Photo by Chris Rief.
Dish of the Week: Cheese fondue
Where: Cafe Mozart, Cheesetique, Jack Rose, The Fainting Goat, The Melting Pot
On a chilly winter night, it’s hard to beat a bowl of bubbly, molten cheese. Bread, apples—hell, you could dip an old shoe in some melted cheese and it would still taste pretty good. Once a relic of 1970s dinner parties, cheese fondue is making a bit of a comeback. And while it’s true that fondue never really left us—that at-home fondue set has been making the wedding registry rounds forever—it’s getting easier to order the dish in a restaurant whose name doesn’t start with “Melting” and end in “Pot.”
Fondue may be the Swiss national dish, but the earliest known recipe for fondue was found in a German cookbook. It’s no surprise then that you’ll find it on the appetizer menu at the Cafe Mozart (1331 H Street NW), along with a host of other traditional German foodstuffs. The dish has also spawned an entire chain of restaurants dedicated to the art of fondue (with 132 franchises and growing). Still, there’s something a bit kitschy about eating a three-course meal built around the concept. Luckily, there are a number of other restaurants where you can enjoy the experience fondue without committing to an entire dinner of dipping and sauce splatters.
Alexandria’s premier cheese shop, Cheesetique (2411 Mt. Vernon Avenue in Alexandria and 4056 Campbell Avenue in Shirlington, Va.), offers their “Fromage Fort” appetizer, a rotating blend of melted cheese and white wine. The shop pairs it with a fruity Riesling to cut the richness of the salty, fatty fondue. According to Chef Nathan Beauchamp, the goat cheese fondue is one of the most popular items on the menu at The Fainting Goat (1330 U Street NW). While the dish is not as molten as a traditional fondue, the hot skillet of cheese, peppers, and herbs is still highly satisfying and easy to share among friends. And Jack Rose (2007 18th Street NW) just launched a new winter fondue menu in their upstairs bar. They’re offering three cheese fondue options: a traditional aged cheddar, a pepper jack and rye whiskey blend, and an Irish cheddar and Guinness combo. The fondues are available from 5-10 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday.
Small Bites
Purim-Palooza
Commissary (1443 P Street NW) is hosting a celebration to kick off the Jewish holiday of Purim. Their “Pre-Purim Palooza” is taking place on Monday starting at 7 p.m. and will feature unlimited Israeli appetizers and hamantaschen, as well as brisket sliders, latkes, and kerplach. Tickets are $18 and can be purchased online.
Insert trendy dessert joke here
D.C. is getting it’s first eclair pop-up. G’eclair is the brainchild of James Jang, founder of Donburi, and Grace Owens-Stively. Folks dining at Donburi on Valentine’s Day may have gotten a chance to sample some of their creations in flavors like strawberry rose and green tea white chocolate. Starting next month, G’eclair will be popping up at Spoon (2473 18th Street NW), the fro-yo shop across the street.
Jazz brunch at Boss Shepard’s
Boss Shepherd’s (513 13th Street NW) is launching a weekly jazz brunch starting this Sunday. Guests can choose from pre fixe menu of a starter, entree, and two cocktails for $35 or order dishes like fried chicken and waffles or bourbon French toast a la carte. To mark the occasion, the restaurant will be giving out free glasses of champagne to the first 50 diners.
