Photo by Jack Lyons.
By DCist Contributor Travis Mitchell
Dish of the Week: Snow cones
Where: EatsPlace, Pop’s SeaBar, Clayboy’s Shaved Ice, Blue Duck Tavern
If you haven’t stepped outside in the past day or two, you might consider staying indoors. The mid-90s heat has arrived, and D.C. is feeling like the humid, oppressive swamp we all know (and love?).
These temperatures call for any excuse for a cool refreshment. One frozen treat—the snow cone—has been popping up recently in restaurants and bars around town. Not only are snow cones and shaved ice lighter and more thirst-quenching than ice cream, they can also be paired with booze and used as as base for cocktails .
Purists will enjoy the no-frills shaved ice and flavored syrup combinations at Clayboy’s Shaved Ice, a small cart found at the corner of Bethesda Ave and Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda. But for the next evolution in snow cones, make a trip to the food incubator EatsPlace (3607 Georgia Avenue NW), where the bar offers a rotating selection of fruity snow cones with flavors like pineapple ginger, strawberry, and blueberry. Booze like rum, tequila or vodka can be added for an extra kick. The chef has also recently rolled out a menu of savory and unexpected shaved ice toppings like chili noodle or Parmesan foam.
Several other restaurants around Washington will be unveiling snow cone creations later on this summer. Beginning on July 1, Pop’s SeaBar (1817 Columbia Road NW) will begin serving kid-friendly and boozy snow cones. Flavors will include Baltimore lemon stick, strawberry, and Bing cherry. And Blue Duck Tavern (1201 24th Street NW) is serving a special snow cone during lunch from June 20th to the 27th only.
Small bites
Another nontraditional Sunday brunch option
Rasika West End (1190 New Hampshire Avenue NW) is now open for a la carte brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m to 2:30 p.m. Menu items will range from $8 to $25 and include Rasika favorites like palak chaat (crispy spinach) along with special dishes like rockfish curry and coconut jaggery pancakes. Bottomless mimosas, bloody marys and prosecco will be available for $15.
Restaurants offer Capital Pride parade specials
The Capital Pride parade happens this Saturday afternoon, and several restaurants along the route are celebrating with drink specials. Urbana (2121 P Street NW) will be hosting a special brunch decked out with drink specials and rainbow snow cones. Logan Tavern (1423 P Street NW) will be selling $9 strawberry-infused vodka cocktails, and Commissary (1443 P Street NW) is serving the Shut Up & Dance cocktail for $8 or $48 a pitcher. It’s a blend of pineapple-infused vodka, sage, mint, ginger and lime.
Going native for the summer
Seasonal, local and cooked to order are not terms you normally associate with museum cafeteria food, but Mitsitam Native Foods Cafe at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (4th Street & Independence Avenue SW) is not your typical Mall eatery. On June 21st, Mitsitam will debut its new summer menu, including dishes like wood-fired spot prawns with white asparagus, grilled bison skirt steak with a charred tomato chutney, yellow corn chips with watermelon salsa, and fried dough with strawberry compote and crystallized basil. —Elizabeth Packer
Prepare for the return of the Snallygaster
The Snallygaster beer festival will return to The Yards (355 Water Street SE) for its fourth year. The beer minds behind Churchkey and Bluejacket will be bringing around 300 of the beers from around the world to Yards Park. The event won’t happen until September 12, but two levels of tickets are now on advanced sale for eager customers. The Gargoyle pass includes 30 food and drink tickets and a mug. The VIP Kraken pass costs $65 and includes all that plus an additional 90 minutes to peruse the beers.
