Robin’s Egg shake and Peeptarts at Ted’s Bulletin. (Photo courtesy of Ted’s Bulletin)Dish of the Week: Easter candy gone gourmet
Where: Pinstripes, Shake Shack, Ted’s Bulletin
Valentine’s Day may be the holiday most associated with candy and chocolates, but (in my humble opinion) Easter candy reigns supreme. It’s partly the novelty: When do you find so many confections that are only available for a few fleeting months out of the year? And why do all of them seem to involve marshmallows? Now a number of D.C. chefs are taking your childhood favorites out for a spin, and it’s sure to be better than that stale box of Peeps from Target. So if your idea of celebrating Zombie Jesus Day is less about God’s son and more about chocolate bunny rabbits, read on.
Easter candy was always a thrill as a child, but my experience as an adult has been markedly different. Every year, I find myself unable to resist the nostalgia-fueled call of the Cadbury Creme Egg, a saccharine, toothache-inducing ritual that reminds me exactly why they should only be sold once a year. Meanwhile, Peeps have become far more fun to put in the microwave than in my mouth, and those Robin’s Eggs seem like a recipe for a chipped tooth. So I’m feeling more optimistic about trying some chef makeovers of these childhood treats.
Ted’s Bulletin (505 8th Street SE and 1818 14th Street NW) is mashing up all your terrible childhood foods with their PeepTarts, a homemade strawberry pop-tart dotted with rainbow sprinkles and topped with squishy Peep chick or bunny. Ted’s will also be offering a vanilla Robin’s Egg milkshake, which can be made regular or spiked with Baileys for a more adult Easter libation. Meanwhile, Pinstripes (1064 Wisconsin Avenue NW) will be whipping up homemade marshmallows in familiar Peep shapes and colors during their Easter brunch. If you’ve never tried a homemade marshmallow, you may be surprised at how much they outshine the store-bought competition. However, the crown jewel of all Easter candies is undeniably the Cadbury Creme Egg. For that, Shake Shack (800 F Street NW and 1216 18th Street NW) has you covered with their Shackbury concrete, a swirl of thick vanilla frozen custard, caramel sauce, and milk chocolate. Catch these Easter treats from April 17-20.
Small Bites
Put on the soft red light
Red Light (1401 R Street NW), the salaciously-themed Logan Circle dessert bar with a misguided name, will be soft opening on Saturday. From now until April 26, patrons can sample a limited dessert menu, specialty cocktails, and plenty of champagne. The full menu and day-time weekend service will begin on April 27.
Late night tacos coming to Chinatown
Chinatown doesn’t have a ton of food options for night owls, but that’s changing. Oyamel (401 7th Street NW) is launching a new late-night menu (and hours to match), featuring their mouth-watering tacos as well as heartier fare like guacamole, pozole, and meatballs in a chipotle sauce. The menu will be available at the bar Sunday through Wednesday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. and from Thursday through Saturday from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
Celebrate something better than your tax refund on April 15
DC Brau is turning three, and they’re throwing a party at Meridian Pint (3400 11th Street NW). They’ll have 14 of their beers on draft and two cask selections. Expect the usual suspects (their Public, Corruption, and Citizen varieties are $3 all night), as well as some unusual options, like a maple syrup rye whiskey barrel-aged version of Heurich’s Lager. The party starts at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
