This year we headed to HIMITSU in Petworth where Chef Kevin Tien towers supreme. His 24 seat restaurant offers flavors like none else around town and the staff are truly supreme to boot. Facebook photos and videos are available of our wonderful experience that started with rounds of cocktails at the bar with Beverage Director & co-owner Carlie Steiner, who deserves awards for her ingenuity and keeping up with our drinking pace!
Singani Swoosh is made from Singani(a Bolivian Brandy akin to pisco) mixed with lime and ginger and I fell in lover with this but knew that too many would be the end of me so I switched to the Upshur 75 made from Cappelletti Aperitif(reminded me of Campari), Sparkling wine and Soda which was lighter and refreshing in the 90 degree heat of that day! All the cocktails and wine served are woman-made and woman-inspired giving a nice tie in to all the drinks.
As the 12 of us sat down to dinner we started with a gorgeous Akami Tartare of tuna with ginger scallion, tamari and sesame rice cracker. We brought the yummy leftover crackers home and Samuel loved them with his gazpacho lunch the next day. they were fun and I have shown how they hide the tartare and then are used as spoons to pick up the yummy fish seasoned just right. Our first wine was a 2017 Ganeta made from Hondarrabi Zuri & Hondarrabi Beltza) from Basque country and worked well with the tuna but even better with the next course of Hamachi Crudo of Japanese Yellowtail with orange Supremes, Yuzu & Tobiko, as the wine was ideal with the fruitiness of the yuzu. The dish had a kick and that always inspires me as I adore good spice.
Stracciatella was a new dish Chef Kevin tried on us and he plans to serve at a Food & Wine event in Atlanta this week. The gooey cheese was at the base and topped with a charred English cucumber, kimchi vinaigrette and sunflower seed. I loved the charred veggie and gooey cheese, but some thought it was too cheesy. Honestly how can anything be too cheesy. We moved to a yummy light red claret (which tasted Italian to me)2016 La Part Des Anges from Patricia Boyer-Domergue which we also had with the next brilliant vegetable course: "Elote," or roasted heirloom carrot (these were huge) with crema and cotija cheese. Any vegetarian needs to get to Himitsu as there are so many options here for them as well.
The next dish continued the veggie vein with a vegetable pasta made from Zucchini in a gochujang Pomodoro sauce with panko, 10 month aged Parmesan & fried basil leaves. The sauce has a slight kick from the Korean spice. We moved to a 2017 Baia's Wine from Baia Abuladze in Georgia made from the Tsolikouri varietal. Georgian wine and food is so up and coming and I know it's on our list of places to try in DC. The next course was one of my faves called a Sichuan Sando and was simply a cornmeal crusted Maryland Catfish sandwich with slaw and pickles. The fish was sweet and crunchy crusted to perfection and the slaw had a punch(was this the dish that had the fermented chilis?). There were so many of these brought to the table we had a whole one to take home and relive the experience the next day for lunch!
Gulf Coast Red Drum is a fish we don't see here so often and it was cooked perfectly with the crunchiest of skins atop a curry(Vadouvan) with caulini(cauliflower hybrid)and heirloom cherry tomatoes. The wine switched to a superb 2014 Argatia from Haroula Spinthitopolous in Santorini(gonna check this out when we are there in July) made from Xinomavro varietal. The final course was a 48hour Short Rib atop Congee with chives & tare which was a yummy congee, but alas some of the ribs were a bit fatty and chewy.
Miso Peanut Butter Pie with Graham Cracker Crust, caramelized banana and salted rum caramel made us forget about any issues with the fat as even my husband who does not care for peanut butter raved as we all did. A magnificent Pedro Ximenez El Candido sherry was as thick as the yummy pie and unctuous to boot which I always love.
The whole evening was an amazing journey nd I would return to Himitsu in an instant for more of Chef Kevin's brilliant cuisine.
