By DCist contributor Elizabeth Packer
While pumpkin beer has been on the shelves for weeks, and people have already begun the yearly tradition of sending around the story of Mr. Autumn , it’s now actually beginning to feel like fall here in D.C. As the days turn cooler, it’s time to say goodbye to the bounty of summer — sunny tomatoes, berries, endless zucchini, sweet corn — and welcome the flavors of fall. That doesn’t mean you have to relegate yourself to pumpkin pie spice. Many restaurants are featuring new menus to reflect the change in the season, including Ripple (3417 Connecticut Avenue NW), in Cleveland Park.
Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley will begin introducing fall dishes on to the menu in the coming weeks, some of which DCist tried at a recent media dinner. While exact dishes will vary based on what’s available from local suppliers, in keeping with the restaurant’s farm to table ethos, diners can expect to see lots of seasonal produce, like beets, mushrooms, leeks and cauliflower, featured in preparations that manage to be comforting but not heavy.
The roasted beet agnolotti exemplifies this balance — the comforts of pasta, but in a way that doesn’t weigh you down. Pink pillows of delicate pasta and roasted shallot arrive topped with poppy seeds and glistening trout roe. The pasta is so light, the roe provides the perfect touch of salt to the beet’s earthy flavor, and the sweet roasted shallot ties it all together.
Meek-Bradley’s take on boeuf bourguignon is another standout to look for on a cool autumn night. She uses beef cheeks from a local farm in place of the leaner cuts you usually find in the dish, and cooks them until meltingly tender and luscious. The meat comes perched on a pool of creamed leeks, a welcome hit of brightness to balance an otherwise rich dish.
Ripple has an extensive wine list, with a focus on organic, biodynamic wines, to complement its food. And, perhaps more importantly, the restaurant also offers a grilled cheese bar. If you choose to welcome fall by creating your own cheesy concoction, add some seasonal jam to your sandwich, to stay in the spirit of celebrating the new season.
