Photo by alchen123.
Dish of the Week: Scallion pancakes
Where: Maketto, Panda Gourmet, A&J, Peter Chang Arlington
Thin, flaky, and a bit oily, scallion pancakes are China’s contribution to the international pantheon of fried bread. The name pancake is a bit of a misnomer, as they’re not made from a batter and definitely shouldn’t be served with maple syrup. Fans of Indian flatbreads like paratha or even Native American fry bread will find a kindred spirit in cong you bing, whose crispy slices make a delectable start to any meal.
Freshly opened Maketto (1351 H Street NE) offers a stack of thin scallion pancake slices on their appetizer menu, though the portion is enough to easily satisfy two or three people. This snack typically trends toward the mildly greasy (it is pan-fried, after all), but Maketto ups the fatty ante by presenting their version with a big ol’ dollop of salted butter. It seems unnecessary—until that first bite passes your lips and suddenly it seems very important to slather the remaining pancakes before they get cold. Everything really is better with butter.
For a more traditional take, make the trek out to Panda Gourmet (2700 New York Avenue NE) for a crisp, salty stack to kick off a spicy Sichuan meal. The pancakes are also a dim sum staple at A&J (1319 Rockville Pike in Rockville, Md. and 4316 Markham Street in Annandale, Va.) where they’re fried golden on the outside, with soft, onion-y layers on the inside. The much anticipated Arlington outpost of Peter Chang’s (2503-E North Harrison Street) Chinese restaurant empire also boasts a scallion pancake, though their version is fried to a glorious puffy bubble, much like an Indian poori.
If you’re feeling particularly enterprising this weekend, pick up some fresh scallions from the farmers’ market and fry up your own with the help of this Yan Can Cook tutorial.
Small Bites
Ice, ice, baby
Learn about ice cider, a less sweet cousin of ice wine, at Cork Market and Tasting Room (1805 14th Street NW) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The market will be hosting a tasting with Eden Ice Cider, which Cork owner Diane Gross describes as “a a dessert wine for individuals who find the usual dessert wines too sweet.” The tasting is $25 and includes ice ciders as well as an aperitif cider and sparkling hard cider. Call 202-265-2674 or email events@CorkDC.com to reserve a spot.
Crabs and crawdads, oh my
Memorial Day is for boiling crustaceans. On Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m., Policy (1904 14th Street NW) will be hosting their fifth annual crab festival, featuring all-you-can-eat crabs and sides and $5 beers. Tickets are $50 per person. And on Monday at noon, Cafe Saint-Ex (1847 14th Street NW) will be hosting a crawfish boil on their patio with all-you-can-eat crawdads, corn, potatoes, and red beans and rice. No tickets are required, but the boil will run you $50 per person.
Shaw gets local
Glen’s Garden Market, the locally-focused grocery in Dupont, is expanding to a second location at 8th and U Street NW. The Shaw outpost will boast a hot prepared foods section, two sandwich stations, and an outdoor beer garden. The market is set to open in November.
