Chef Peter's menu is a modern take on traditional Caribbean street food along with an array of incredible BBQ meat options. The unique aspect about Spark 12 is its communal seating. Casual long tables like one would see at a beer garden create a warm friendly environment to meet new people.
Chef Peter has since worked at a variety of restaurants in Washington D.C. under some of the most renowned D.C. chefs as Todd Gray and the late Michel Richard. Past restaurants include Kafe' Leopold's, Poste Moderne Brassiere, Citronelle, Equinox, and Shaw's Tavern.
True food grows out of the soil and is cared for by the sun. It is raw like taking a bite of a juicy ruby red organic strawberry. It is not processed or manufactured in a man-made plant. True food is healing, nurturing and delicious. True Food Kitchen proves that healthy food can be both beautifully presented at a restaurant level and delightful on the palate.
The 9th Annual Embassy Chef Challenge was Bigger and Better than Ever!
Chef Juan Jose Gallardo of Ecuador featured an assortment of delicious Ecuadorian chocolates. I was pleasantly surprised by his choice since I expected a savory dish. The chocolates were like mini works of edible art. Someday I would love to travel all over Mexico and South America; back pack through small towns and taste the array of street food along the dusty roads. Spend my days talking with the locals and hiking along trails and up mountains with my backpack full of local goodies to snack as I take in the magnificent scenary.
Chef Cynthia Verna of the Embassy of Haiti's wonderful energy drew me over and loved their colorful display. You could tell she was enjoying the moment. Her shrimp ceviche dish was garnished with banana chips and I loved scooping up flavor exploding bites with the chips. This also was another favorite. They had a rum drink to pair with their dish that was refreshing and not too sweet. She would later go on to win the People's Choice award.
The Embassy Chef Challenge both celebrates and encourages Culinary Diplomacy. Enjoy live music and art while drinking and dining in style. New York City-based band City of the Sun will headline the evening with their instrumental post-rock tunes.
At the bar, I was first served hot Gekkeikan sake in a traditional ceramic flask known as 'tokkuri' along with a small ceramic cup known as 'choko.' The quaint restaurant began to slowly fill up with people off from work and fulfilling their sushi craving. David said how much he loves seeing his regulars and knowing his customers by name.
the sweetness of the sauce played with the saltiness of the caviar.
The next dish was from their kitchen and showcased their culinary diversity. The soft-shell crab tempura was lightly battered and incredibly tender inside. I relished each bite as I dipped it in the chili ponzu sauce. I was most impressed with the shell since I found the texture better and easier to chew than if it was steamed. This was the best way I have had soft-shell crab prepared. A seasonal dish that only lasts from the second week of April through the first week of October.