The full bar at Heritage India Dupont Circle has re-opened as of Dec. 22. Our menu of wine, beer and cocktails is available during lunch, happy hour and dinner. We sincerely look forward to serving you again. At the same time, we reiterate our pledge to cooperate with the police department and city officials to ensure the safety of the dining public.

Photo courtesy of Heritage India

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.

Heritage India

Heritage India Statement on Nov. 27 Incident

Heritage India extends its deepest sympathies to the family of Jhonte Coleman. We wish a quick and healthful recovery for the others who were injured following a private party on Nov. 27.

Heritage India is proud to be among Washington’s world-class restaurants, offering guests from around the city, country and the world a memorable fine-dining experience. Heritage India often hosts wedding receptions, businesspeople, government officials, foreign diplomats and other dignitaries for large lunch and dinner banquets.

Located in one of Washington’s premier nightlife areas, Heritage India Dupont Circle is an attractive venue for private after-hours events on weekend nights.

On Nov. 27, two patrons at a private party began to fight and security staff immediately escorted both men off the premises.

With tension remaining in the venue, management decided to shut down the event immediately. Music was turned off, lights were turned on and guests were asked to leave.

As patrons were exiting, a person outside of Heritage India shouted that there had been a stabbing on the street.

Heritage India staff immediately called 911 and security began an emergency-response lockdown. At this point, only the security officers, event promoters and restaurant staff were inside the restaurant.

The alleged stabbing victim was leaning against the main door of the restaurant and security brought him inside to render medical aid.

Contrary to published reports, the stabbing did not occur inside Heritage India.

Heritage India is reviewing its contracting procedures for private events and is prepared to participate in a constructive dialog with police and city officials to promote a safe, hospitable environment for nightlife activities.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this post misidentified the number of shooting victims. The item has been corrected.

Photo courtesy of Heritage India

Atul Bhola spent the past 10 years as a manager at Heritage India, dutifully fulfilling his front-of-the-house duties while others, notably head chef Surinder Kumar, produced the curries that earned this small, two-restaurant chain all the praise.

Bhola still walks the floor at his new restaurant, Masala Art in Tenleytown, but the man formally trained in hotel management back in his native India has allowed his other personality to step forward: his would-be chef. Bhola created Masala's menu himself, then lured his friend, Kumar, away from Heritage to execute it and fine-tune it.

Together, these two men have instantly created one of the top Indian restaurants in the area. You can read all about it in this week's Young & Hungry column.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

Masala Art owner Atul Bhola had told me he would offer some unusual dishes at his new Tenleytown restaurant, and I have to admit the gaulati kebab plate ($12.95) sitting before me is so different, I'm not even sure how to eat it.

The plate arrives with three lamb patties in the middle, surrounded by slices of crispy tawa parantha flatbread, a small bowl of creamy dal makhani, and a mound of aromatic rice. Bhola tells me it's traditional to eat the kebab with the flatbread, which makes sense given the patties, despite being griddled on a tawa with ghee, have the texture of under-fried falafel balls. The parantha provides a much-needed element of crunch.

Bhola says the kebabs, prior to grilling, are ground six different times, which certainly explains their silken texture. On the last grind, he says, chef Surinder Kumar (formerly at Heritage India) adds saffron, dried chili peppers, rose petals, and other spices to the mixture. The raw ground meat is then smoked with cloves smoldering away in hot ghee.

It's an extensive process that produces intensive flavors — a searing heat on the palate, which is accented, if not muted, by the floral qualities of the rose petals and the dark aromatics of the clove.  It is indeed an unusual, perhaps even unique, experience, well worth trying if you happen to find yourself in the neighborhood of this quality Indian newcomer.

A couple of weeks ago, Y&H asked you to nominate the entrees and appetizers and desserts that you felt were worthy of inclusion into a D.C. Dish Hall of Fame. Y'all tore into the assignment like a pack of wolves on a dead carcass.  I received Tweets, personal e-mails, and lots of suggestions via the comments section.

Then for this week's Young & Hungry column, I contacted a few chefs for their input on HOF dishes. All told, between the public and chefs, you nominated more than 100 dishes, with very little overlap. I've narrowed down the list down to the 30 dishes that could represent D.C. well, if elected to the hall.

Now it's your turn. You can vote for three dishes and three dishes only. The top five vote-getters will be part of the inaugural class of the D.C. Dish Hall of Fame. You have until Dec. 11 to vote.

Pass the word around!

Photo by Darrow Montgomery