Food and Drink, Penn Quarter, The Daily Feed

New Pastry Chef Brings New Desserts to The Source

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Turtle Cheesecake at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

The Source by Wolfgang Puck has welcomed a new pastry chef, Duane Copeland, to the Penn Quarter eatery. Copeland was previously the pastry chef at L’ Auberge Provencale in White Post, VA. His dessert menu at The Source features new and thoughtful creations that pay homage in clever ways to the restaurant’s Asian focus.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Azuki Streusel Tart at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

Though you might not give carrot cake a second glance on a menu, the 15-layer carrot cake at The Source is a study in what carrot cake ought to be, and the ginger ice cream has a little bite to cut the sweetness of the cake. Copeland’s turtle cheesecake was another favorite and a good option for those of you who want dessert but barely have room for it (read: it’s light, fluffy and delicious). For something a little out of the ordinary, the azuki streusel tart was a sort of deconstructed dessert–salsify chips with a sake ice cream, popped corn kernels and tiny cubes of coconut gelee. If you think you don’t like sake, you might reconsider that after trying Copeland’s sake ice cream. Other desserts currently on the new menu include a yuzu-lime tart, a jasmine rice pudding and a chocolate ganache torte.

Photo courtesy of bonappetitfoodie
Pepino’s Revenge at The Source
courtesy of bonappetitfoodie

While you’re there, be sure to also check out The Source’s new spring cocktails. The Pandora’s Box with St. Germain liqueur and an elderflower syrup will satisfy those of you who enjoy a flowery, fragrant drink. If you’re going for something a little less delicate, try the refreshing Pepino’s Revenge with silver tequila, lime, basil and Japanese cucumber or the Monroe’s Passion with passion fruit rum, ginger, orange and cranberry and a little bit of a chili syrup that will leave your mouth with a pleasant tingle.

Food and Drink, The Features, We Love Food

We Love Food: Chinese New Year

Photo courtesy of Dave Newman (newmanchu)
Chinese New Year courtesy of Dave Newman (newmanchu)

It’s the Year of the Dragon folks, which other than promising good fortune and fire-breathing glory also means mouth-watering Chinese menus at some of DC’s best Asian haunts. Starting January 23rd  Zentan, Toki Underground, and The Source will be paying homage to the Dragon through the culinary traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Now, for some brain food. The Dragon, also known as the divine beast, is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac Calendar which consists of 12 animal signs, and is a symbol of good fortune and a sign of intense power. The official Chinese New Year is Monday, January 23rd and is celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving, for a whole 15 days. Traditional foods include a whole fish (represents unity and abundance), chicken (for prosperity), uncut noodles (representing long life) and dumplings (for good fortune).

So, where can you get your Dragon on and eat for good luck?

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features

Capital Chefs: Scott Drewno of The Source (Part 2)

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‘Dumplings at The Source’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

I’m the type of cook that likes a challenge in the kitchen, and one that I’ve been meaning to take on is making my own Chinese food rather than calling for delivery. So these dumplings are the perfect solution. They’re delicious and you’d be surprised that they’re not all that hard to assemble.

Scott Drewno has included two recipes for chicken dumplings and pork potstickers. Read the full recipes after the jump. An make sure to visit his dumpling restaurant if you love these as much as I do!

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Capital Chefs, Food and Drink, The Features

Capital Chefs: Scott Drewno of The Source (Part 1)

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‘Scott Drewno of The Source’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Having cooked for the President and one of the most renowned chefs in the world, as well as having cleaned up consistently at cooking competitions throughout DC, you would think that Scott Drewno would have an ego even bigger than his over six-foot frame. But when I asked him how he deals with the hectic schedule and all of the pressure that comes with such success, his answer revealed just how humble and grounded he is.

“The thing I’ve learned is that you’re only as good as the team you surround yourself with,” Drewno says. “At times it’s stressful, but it’s also a really exciting job.” When I met with Drewno, executive chef of The Source by Wolfgang Puck, he had just gotten back from a corporate retreat in Las Vegas where Wolfgang Puck had asked his various chefs to cook something he had “never seen before.” No big deal, you know, cooking for a chef who’s palate has tasted just about everything and just so happens to be your boss. “Wolfgang Puck is a visionary. He’s very smart and he’s built a great team,” Drewno says.

For Drewno, who was named chef of the year at the 2010 RAMMY’s, he was the type of person who knew he always wanted to be in the kitchen. “Did the industry find me or did I find it?” he jokes. “I really like the roller coaster. No two days are alike and it’s exciting every day. Fifteen years and it’s never felt like a day of work.”
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Food and Drink, The Daily Feed

Food Tweet of the Week: Bourbon Steak

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‘Venison, Bourbon Steak’
courtesy of ‘bonappetitfoodie’

Let me just start this by saying that if you haven’t tried Bourbon Steak’s fries yet, please do…but that’s a totally different story.

The restaurant, located in Georgetown’s Four Seasons, hasn’t stopped tweeting since it first logged on back in December 2009. @BourbonSteakDC currently has more than 2,100 followers and tweets about five times a day. The polite restaurant will always thank you on Twitter for coming in to dine, and recently it got be excited about an event I had somehow forgotten about. 

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Eat Like Me, Food and Drink, The Features

Eat Like Me: October’s Best Dishes

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‘at vace in northwest d.c.’
courtesy of ‘staceyviera’

October wasn’t exactly a regular eating month for me. I was in China for two weeks (where I dined on delicious, delicious things that I won’t even try to identify), I spent a few days eating every random thing in my fridge to clean it out before my trip, and the rest of the month was spent mostly dedicated to Vegan Week. By all accounts it shouldn’t have been a hallmark eating month, at least not in any D.C. locations, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well I did eat.

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