Photo by Maryland Route 5.
Dish of the Week: Blue Catfish
Where: Pearl Dive, Pop’s SeaBar, District Fishwife, Zaytinya
Mild, sweet catfish filets are a staple at the grocery store or at fried fish joints like Fish in the Neighborhood and Horace and Dickies. But not all catfish are created equal. In fact, blue catfish are actually an invasive species along the East Coast, and they’re a big problem in the Chesapeake Bay. So what’s a concerned diner to do? Eat those invasive suckers before they destroy the bay.
A number of local restaurants serve blue catfish, either on the regular or as part of a seasonal offering. Pearl Dive Oyster Palace (1612 14th Street NW) is launching a bottomless blue catfish special today, where diners can eat unlimited fried catfish along with a side of cole slaw or collards, hush puppies, and a pint of beer for $23. The daytime special will be available every Friday from 11-5 p.m. at the bar and from 11-3 p.m. in the dining room.
Blue catfish is also on the regular menu at Pop’s SeaBar (1817 Columbia Road), where guests can order it fried, deviled, or simply grilled. Zaytinya (701 9th Street NW) is also featuring this tasty but troublesome fish on their spring menu. Locally caught filets are fried in an ouzo batter and served with skordalia, a garlicky Greek dipping sauce that traditionally accompanies fried foods. Or consider picking up some blue catfish to cook at home: District Fishwife in Union Market (1309 5th Street NE) typically stocks blue catfish filets and sometimes features them among their rotating specials. Be sure to call ahead for availability.
Small Bites
Best event name ever
Daikaya (705 6th Street NW) is launching their late-night eats series this Saturday with “That Fish Cray,” a New Orleans-style crawfish boil from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Guests can enjoy crawfish with all the traditional sides (corn, potatoes, melted butter, and hot sauce), along with New Orleans beers, frozen cocktails, and bananas foster for dessert.
Get schooled in all things Campari
Close out Negroni Week with a cocktail making class at Zentan (1155 14th Street NW) this weekend. Learn all about Campari, the bitter Italian spirit that gives a Negroni its signature flavor, then try your hand at making Campari fruit roll-ups. The class takes place on Saturday from 2-4 p.m. Tickets are $40 and include samples of several Campari-based cocktails.
A meal that would make Andrew Zimmern proud
Try balut, chicken feet, and grilled pork blood at Kalye, a Filipino dinner popping up at Eats Place (3607 Georgia Avenue NW) next weekend. Diners can stop in on June 12 and June 13 from 6-11 p.m. and try out a selection of Filipino street foods. Make a reservation here and check out the full menu here.
