Last Tuesday night, the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington hosted its annual Rammy Awards nominee party from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Ritz-Carlton Washington, DC, bringing together more than 300 hospitality industry players for the highly anticipated announcement of candidates for 2010 recognition in 14 categories.
The theme for the June 6 Rammy gala, to be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, is “We’ll always have…restaurants,” a play on the famous line from the 1940’s classic film Casablanca. In the Ritz ballroom, there was a taste of things to come, with five cocktail stations showcasing nominees for the new Beverage/Mixology Program of the Year award, who poured drinks inspired by the film’s Rick’s Café Americian. The nominees include Brasserie Beck, PS 7's, Restaurant Eve, Tabard Inn, and Founding Farmers.
The five New Restaurant of the Year nominees provided easy-to-eat springtime bites, like Bourbon Steak's scallop ceviche and Eventide's seafood salad. Bibiana, Inox, and Birch & Barley round out the category's contenders.
Beverage/Mixology Program of the Year nominee PS 7's Ilsa cocktail
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Bibiana chefs served pig head paté with shaved fennel salad and fennel cream.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Inox pastry chefs produced a banana parfait topped with a swirl of cream and a gold leaf.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Bourbon Steak presented Nantucket bay scallop ceviche with ginger, mint, and macadamia nuts.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Birch & Barley served raw Spanish mackerel slices with spiced yogurt and cucumber and mustard seed sauce.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Eventide's seafood salad combined tiger fish, calamari, rock shrimp, and octopus with aji limo chilies, jicama, and lime and orange juices.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Restaurant Eve's Grog was made with rum, lemon verbena tea, lemon juice, and lemon bitters.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Founding Farmers made its "Play It Again Sam" with rye, lime juice, Luxardo maraschino, grenadine, and Angostura bitters, garnished with grilled pineapple.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
From Brasserie Beck: the Appertivo, made with tequila, Campari, ginger ale, a cinnamon-sea-salt rim, and an orange peel garnish.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
PS 7's Ilsa is a combination of vodka, Campari, honey, cinnamon, rose and marigold tea, and grapefruit juice.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
Tabard Inn poured the Casablanca Crusta, made with gin, chamomile-infused honey syrup, lemon juice, Cointreau, bitters, and a sugared rim with a lemon peel and mint garnish.
Photo: Tony Brown/Imijination Photography for BizBash
