Pumpkin is in season at District Doughnuts. (Photo by Rachel Mastandrea)
By DCist contributor Rachel Mastandrea
Dish of the week: Pumpkin day and night
Where to get it: JRINK, District Doughnut, Chaia, Radiator, RPM Italian, Dangerously Delicious Pies, Rare Sweets
Fall is here. You know what that means. It’s time to break out the plaid, romp through the leaves, go to a tailgate, watch football, cook with root veggies, and, yes, feast on pumpkin!
The flesh of pumpkin itself is not particularly savory or sweet, which means it can be adapted for a dinner dish or a creamy dessert. Lucky for all of us, there are lots of eateries around D.C. taking advantage of this delicious squash variant. Whether you’re craving pumpkin in the morning, noon, or night, this city has you covered.
If you wake up dreaming about pumpkin, JRINK Juicery (multiple locations) is making a clean and refreshing pumpkin chai juice. Made of pumpkin, almonds, Brazil nuts, lucuma (a Peruvian fruit), vanilla bean, chai spices, dates, and sea salt, this satisfying beverage honors both the “pumpkin” and “chai” parts of its name.
For a slightly sweeter taste, check out the finger-licking pumpkin crème brulee doughnut at District Doughnut (749 8th St. SE and 3327 Cady’s Alley NW). It’s a scratch-made pumpkin doughnut filled with pumpkin pie crème, along with a sugary topping. When you order one, gaze in awe as they use a blow torch to caramelize the sugar on top of the doughnut. Eat them immediately.
When it’s time for lunch, head over to Chaia (3207 Grace St. NW) in Georgetown for chipotle sweet potato hash tacos with arugula pumpkin seed salsa, feta, and cilantro. Situated in a cozy townhouse—formerly a wood-working studio—Chaia serves all vegetarian/vegan “farm-to-taco” fare. The menu is based on what their farmer providers are harvesting at the time—which, for now, means pumpkin.
Radiator (1430 Rhode Island Ave NW) in Logan Circle has your happy hour pumpkin game covered with the “She Doesn’t Even Go Here” cocktail. Recognize the reference? It’s from the movie Mean Girls. Sarah Rosner, lead bartender, crafted it by shaking up pumpkin-spiced syrup, vodka, and a few other key ingredients to create a homey, comforting adult beverage.
If you’re craving pumpkin for dinner, RPM Italian (650 K St. NW) by the Convention Center has two options. From the cold antipasti section, order the autumn pumpkin with ricotta salata and radicchio. For a fresh, homemade pasta, order the agnolotti (small filled pasta squares—similar to ravioli). They have a smooth pumpkin filling, brown butter sage sauce, and amaretti cookies.
Last but certainly not least is dessert. Dangerously Delicious Pies (675 I St. NW and 1339 H St., NE) will meet and exceed all of your pumpkin pie dreams. And for all you cake lovers, Rare Sweets (963 Palmer Alley NW) is baking pumpkin cake with creamy chocolate bourbon frosting. The perfectly spiced cake is balanced beautifully by the light chocolate, fluffy, hint-of-booze frosting. Try not to drool as they cut you a fresh slice.
And on Sundays, visit Pinch at the Dupont Farmers Market from 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. for hand-pinched pumpkin pork dumplings. Pan-fried or steamed: the choice is yours!
Pumpkin is seasonal, so be sure to get your fix before all the leaves fall and the flavors change.
