Doi Moi + 2 Birds, 1 Stone

“It’s inspired by the street food and the street vendors of both Vietnam and Thailand,” explains chef Haidar Karoum of his new 5,000 square foot restaurant Doi Moi (pronounced doy moo-uy). This is Karoum’s third Washington, DC restaurant, the others being Proof and Estadio.

The cocktail menu is developed by bar manager Adam Bernbach, “I’m working with a lot of Vietnamese ingredients and salt-cured lime sodas,” says Bernbach. “I’m using ingredients like tamarind, passion fruit, coconuts, Galangal and ginger.” In the basement of the restaurant, Bernbach has created a cocktail bar with its own entrance called 2 Birds 1 Stone. “The focus of the cocktails is there’s no focus on the cocktails. What we’re doing is really focusing on executing classic cocktails and somewhat lesser known classic cocktails, and originals as well as we possibly can. It’s a very non-snobbish, non-pretentious environment.” Bernbach is also playing around with sherry and rum.

Try Adam Bernbach’s recipes for a sherry cocktail called In Particular and a Passionfruit & Coconut Soda.

Chef + Bartender’s Washington, DC Recs

Find | Shops & Markets

Eden Center

Haidar: “It's a hugh shopping market, an outdoor mall, that is essentially a little Vietnam. It's about six blocks worth of probably 400 small shops and restaurants. One of my favorite places for pho is called Pho Xe Lua. I'd say it's the best pho in the area.”

6751 Wilson Boulevard, Falls Church, VA 22044

T: 703.204.4600 | www.edencenter.com

Eat | Restaurants

Palena

Haidar: “The food here makes me proud to be a cook. There is nothing flashy about it, everything is so thoughtful and delicious and balanced.  The portion sizes are correct. It’s just the type of food that frustrates me, because I’m think, 'How is it they get everything so perfect?' You have a roast chicken and it’s the best chicken that you'll ever have in your life. The pastas are amazing. It sets the bar and over the years it's became my favorite restaurant.”

3529 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

T: 202.537.9250 (make a reservation) | www.palenarestaurant.com

2 Amys

Haidar: “It’s a Neapolitan style pizzeria, but they also do a pretty amazing array of antipasti and charcuterie. It's really fantastic food. It’s the type of food that cooks want to eat, little crostinis with beans, pecorino and mint or caramelized cauliflower with a little bit of chili, olive oil and lemon. It’s nothing pretentious, it’s very honest and always delicious.”

Adam: “They do D.O.C. Neapolitan pizza and they also have a number of really nice small plates and antipasti. My fiancé and I love to go sit at the bar, talk to the bartenders and order tons of antipasti and small plates and sometimes, we do get Neapolitan pizza.”

3715 Macomb Street NW, Washington, DC 20016

T: 202.885.5700 | www.2amyspizza.com

Izakaya Seki

Adam: “I love this traditional Japanese Izakaya owned by Hiroshi Seki and his daughter, Cizuka Seki. The monkfish liver is a favorite of mine and whatever sashimi they have is great to get. I drink Japanese whiskey here. My favorite is the Hakusho. I also tend to drink beer and my go-to is Hitachino Nest Red Rice. It's a great all around food beer.”

1117 V Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

T: 202.588.5841 | www.sekidc.com

Pho Xe Lua

Haidar: “I’m a huge fan of pho and this is one of my favorite places for pho. It’s a tiny little parlor and in the back are all these old men that are playing a game. A Vietnamese friend told me that all the old guys in the back were reporters during the war, exiled to America. They are from a certain generation and they hang out here constantly. So, the place has a very cool authentic feel to it.”

8765-A Wilson Boulevard, Falls Church, VA 22044

T: 703.663.8717 | www.edencenter.com/portfolio/pho-xe-lua

Drink | Coffee

Chinatown Coffee Company

Adam: “It's a stripped-down industrial space, lots of grays and whites, and good for getting a cup of coffee.”

Haidar: “It's a really good coffee shop and not far from Estadio.”

475 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

www.chinatowncoffee.com

Drink | Cocktails

Columbia Room

Adam: “The interesting thing about the Columbia Room is the unique Japanese style of bartending that’s not usually common in the United States. The formality and the technique is really beautiful.”

[Read about Derek Brown’s Mockingbird Hill Sherry Bar]

1021 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20001

passengerdc.com/columbia

Tabard Inn

Adam: “It’s really, quiet, elegant, and sort of romantic. I drink a lot of sherry cocktails here. I have a huge amount of trust in Patrick Owen’s mixology, whatever he’s making, I tend to go dealer's choice with him.”

1739 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

T: 202.785.1277 | www.tabardinn.com

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