Washington, DCs Restaurants Celebrate The National Cherry Blossom Festival

Many of Washington, DC’s top chefs and favorite eateries will join in the National Cherry Blossom Festival tradition by serving cherry-infused dishes as the nation’s capital celebrates the festival, March 29-April 13, 2008. From sumptuous entrees to decadent desserts, Cherry Picks show off the creativity of Washington, DC’s culinary community.

Sample the 2008 National Cherry Blossom Festival’s Cherry Picks at the following restaurants. For more information about these restaurants, see this guide to cherry blossom cuisine.

• 701 Restaurant - Chocolate-Cherry Muffin.

• Aria Trattoria - Cherry Zabaglione Tart.

• Bangkok Joe’s Dumpling Bar and Café - a three-course meal: Salmon Firecrackers with pickled garlic-sour cherry compote; Shrimp Tempura with roasted chili-cherry sauce, kaffir lime leaf, haricots verts and steamed jasmine rice; and Frozen Cherry Soufflé with sake marinated dried cherry and ginger candy.

• Beacon Bar & Grill - Tender Roasted Red and Yellow Beet Salad; Cherry Glazed Peppered Salmon; Seared Long Island Duck Breast; and Panna Cotta with Cherries Jubilee.

• Belga Café - Duck Breast with cherry beer sauce.

• Café du Parc at the Willard InterContinental - Cherry Custard Tart with lime mousse and sour cherry sorbet.

• Café MoZU at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC - Cherry Blossom Crème Brûlée with cocoa caramel, morello cherry espuma and iced prosecco twig.

• Cascade Café at the National Gallery of Art - Chicken with Black Cherry Barbeque Sauce and Sour Cherry Gelato.

• Charlie Palmer Steak - Roasted Colorado Lamb Loin with Bing Cherries.

• Coeur De Lion - White House Cherry Cake, made with chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, cherry filling, vanilla ice cream and chocolate Grenache.

• Crystal City Sports Pub - Chicken Estambia–Macadamia encrusted stuffed chicken breast with papaya, coconut polenta and a Bing cherry veloutte.

• DISH + drinks - Snacks + Sips, including Shrimp Tempura with Asian slaw, served with spicy dipping sauce and a blood orange cosmopolitan.

• District Chophouse and Brewery - Lamb Porterhouse with dark cherry ale demi glace.

• Extra Virgin - Straccotto Con Ciliegie (beef stew with cherries) and Muosse Di Ciliegie E Cioccolato Bianco (cherry and white chocolate mousse).

• Georgia Brown’s - Sun-dried Cherry Cobbler.

• The Grille at the Morrison House - Cherry Wood Smoked Duck Breast with cherry foam and a frisee and cherry blossom salad with cherry vinaigrette.

• Hook - Cherry Scented Sablefish with arugula and warm cherry vinaigrette.

• Hudson - Duck Confit with arugula salad, parmesan and wild cherry sauce.

• Ici Urban Bistro at Hotel Sofitel Lafayette Square - Roasted Pork Filet Mignon with cherry port sauce and rosemary fingerling potatoes.

• Indebleu - Tandoori Squab– whole spice roasted squab, rosemary apple ‘risotto’, cinnamon and cherry port glaze.

• Indigo Landing - Foie Gras in Riesling with cherry hibiscus chutney, toasted brioche and a cherry port gastrique.

• J. Paul’s - Baked Brie with cherry marmalade and frissee salad.

• KAZ Sushi Bistro - three course meal including Flounder Carpaccio with ume-seaweed sauce, a Bento Box and a Cherry Rice Cake with plum tea.

• Morrison-Clark Restaurant Historic Hotel & Restaurant - Pan Roasted Moulard Duck Breast with plum wine sauce and grilled baby bok choy.

• Nirvana - Cherry Kulfi and Dilkhush Cherry Biriyani.

• The Oceanaire Seafood Room - Wild Virginia Rockfish with wild rice and cherry sauce.

• Old Glory - Cherry Cola BBQ St. Louis Ribs.

• Palette - Yellowtail Kingfish cured in cherry blossom green tea.

• Paolo’s Ristorante - Spinach Salad with cherry vinaigrette.

• Pavilion Café at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden -Honey Glazed Chicken Salad with sweet ginger vinaigrette and a cherry.

• Perrys Restaurant - six-course Kaiseki Dinner.

• POSH Restaurant and Supper Club - Apple Cherry Streusel Pie.

• Ristorante Piccolo - Risotto di Ciliego (Arborio rice, fresh cherries, shallots, cream and brandy and sprinkled with parmesan cheese) and Ciliegio Fritto con Zabaione (cherry-stuffed fried ravioli with a zabaione sauce).

• Rosa Mexicano - Rollo de Atun (tuna sashimi roll with cherries and avocado, served with cucumber yogurt sauce and cherry pico de gallo); Bolitas de Arroz con Cangrejo (rice cake topped with jumbo lump crabmeat and avocado, served with a tart cherry-jalapeno dipping sauce); and Coconut Shrimp Tempura, served with a chile ancho-cherry dipping sauce.

• Stone’s Throw at the Marriott Wardman Park - Cherry Lacquered Wild King Salmon with parsley risotto, chanterelle mushrooms, bing cherries and citrus avocado emulsion; and the Cherry Blossom Delight with cherry beet sorbet.

• Taberna Del Alabardero - Foie Gras Cerezas y Consommé de Boletus served with cherries and porcini consommé.

• TenPenh - Kalamansi Lime and Cherry Pie.

• Tuscana West - D’Anatra con Sala di Ciliegio– oven-roasted duck breast with cherry port wine sauce, served over a Risotto cake; and Ciliegio Cucinato alla Tuscana West– cherries poached in red wine served with mascarpone cream.

• Westend Bistro - Clafoutis (warm orange scented cherry and almond cake).

See Cherry Infused Cocktails on Page 2