Over a dozen of DC’s top chefs have created special meals just for the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.  The theme ingredient?  Why cherries, of course.

The participating restaurants, along with a few of the more interesting menu offerings, include:

• 15ria at the Doubletree Hotel – Grilled lamb chops with a cherry compote, cherry Yorkshire pudding.
• Aria Trattoria - Grilled pork tenderloin with a cherry balsamic glaze, and cherry crostata with cherry gelato.
• Bangkok Joe’s Dumpling Bar and Café - Roasted quail with sweet cherry compote, and a cherry Napoleon.
• Bastille
• Café MoZU
• Charlie Palmer Steak - Roasted Sonoma duck with preserved cherries.
• Dupont Grille at Jurys Hotel - Sun-dried cherry Crème Brûlé
• Indebleu – Pan seared Alaskan salmon with ‘cherry heering’ jus.
• Juniper at the Fairmont Hotel  
• KAZ Sushi Bistro, A special cherry blossom Bento Box.
• Mie N Yu, Miso duck and sour cherry gyoza with cherry cola barbeque sauce.
• The Oceanaire Seafood Room
• Renaissance M Street Hotel - Cherry soup with pistachio ice cream bon bons.
• Roof Terrace Restaurant & Bar at the Kennedy Center - Duck paté with dried cherries with bourbon-cherry compote
• Peacock Alley at the Willard Hotel - Afternoon tea with homemade cherry jam and lavender honey peanut butter PB&Js. 
• Taberna del Alabardero – Hazelnut & cherry encrusted Venison loin with cherry and blueberry compote.

Special cherry-themed cocktails have also been created, just for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

At Bangkok Joe’s Dumpling Bar and Café try a Frozen Cherry Bellini. Firefly, is offering a Cherry Blossom Mojito, and the Park Hyatt Washington, they are serving up their version of a Cherry Blossom Martini.

All I can say is Yum!!

National Cherry Blossom Festival Cherry Picks
Multiple restaurant around the city

Reservations – Available through Open Table.

Dates and Times – March 31 – April 15, 2008

Images – Flickr, cherry, cherry and blossoms, bunch of cherries
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Post from: The DC Traveler