ChurchKey

The scene: 6:30 pm on a Friday, at ChurchKey. After spending an hour and a half at the bar, where I saw it go from pretty crowded, but able to get a table for 3 at 5, to so packed I had to squeeze through the sea of people to get to the bathroom, it was time to leave. Before we even finished paying our check, a couple had scored dibs on our table. And, when exiting, I was completely shocked to see not only that the bar was at capacity at 6:30 pm, but there was already a line, at least 20 or 30 deep out the door, waiting to get in. AT 6:30 PM.

So yeah, the anticipation for ChurchKey/Birch and Barley was high, and it’s ridiculously popular now that it’s finally opened. Unbelievably so. You’ve certainly seen all the pretty photos of the interior, and heard about the beer list (PDF file). The beer I had was good, the list was nice (though I was surprised how many pretty common beers  – such as Brooklyn Lager, Allagash White, and Troegs Hopback Amber Ale they had on draft).

The food menu was enticing, but the items we actually ordered we weren’t completely impressed with. We ordered the green eggs and ham (which was actually deviled duck eggs with duck pancetta) – unfortunately we didn’t really like it. First of all, I don’t think they were duck eggs, I’ve bought duck eggs before and they are bigger than chicken’s, with especially bigger yolks. These just looked like regular old chicken eggs. And duck pancetta? I’m not even sure what that actually is, but either way it tasted burnt. However, the arranici caprese we had was quite good. Then again, how can you mess up fried risotto balls?

So, yeah, ChurchKey is as ridiculously popular and crowded as you’ve heard, if not more so. If you want to go, go early and during the week. I look forward to trying their sister restaurant, Birch and Barley on the first floor, sometime soon. I’ll be sure to write about it when I do.

MPD is reporting there was a shooting at 11th and Clifton last night. The victim is in serious condition at the hospital. There isn’t much more information other than that, but I will continue to update as more comes out.

Long View Gallery

Free this Saturday? Have you seen the new Long View Gallery? Want to support a good cause?  Here’s an event worthy of your time: the Granulosa Cell Tumour Foundation, supported by the Embassy of New Zealand, is holding a benefit at Long View Gallery (link includes info about tickets, which are $30) this Saturday at 7.

Granulosa cell tumors are a very rare form of ovarian cancer and because of that, have received less attention from researchers. Founded in 2004, the foundation’s mission is to provide women with information and knowledge about the disease while raising funds to support research in order to develop more effective treatments.

The event will include appetizers and drinks, including a wine and cheese tasting from New Zealand’s finest vineyards and creameries. There will also be a silent auction with items from fine dining and retail places throughout DC. Music will be provided by The Latin Jazz Project. AND you can view Long View Gallery’s current collection of works.

Go, support a good cause and have a good time.

Scott Brooks with his painting "Boldly Going"

I love how this blog has connected me to people I never would have met otherwise. After covering the Long View Gallery opening, one of the artists featured, Scott Brooks (warning: some nudity in the paintings on his website), got in touch with me. Turns out he lives and works on U street and actually reads my blog. Last weekend we got together to talk about life on U street, being an artist in DC, and how the arts community in DC has changed.

Scott has been living in the area for nearly 20 years after growing up in Michigan, and moved to U street in 2000. He’s seen the art scene in DC evolve from a few small galleries, to watching Long View open their 5000 square foot space. And while the DC scene has grown, we still talked about how outside artists seem to get more hype than local ones, and how serious art collectors still look down on DC as a destination to buy art (they’d rather go to more established scenes in New York or LA).

As for working as a full time artist in DC, while Scott has a lot of shows planned in the future, he says he still does more commercial art than he’d care to admit. He works in illustration, graphic design, and even does steady work with WWE’s children’s magazine (I thought that was kind of awesome). He also shows a good amount outside of the city, he’s had shows in New York, LA, and even in Italy.

While most of the shows Scott is a part of feature one or two of his works, (you can see some of his work locally at Nevin Kelly Gallery in the near future), he is having a big solo show at Long View in October 2010. That might seem a long way out for us, but it’s a lot work for Scott. Since the space is so big, he’s painting some of his largest scale pieces for the show, as well as a lot of new work on a smaller scale (understandably, artists and galleries want to show new work, not old).

I really enjoy Scott’s art, as he told me he looked to classic Renaissance art as well as MAD magazine as inspiration, I totally saw it, there is a classical, yet childlike quality to the people he paints. I enjoy his art’s playful quality, and his eye for the weird. We talked a bit about John Currin and his art, and it also didn’t surprise me that he was a fan (though neither of us much cared for the more pornographic turn his work had taken lately).

As for living on U street, Scott mentions favorites of DC Noodles and Solly’s (me too). Check out Scott’s website and go to his shows – enjoy the local art scene!

Sad news for U street today. NBC Washington is reporting that Coppi’s co-owner, Nori Amaya, was found dead in her apartment at 3636 16th street (MPD’s 3rd district listerv has information as well). Amaya was just 38, and while MPD does not have this information, NBC Washington claims that the police are investigating the death as a homicide. My thoughts go out to her family and friends.

UPDATE: NBC Washington’s article (link above) is now reporting that “Amaya’s death has been ruled a homicide. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation.” This seems to be unconfirmed by police as far as I can tell. So sad.

Here are some bits of news that I haven’t covered on my blog just because so many things have been happening that I haven’t completely caught up:

• Tom Sietsema broke the news that the old indoor Garden District space will become Estadio, a Spanish restaurant from the group that brought you Proof. I loved my birthday dinner at Proof so I’m pretty excited about this development.
• MPD’s 3rd district listserv has information about a pretty scary altercation that happened at 16th and U on Sunday afternoon – a fight that started in the McDonald’s escalated to someone pulling a gun and hitting a victim with a bat before the assailant got away.
• Tom Sietsema also reports that there is a new chef at U Street Girl favorite, Creme. Orlando Hitzig, formerly of Columbia Firehouse, will be cooking nightly specials to showcase his cooking, but no fears, Creme lovers, the fabulous shrimp and grits stay on the menu.
• And, DCist has pictures of a contrary-flow bike lane that has been installed on 15th street from U to Massachusetts Ave.

Eric Ripert's roast chicken (his is prettier, there's a reason he's 3 star Michelin chef)

I kind of love Eric Ripert, his philosophy on food, his accent… anyway I also love his new PBS show, Avec Eric. He shows you what’s happening at Le Bernardin, visits a location where they are making something, and then goes back to his kitchen to cook what he’s been inspired by. One episode (you can watch all of them on his Avec Eric website) focused on traditions, and he cooks his grandmother’s roasted chicken recipe. Sold. So I present to you his roast chicken, with some of my own humble modifications.

Budget: $16, serves four to six, so $2.67 to $4 a serving.

Note: Since I bought a chicken from the farmer’s market, it was vastly more expensive than what you’d find at the grocery store. You could easily find a 4 lb chicken for $5, not the $13 I spent. Since this recipe is so simple, I feel you need to buy quality ingredients because there isn’t anything else to cover up sub-par ingredients. That being said, this would be cheaper with a bird from the grocery store.

Recipe details after the jump.

A regular feature in which I cook cheap, gourmet meals.

Ingredients:

• 4 lb whole chicken, I got mine from Pecan Meadow Farm at the 14&U farmers market ($13)
• Day old bread of some kind, half a loaf of baguette for example (about $1.5o)
• 1 lemon juice and zest (about $.50)
• 2-3 tbs of olive oil (pantry)
• 3 cloves of garlic (pantry)
• 2 tbs various fresh herbs, Eric Ripert uses parsley, I’m partial to thyme/rosemary/sage (about $2 for amount used)
• salt and pepper (pantry)
• kitchen string (pantry, hopefully! don’t use blue string, use white)

Total: $17, just a dollar over

Method:

• To make stuffing: cube up day old bread and soak with about 1 tbs olive oil in a bowl (to rehydrate it, if your bread isn’t old don’t use as much), add lemon juice and zest, salt and pepper to taste, minced garlic, and fresh chopped up herbs.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Remove the tip of the chicken wings  with your knife (they’re going to get too overcooked to eat say I, I assume
  

  Stuffing

  that’s Eric Ripert’s reason but he doesn’t specify). I also removed the neck as it was still attached on my bird.

• Generously season bird with salt and pepper, both outside as well as inside the cavity.
• Stuff bird with your stuffing.
• Tie chicken’s legs like so: wrap under the legs, then around, then tie together (see Eric Ripert’s Traditions episode for a video instruction).
• Pour 2 tbs or so of olive oil on the chicken to help browning.
• Put chicken in a shallow pan in the oven to let brown, for about 20 minutes. Then, lower oven to 350 and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour until chicken is done (cook longer if your bird is bigger). Mr. Ripert says he tells if chicken is done by piercing the chicken and waiting for the juices to flow. If they’re clear, it’s done. I won’t tell if you use a thermometer instead.
• Carve chicken, serve with stuffing and juices from the pan (which you can reduce and add a roux to in order to make some gravy) and a simple salad (like the one Eric Ripert makes in his show). This is simple to make, and wonderful. Enjoy!

Insipired Yoga, closing

It is with a sad heart that I write this, as Inspired Yoga had become my yoga home in my 2+ years in the area, but Inspired Yoga announced today that it will be closing at the end of November. Owner Kyra, with Michael, will leave to travel in Vietnam, teaching yoga, and eventually relocate to LA to be closer with one of their favorite teachers, Saul David Raye.

After Inspired Yoga had moved to their current location at the Josephine Butler Center in September, they had to cut their schedule because of the location’s restrictions. While beautiful, the space isn’t quite a yoga studio, and I had hoped the location was temporary until they found something more suitable and permanent. They have existed in Adams Morgan, U street, and now Columbia Heights for 8 years. They have had over 6,000 students. It’s a sad day for yoga in DC, but I wish Kyra and Michael the best. Namaste.

And, now that it seems that I’m going to need to find a new studio, does anyone have any recommendations for the U street area? I’m looking for a practice that is challenging, yet relaxing and soothing, hotter yoga would be nice but not required. Teachers that really let you focus on your breath. Any recommendations?

9th Street Italian from Taylor II

Pretty much every blogger in DC has posted about the new Taylor’s Gourmet in Mt. Vernon Square. Having never made it out to the H Street one (though I have a good friend who lives near by) after the Long View Gallery grand opening, I knew where I was headed. Taylor’s II. I had the 9th Street Italian and my companion had the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (chicken cutlet, marinara, provolone).

Yeah, this place lives up to the hype. The sandwiches were really good, the bread was fabulous. I was kind of surprised how spicy the Benjamin Franklin Parkway’s marinara sauce was, at least in the bites I had (and you’re talking to a girl with a HIGH tolerance for spice). However, it was good, real good. I just wish they were still a little closer to home, but they still do deliver for $2 extra in the U street area, so there’s that.

Just in time for Halloween, the Gibson is opening a second floor of seating, nearly doubling their capacity. Going Out Gurus report that capacity will now be 48 and that the two smaller rooms on the second floor will be available for rental.

And, on the Halloween note, the Gibson is having a Corpse Revival Halloween party, with an open bar, snacks from the new menu, dance music, a pumpkin-carving contest, and a zombie costume contest with prizes. Tickets are $75 – sounds like my Mad Men inspired Halloween costume would be a perfect fit for the old school, classy vibe of the Gibson. However, I’m not going to be a Betty Draper zombie – but if you are you can credit me with the idea.