July 13th, 2012 
Up, up and away at the Best of Washington's tequila bar (Photo:J Fishman)
The annual Washingtonian’s Best of Washington event is regarded as one of the city’s hottest tickets and for many delicious reasons.
Where else will the most gifted chefs from some of the city’s most celebrated restaurants gather to delight attendees with their finest hot weather creations using the freshest ingredients combined in the most inventive ways? And where else can such an orgy of culinary delights be directly responsible for raising funds to help find cures for blood cancers?
The National Building Museum was transformed into a imaginative playground filled with the colors and tastes of a very grown up fair, including a raised white carpeted bar dispensing specialty tequila drinks and topped with a whimsical clutch of balloons held fast by a pony tailed young woman on the verge of being air borne by the colorful bouquet.
From Ardeo + Bardeo’s chilled corn soup topped by smoked rockfish to “In Guac We Rock” sliders concocted by BGR The Burger Joint to Black Market Bistro’s summer Greek salad with watermelon and feta cheese with mint sherry syrup and Cityzen’s Brunswick stew, rabbit sausage topped with cheesy grits, summer vegetables and foie-gras broth, the range of delights was dizzying and nearly overwhelming.
Jackie Fishman, Cuba Libre Chef Reuven Sugarman and Debra Moser (Photo: J Fishman)
Desserts included Citronelle’s orange mousse with blood orange jelly, New Heights’ carrot cake petit fours and gin lollipops, Poste’s s’mores with smoked bourbon marshmallow, chocolate ganache and Moorenko’s home made ice cream and sorbet (lavender-honey vanilla was incredible!).
All of these delights were punctuated by Chocolate Chick’s gorgeous white chocolate fountain, a grown-up blue candy bar and a wide variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages offered by the American Beverage Association.
Chocolate Fountain (Photo: J Fishman)
Alyssa Gaselle, Jackie Bradford and Lisa Lanna toasted their good fortune at being at “The Best” with assorted Patron tequila cocktails. “We are having a blast, the food here is so amazing,” exclaimedBradford.
Pearl Dive Oyster's Jamie Huff & Tyes Zollman serve Pink Cadillacs (Photo: J Fishman)
Debra Moser enjoyed Cuba Libre’s African Adoboo-rubbed Tuna and gave Chef Reuven Sugarman a hug for his efforts.
With painterly eyes, Food & Wine chefs Michael Harr and Eva Stafford painstakingly constructed their red beet sorbet and tomato watermelon gazpacho tasters.
And Indique Heights Chef S. Balamurugan delighted palates by punctuating his spicy, signature pappadum with a stuffing of delicateMaryland crab, a true standout even in this company.
One word of advice to all, don’t miss next year’s Best of Washington event, you will be glad you came to taste.
