Dish of the Week: Tapas

Where: Jaleo, Estadio, Boqueria, Barcelona

Tapas, in their most basic sense, are just little snacks meant to accompany a glass of wine at the bar. Elevated, the bites are works of art. Sometimes they are both.

An exhibit in its last days at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain on 16th Street NW tells the story of tapas and more extensively “Spanish Design for Food.” Installed there in late January, you still have time to catch it today through Sunday before they put the wax Spanish tortillas, hams, and olives back into boxes. Admission is free.

If you go you’ll find plenty of chef trade porn. We’re talking hardcore compared the innocent strolls you may have taken admiring gadgets at places like Hill’s Kitchen. Modular- and custom-made marble serving platters, rethought cutlery and table settings, a spiked stove top grill that looks like an ancient torture device, a Superbag “perfect for consommés, stocks, or cooking large quantities of ingredients in general.”

It’s this high-level industrial design that helped elevate the small plate in Spain from food to art, and helped chefs like Ferran Adrià turn the dining experience into a pioneering form of edible performance art. Inventive cooking and presentation tools, precision, food science, and creativity combine to deliver embedded drinks, butter candles, spoons and bowls created from leeks and carrots, and a deconstructed plate of seeds that was a signature dish at the best restaurant in the world, Adrià’s now closed elBulli.

Those seeds and the bite-size creations can be found at a molecular gastronomy mecca like José Andrés’ Minibar and RJ Cooper’s Rogue 24. Or the simple tomato on bread or marinated anchovy on its own at Andrés’ long standing Jaleo or a number of other successful tapas bars that have moved in to join its ranks in Washington.

Small Bites

Dolcezza Gelato
Dolcezza Gelato’s Factory + Coffee Lab opens to the public this weekend. Visitors will be able to take tours of the new space adjacent to Union Market at 550 Penn Street NE. Visitors will be able to take free tours all weekend and pre-packaged pints, which normally retail for $10.50, will be available for purchase at half-price. At the factory, guests can order gelatos and sorbets straight from the production machines.

Vernal Equinox
With the arrival of spring, BRABO by Robert Wiedmaier will host a Vernal Equinox Party this Sunday afternoon in their Old Town courtyard. For an all inclusive $50 per person price, they’ll be serving whole roasted Shenandoah Valley lamb, roasted new potatoes, and other fixings paired with Marzen style beer.

West End Wednesday
Some of the city’s top restaurants and West End neighbors are teaming up this April for walkable progressive dinners. Each West End Wednesday dinner is open to 12 diners who will sit at a communal table as they shuttle between Blue Duck Tavern, Marcel’s, Ris, and Westend Bistro, though not necessarily in that order. Each restaurant is responsible for hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, the entree, and dessert. Each stop will include wine, beer, or cocktail pairings. The cost of the dinners is $100 plus tax and gratuity and seats at the tables must be purchased ahead of time.

Spring is the Season for Wine
The Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and the Washington City Paper have teamed up to bring us a “Spring Wine Fling” from March 24 to 31. Participating restaurants all over the D.C. area will be offering flights, pairings, tastings, and special pricing on wines of every varietal. No need to limit yourself to “Wine Down Wednesday,” with over 24 establishments participating, you should be able to check at least a few off of the list. —Ashley Wetzel

The Three Little Piggies’ Festivals
If you weren’t early enough to snag tickets to the first annual Bacon Festival on April 12th, put yourself on the waiting list and cheer up — we have two other options for you. The Maryland Bacon Festival comes to Baltimore on April 26th and boasts 30 plus vendors and food trucks, bacon-themed cocktails, and cooking demos. If you can wait until May, the Beer Bacon Music Festival comes to Frederick on the 17th and 18th. Bands, brewing competitions, and a two-ton all-you-can-eat bacon bar await you. Good luck.—Ashley Wetzel

From the Farm to your Table
Spring also signals the start of farmers’ market season. FreshFarm Markets, operating 11 local markets from Dupont to H Street NE, announced dates and times for their seasonal markets around D.C. Crystal City, Foggy Bottom and Penn Quarter are all set to open the first week of April, with the rest following suit later in the month. Their website provides a wealth of information including recipes, vendor lists, and Metro accessibility, so scope out a market near you to snatch up the freshest local ingredients. —Ashley Wetzel