(Photo by Selena N. B. H.)
On Monday at sundown, Jewish communities across the world will gather around tables to celebrate the greatest triumph for the Passover holiday: “they tried to kill us, we won, let’s eat.” And eating there will be.
Passover is all about remembrance, and Jews do that by abstaining from eating delicious breads, pastas, and other leavened grains (called chametz). Instead, they will nosh on matzah, given the moniker “the bread of affliction,” so-called because when fleeing from Egyptians, one doesn’t have time wait for bread to rise, and the result does not taste very good.
In spite of this, there are still fantastic dining options around D.C., as more chefs take up the task of pleasing the Passover palate. While some adhere to the traditional, others mix it up more than turning a staff into a snake.
Kapnos
2201 14th St NW
While the ancient Jews took a route across the Red Sea, Chef George Pagonis of Kapnos and Kapnos Kouzina puts a Greek spin on things. At these Mike Isabella restaurants, Passover menus are available for take-out. Start with dips like hummus and tzatziki, spread them on better-than-matzoh flatbreads, and try spit-roasted lamb for an entree.
Dino’s Grotto
1914 9th St. NW
Also making matzah Mediterranean is Dino’s Grotto, with an Italian-inspired Passover menu. Owner Dean Gold has been hosting Passover meals for years, first in his original locale in Cleveland Park and now in the newer restaurant in trendy Shaw. This year, Dino’s explores both Italian as well as Sephardic Jewish traditions to go along with family classics. His veggies will be Tuscan-influenced, and the pesto will be flecked with horseradish, but his coupe de grace will be the gefilte fish, an oft-maligned part of the Seder meal. With a nod to sustainability, the restaurant will use an unusual blend: salmon, rockfish, and mahi-mahi. According to Gold, it’s not “some pink fusiony fish ball, but our gefilte fish is a well-balanced, juicy fish with the richness of the salmon and rockfish taking the place of the traditional whitefish, and the leaner, meatier mahi rounding out the texture.” Oh, and that matzoh ball soup – it’ll be made with duck schmaltz.
Centrolina
974 Palmer Alley NW
Apparently, it seems that salmon is the new gefilte. Amy Brandwein’s celebrated Centrolina will also make gefilte using salmon, served with a spicy horseradish sauce softened with a touch of sweetness from beets. On top of that, she’ll also bring contributions from D.C.’s very own Joan Nathan, who just published her newest cookbook, King Solomon’s Table. Like Dean Gold, Chef Brandwein noted that she “also incorporates traditional Italian flavors on the menu in dishes like a unique cod polpette in a Puttanesca sauce.” It can all be had on the restaurant’s Passover $50 tasting menu (as well as a la carte), available from April 10-18 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Hill Country Barbecue
410 7th St. NW
What is especially notable about Jewish cuisine is that while it manages to maintain consistency via dietary laws, it is ever-evolving, influenced by surrounding peoples and cultures. It’s no surprise, then, that Hill Country Barbecue has picked up on that cue. Available for order for Passover, this restaurant is offering enormous Central Texas-style whole briskets ($135, 24-hour notice required), low-and-slow smoked to fall-off-the-bone tenderness. Each weighs in at a hefty five pounds. This certainly isn’t grandma’s brisket.
Minibar
855 E St. NW
Even José Andrés’ Minibar will be in on the Passover action. If you happen to be visiting the restaurant for your on-trend multi-course meal during the holiday, the restaurant is happy to swap out matzoh for leavened bread in any dish, or simply make the dishes gluten-free.
Bullfrog Bagels
317 7th St. SE
Finally, while visiting a bagel store may seem anathema during the holiday, eating at Bullfrog Bagels may not be so at odds. At its new second-floor bar, there’s a cocktail on the menu that just may be perfect for Passover: the Manischewitz Spritz, using that famously overly sweet wine as its feature ingredient.
