Photo by Nuria.
Drink of the Week: Aperol Spritz
Where: Cashion’s Eat Place, Daikaya Izakaya, Fiola, Lupo Verde
The mimosa is dead.
Okay, okay, it’s not dead. If you’ve looked at a brunch menu lately, you know the mimosa is alive and well, thanks to this city’s fierce love for drinking with their eggs. But let’s be honest: The mimosa is tired. It’s readily available and often of rather questionable quality. And then there are the bottomless mimosa deals. Sure, all the cheap champagne and watery OJ you can drink seems like a great time … until you pass 30 and it’s just bottomless heartburn for the rest of the afternoon.
Here at the Weekly Feed, we’ve been looking for a better way to enjoy a mid-day tipple with our Eggs Benedict. So, let’s welcome our new brunch cocktail overlord, the Aperol spritz. It’s like the mimosa’s older, more sophisticated Italian cousin, and it’s what you should be drinking right now. The drink marries Aperol — a slightly bitter, citrus-y Italian aperitif — with bubbly Prosecco, a dash of club soda, and an orange wedge. The result is far more refreshing and complex than the dull mimosa.
It’s no surprise that you’ll find an Aperol spritz on the menu of an Italian restaurant. It’s one of the most popular orders at Lupo Verde’s (1401 T Street NW) brunch, and it’s an excellent foil to the rich meats and pastries that grace their afternoon menu. Fiola also offers the beverage as part of their Presto! lunch menu, only available at the bar. Given Fiola’s normally high prices, an entree and Aperol spritz for $18 is steal. Adams Morgan staple Cashion’s (1819 Columbia Road NW) serves up a variation at their brunch that features a zippy splash of grapefruit. However, Daikaya Izakaya (705 6th Street NW) takes the cake when it comes to creative interpretations. Their version involves a squishy sphere of Aperol and orange juice suspended in sparkling wine.
Small Bites
The Emporiyum is coming
Mark your calendars for The Emporiyum, a two-day market featuring vittles from local and regional chefs and craft producers. The market will be held at Union Market’s Dock5 (1309 5th Street NE) on November 15 and 16, just in time to do a little early holiday shopping for family and friends. There will also be free food and drink samples, natch. Vendors include local chefs like Bryan Voltaggio and Erik Bruner-Yang, along with New York’s Momofuku Milk Bar and Mast Brothers Chocolate. Tickets are $20 ($40 for VIP) and can be purchased online.
Chefs Behind Bars
Does being a good chef make you a good bartender? Find out on Wednesday night when Buffalo and Bergen (1309 5th Street NE) hosts Chefs Behind Bars, a charity happy hour featuring cocktails from six area chefs. Sip on drinks by Gina Chersevani (Buffalo & Bergen), Bart Vandaele (Belga Café and B Too), Doug Alexander (Art and Soul), Frank Paris (Sona Creamery), Frederik de Pue (Table and Menu MBK), George Pagonis (Kapnos) and Marjorie Meek-Bradley (Ripple and Roofer’s Union). Proceeds benefit Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased here.
Eat some pizza for charity
You probably didn’t need another excuse to eat pizza, but here’s a pretty good one: &pizza is running a “Buy One, Feed One” charity promotion from now until the end of September. Every time you order one of &pizza’s Moonstruck pies (topped with roasted mushrooms, goat cheese, fig marsala, and chili oil), either a pizza or the proceeds will go to DC Central Kitchen.
