness of the citrus and earthiness of the coconut. The dish yields a broth that requires the diner to sop it up with bread.

At $15, it might be a bit pricier than a Thai curry, but you can augment your meal with Urbana’s Happy Hour, which runs Monday-Friday from 4-7 p.m. Their happy hour features a selection of beers for $4, a daily selection of still wines and sparklers for $5, half-price pizzas, and $2 oysters.

Small Bites

Steak your ground
New steak-focused restaurant Medium Rare is set to open in Cleveland Park on Monday. Capital Spice got a first look at the restaurant’s interior and menu. It’s hard to argue with a salad and steak frites for $20, along with a brief but thoughtful wine list.

A little more sweet than sour
The National Museum of American History has assembled a collection, “Sweet and Sour,” focused on the history of Chinese-American immigration and the resulting evolution of Chinese restaurants in America. On display are a variety of Chinese restaurant-related objects ranging from menus to restaurant signs to cooking implements.

Market bus
Bon Appetit Foodie points us to a project by Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture, which is raising funds to turn a school bus in to a traveling produce market. Hopefully, this will help Acadia to serve the area’s numerous food deserts. They are nearly halfway to their goal of $15,000 with 28 days remaining. You can donate via Kickstarter.