Photo by Stefanie Gans
While the pop-up restaurant craze hasn’t invaded Northern Virginia (although you should check out Trummer’s burger bar this month), D.C. fully embraces the temporary trend of here-tonight-gone-next-week dining.
Chef R.J. Cooper plans to bring Gypsy Soul to the Mosaic District later this year, but until the build out is complete, he has been showcasing a menu preview at Hogo. The Convention City area bar invites new chefs to stay for a limited amount of time and cook whatever: last month had a Scandinavian bent (featuring the best popcorn I’ve even eating with dill and a million shreds of nutty cheese), and then this month, which as described by Cooper infuses “southern-ground, modern interpretations of regional cooking” into some crazy dishes.
Above is a sea urchin sandwich, with miso butter, on bread dyed with squid ink and topped with gelatinous mustard seeds. This was pretty nuts: smooth and silky, a tinge fishy contrasting with a hard toast. We also liked a simple crab cake, smoothed in an aioli with juicy, crispy ramps draped atop. A quail was fried whole—which kept the meat just right—as a play on fried chicken, with a potato puree and soft green beans.
Heading into the city? Curious about Gypsy Soul? Want some of the most beautiful cocktails in the area? Head to Hogo. / 1017 7th St., NW, Washington, D.C.; 202-393-1313.