NoVA Well Represented in 2010 RAMMY Race

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010

(Image: RAMW)

Restaurant awards season is now officially underway, with the James Beard Foundation unveiling its 2010 finalists yesterday and the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington shining a light on the D.C.-Metro area’s culinary superstars today.

Though they are two very different competitions, there are at least one pair of hometown hopefuls in the running for both the national Beard Awards and local honors: restaurateur Jose Andres–whose minibar has him in contention for a Fine Dining RAMMY and Beard’s Outstanding Chef award–and CityZen pastry chef Amanda Cook (nominated for her delectable sweets by both hospitality scrutinizing bodies).

Meanwhile, Northern Virginia restaurants figure prominently in nine of the 14 RAMMY categories, including:

* Fine Dining: 2941

*Upscale Casual: Liberty Tavern, Vermilion

* Neighborhood Gathering Place: EatBar

* New Restaurant: Eventide, Inox

* Chef: Bertrand Chemel/2941

* Rising Culinary Star: Liam LaCivita/Liberty Tavern, Shannon Overmiller/The Majestic, Jon Mathieson/Inox

* Pastry Chef: Anthony Chavez/2941, Josh Short/Buzz (Neighborhood Restaurant Group)

* Wine Program: 2941

* Beverage/Mixology Program: EatGoodFood Group (AKA Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve/PX/The Majestic fame)

You can browse the full list of 2010 RAMMY nominees here. The winners will be feted June 6th during an awards gala at the Marriott Wardman Park.

Northern Virginia Magazine would like to congratulate all the nominees–yes, even you D.C. restos–and wish you all the best of luck on awards night!

–Warren

GAR Dubs 12th Resto Ozzie’s Corner Italian

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, March 19th, 2010

Great American Restaurants CEO Randy Norton has confirmed that their forthcoming Italian concept–set to debut in Fairfax Corner sometime this fall/winter–will be named Ozzie’s Corner Italian, a tribute to GAR corporate chef-cum-vice president of kitchen operations Chris Osborn.

Ozzie’s will bump GAR’s Northern Virginia restaurant holdings to an even dozen. Their preexisting properties include: Artie’s, Best Buns Bread Co., Carlyle, Coastal Flats (2), Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food & Lucky Lounge, Mike’s American, Silverado and Sweetwater Tavern (3).

Although the group had flirted with crowning the highly anticipated project Patsy’s (after Norton’s wife),  Norton suggested that they had received some pushback from New York eatery/online retailer Patsy’s.

Other abandoned monikers included: “Meatball Palace” (too bad) and “Majestic Meat” (porntacular).

No word yet on who will man the burners, but Norton doesn’t seem too worried.

“I am excited about the progress to date and have no doubt the menu will be ready in plenty of time,” he said.

–Warren

NoVA Restos “Unleash” Random Meal Deals

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

Over two dozen Northern Virginia restaurants will hawk cut-rate tasting menus, standalone dishes and select tipples during the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington’s free-form Restaurants “UNLEASHED” promotion (Mar 1-7).

No-brainers:

* Pie-tanza: buy-one-get-one-free 12 inch pizzas

* Grille at Morrison House: 25 percent off the entire bill

* Extra Virgin: 20 percent off all food purchases

Stay a while (all prices per person):

* Bastille: $39 3-course Bistro dinner menu

* Chef Geoff’s – Tysons: $25/$35 3-course lunch/dinner

* Clyde’s – Tysons: $25 3-course dinner

* Geranio: $35 4-course lunch/dinner

* Melting Pot: $35 4-course dinner

* PassionFish: $29 3-course Sunday brunch

* Patowmack Farm: $45 3-course dinner (Friday or Saturday)

* Ruth’s Chris – Fairfax: $39.95 3-course lunch/dinner

Ho-hum:

* Capital Grille: free calamari appetizer

* Glory Days Grill: $5 appetizers after 9 p.m.

* Rocklands: free cornbread with any order

* Vinifera: free dessert with dinner

View all the participating restaurants and scattershot specials here.

–Warren

Kudos to our Local Beard Foundation Awards Contenders

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Monday, March 23rd, 2009

The finalists for the 2009 James Beard Foundation Awards are now official, and we’ve got a host of hometown talents vying for the coveted food industry prizes.

Restaurant Eve toque Cathal Armstrong,

(Photo: Jonathan Timmes)

Rasika chef Vikram Sunderam and Peter Pastan (2Amys/Obelisk) [*my apologies to Pastan for leaving him off the original post*] are all in the hunt for the Best Chef – Mid-Atlantic mantle.

Chef Johnny Monis got a nod in the Rising Star category.

(Photo: Jamie McCarthy/wireimage.com)

The now bi-coastal José Andrés could theoretically score a Beard Foundation hat trick if he were to take the top honors in the web/radio, best new restaurant and outstanding chef categories.

(Photo: Bernardo Peréz)

Meanwhile, Washington Post dining critic Tom Sietsema racked up two nominations (newspaper features about restaurants and/or chefs, restaurant reviews) while the WaPo food section is in the mix for best newspaper food section (stellar work, Mr. Yonan!).

As for other media, several cookbooks/food tomes that we’ve recommended in our print edition are gunning for more widespread prestige (as if that were even possible), including: Cooking Up a Storm (American cooking category), Fat (single subject category) and Milk (reference and scholarship category).

You can view the full slate of 2009 nominees here.

To see the winners get their due live, you’ll have to break out your fancy duds and make your way up to enwhycee for the May 4 Awards Gala. The Beard Foundation is offering $50 discount for all ticket orders placed before April 4.

If you’ve never been, the event is quite an eye-opener. At least it was last year.

–Warren Rojas