minibar by Jose Andres
April 5, 2015 § 1 Comment
Took a short vacation in DC at the end of February and got to enjoy a super-fun, whimsical meal at minibar by Jose Andres with Ameya, my dining partner-in-crime for the weekend. Just 6 seats at the counter, 4 hours and a slew of small courses and wine tastings. Once again, I’m too lazy to go into descriptions for each of the dishes but highlights were the almond tart with blue cheese, the “burger” with wagyu and uni, the crispy, fatty vietnamese pig ear balanced with pickled vegetables and chili oil, the andalucian tofu (which was really an almond garlic gazpacho treated to have the texture of silken tofu) and ultra rich shabu shabu, the iberico tendon, the refreshing palate cleanser called “first frost” and the gorgeous breakfast in hokkaido dessert. Favorite part was probably watching the chefs prepare each dish with perfect choreography and engaging with them and the other diners. For our dessert courses, they also took us into barmini, the swank cocktail bar next door, where Murphy joined us and we indulged in more tasty libations (such a smart move on their part). If you can get a reservation for either venue, you’re seriously one lucky (foie-gras stuffed, rubber) ducky.
The luxe entrance way, where we were greeted with a glass of cava and a book of dried edible flowers
hot and cold pisco sour; parmesan canele; pineapple shortbread; pizza Jose’s way – 2012 Dr. Herman Urziger Wurtzgarten Riesling from Kabinett Mosel, Germany
almond tart with blue cheese; rubber ducky – 2013 Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Rosato from Randazzo, Italy
late-night chicken shawarma – bodegas hidalgo manzanilla la gitana “en rama” from sanlucar de barrameda, spain
burger
vietnamese pig ear – pain killer (dark rum, roasted coconut milk, pineapple and orange)
fusilli – 2013 abbazia di novacella pinot grigio valle from iscaro alto adige, italy
andalucian tofu + shabu shabu – sho-une junmai dai ginjo hakutsuru sake from kobe, japan
iberico tendon – 2013 domaine de roches neuves thierry from germain saumar champigny loire, france
espardenyes with bone marrow – 2013 guimaro mencia from riberia sacra, spain
squab and oysters – 2002 r. lopez de heredia vina tondonia from rioja, spain
bonne bouche cheese puff; first frost; breakfast in hokkaido – 2012 oremus late harvest tokaji
sesame pocki; raspberry chocolate bar; yuzu-mallow; raspberry wasabi bon bon; eat the rocks; doughnuts; boozy bear – amaro from montenegro, italy
A delicious cucumber gin-based cocktail at barmini; old friends
Notes on Food 
This place looks so gorgeous!! I wish I’d known about it when I visited DC in January! How brilliant that you got to watch it all being prepared, too!