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| Strawberry-Rhubarb: not just for pies. |
Daniel O'Brian is doing it and doing it well. Seasonal Pantry, an adorable specialty food market, opened in 2009 in the Shaw neighborhood. It's getting great press, and for good reason. Edible DC has called O'Brian "a game-changer" in the DC food scene. He's not only a guy with great taste for well, tastes - but also for seasonal flavors, local sourcing, and great quality.
The shop boasts a simple aesthetic, and it's full of delicious additions to aid in your cooking adventures: strawberry-rhubarb preserves (which I took home with me), carrot jam, sea salts, Paleo jerky, local milk, olives, whole roasted chickens, sorbet and ice cream, and deliciously fresh-baked cookies. A lot of what Pantry serves up is made right there in-house, which O'Brian takes great pride in. Some outsourcing is done (including cheese brought in by a sort of "cheese consultant" and a supply of local farms) and all the outsourced products highlight the variety of great farmers and producers in our area.
Seasonal Pantry's newest addition is a Supper Club. O'Brian turns the tiny (but powerful) Seasonal Pantry space into a seated dinner space for a lucky, intimate crowd of diners a few times a month. There is a seasonal menu, of course, and you can opt to include wine in your meal, which has been specifically made for you and the other patrons on that evening. (Get on their email list if you want to be privy to the Supper Club schedule.)
Last night, I slathered some of the totally fresh-tasting, not-too-sugary strawberry-rhubarb preserves on a burger, with Havarti cheese and arugula. Wowzers. I can't even imagine all one could do with carrot jam...I'll soon find out. But don't trust my skills: LivingSocial's SocialStudies got a hold of O'Brian to make a 15-minute cooking challenge where he successfully makes a meal of Chicken Parmesan to feast your eyes upon.
This place is a gem - one of my new favorites. We can't be sure what this innovator/game-changer/man of good taste will do next, but you can bet it'll be seasonal and really, really delicious.
Seasonal Pantry is at 1314 1/2 9th St., NW in DC.
Check in soon for more about Dan's outstanding sandwich shop in the heart of Shaw...
