A Roundup of Thanksgiving Offerings from DC Restaurants

By Susan Able, Edible DC

It’s not too soon to make reservations and plans for Thanksgiving. Thinking about dining out for Turkey Day? As much as I love to create a Thanksgiving menu and make it all happen, from personal experience, let me just say a beautiful restaurant meal can be such an amazingly pleasant and relaxing experience. And especially in DC if you want to create a staycation experience, don’t want the fuss of cooking, if it’s just two of you or one of you, and well, you just feel like being served. And planning ahead to pick up pre-prepared items is the ultimate “easy button,” if you want delicious food but also seek a stress free day.

Below you’ll find some good options, and note that we’ll be updating this list as they come in.

Restaurant Dining on Thanksgiving Day

Albi

This event is actually the day before Thanksgiving and is your opportunity to have a “Friendsgiving” or a fun gathering the night before and make a journey through Levantine cooking. On Wednesday, November 23, Chef Rafidi's Sofra will present a hearth-driven exploration of the autumn harvest. This one night only update to their family-style Sofra will feature creative takes on Thanksgiving classics alongside their signature dishes. Book now via Resy.

Del Mar

Head down do The Wharf where at Del Mar you can choose from an a la carte menu full of Spanish favorites, or try nostalgic Thanksgiving specials - with a Del Mar twist. (Think Snow Crab Bisque and the Roasted Heritage Turkey with Mushroom and Turkey Sausage Stuffing.) Del Mar will be open from 2:00 - 8:00 PM on Thanksgiving Day. Menu here and reservations here.

Dovetail

Located just off 14th Street NW, the Viceroy hotel’s Dovetail is hosting a is three-course prix fix menu curated by Chef James Gee with appetizers including Kimchi Deviled Eggs and Brussel Sprouts, a full-on turkey dinner with all the trimmings, or a choice of scallops or filet mignon. And a “Who Needs the Turkey?” option for those who aren’t turkey fans (or are vegetarian.) Finish with Pumpkin Pie, Brown Butter Date Cake, or Apple Strudel. Tickets cost $79 (ages 13+) and $39 (ages 5-12) per person. Children under 5 will not be charged and they are welcome to order a la carte. Learn more and make a reservation here.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab
On Thursday, November 24 from 12:00pm - 8:00pm, Joe’s will be serving up a traditional holiday spread. Guests can enjoy Sliced Turkey Breast with leg and thigh confit and pan gravy, alongside all the fixings including Classic Stuffing, Jennie’s Mashed Potatoes, Citrus Cranberry Relish, Green Beans, and Butternut Squash with Toasted Marshmallow. And to top it all off – a slice of Pumpkin Chiffon Pie for dessert. Price is $69.95, plus tax (gratuity not included) for adults, $34.95, plus tax (gratuity not included) for children aged 5 – 12, and no charge for children aged 4 and under. Joe’s will also offer its regular menu in addition to the Thanksgiving menu. View the Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab Thanksgiving menu.

La Bise

Just steps from the White House at 800 Connecticut Avenue, NW, La Bise will be offering seasonal interpretations of classic French fare on Thanksgiving. The three-course, prix fixe menu is priced at $80 per person, excluding gratuity and tax, served from 12 pm to 8 pm on Thanksgiving Day. Starters include Gingered Butternut Squash Velouté; Beef Tartare with quail egg yolk; Roasted Heirloom Beets with apple, citrus and tarragon-crème fraîche; Hudson Valley Foie Gras with Sauternes sabayon, moon drop grapes, pistachio granola, and brioche. Entrées include Heritage Turkey Roulade with sage stuffing, cranberry gelée, charred broccoli and traditional gravy; Wild Mushroom Vol-au-Vent; Branzino with piperade and turnip purée and Steak Frites with house-made French fries. For dessert, guests will have a choice of Apple Tart or Pumpkin Pie with crème fraîche Chantilly and candied pecans or Chocolate Profiteroles with milk chocolate ganache and vanilla bean ice cream. For more information or reservations, please call (202) 463-8700 or visit www.labisedc.com.

Blue Duck Tavern

Blue Duck Tavern at DC’s Park Hyatt Washington will present a farm-fresh Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 25. Blue Duck Tavern will offer its a la carte breakfast menu from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. From 12 p.m. until 8 p.m. guests can opt for a Thanksgiving, three-course holiday meal which will begin with a choice of appetizers, a choice of main courses: Slow-Roasted Prime Rib with horseradish cream and Barboursville cabernet reduction; Cider-Brined Turkey, slow-cooked breast, braised leg with focaccia-chestnut stuffing, gravy, and cranberry-fig relish; Pan-Seared Halibut with lobster brandade, celery, trout roe and sauce Américaine; Carolina Rice Risotto with mushrooms, truffles, and roasted squash; Green Beans & Mushrooms Casserole, as well as Buttered Whipped Potatoes. Seasonal desserts created by Pastry Chef Colleen Murphy include Pumpkin Cheesecake and Apple Cranberry Pie with brown sugar-oat streusel and sea salt honey ice cream. The holiday menu is priced at $145 per person for adults and $55 for children from six to twelve years of age (beverages, tax and gratuity not included). Children under six years of age are complimentary. To reserve, visit www.blueducktavern.com or www.exploretock.com/blueducktavern/. (All reservations require full pre-payment and nonrefundable.)

The Bombay Club

Executive Chef Nilesh Singhvi has prepared a three-course, prix fixe menu is priced at $55 per person, (excluding gratuity and tax), served from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, November 24. Guests will begin their meal with a choice of Roasted Butternut Squash Shorba or Sweet Potato Chaat with date tamarind chutney. Next, guests will choose from two entrée selections: Achari Turkey Tikka with yogurt, garlic and pickling spices or Turkey Shania Korma with cilantro, fennel, cardamom and saffron. Each entrée will be paired with a handful of sides such as Brussels Sprouts Poriyal; Squash – Kale Bhaji; Cranberry Orange Pulao and Fennel-Green Onion Naan. For a sweet ending, The Bombay Club will serve a Pumpkin Cheesecake with sweet potato pecan praline gelato.  A la carte items will be priced from $6 to $32.  For reservations or additional information please call (202) 659-3727 or visit http://www.bombayclubdc.com/.  

Rasika Penn Quarter and Rasika West End

Both Rasika locations will be offering a prix fixe holiday menu prepared by Group Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam this Thanksgiving. Guests will begin their meal with Butternut Squash Pine Nut Tikki with ginger, green chilies, black pepper, and spicy tomato chutney followed by Raan-e-Turkey with turkey drumsticks, pumpkin seeds, cashew nut, nutmeg and saffron, paired with handful of sides such as Brussels Sprout Amchoor with fried onions and dry mango powder; Saffron Pulao and Cranberry Kulcha.  The three-course menu concludes with a Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake with malt cookie and brandy caramel. The complete a la carte menu will also be available on Thanksgiving Day. Rasika Penn Quarter and Rasika West End will be serving lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 24. For reservations or additional information from Rasika Penn Quarter please call (202) 637-1222 or visit www.rasikarestaurant.com/pennquarter.  For reservations or additional information from Rasika West End, please call (202) 466-2500 or visit www.rasikarestaurant.com/westend.  

Ambar Clarendon

Ambar Clarendon will offer a variety of specials in addition to their seasonal dinner menu this Thanksgiving. Open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for brunch and from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. for dinner on Thursday, November 24, Executive Chef Dejan Pilovic is serving up dishes including Roasted Turkey, stuffed with white thyme garlic butter, and served with garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry chutney; Green Bean Casserole with Dijon nutmeg cream sauce and crispy French onions; Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Squash Soup with white ginger, rosemary, olive oil and onion, and a Poppyseed Strudel, a traditional dessert of sweet poppyseed bread sprinkled with powdered sugar.  These seasonal menu items can be enjoyed as part of Ambar’s Balkan without limits Dinner Experience with unlimited small plates priced at $55 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Ambar Capitol Hill will be closed Thanksgiving Day, but will be offering the same specials on Wednesday, November 23. For additional information about Ambar Clarendon please call (703) 875-9663 or visit www.ambarrestaurant.com/home-page-clarendon/.

Buena Vida Gastrolounge

Street Guys Hospitality’s revamped Mexican restaurant which reopened in April 2022, has a new menu, a new executive brand chef, Jaime Pelayo, and new décor. For Thanksgiving, Buena Vida is offering a variety of specials in addition to their seasonal menu. On Thanksgiving, guests can enjoy a choice of dishes from soups & salads for the table, the raw bar, grilled meats, vegetables, and seafood sections. Dinner is priced at $49.99 per person (tax and gratuity not included). Specials are Sopa Tarasca, spicy black bean velouté; Smoked Turkey Mole Enchiladas; Jalapeño & Cheese Stuffed Cornbread, as well as Pumpkin Pie Tamales. Buena Vida is located at 2900 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA. On Friday, November 25, Black Friday, guests can stop by for $25 lunch menu, from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with 25 cent brunch cocktails and 99 cent margaritas. For additional information or reservations please call (703) 888-1528 or visit www.buenavidarestaurant.com.

Il Piatto

The new Italian concept by Restaurateur Hakan Ilhan will be offering an authentic Italian twist on Thanksgiving. The prix fixe menu is priced at $59.95 per person, excluding gratuity and tax, and will be served from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The menu includes Pera in Camicia, poached pear with radicchio, toasted walnuts, goat cheese and balsamic dressing; Portobello with creamy gorgonzola cheese; Arancini, fried risotto balls stuffed with mozzarella and served with a tomato-cream sauce. Entrées are just as enticing and include Turkey Platter with turkey leg, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and gravy; Pumpkin Ravioli with butter & sage sauce; Costolette d’Angello, pan seared lamb chops with basil chimichurri, mashed potatoes, and seasonal vegetables; Rigatoni Alla Juliana with pork cream ragu and truffle oil, as well as Milanzana Parmigiano, eggplant parmesan with San Marzano tomato sauce. To complete the meal on a sweet note, restaurant goers will have a choice of Limoncello Panna Cotta; Apple Crostata; Tiramisu, or Italian Cheesecake. For more information, please call (202) 506-3833 or visit www.ilpiattodc.com

Bindaas

Both Bindaas locations (3309 Connecticut Avenue, NW and 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW), are offering Thanksgiving additions to its a la carte menu created by Group Executive Chef Vikram Sunderam. Guests can enjoy Turkey Biryani with basmati rice, saffron, garam masala and cranberry raita, priced at $20; Brussels Sprouts Uttapam with onions, lentils, mustard seed and coconut chutney, priced at $16; Green Bean Poriyal with mustard seeds, curry leaves and fresh grated coconut, priced at $9, as well as Bharta with smoked butternut squash, cumin, ginger and green chili, priced at $9.  The complete a la carte menu is also available at both locations on Thanksgiving Day. Bindaas Foggy Bottom will be open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Bindaas Cleveland Park will be open from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.  For additional information please visit http://www.bindaasdc.com.

SABABA

The Cleveland Park restaurant will offer a variety of seasonal specials, which will be available in addition to the a la carte menu this Thanksgiving. From 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the a la carte specials, by Executive Chef Ryan Moore, include Turkey Kofta with rye stuffing and cranberry amba, priced at $18; Savory Pumpkin Burekas, priced at $13, Honeyed Sweet Potato with spinach and chickpeas, priced at $14, Lamb-Stuffed Quince with pomegranate and cilantro, priced at $16, as well as Roasted Lamb Chops with fig, walnut and goat cheese salad, priced at $32. For reservations, additional information, please visit www.sababauptown.com, or call (202) 244-6750. 

Annabelle

Chef Frank Ruta is offering a special menu for in-house dining and curbside pickup. Annabelle’s $85 three-course, prix fixe menu features locally inspired cuisine that tells the story of the growers and producers. Appetizers include Roasted Parsnip, Beet & Avocado Salad with pomegranate molasses vinaigrette and smokey blue cheese; Fall Mushroom Soup with crispy pickled mushrooms; Crudo with shaved Burgundy truffles and truffle vinaigrette and a Foie Gras & Organic Chicken Liver Mousse with shaved fennel salad, greens with balsamic and ciabatta tuile. Seasonal entrées: Grilled Danish Ocean Trout with braised fennel; Grilled Angus Steak with roasted trumpet mushrooms; Hand Cut Whole Wheat Pasta with Hen of the Woods mushrooms and house ricotta cheese; Chatham Cod, slow cooked in olive oil with pea leaves, as well as a Traditional Roasted Organic Turkey with cranberry relish. A variety of sides will also be available and served family style: Stuffing with gravy; Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes; Roasted Brussels Sprouts; Creamy Greens and Roasted Butternut Squash. Dessert options: Pumpkin Pie with vanilla ice cream; Ginger Poached Pear with chocolate sorbet and chestnut sauce and a Chocolate Torte with caramel sauce. Annabelle will be serving from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, November 24.  For additional information or to make a reservation please call (202) 916-5675 or visit www.annabelledc.com.

Modena

Modena will be offering an Italian twist on Thanksgiving. The prix fixe menu is priced at $80 per person from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Executive Chef Ben Lambert’s starters include Chestnut & Foie Gras Soup with chestnuts, duck cotechino and crème fraîche; Potato Gnocchi with water buffalo truffle butter, wild mushroom and pecorino di fossa; Burrata with squash, green olive tapenade, shaved fennel, radicchio and pumpkinseed and balsamic pesto, Tuna Crudo ‘Piccata’ with Meyer lemon purée, crispy capers & parsley and vacche rosse parmesan. Entrées include Heirloom Red Bourbon Turkey Breast with Italian sausage-ciabatta stuffing, cranberry tapenade, braised escarole and gravy; Braised Beef Short Ribs with potato pave, wild mushroom, roasted cipollini onions and natural sugo; Mediterranean Branzino with creamed endive, roasted turnip, golden raisin sauce, brown butter colatura spumata, as well as Acquerello Risotto al Tartufo, roasted local honey Nut Squash, Fontina Val d'Aosta, walnut-truffle pesto and crispy sage. For dessert, guests will enjoy a Warm Parmesan Cake with Lambrusco gelo, balsamic gelato parmesan crumble; Pumpkin Pie with vanilla bean whipped cream and cranberry Lambrusco gelo, as well as Tiramisu with caramelized white chocolate mousse, mascarpone crema and coffee gelato. For reservations call (202) 216-9550 or visit https://www.modenadc.com.

Wildfire - Tysons
WHEN:
Thursday, November 24: 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM
WHAT: Let Wildfire do the cooking this Thanksgiving. Open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., we will be serving a family style Thanksgiving Menu featuring Roasted Turkey, Cedar-Planked Salmon, Sliced Roast Tenderloin of Beef, and all of the traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. Pricing is $64.95 per person and $29.95 for children aged 12 and under, plus tax (gratuity not included). Gluten-free dishes are available. View the Thanksgiving Wildfire - Tysons menu
CONTACT: 703-442-9110 | Make a reservation at Wildfire - Tysons

Photo courtesy of Albi.

Order Your Thanksgiving Feast To-Go

Albi

For your Thanksgiving table at home, Chef Rafidi and his team can care of the menu with a multi-course ready-to-heat meal started on the hearth and finished in your kitchen. The Albi Thanksgiving at Home menu includes Za’atar Smoked Amish Turkey, Mujadarra Stuffed Pumpkin, Wood-Fired Pita and Honey Smoked Pumpkin Labne, Potato Puree with gravy and urfa pepper, Tahini Pecan Pie and more options. Visit Tock to see the whole menu and place your order.

Summer House
WHEN:
Wednesday, November 23: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
WHAT: Order for Summer House's five-course artisanal Thanksgiving spread, starting with hand-carved, All-Natural Roasted Turkey and ending with Spiced Pumpkin Chiffon Pie. The special holiday menu serves four and is available for $149.95, plus tax, you can add on additional guests for $34.95 per person, plus tax. Add extra items to your order like Thanksgiving Dog Treats for $5. The dinner is served cold and reheating instructions are included. Orders must be placed by Monday, November 21 at 12:00 PM for pick-up on Wednesday, November 23 from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM. The restaurant will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. View the Summer House Thanksgiving menu.

Wildfire - Tysons
WHEN: Thursday, November 24: 11:00 AM - 8:30 PM
WHAT: For those celebrating at home this year, Wildfire will offer a Thanksgiving Day a la carte Carryout menu including individual dinners or family platters. Half platters serve 4-5 guests and full platters serve 8-10. All homemade pies will be available for carryout by the slice or whole. Thanksgiving carryout orders can be placed by calling the restaurant directly or online through OpenTable starting November 4 for pick-up on Thursday, November 24 from 11:00 AM - 8:30 PM  View the Wildfire - Tysons Thanksgiving Dinner to-go menu.
CONTACT: 703-442-9110 | Order Thanksgiving carryout from Wildfire - Tysons

Pies To-Go

Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery

Chef David Guas of Arlington’s Bayou Bakery is catering to the needs of those too busy to bake. Pick from an array of seasonal sides, pies, and pastries from a menu “stuffed” with delectable choices to feed the full flock offering a range of sides, sweets, breads, biscuits, and rolls from Guas and his krewe. Calling all pie-lovers: at $22-$26 per pie, old-school favorites include Apple Cinnamon Crunch and more like Bacon, Cayenne & Pecan and Virginia Peanut Pie to name just a few of the 8 offered. Your breakfast can include Morning Loaves in flavors including Banana-Choco Chip, Apple Cider Crumble, and Pumpkin Chai, $16. Savory specials include a bevy of bites to fill the holiday table from Spinach Madeline - a creamy, creole Spinach Casserole to Roasted Sweet Potato Mash with Whipped Sweet Potato, Rosemary, Caramelized Onions, and Steen's Cane Syrup. Call 703-243-2410 to place orders, allow 48 hours notice. Final day for pickup is Wednesday, November 23, 2022. For ordering details and the full menu, visit HERE.

Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

WHEN: Tuesday, November 22 - Wednesday, November 23: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
WHAT: This Thanksgiving, Joe’s is offering a variety of whole pies to go including: Key Lime, Banana Cream, Coconut Cream, Boston Cream, Old Fashioned Apple, Chocolate Fudge, Sweet Potato Pecan, Peanut Butter and Havana Dream. The whole pies are $49.95, plus tax and orders must be placed by Friday, November 18 for pickup on Tuesday, November 22 or Wednesday, November 23.
View the Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab menu
CONTACT: 202-489-0140 | Order carryout and delivery from Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab

Summer House - North Bethesda
WHEN:
Thursday, November 3 - Wednesday, November 23
WHAT: Place an order for the Spiced Pumpkin Chiffon Pie with flaky graham cracker crust and toppings of vanilla chantilly cream and cinnamon butterscrotch, available from Thursday, November 3 - Wednesday, November 23. The holiday pie is priced at $36, plus tax. Online pre-orders must be placed three days prior by 10:00 AM. Pickup is available daily from 3:00 PM- 5:00 PM.
CONTACT: 301-881-2381 | Order Thanksgiving pies to-go from Summer House - North Bethesda

Wildfire - Tysons
WHEN:
Wednesday, November 23 and Thursday, November 24: 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
Order a whole Pumpkin Pie, Maple-Pecan Pie, Door County Cherry Pie, Key Lime Pie, or Flourless Chocolate Cake for $29.95, plus tax or a whole Triple Layer Chocolate Cake for $49.95, plus tax.
CONTACT: 703-442-9110

Harvey’s

Harvey’s is a newly opened neighborhood restaurant in Falls Church. They are getting ready to serve guest a bountiful selection of sides available from the holiday market this Thanksgiving.  Standouts not to be missed include Garlic Scallion Whipped Potatoes; Sweet Potato Purée with apple hazelnut streusel; Sourdough Stuffing; Cornbread & Sage Sausage Stuffing; Green Bean Casserole; Gravy; Cranberry Sauce with blood oranges, cinnamon and nutmeg; Ranch Dressing; Caesar Dressing; Barber Sauce; Butternut Squash Soup, as well as Chicken Stock; Turkey Stock and Poultry Brine Kits.  Prices range from $10 to $30 and serve up to four guests. For the perfect pairing, six festive wines will also be available to toast the holiday.  Standouts include: Rubus Reserve Pinot Noir from Sonoma, California, 2020, priced at $44; Secret Squirrel Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley, Washington, 2017, priced at $48; Alaine de la Trielle Rosé/Cabernet Franc/Pinot Noir/Gamay from Loire Valley, France, 2020, priced at $24; John’s Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Pelequèn, Chile, 2021, priced at $28; Harper Voit “Surlie” Pinot Blanc from Willamette Valley, Oregon, 2020, priced at $52, as well as Manoir de Carra Beaujolais-Villages from Beaujolais, France, 2020, priced at $20. Pre-orders must be placed from November 1-18, 2022, with pick-up available on November 24, from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon. Grab-and-go items will also be available on a first come, first serve basis from November 17-23 during the restaurant’s regular business hours. To place an order, please call (540) 268-6100 or visit https://harveysva.com.

Stay (in) and Eat Ramen 

My Journey into the World of K-Drama, with Recipes 

Words and photos by Jennifer Chase, Illustrations by Caitlin Tuttle, Recipes from Eric Shin, Seoul Spice 

Most of my quarantine hobbies were short-lived.  For about a week in 2020 I took better care of a sourdough starter than my children. Spring of 2021 had me foraging for morels and ramps, any excuse to escape the house. Mid-day zoom cocktail classes became a thing until I remembered I have a liver.  

But the one hobby that has become part of my life has been my deep dive into Korean television shows known as K-dramas.  

I was initially drawn by the Netflix hit “Crash Landing on You.”

The heroine and hero of Crash Landing on You on Netflix.

The story involves a South Korean businesswoman, Yoon Se-ri, who has a paragliding accident that lands her across the demarcation line into North Korea. Luckily for her, she falls into the sculpted arms of a ridiculously handsome North Korean soldier, Ri Jeong-hyeok. Se-ri and Jeong-hyeok fall in love (of course) but can’t be together as they are from countries that are technically still at war. For 16 episodes, Jeong-hyeok and a gang of adorable soldier sidekicks try to get Se-ri back to South Korea and themselves safely back home. A show about forced separation and finding a community where you are, it was the perfect 2020 binge-able quarantine drama.  

At a time when travel came to a sudden halt, K-dramas opened a window to another world.  

I learned, for example, that Korea’s answer to “Netflix and chill” is asking your date if they want to “stay and eat ramen.” The line comes from the 2001 movie One Fine Spring Day, where the female lead is too shy to ask her date to stay over, so she invites him inside to have ramen.It’s not surprising that eating, rather than movie-watching, is a metaphor for hooking up in Korea. In Korean culture, food plays a key role in social interactions, which is a main theme seen in Korean film and television.  

Korea’s answer to ‘Netflix and chill’ is asking your date if they want to ‘stay and eat ramen.’ It’s not surprising that eating, rather than movie-watching, is a metaphor for hooking up in Korea.
— Jennifer Chase

As I moved on to other K-dramas, I couldn’t help but be fixated on these food scenes and I started to seriously crave the dishes they were eating. I rambled on to pretty much anyone who would listen about my new obsession, and as I happen to be the creative director at Edible DC, at least a few of these people were chefs. DC chef Eric Shin agreed to feed my obsession by creating recipes based on scenes from some of my favorite dramas. 

Chef Eric Shin, founder of DC-based Korean comfort-food outpost, Seoul Spice, is literally is one of those kids who grew up in a restaurant, as his parents owned one of the first Korean restaurants in Georgia, named Garam.  

Chef ERIc chin with his mother, yang.

“My mom, Yang Shin, stubbornly cooked everything from scratch back in the back of the house while my dad ran the front of the house. I learned so many life lessons watching my parents chase the American dream!” Eric explained to me. He also learned most of his cooking chops from José, one of the restaurant’s sous chefs, and said “I’m sure he loved having a 11-year-old hanging around him during dinner service, but I have vivid memories of kneading buckwheat dough for naengmyun, preparing rice and watching their amazing knife skills.”  

Running a fast-casual Korean comfort food concept with six locations in the DC area would be a full-time job for most people. For Eric Shin, though, it’s his side hustle. Both Eric and his wife, Majorie Blake Shin, are professional musicians with the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO). With live performances canceled for most of the pandemic, Seoul Spice became a workplace for a number of NSO musicians. For menus and more information, go to seoulspice.com 

Kimchi Jigae 

The Show: “Reply 1988” 

The Recipe: Kimchi Stew 

I’m a sucker for friendship stories and this is one of the best. Set in 1988, the year Seoul hosted the summer Olympics, the show centers around five best friends and their families who live next to each other in a small alley. It’s a deeply nostalgic slice of life that shows some of the larger events happening in Korea and the wider world through the eyes of this hilarious neighborhood gang.  

The scene 

In Korean dining, having an assortment of side dishes, or banchan, is as important as the main entree. The scene begins with the kids being asked to bring extra of whatever their mother has cooked to their neighbors’ houses as banchan. It’s initially played for laughs with all the running back and forth, but then cuts to the house of Taek, a sweet, socially awkward teen, who is the neighborhood genius at Baduk, an ancient Chinese board game. Taek and his father sit in silence at the table with just one pot of kimchee stew between them. The camera moves overhead and we see the table fill up with sides sent from their neighbors. It’s a poignant scene that shows how the community who have limited resources themselves, share what they have. Food is a tangible gesture of love and care. 

Chef Eric told me, “Growing up, my favorite was Budae-Jjigae (aka The Army Stew Variation), which is the same recipe as above, but throw in slices of Spam, Vienna sausages, broken rice cakes, instant ramen noodles and crack a raw egg into the hot stew before serving.”

Find the recipe for Eric Shin’s Kimchi Jigae here.

KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

The show: “Crash Landing on You” 

The recipe: Fried Chicken 

This story about forbidden love is at its most compelling when it shows us a peek into North Korean life. The details are considered to be very accurate; the showrunners included a defector from North Korea as a consultant to make sure producers got it right.  

The scene 

If you can watch “Crash Landing on You” and not crave fried chicken, then you don’t like fried chicken. Maybe you don’t even like food. Korean chain BBQ Olive Chicken is a sponsor of the show and fried chicken is inserted wherever and whenever possible. In one particularly memorable scene, Jeong-hyeok and Se-ri are in a very retro-looking Pyongyang bar eating fried chicken with cold beers and watching the first snowfall. The first snow is a fixture in many K-dramas as Koreans believe if you are together with someone during the first snow of the season you will be together a long time. Romance + fried chicken + snow = K-drama gold! 

Chef Eric’s Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Chicken) Recipe here.

KOREAN BBQ SPREAD WITH TRADITIONAL SIDES

The Show: “Pretty Sister Who Buys Me Food” 

The Recipe: Korean BBQ 

Also known on Netflix as “Something in the Rain.” If you can get past the annoying soundtrack (Carla Bruni’s version of “Stand by Your Man” seems to be on endless repeat) you’ll find a sweet romance drama about an older woman and a younger man that also tackles some more serious issues like dating taboos and workplace harassment.  

The scene 

Early in the series we see Jin-A, a manager at a coffee franchise company, at an office dinner grilling meat, pouring drinks and awkwardly pretending to laugh along at her male superiors’ inappropriate comments. By the next barbecue, though, she’s gained confidence and learned to stand up for herself. You won’t be able to help laughing at the way the office women make their point with a pair of barbecue tongs and you WILL crave Korean BBQ!   

Grilled Kalbi (LA Style) recipe here.

 

Not Quite Your Mother’s K-drama: A guide to K-drama tropes for newbies

K-drama writing and production have come a long way in the last decade and many of the best shows cleverly subvert common tropes in the genre, but there are usually at least one or two of these common plot points:

  • The Love Triangle. If it’s two men in love with the heroine, the second guy will be adorable, selfless and entirely too good for this world. You will at some point wish he can get the girl. This is known as the “second lead syndrome” and has led to major shipping wars (advocates of one pairing or relationship over another) so intense on K-drama forums that WE DO NOT SPEAK OF THEM. On the other hand, if it’s two women in love with the male lead you will (love to) hate that scheming wench.

  • The meet cute happened a while ago. The main couple has somehow met when they were younger. There’s a good chance that one has saved the other from a tragic accident.

  • Things happen—slowly. Relationships and especially skinship (physical intimacy) moves at a much slower pace than in Western media. Think Regency-era romance movie before “Bridgerton.” The first kiss will probably happen between episodes 7–9.

  • There WILL be a hospital scene. If your only knowledge of Korean culture came from K-dramas, you would think that they are an extremely accident prone people in need of regular IV drips to survive. Korean friends have assured me that this is not the case.

  • Piggybacking is a common form of transportation. Our heroine will at some point get drunk on soju (a clear liquor made of rice, wheat, sweet potatoes or tapioca) and have to be carried home. 

  • K-drama men wear turtlenecks and beautiful cashmere coats—in all seasons, indoors or out. Men of America, please emulate this. 

And, a few more recommendations for K-drama watching as your eat your ramen:

“Descendants of the Sun”

Even after 19 episodes, I’m not entirely clear about what special forces captain Yoo Shi Jin and surgeon Kang Mo Yeon were doing in the fictional country of Uruk, but it was filmed on a beautiful Greek island and the chemistry between this couple is sizzling. The actors later dated and married IRL.

“It’s OK to not be OK”

Gang Tae, a health worker at a psychiatric hospital; Sang Tae, his autistic brother; and Mun-yeong, a children’s book author with antisocial personality disorder are all struggling to overcome deep trauma. While the themes are serious, a liberal dose of eye candy (we can thank obligatory Korean military service for Kim Soo Hyun abs!), humor and beautiful cinematography keep the story from being too somber.

“Start Up”

Picture a Korean version of the show “Silicon Valley,” but with more idealism and more beautiful people. In a moment when we are skeptical about technology companies and their role in our lives, it’s refreshing to watch a show about young people wanting to use tech as a way to do good in the world.

“Healer”

Gun ownership in Korea is extremely low and gun fatalities even lower (.08 per 100,000 as compared to 12.21 in the U.S.), so fight scenes in Korean TV shows normally use martial arts instead of guns and are usually done by the actors themselves instead of stunt doubles. Ji Chang Wook is mesmerizing to watch as he jumps from rooftops and fights bad guys while young journalist Park Min-young fights with the power of the keyboard. 

“Run On”

My current obsession, this one is still ongoing. Centered around the relationship of a movie translator and a track and field athlete, it has witty dialogue and very few of the normal K-drama tropes. I want to drink Soju and be friends with every one of the female characters. We can piggyback home.

National Farmers Day: Help Build a Brighter Future for Farmers!

American Farmland Trust’s Brighter Future Fund was launched in 2020 to assist farmers in diversifying, growing, and sustaining farms in the face of challenges to the food and agricultural system. The grants are used to help improve farm viability, enable farmers to access, transfer or permanently protect farmland or adopt regenerative agricultural practices. 

This year, we gave away over 1 million dollars to over 200 farmers located across 44 states and Puerto Rico while prioritizing support for farmers identifying as BIPOC, LGBTQ+, female, or beginning thanks to the support from our main sponsor, Tillamook and many other organizations and individuals like you. Here are some of our grant recipients’ stories.

Cristina Flores, flowers x flores | Brentwood, Maryland

Cristina Flores runs flowers x flores, a flower farm for a 22-member, 6-week community-supported agriculture business during the summer months. She also utilizes her flowers for floral design for events season.

Cristina will use the Brighter Future Fund award to purchase a greenhouse for field seedlings to increase the farm’s capacity to sell plants at the beginning of the season, invest in marketing needed to grow the farm's CSA membership, and hire a farmhand.

Cam Terry, Garden Variety Harvests | Roanoke, Virginia

Cam Terry started his farm business in 2017 growing on small, leased plots in Roanoke City, Virginia. Like many beginning farmers, Cam wanted to farm but didn't have a way to secure long-term farm tenure. After four successful seasons, Garden Variety Harvests is poised for a significant expansion. The farm also secured a land donation and 99-year farm lease with SWVA Agrarian Commons, further protecting Cam’s investment.

"I decided to make the leap into commercial production because I thought it would be the most fulfilling way to spend my 30s and 40s: providing food for my immediate community."

Cam’s Brighter Future Fund grant will be used to purchase key equipment and infrastructure projects.


About American Farmland Trust (AFT)

AFT is the only national conservation organization dedicated to protecting farmland, promoting environmentally sound farming practices and keeping farmers on the land. AFT’s programs include the Women for the Land initiative, the Farm to Institution New York State (FINYS) program connecting farmers to schools, and resources and trainings for a new generation of farmers through the Farms for a New Generation program.

Since 1980, AFT’s innovative work has helped to permanently protect more than 6.8 million acres of farmland and ranchland, and has led the way for the adoption of conservation practices on millions more. Learn more at farmland.org.



Can I Kelp You? Four Trends Rising in the Natural Food Products Sector

The Natural Products Expo East in Philly was full of attendees and innovative ideas

By Susan Able | Edible DC

The largest food and wellness trade show in the U.S., Natural Products Expo East, focused on everything from natural and organic foods to supplements and home products wrapped up last week in Philadelphia. As interest in this product segment has exploded in this past decade, this year’s conference size at the Philadelphia Convention Center mirrored that interest with more than 1,200 exhibitors and over 18,000 attendees.

The senior team at DC’s Little Sesame went to check out the hummus and organic food segment and had the chance to explore offerings from vendors whose all share the same dream: to land their products on retail shelves. And grocery buyers from all the big players (Whole Foods, Wegmans, Krogers, etc.) who could make that happen were there in force as well, carefully checking out products that could be the next big thing.

I spoke with Maddy Beckwith, Little Sesame’s communications and community engagement lead. “It was a great show, and some really great new food products and ideas. But it’s a big show, and as I sampled my way through the vendor exhibits (how much kombucha can one drink?), I saw some clear product trends and interest. I have a strong feeling you’ll see more of these categories in stores in the near future.”

Here’s her list:

More Alternative (plant-based) *Dairy: ex: and Milkadamia

The juggernaught growth of the dairy alternatives market has happened for a variety of reasons. Lactose intolerance, milk allergies or a choice to reduce impact on the planet by cutting out cow-milk dairy are the top three. If you thought the alternative dairy product market was already saturated with soy, almond, oat and hemp milk, you’d be wrong. Natural Products Expo East was brimming with new alternative dairy products.

From elevated oat milks that also come as pre-mixed, barista lattes, such as the UK’s Minor Figures, or milk made from Australian macadamias, Milkadamia, or vegan dips and sour cream from PlantPerks, the plant-based dairy alternative market is still a hot one.

Non-Alcoholic cocktails and elevated mixers

A growth market spurred by Covid quarantine? U.S. drinking spiked during the first year of the pandemic and a separate and aligned interest has grown by consumers looking to cut out or cut back on alchohol in their life, without giving up the allure of a full-flavor mixology experience. Enter products like Three Spirit, where their carefully crafted drinks have it all except alcohol—vegan, gluten-free, made with functional and adaptogenic plants. (According the the NIH, adaptogenic plants can help the human body respond to stress, anxiety, fatigue and promote overall wellbeing.) And not surprisingly, the founders of Three Spirit are mixologists and plant scientists. Designed to drink on the rocks, or be used as a mixer, the drinks come in 16.9 ounce bottles (a little smaller than a wine bottle) and are $39.99.

Avec fell into the category of elevated mixers. The founders, NYC native and Black female entrepreneur Dee Charlemagne and UK native Alex Doman say, “Over the years, we started to pay more attention to what we were drinking. That’s when we noticed that the “mixers” we were pairing with our booze suck! Sodas and juices full of sugar and nasties. Tasteless, uninspiring vodka-sodas.” Enter Avec’s premium carbonated mixers made with real juice, herbal botanicals and low sugar. A 15 pack of cans in mixed flavors (like grapefruit and pomelo or yuzu and lime) is $45 or you can chose your own party pack here.

Seaweed, kelp and sea beans in many formats

Lots of seaweed was seen at the trade show, from seaweed snacks like gimMe to an entire range of products from Atlantic Sea Farms like Sea-Veggie burgers, kelp cubes for smoothies and ferments like Sea Chi, a fresh Maine seaweed crafted into a mild kimchi. Atlantic Sea Farms was founded in 2009 and was the first commercially viable seaweed farm in the US, created with a mission to grow a domestic seaweed market as over 98% of edible seaweed is now imported from Asia. And in a time of climate change, farming kelp is also a way to help Maine lobstermen and fishermen find new ways to develop income. As Atlantic Sea Farms CEO Briana Warner says, “We need to show the world that truly sustainable food doesn’t come from a lab, it comes from the clean cold waters of Maine and is grown by fishermen.” Curious? You can order kelp products on their website.

Regeneratively-Farmed Ingredients

So what are we talking about here? Agriculture done in a way that actually improves the soil health. According to the Regeneration Institute, “Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that, among other benefits, reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity – resulting in both carbon drawdown and improving the water cycle.”

There were dozens of products at the show that promoted using regeneratively sourced ingredients. From local Baltimore brand Simpli which is building a regeneratively sourced supply chain for their quinoa products, to Wild Orchard Tea, regeneratively grown without chemicals or any contaminants on Jeju Island, to Smootch, a sports drink made from regeneratively grown oats —“regeneration” was everywhere at Natural Products Expo East.

Beckwith pointed out that Little Sesame is riding the wave of interest in creating products that improve the earth through sourcing ingredients that have been grown through planet-friendly agriculture. The company’s line of hummus is made from 100% regeneratively Montana-grown garbanzo beans, a top priority for Little Sesame founders Nick Wiseman and Ronen Tenne.

 

Pozole for a Crowd

Photo: Jennifer Chase

Chef Autumn Cline perfects a chilly weather crowd pleaser

By Susan Able, recipe by Chef Autumn Cline

Serves 10–12.

Standing up eating oysters on chilly afternoon may require extra fortitude, and in addition to a cocktail, a hearty stew is your new best friend. While Brunswick Stew or Frogmore Stew might be more traditionally southern, Chef Autumn Cline thought of pozole, a soul food homage for her largely Latino kitchen staff and an absolutely delicious addition to our Oyster Roast menu.

Soup Base

4½ ounces whole dried ancho peppers

5¼ cups diced yellow onions

1¼ cups sliced garlic cloves

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

2½ cups sliced celery

4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

7 quarts shellfish stock (use the shrimp shells to make this)

 

Pork and Soup Ingredients

4–5 pounds pork shoulder, skin removed

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ cup salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano

½ onion, cut in 2 wedges

3 inches celery stalk

1 garlic clove

1 lime, halved

½ orange, cut in wedges

1 sprig thyme

1 sprig rosemary

1 cup chicken stock, beer or white wine

4 cups peeled and deveined shrimp

1 large can white corn hominy

Garnish

2½ cups shredded red cabbage

1 bunch scallions, sliced thin on the diagonal

6 thinly sliced radishes

6 thinly sliced jalapeños

8 ounces Salvadoran crema

Chicharrones

1½ cup cilantro, chiffonade

Tortilla chips (optional)

6 limes, cut into quarters (not optional)

To make the soup base, clean seeds from the dried ancho chilies. Cover with water in a pot. Cook until completely soft; strain and reserve the liquid. Transfer to a food processor to make a paste. Sweat all the vegetables with the paste in the oil in a large pot. Once aromatic, add a sachet of thyme and bay leaf, then add the shellfish stock. Cook for 45 minutes to hour, until flavorful. Season to taste.

To make the pork shoulder, make a cure by mixing together the sugar, salt and spices. Rub all over the surface of the skinless shoulder. Place in a cooking or braising pan with the reserved cooking liquid from the ancho chilies, onion, orange, lime, thyme, rosemary and bay leaf. Supplement the liquid by adding beer if the ancho liquid isn’t enough. Cook at 250° for 4 hours, until fork tender. Cool completely, then pull, shred and chop the pork into bite-size pieces. Add the pork to the soup base and bring to simmer. Add the hominy and the shrimp; continue heating until the shrimp are cooked.

Serve with all the garnishes, and a good squeeze of lime. Enjoy.

Join FRESHFARM For a Silver Anniversary Celebration Under the Stars! 

The Feast, Washington, DC's original farm-to-table fundraiser, celebrates FRESHFARM's 25 transformative years at a stunning new venue with an unmatched chef lineup and exclusive live auction packages. It all takes place Wednesday, October 19th from 6pm to 9pm, you won’t want to miss what is one of DC’s foodie-insider celebrations of the year. And the bonus? A discount code for Edible DC readers!

Edible DC spoke with FRESHFARM’s Director of Communications, Juliet Glass, to learn more about all the details of this year’s must-go-to event.

Edible DC: Last year’s Feast was a big departure for FRESHFARM; instead of a seated dinner you re-imagined the event as a casual, rooftop reception. Which direction are you going in for this very special year, FRESHFARM’s Silver Anniversary?

FRESHFARM: We wanted to build on the success of last year's Feast format, so this year's fête will be similar—an outdoor cocktail reception serving locally sourced cocktails and appetizers. For the first time, we are hosting the event at Potomac View Terrace near the National Mall. This new location is stunning and attendees will get unparalleled views of the District's most iconic sights: the Capitol Building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Potomac River and other icons of the DC skyline.

Edible DC: In addition to the new venue, what else is being unveiled for FRESHFARM’s Silver Anniversary celebration?

FRESHFARM: This celebration will be worthy of our milestone year. We’re thrilled to introduce the Founders Awards, honoring the legacy of co-founders Ann Harvey Yonkers and Bernadine Prince by acknowledging the transformative contributions of community members and organizations to support FRESHFARM’s mission. For this inaugural awards year, we’re awarding the Founders Award for Innovation & Change to District of Columbia Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, recognizing her tireless advocacy around child health, school-based well-being, and building an equitable food system in the District. We are also thrilled to award City National Bank with the Founders Award for Spirit of Service for their longstanding support of FRESHFARM and their critical guidance during the pandemic helping FRESHFARM secure a Paycheck Protection Program loan that was absolutely critical to our survival. The loan helped FRESHFARM chart a sustainable path forward and allowed us to continue to serve the community during an unprecedented public health emergency.  

Edible DC: One of the most exciting things about the Feast is the amazing food prepared by DC’s most acclaimed chefs—can you share who is cooking this year?

FRESHFARM: This year is going to be so much fun. The chef cohort runs the gamut from returning Feast chefs to newcomers, but what unifies the group is a passion for cooking with the seasons and for honoring the growers behind the ingredients. So far the lineup includes: culinary legend Cathal Armstrong, chef/owner of Kaliwa who served as Feast coordinating chef for several years; Matt Baker of the Michelin-starred Gravitas and Michele’s; Five-time James Beard Award nominee and returning Feast chef Amy Brandwein of Centrolina and Piccolina; returning Feast chef Kat Petonito, top toque of Capitol Hill hot spot The Duck & The Peach along with her pastry chef Rochelle Cooper; James Beard Award finalist Haidar Karoum, chef/owner of Chloe; Washington native and Nina May co-owner/executive chef Colin McClimans; Aisha Momaney, pastry chef at Baker’s Daughter, Gravitas and Michele’s; returning Feast chef and FRESHFARM producer Daniela Moreira of Call Your Mother, Timber Pizza, and Mercy Me; and returning Feast chef Rob Rubba of the plant-forward, Michelin-starred Oyster Oyster who just earned a coveted spot in Food and Wine’s “Best New Chefs in America” 2022 round-up. 

Edible DC: Wow, an all star lineup. And what about the drinks program, what do you have planned?

FRESHFARM: We work with an amazing network of local distillers and brewers that sell at our farmers markets. We are so honored that several of them are Feast beverage sponsors, so that the drinks will be just as rooted in Mid-Atlantic flavors as the food. Capitol Cider House, Cotton & Reed, District Made Spirits by One Eight Distilling, Don Ciccio & Figli, Republic Restoratives Distillery, and Right Proper Brewing Company will each host their own drink station and pour bespoke, District-made libations.

Edible DC: The Feast Live Auction is always one of the best nonprofit auctions in the city, what are some planned items for this year?

FRESHFARM: ​​We’re really excited about the auction, featuring truly unique travel and culinary experiences. Packages this year feature a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Galapagos Islands, donated by the Embassy of Ecuador, as well as other international and domestic travel and dining experiences. Other highlights include an intimate, at-home dinner party prepared by chef Gerald Addison, a DC native and co-owner and co-executive chef of Bammy's, and past co-owner and co-executive chef of Compass Rose and Maydan; and an Eastern Shore weekend escape curated by co-founder Ann Harvey Yonkers. 

Edible DC: Sounds great! Where can readers get tickets and what do they include? 

FRESHFARM: Tickets are $250 and include unlimited food and drinks, and Edible DC readers get $50 off using the code EDCFeast. All proceeds support FRESHFARM’s work to create a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food future in the Mid-Atlantic region. Claim your ticket now and join us in celebrating the countless people that believed in building a better local food system when we started in 1997, and worked tirelessly to make FRESHFARM what it is today! 


FRESHFARM is a nonprofit based in Washington, DC, that works to create a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable food future. We develop innovative ways to solve critical problems across our regional food system and connect people to their food through hands-on education, farmers markets, and food distribution programs. The largest area farm market organization, FRESHFARM operates nearly 30 farm markets across DC, Maryland, and Virginia which are inclusive community spaces to enjoy local food, improve health, and support local farmers and food producers.

For more about the FEAST, to buy a ticket or make a donation, go here.