Photo by abrowntable.
Dish of the Week: Sweet sweet corn
Where: Dolcezza, Pleasant Pops Farmhouse Market and Cafe
It’s August, which means it’s the best time of the year to hit up the farmer’s market for the peak of summer’s fruit and vegetable bounty. That means tomatoes, melons, and — best of all — sweet ears of summer corn.
Summer also marks the time of my annual Midwesterner’s lament. It goes something like this: Even at its seasonal peak, the corn here doesn’t hold a candle to the sweet, crunchy kernels grown in the flat green fields that dot the center of this vast country. So what’s the next best thing? Eating corn for dessert.
Vegetables in dessert sounds weird, but corn’s natural sweetness means it plays nicely with cream and sugar. Plus, you wouldn’t think twice about eating kettle corn, right? This month you can nab some dessert corn at Pleasant Pops Farmhouse Market and Cafe (1781 Florida Avenue NW), which has been making a delectable sweet cream and corn flavor for a number of years now. Meanwhile, Dolcezza is launching a new sweet corn flavor at their Tasting Room (550 Penn Street NE) this weekend. You can try the creamy sweet corn gelato on its own or sandwiched between some black raspberry jam and a biscuit for a homey ice cream sandwich.
Small Bites
Let’s welcome our latest brunch overlords
Tico (1926 14th Street NW), one of the busiest dinner spots on 14th Street, will now be serving brunch. Starting this weekend, diners can nosh on open-faced pork belly omelets, duck confit and green chili hash, caramelized banana pancakes, and other Latin-inspired brunch fare. And no brunch would be complete without a Bloody Mary, or in Tico’s case, a Bloody Chancho made with bacon-infused vodka. Tico will be serving brunch between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
MidCity Dog Days food specials
If you get hungry while shopping at your favorite local retailers during MidCity Dog Days, fear not. A number of restaurants will be offering tasty deals to keep you sated. Pearl Dive Oyster Palace (1612 14th Street NW) will be dishing up fried peach pies and dollar oysters on their patio all weekend, while Cork Market (1805 14th Street) will be grilling up pork belly banh mi and serving ice cream sandwiches. And if you’re not satisfied with either of those sugary options, get 20 percent off your cup at Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt (1939 12th Street).
Pop-up biscuits
Mason Dixie Biscuit Co., D.C.’s first biscuit baker, will be taking up residence at the Dolcezza Gelato Factory (550 Penn Street NE) this weekend. Stop in to sample biscuits in gravy, biscuits and jam, fried chicken on a biscuit, and a biscuit breakfast sandwich made with Benton’s bacon, a fried egg, cheddar, and maple aioli. There will also be sweet tea and lemonade to complete the Southern-style dining experience. Mason Dixie Biscuit will be serving both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Eat like a lobbyist for less
What’s a steakhouse to do when Congress flees during the month of August? Offer some sweet deals for the rest of us stuck here sweating it out until September. BLT Steak (1625 I Street NW) will again be offering their “10 Till 10” Congressional recess menu which consists of ten $10 dishes available at the bar until 10 p.m. Seasonal offerings include crispy pig ears, grilled watermelon, and confit pork cheek. The “10 Till 10” menu will be available from August 4 through September 8.
Restaurant Week rides again
It’s that time of year again: August 11-17 marks Summer Restaurant Week. Participating restaurants will serve a three-course lunch for $20.14 and dinner for $35.14. You can check out some of our past recommendations here and view the entire list of participating restaurants here.
