Read the full announcement, if you care to, after the jump:

THE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL BOARD CANCELS HERITAGE INDIA BRASSERIE & LOUNGE’S ENTERTAINMENT ENDORSEMENT

Washington, DC—On December 13, 2011, the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board (Board) cancelled  the entertainment endorsement of Heritage India Brasserie & Lounge (Licensee) and referred the matter to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for further enforcement action.

As a result of a patron being shot and multiple patrons seriously injured at the licensed establishment, MPD Chief of Police, Cathy Lanier sent an emergency Notice of Closure to the Licensee on November 27, 2011.  In order for the establishment to reopen on Wednesday, December 21, 2011, the Board determined that the Licensee must satisfy the following conditions:

1)      Licensee shall surrender its Entertainment Endorsement for cancellation.  It shall not offer music or entertainment of any kind, including disc jockey.  The Licensee may offer background music.

2)      Licensee may not use any outside promoters in any aspect of its business.

3)      Licensee shall close the licensed establishment with all patrons removed from the premises, no later than 12:00 midnight, seven days a week.

4)      Licensee shall provide food service from a menu to ordering customers during all hours the establishment is open to the public.

5)      Licensee shall submit by Friday, December 16, 2011, an updated Security Plan that meets the Board’s satisfaction to include the following items:

1. How the establishment will handle assaults, fights or verbal altercations that occur on or near the premises;
2. The establishment’s process for notifying MPD; and
3. A detailed description of the establishment’s newly installed camera security system, addressing operability, coverage, and location of cameras.  This includes a diagram of the camera locations and a requirement that video footage be made available within 24 hours to law enforcement and ABRA investigators.

Licensee’s ability to remain open after December 21, 2011, will be contingent upon the Board’s satisfaction with the camera security system whose assessment and evaluation will be determined by an ABRA investigator following a walk-through with the Licensee.  The Board will review the supplemental investigative report to determine whether the cameras achieve adequate coverage of the interior and exterior of the establishment.

Photo by Szurdak&Pepin/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

Yes, this is a disadvantage. A lot of the best and most innovative food traditions come from people with limited budgets: if you can afford the best (most expensive) ingredients, it's not hard to make an edible meal. Creating something tasty with humble foods is a lot harder. D.C. as, the wealthiest city in the country by some measures, is a place where Jose Andres' mini-empire of small plates places — which I like — passes as "cheap" even though my last simple dinner for two at one of them (without alcohol) came in at over $100. Andres is a great talent but, in a less well-off town, food like his might actually be more widespread.

Do you agree? Are deep-pocketed Washingtonians stifling the city's gustatory development?

Photo by Tamorlan/Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license

The details are sketchy to say the least: “We don’t have a name, the menu is still to be decided, but there will be food and there will be drink, including wine and alcohol,” Landrum tells Kliman.

At least it has an address: 1650 Wilson Blvd.

If he wanted to be cute, Landrum could call the place "TBD." Of course, Arlington already has one of those.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress

Salmon carpaccio at Zentan

Monday marks the start of "Restaurant Week" in the District, with more than 200 area restaurants participating in the price-fixed meal promotion. This time around, lunch is set at $20.11 and dinner is $35.11. (Read the full list of participating eateries here.)

For diners, the upside is simple: the deal offers you the chance to try a restaurant you might not otherwise be able to afford, or at least think you might not otherwise be able to afford. The downside: large crowds and limited menus. Even worse: the quality of the food may suffer, as kitchens crank out bigger quantities of fewer items and with arguably less motivation to make it good. After all, what chef is going to bust his ass to impress some fly-by-night guest who likely isn't coming back until the next discount orgy in January? WaPo columnist Ezra Klein once put it this way: "you're spending almost as much as you would otherwise, but getting worse food, fewer options, and a crummier experience."

Meanwhile, more savvy diners may see it as an opportunity to patronize places that don't participate in the promotion, as reservations may be easier to obtain because the crowds are flocking elsewhere.

Young & Hungry wants to know: What do you think of Restaurant Week? Do you participate? Or, do you avoid it like E. Coli? Do you think the quality of food is better or worse during the promotion? Do you end up saving money or not? Do you believe the promotion is good for restaurants regardless of the impact on your palate or wallet? Discuss.

Photo by Chris Shott

What's your favorite culinary cameo in music video history?

"I got this in New York," Andrés proudly told me at a cocktail reception at his nearby Mediterranean spot Zaytinya shortly following his James Beard Award win for "Outstanding Chef" back in May. A somewhat jaded Andrés staffer later added, "Yeah, the tie is new, too," referring to the chef's loosened neck wear. The cap now seems permanently cemented to Andrés' head.

Beyond the style points, the newsboy cap turns out to be an apt choice for Andrés. Once fashionable around the turn of the 20th century, the hat has regained popularity in hipster circles in recent years—kind of like what Andrés is now attempting to do with the America Eats menu: bring back forgotten recipes.

Screen capture from Msnbc.com

Rabbit

Just to be clear: the place derives its name from the phrase "rabbit food," that is, salads and such, which it will serve. Not actual rabbit, as in bunny meat, a rep recently confirmed for Y&H.

Consider the venue's signature "rabbit salad," featuring roasted carrots, shaved carrots, diced carrots—well, you get the idea.  Basically, it's the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. of salad. Gordon has enlisted former Café Atlántico head chef Katsuya Fukushima to develop the menu for the glorified 2,000-square-foot salad bar.

As part of its grand opening celebrations, the venue plans to hand out free Red Velvet cupcakes. Full announcement after the jump.

Rabbit Brings Innovative, Seasonal Salads with Grilled-To-Order Proteins and

Red Velvet Cupcakery Confections to Clarendon

Arlington, Virginia, (July 5, 2011) — Aaron Gordon, owner of the Red Velvet Cupcakery and Tangysweet frozen yogurt shops in Washington, DC, Reston, and Tucson, Arizona is pleased to debut the opening of his next project, Rabbit, located at 3035 Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington, VA.  As an introduction to the neighborhood on opening day, which is anticipated for late July, Rabbit will welcome neighbors by serving complimentary Red Velvet cupcakes while supplies last and no purchase is necessary. The restaurant will open seven days a week from 11 AM to 11 PM, and serve inventive, thoughtfully prepared sandwiches and enticing salads served with grilled-to-order proteins. The recipes for Rabbit are the creation of Consulting Chef Katsuya Fukushima.

No stranger to the DC culinary scene, Katsuya Fukushima worked alongside José Andrés for fifteen years, becoming one of Andrés’ closest and most trusted collaborators.  Fukushima served as ThinkFoodGroup’s Executive Chef for Special Projects and prior to that, Head Chef of Café Atlántico.  He played instrumental roles in opening both the critically acclaimed minibar by josé andrés in Washington, DC, and the Bazaar by José Andrés in Los Angeles, Esquire magazine’s best new restaurant of the year for 2009.  Most recently, Fukushima served as Executive Chef of José Andrés Catering by Ridgewell’s, his final position before leaving the company.

Rabbit strives to provide a straightforward menu with a selection of Simple Salads, Chef Crafted Salads, Sandwich Plates served with simple salads and Warm Dinner Plates that include made-to-order protein, simple salad, and house-made mashed potatoes.  All dishes are served with artisanal breads from a local bakery, which are baked fresh daily.  An assortment of freshly squeezed carrot juice and other seasonal juices will also be available at Rabbit including a boutique selection of wines by the glass and beer.  In everything, the emphasis is on fresh, organic and locally available products.

Standout salads include the Beet Salad, made with fried breaded goat cheese croquettes, orange slices, arugula, pine nuts, pickled beet stems, fresh beets, mixed greens and a citrus vinaigrette; Seasonal Fruit & Prosciutto Salad, made with grilled peach halves (seasonal), sliced prosciutto, ricotta, arugula, toasted hazelnuts, honey drizzle, cracked black pepper and balsamic vinaigrette; Nicoise Salad, made with boiled potatoes, olives, haricots verts, egg, roasted tomato, seared tuna and a lemon vinaigrette, as well as the signature Rabbit Salad made with roasted carrots, shaved carrots, diced carrots, blanched snow peas, peas, mixed greens, pea sprouts, shredded mint leaves, carrot top pesto and topped with citrus dressing.  Prices range from $5.50 for Simple Salads to $10.50 for Chef Crafted Salads.

Handcrafted Sandwiches and Warm Dinner Plates will also be available. Tempting choices include Seared Tuna with roasted red pepper aioli; Vegetable Sandwich with green and red bell peppers, zucchini, tomato, romesco and pineapple; Grilled PB&J, as well as a rotating selection of grilled cheese sandwiches incorporating various artisanal cheeses.  All sandwich plates will include choice of Simple Salad.   Price for the Sandwich Plates and Warm Dinner Plates is $10.50.

Additionally, twelve varieties of signature cupcakes from Red Velvet Cupcakery will also be available at the Clarendon restaurant.  Highlights include Devil’s Food, a rich chocolate buttermilk cake with Valrhona bittersweet chocolate ganache frosting garnished with a 24K gold leaf; Peanut Butter Cup, delicious chocolate buttermilk cake infused with chocolate chips and peanut butter topping and the Southern Belle, the shop’s best-selling and signature red velvet recipe topped with whipped cream cheese frosting.

Aaron Gordon, a D.C. area native, came up with the whimsical name for the new restaurant while talking with friends about shopping for salads.  “A friend of mine once asked me how long it had been since a good salad was thought of as ‘rabbit food,’” says Gordon.  “I liked the idea of turning this phrase of slight disdain on its head and decided that “Rabbit” would be the name for my newest venture.  To me, Rabbit incorporates many of the traits of the Slow Food moment…providing the highest quality ingredients, cooking them with finesse and care, and presenting them in a rich, relaxing environment. At Rabbit, our chefs will produce food in a timely manner, while presenting the exact opposite of fast food.”

Photo by Benny Mazur/Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license

Which brings us to the forthcoming Lost Society restaurant, opening Friday, July 1, at the corner of 14th and U Streets NW, which is described in PR materials as D.C.'s premier "boutique steakhouse."

What's "boutique" about it? Basically, the operators want you to get the message that this place is no Smith & Wollensky—even if, in fact, the chef comes from, um, Smith & Wollensky.

In an April interview with Eater.com, Joseph Evans, the former S&W toque now in charge of the Lost Society kitchen, says that the edgier concept allows him to get more creative than the traditional chop shop, employing "cooking techniques that go beyond the typical broiling."

Just what D.C. needs: another exotic steakhouse serving cuts of beef cooked "Pittsburgh rare", but without the pricey eye candy on the side. (Check out the menu here.)

I reached out to a rep for the restaurant for a better explanation of the new eatery's "boutique" concept. In a statement, co-owner David Karim put it thusly: "The space defines boutique.  The design is definitely different than a traditional steakhouse. When you walk into Lost Society, you may not be able to define a time, place or genre of restaurant but you certainly do not feel like you are in D.C."

How fashionably disorienting! If nothing else, it seems, this place must have one hell of a cocktail program.

Lost Society, 2001 14th St. NW, 202-618-8868

Photos by TheMouseArtist.com

Bethesda diners, brace yourselves! This weekend, The Washington Post's Tom Sietsema has a Sunday restaurant review on Food, Wine & Co. If you read Carole Sugarman's "Why Washington Food Critics Hate Bethesda" piece in the current issue of Bethesda magazine, you'll probably assume that Sietsema will automatically hate the place. In fact, Sietsema kicks off the piece detailing how Francis Namin's restaurant "devolved into something akin to a melodrama," including Carole Greenwood's 48-hour stint helming the kitchen. A sign of a bad review?

Not exactly. Sietsema awards the place two stars, outlining the high and low points. He sings the praises of the bar snacks, including the deviled eggs and fried artichokes. He declares the burgers and pizzas are decent, while the sandwiches are underwhelming. The rockfish, meanwhile, is "wasted on braised fennel and an almond pesto that sound better in print than in the mouth." But he says the ribeye is "pound of pleasure, cooked as you wish, served with a thicket of hand-cut french fries that leave you wishing for more."

Two stars? That's pretty decent for Sietsema. And certainly better than the half star he gave Robert Wiedmaier's Mussel Bar, an October review that ruffled plenty of feathers in the Bethesda dining community. From Sugarman's view, "it seems to me that he has been particularly tough on Bethesda restaurants in general." But is that the case?

Some key takeaways from Sugarman's article:

Sietsema says "that he’s no harder on Bethesda eateries than he is on Capitol Hill restaurants. Both neighborhoods are dense with places to eat, but sparse on kitchens that serve quality food, he says."

Former Post critic Phyllis Richman says Bethesda dining lacks "passion": "Where is the restaurant where the chef is young and idealistic and wants to make his own mark? Where is the chef who is an immigrant who is proudly presenting the food of his youth?" Also, there's better ethnic dining in Wheaton and Rockville. (Y&H agrees!)

Washingtonian's Todd Kliman on Bethesda dining woes: "It’s amazing how underwhelming a dining scene it is." Then again, it's hard to please Kliman, who recently said about 60 percent of what he eats falls into "the not-great category."

One of the most fascinating lines came from Sietsema, who says that most of the dining complaints he gets related to "wealthier Maryland suburbs" deal with service, not food quality. Diners don't want to venture into the District, so there's a captive-audience dynamic. "It’s almost as if people have lower expectations," he tells Sugarman, who later notes the biggest complaint she hears about is about—drumroll—parking!

As Y&H contributor Tammy Tuck discovered, it can be difficult to be in the Montgomery County restaurant business, especially if you're a restaurateur or manager trying to do something interesting with a beer list. Thor Cheston, who manages Mussel Bar in Bethesda, as well as D.C.’s Brasserie Beck, told Tuck recently: "I would rather rip my eyeballs from my skull than open another restaurant in Montgomery County," he says. "A case of beer that would cost us $60 in D.C. costs $90 here. It’s bad for business."

Restaurant owner Jeff Black tells Sugarman: "Montgomery County can be a difficult place to do business," citing difficult and "arbitrary" permitting, among other county-related issues.

Those issues, however, don't directly interact with diners. But they do influence what a restaurant serves and how it serves it. And a discerning food critic—and knowledgeable diners—can often detect how those factors can drag a place down. And that's an overarching theme for Bethesda.

Photo by Flickr user thisisbossi using an Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic Creative Commons license