By contributor Suzanne Struglinski
Photo credit: Neshan H. Naltchayan
Washingtonian presented a gastronomic challenge putting more than 60 of the metro area’s top food and drink options all in one place.
At the sold-out “Best of Washington” party Wednesday night at the National Building Museum, the magazine took guests on a trip through the best of the region.
Editor Garrett Graff explained that the event celebrates the July “Best of” issue, which includes the “very best” of Washington and combines elements of all the magazine’s favorites – from readers’ voted favorite taco at California Tortilla and favorite food truck Red Hook Lobster Pound to the best restaurants and favorite cocktails.
Garrett Graff
“It’s an annual celebration of what’s great about living in the District of Columbia,” Graff said.
With proceeds benefitting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, hungry guests feasted on everything from lobster to lamb, scallops to octopus, hot dogs, cupcakes, a variety of gazpachos and numerous creations in between.
Cathy Merrill Williams, president and publisher of Washingtonian said the incredible event is really just about “everything that’s great about Washington.”
What was her favorite dish of the night? “Everything!” Merrill Williams said. “I don’t have a favorite child.”
Cathy Merrill Williams,Fred Fielding and Norm Ornstein
A world travel theme had bright blue hot air balloons soaring in the museum’s sky-high ceilings with staff dressed as flight attendants and pilots and even some vintage costume travelers wandering through the crowd.
The restaurants’ food presentation was just as creative with a double sided spoon and fork (spoon on one end of the handle and fork on the other, not to be confused with a spork), chopsticks, soup shot glasses and even cake push-pops.
Whitney Vaillancourt and her friends had a plan of attack to tackle such an expansive floor of delicious options: do one round of each station and take it one table at a time. Vaillancourt agreed with guest Elizabeth Burks that Central’s watermelon radish rolled around shrimp and held together with a tiny clothespin stood out among all of offerings. While Alicia Bell said she enjoyed the veggie sushi from Passion Fish.
PassionFish Executive Chef Chris Clime said he stuck to veggie sushi because the scorching summer heat. He created a Tao Roll with beets, asparagus, avocado and Dynamite sauce. “This is my favorite event of the year,” Clime said, as he prepped another set of the 1,000 portions he brought for the hungry guests.
Meanwhile, Ettore Rusciano, who opened his Menomale, an authentic Neapolitan pizza place just a year ago in May, cut melon and sliced prosciutto for a line of interested diners. “It is such a great reward,” said “Mamma Rossi,” Rusciano’s mother-in-law, as she stabbed at a 10lb slab of Parmigiano-Reggiano, creating chunks for people to sample.
Another newcomer, the DGS Delicatessen, offered a “GLT” or a slice gribenes or Jewish bacon, also known as crisp chicken skin with a slice of lettuce and tomato. Nick Wiseman, DGS partner and owner who just opened the shop in November said it has been “quite rewarding” to get on such a list so soon and he is “glad that the city has been so responsive” to their idea of opening a true delicatessen.
Guests got more daring in trying new foods as the evening wore on, and the drinks flowed freely.
In the VIP lounge, servers walked around wearing a mesh glove and utility belts full of fresh oysters and sauces to shuck an oyster right on the spot.
Washingtonian‘s Harry Jaffe
Carolyn Thompson, who works for event-sponsor AT&T, said she is trying to be a little more spontaneous with her food and figured a foodie event was a good place to be a little more adventurous.
“That was awesome,” Thompson said after slurping down an oyster with a dash of lemon-lime juice. “I thought it would be gross but it was really smooth, I will certainly be purchasing some later.”
Her friend Knyja Reed also tried her first oyster, calling it a “very fresh” taste.
Beyond a stocked gift bag, VIP guests also were encouraged to get the coordinates of their favorite place in the world printed on a T-shirt to take one. Some picked baseball stadiums around the country or college campuses or favorite vacation destinations, but a good portion of those heard getting shirts picked Washington, a fitting choice.
