Wednesday's Delicious Deal: Radius

This spring, the husband and wife team of Todd and Nicole Wiss, who met while working at Poste, took over Mount Pleasant pizzeria Radius.

Chef Todd Wiss, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, has added a focus on local and sustainable ingredients to the menu.

Daily from 5-7 p.m., you can score a slice of cheese pizza and a pint of any draft beer for a mere $5. On Wednesdays, you can get a free bottle of wine, per couple, when you order a large pie and appetizer or two entrees and an appetizer.

Also, mark your calendar for Past Tense yoga studio's next date night, Dec. 5, when you can take your date out for some downward facing dogs and then head over to Radius for pizza and 50 percent off a bottle of wine. Details here.

Chefs A'Field Features Local Cooking Talent

Chef Brian McBride, far left, his daughters and Mark Toigo check out the bounty at Toigo Orchards.
Photos: Chefs A'Field/Warner Hanson Television

Foodies love griping about how there aren't any good food shows on TV anymore. But if you've never caught an episode of Chefs A'Field, you're missing out.

Now in its fourth season, the Emmy-nominated series is the creation of local producers Heidi Hanson and Chris Warner. Chefs A'Field takes some of the country's top chefs to the source of foods, and then back to the kitchen for a cooking lesson. There's a strong focus on sustainable agriculture and seafood.

Pastry chef David Guas gets a close up look at apiarist Dave Hackenberg's bees in an episode of Chefs A'Field.

The new season features several DC chefs. The episode "Disappearing Act," which airs locally Nov. 21 at 4 p.m. on WHUT, take pastry chef David Guas to Lerew Orchards with apiarist Dave Hackenberg. Guas makes zucchini cake with local honey glaze and hand apple pies with honey ice cream. (For recipes, click on individual episodes.)

Guas' zucchini cake with honey glaze.

In "Peaches and Herb," chef Brian McBride of Blue Duck Tavern hits Toigo Orchards in Pennsylvania and cooks up chicken with peaches and herbs.

Chef Richard Sandoval (Masa 14, Zengo, La Sandia) is also featured.

Here's an RSS feed of the schedule, or (FOODIE GIFT ALERT!) you can purchase the season here.

Chef Five Bites: Barton Seaver

Chef and sustainable seafood advocate Barton Seaver is currently head chef at Glover Park's Blue Ridge, and he's preparing to open Diamond District Seafood Co., a combo restaurant and seafood market, at 1612 14th St. NW. The fiercely proud DC native (he grew up in Mount Pleasant) graduated from the Culinary Institute of America, and after traveling and cooking in Spain and Morocco, came back to DC and began working at Jaleo. From there, he moved on to Café Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar, and then Hook and Tackle Box in Georgetown. Here are his bites.

1. Pupusas and tacos de res at Pupuseria San Miguel in Mount Pleasant

2. Cavatelli at Sette Osteria

3. All of the sliced meats at Jaleo downtown

4. Chinese broccoli at Full Kee

5. Vegetable sampler at Dukem

Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong, Dani Arana, David Guas, Josh Short, Michel Richard, Haidar Karoum, Ryan Morgan, Shannon Overmiller, Anthony Chittum, Jonathan Krinn & Jon Mathieson, Victor Albisu, Vatche Benguian, John Snedden, Nicholas Stefanelli, Travis Olson, Brian Robinson, Cliff Wharton, Alex Bollinger, Massimo Fabbri, Daniel Bortnick, Rob Weland, Olivier Perret, Dennis Marron, Dean Gold, Mike Isabella, Bryan Voltaggio, Geoff Tracy, Bart Vandaele, Rodney Scruggs, Clayton Miller, Alex McCoy, Steve Mannino, Will Artley, Kyle Bailey & Tiffany MacIsaac, Santosh Tiptur

Five Bites On Friday

Kacy Paide, an office organizing consultant who runs The Inspired Office, helps creative business owners organize their messy offices. She lives in downtown Silver Spring.

1. Panang chicken at Dusit Thai

2. Lunch buffet at Woodlands in Langley Park

3. Palak chaat at Rasika

4. Plato norteno and sopa de lima Yucateca at El Golfo (at right)

5. Chicken souvlaki sandwich at Zorba's

Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail.com.

Warm It Up

The hot "not" chocolate at P.O.V.
Photos: Allison Parent

I had the chance to cozy up on the W Hotel's P.O.V. Roof Terrace this week (plush blankets thoughtfully included) to sample barman Justin Guthrie's wintry creations, including the hot "not" chocolate, a creamy blend of spiced rum, vanilla, milk and cocoa-dusted marshmallows. (They've got the traditional stuff, too.)

For the intimate media cocktail preview, Guthrie also whipped up a drink featuring an ingredient I can't say I've ever had in a cocktail, however commonplace — peanut butter.

The hot peanut buttered rum (at left) takes booze, infuses it with peanut butter, adds a little butter, clove, cinnamon and whipped cream topped with crushed peanuts — all to delicious effect. All winter cocktails are $10.

Speaking of seasonal imbibing, last week I tasted Jason Strich's delicious Kentucky pie cocktail at Rasika, which I hear scored him the regional Domaine de Canton bartender of the year honor. In this liquid spin on a seasonal pie, Jim Beam is mixed with sweet potato syrup and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur and topped with a toasted marshmallow crown.

So, which bars will you hit for a winter drink fix?

Wednesday's Delicious Deal: Zola Wine & Kitchen

The test kitchen at Zola Wine & Kitchen.
Photo: Fredde Lieberman

For its new Lunch with the Chef series, Zola Wine & Kitchen is offering a $12 meal featuring your choice of homemade soups or salads with a sandwich or entrée. Executive Chef Bryan Moscatello (also of Zola and Potenza) is inviting patrons into the test kitchen, Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., for the new lunch deal.

Choices include a local roast beef sandwich with Fontina cheese and blood orange mayo, house-cured apple smoke BLT, and a mini veal meatball sub.

Moscatello is also offering a daily special for $10. This Thursday's is porcini fusilli with truffled brie cheese. Friday is chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes. Check the site for menu specials and see the regular lunch menu here [PDF].

Fried Chicken Is The New Pork Belly

Momofuku's fried chicken.
Photo: Gandhu & Sarah

Food trend prognosticators Baum and Whiteman have a few juicy predictions to lob out for 2010, including this: fried chicken is the new pork belly. (I hope this is not an either/or situation.)

"Fed up with globs of pig fat from undercooked pork belly?" the report asks. "Say hello [to] new-fangled fried chicken — crisped in all sorts of inventive ways by lowly diner cooks and exalted chefs alike."

The report cites as evidence the fried chicken nights at Ad Hoc in Yountville and Locanda Verde in New York, the $100 fried chicken dinner at Momofuku, and the rise of Korean fried chicken.

For your DC fix, check out this previous post for tons of ideas in the comments on where to get excellent fried chicken — from Henry's to Central.

And then chew on this, the food buzzwords for 2010, according to Baum and Whiteman:

Authentic Neapolitan pizza. Lamb riblets. Too many food trucks, not enough curb space. Latino street food. Farmed trout creeps up on farmed salmon. Curry- and Indian-spiced fried chicken. Vietnamese sandwiches (banh mi). Gelati. Global comfort food. Artisan hot dogs. Made-to-order ice cream. Chefs turned butchers. Casual comfort. Touch-screen kiosks and home delivery in fast food outlets. Wood oven cooking. More energy drinks and adulterated waters. Mood food. Backyard and rooftop bee hives. Stevia. Kimchee. Urban farms. Griddled burgers. Free food. House-made everything, especially in sandwiches.

I'd add sustainable sushi, cow-pooling and coconut oil. Other additions?

(Thanks to The Food Section's tweet to the report.)

Metrocurean Twee-dux

Italian seafood restaurant D'Acqua has closed on Pennsylvania Ave.

One restaurant bites the dust, several open and more are (bien sur) on the way. Here's all the juicy stuff you may have missed recently from the Twitterverse ... follow Metrocurean on Twitter here.

Ping Pong Dim Sum getting closer: RT @TopShelfWBJ Looks like @pingpongdimsum will open in December. http://tinyurl.com/yfob3m8 #wbj
less than 5 seconds ago from web

RT @TopShelfWBJ Update: Chef says D'Acqua closed over rent increases. http://tinyurl.com/yewoy84 #wbj
about 3 hours ago from web

Ris on twitter->RT @yoantoine Congrats to Ris Lacoste for winning WCR's golden whisk award! Follow @risDC for updates on her new all-day cafe!
1:27 PM Nov 2nd from web

RT @BGRBurgerJoint BGR The Burger Joint, opens up on DuPont circle, 1514 Connecticut Ave, NW at 11am Nov. 2!
12:05 PM Nov 1st from web

Againn opened Tuesday, 1099 NY Ave: pork belly w heirloom apples, cabbage, crackling; black pudding sausage w mashed potatoes, onion gravy. mmm
10:55 AM Oct 27th from web

RT @CrepesotCorner Coming in Dec, Crepes on the Corner, from Chef Vincent Bradberry & Joe Carmack of Garden District: http://bit.ly/Rwnaj
6:37 PM Oct 26th from web

Is your favorite DC chef or restaurant tweeting? Just made of list here: @metrocurean/dcchefs-restaur.... Let me know if I missed anyone.
6:22 PM Oct 29th from web

Trend Alert: A Root Revival

A new spirit created by a team out of Philadelphia is drumming up some big buzz. Root, an organic 80 proof liqueur that aspires to resurrect root beer's colonial predecessor root tea, has already gotten ink in Vanity Fair and Gourmet (RIP). And hey, I flow with the trends, so now I wanna try some.

Root, from Art in the Age, is distilled from organic sugar cane and gets its flavor from birch bark, smoked black tea, sassafras essence, orange and lemon peel, allspice, anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and nutmeg. The creators call it "a truly interesting and contemplative quaff. Certainly like nothing else we have ever tasted before. It is NOT Root Beer flavored vodka or a sickly sweet liqueur." (Thank goodness.)

And it reportedly plays well with others. Cocktail recipes on the site include a Root de Pina, the Royal Apple with whisky and a spin on a hot toddy.

The first batch has been released in "highly limited quantities" in and around Philly. I have yet to spot it in DC, so while we wait, you can order it online (details here).

Meanwhile, might this buzzworthy newcomer spark a root beer revival in craft cocktails?

I tasted one contender just last week at the new Sou'Wester in the Mandarin Oriental. Sommelier and mixologist Carlton McCoy is making his own root beer for a cocktail float featuring Jack Daniel's, vanilla bean, Angostura bitters and soda. Try it out during the restaurant's Country Time happy hour, daily from 3-5 p.m., when cocktails are $7 instead of $10.

And let me know if you spot any Root out there.

Chef Five Bites: Santosh Tiptur

Santosh Tiptur is the executive pastry chef of Penn Quarter chocolate haven CoCo Sala. Tiptur began his career in 1990 at the Taj Bengal Hotel. He worked as executive pastry chef at the Ritz-Carlton San Juan Spa and Casino, and helped open Ritz-Carltons in South Beach and Grand Cayman. His menu at CoCo Sala offers chocolate tastings, but lots of savory items as well. (Don't miss the grilled cheese and tomato soup.) Here are his bites.

1. Garides me anitho (sauteed shrimp, dill, shallots, mustard and lemon juice) at Zaytinya

2. Lamb gucchi korma and garlic herb naan at Rasika

3. Spicy tuna tartare in sesame miso cones with shaved bonito and tobiko at The Source

4. Hamburger with tomato, cheese and Central mayonnaise at Central

5. Crepes filled with banana, Nutella, whipped cream and vanilla ice cream at Belga Café

Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong, Dani Arana, David Guas, Josh Short, Michel Richard, Haidar Karoum, Ryan Morgan, Shannon Overmiller, Anthony Chittum, Jonathan Krinn & Jon Mathieson, Victor Albisu, Vatche Benguian, John Snedden, Nicholas Stefanelli, Travis Olson, Brian Robinson, Cliff Wharton, Alex Bollinger, Massimo Fabbri, Daniel Bortnick, Rob Weland, Olivier Perret, Dennis Marron, Dean Gold, Mike Isabella, Bryan Voltaggio, Geoff Tracy, Bart Vandaele, Rodney Scruggs, Clayton Miller, Alex McCoy, Steve Mannino, Will Artley, Kyle Bailey & Tiffany MacIsaac