April 11, 2012

DID YOU HEAR?

The first drink Gina Chersevani made for chef Jamie Leeds was at 15 Ria in 2003, years before the bar tender became MIXTRESSdc on Twitter and the chef went on to open multiple branches of Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle and Old Town Alexandria.
During an interview, Leeds asked Chersevani to make her Ria 15’s signature drink, a Blueberry Smash. Chersevani put whole fruit, mint, lemon juice and  rum in a shaker, added some ice, gave it a few shakes and poured the cocktail — whole berries and all — into Leeds’ glass.
“What’s this?” asked the chef after tasted the concoction, which even the bar tender deemed “terrible.”
“I had a lot to learn,” concedes Chersevani, who went on to understand the importance of muddling, to become one of the region’s best-known mixologists and to develop a cult following at the bar at PS 7’s. She left that gig in February, with the idea of doing something on her own.
Instead, as announced yesterday, she and Leeds are collaborating on a third Hank’s Oyster Bar, which is expected to open in June in the old Ba Bay space at 633 Pennsylvania Ave. SE.  “This is an incredible opportunity,” says Chersevani, who says she and Leeds have long wanted to work together again. For the first time, “I’m a business partner, not an employee.”
The forthcoming Hank’s Oyster Bar will feature a raw bar and a seafood theme, says Leeds, but its menu will be meatier to accommodate the Hill crowd. The liquid part of the equation will have its own name, Eddy Bar, a reference to “strong water,” says Chersevani, who also has a fresh mantra: “Swirling liquor, turbulent waters.”
“The bar I always wanted” will be stocked with an ice box and a large block of ice, says the cocktail guru. Hank’s on the Hill is months away, but Chersevani has already whipped up some original drinks. One of them swirls together mescal, bulleit rye whiskey, citrus and liquefied salt water taffy. She’s calling it “Deadliest Catch.”   Read More

By Mary Yarrison of the Washingtonian

Hank’s Oyster Bar will serve two specialty cherry libations and a fresh salad during the festival, in addition to its standard menu. The cherry salad is made with Bibb lettuce, Gorgonzola, cherries, and cherry vinegar, for $11. The limited-edition cocktails, also $11, will be a Cherry Stone Blossom, made from vodka, sake, fresh-squeezed lemon, and a splash of tart cherry juice; and a cherry Coke, made with Coca-Cola and rye infused with sour cherries and toasted walnuts.  READ MORE..

Anne's Cherry Coke for Cherry Blossom Festival

By Katie Aberbach Express Night Out March 1, 2012

Nobody calls pickles “pickled cucumbers.” Pickles are pickles, a food in their own crispy, crunchy, sweet-and-sour right, thanks to the transformative power of brine. Over days or weeks, the liquid — typically a mix of vinegar, salt, sugar and spices — can give foods new textures, tastes and aromas. For many local chefs, there’s something creatively satisfying about pickling, says Jamie Leeds, the chef behind Hank’s Oyster Bar (1624 Q St. NW; 202-462-4265, and 1026 King St., Alexandria; 703-739-4265). “Chefs always like to … have control over flavorings. It adds a whole new dimension to food.” Depending on the season, Hank’s pickles peppers, grapes and even watermelon rind, and uses them as garnishes for cocktails and main courses. There are plenty of pickled plates to be picked from among the city’s peck of prime eateries, and here are just a few. Read More

Hank’s Oyster Bar
By Andrew Kahn

“So we’re kind of new to this whole oyster thing…” my sister shyly says as the waiter approaches. My sister and I sit and wait expecting a pretentious scoff followed by a carefully rehearsed list of the available crustaceans. However, the response we actually received was the exact opposite.

With a genuine smile our waiter replies “no problem at all, let me walk you through it.”

Hank’s Oyster Bar is an oasis of relaxation located on King Street, the busiest of places in Old Town. While the street can be loud from the traffic and crowds, the volume of the restaurant is reasonable; parties are able to converse without having to raise their voices. The tables are relatively close together and even though other party’s conversations are audible, it makes the dinner seem like a large family dinner with multiple conversations rather than a nuisance. The waiters and the bartender are constantly talking with customers providing the place with a friendly neighborly feel.  READ MORE..

The Dish:  Female Forces
Washington women Chefs whip up culinary magic in the kitchen.

Jamie Leeds

Hank’s Oyster Bar Culinary Chops: New York’s The Globe, Washington Terrace Hotel/15 ria, National Board of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, featured chef James Beard Foundation Culinary philosophy: Let food taste like what it is. Handle food as little as possible to bring out the inherent flavors. Love what you cook and that will come through to the person eating it. Biggest career influence: Danny Meyer. He has mentored me through my whole career. He sent me to France to work for a year and that changed my whole outlook on cooking. Favorite dish to make: Whole baby lamb. I love cooking outside and spit-roasting whole animals. You get different textures and flavors when you roast a whole animal.  READ MORE…

She’s the woman behind the oysters at Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont and Old Town Alexandria—she even closed her gastropub Commonwealth earlier this year to focus on what she calls her love, Hank’s. Now Chef Jamie Leeds is serving her famous seafood at tomorrow night’s Signature Chef’s Auction, which benefits the March of Dimes (get tickets here before they sell out). I got a few minutes of her time recently, and she told me about what’s she’s preparing for the event. Plus, she Bitched at me about brunch in D.C. and how her son, Hayden, is a budding restauranteur.   READ MORE