Restaurant at The Ven celebrates flavors, dishes from nearby embassies
Fred & Stilla at The Ven at Embassy Row has arrived, announced Crescent Hotels and Resorts. The dining concept features a new culinary team and a rotating menu of seasonal offerings that are both inspired by diplomacy and curated from a cross-section of global flavors. With a decade of management experience, Connie Chou is serving as the director of Food & Beverage at The Ven and Sanya Phouthakhanty accepted the position of executive chef.
Prior to The Ven, Chou was part of the opening team for Scion Restaurant, part of the Zodiac Restaurant Group, and has attained Level III certification from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. Phouthakhanty, a veteran of Crescent Hotels & Resorts, has a background in implementing international menus ranging from traditional Japanese cuisine to Caribbean fare. Prior to Fred & Stilla, he managed the full-service restaurant and banquet operations at Holiday Inn Alexandria.
The menu at Fred & Stilla, which translates from Swedish to “peace and style,” offers a diverse selection of dishes, spotlighting well-known flavors and spices from the figurative global pantry. New and must-try dishes on the menu include Kuku Paka, a coconut curry with chicken and rice inspired by the Embassy of the Republic of Kenya, Montreal Smoked Pastrami Sandwich served with poutine-style fries inspired by the Embassy of Canada, and Spicy Tofu Shiitake Larb Lettuce Wraps inspired by the Embassy of Laos.
For breakfast, meeting-friendly breakfast sandwiches, organic juices, and a compact menu of espresso drinks and pour over coffees from local roaster Small Planes Coffee are offered.
A global table series will feature a specialty dish on a rotating basis, aiming to provide a culinary exploration of the surrounding diplomatic community. The 60-seat restaurant, which opened in July, will collaborate with Chef Wildron “Willie” Knowles of the Embassy of Bahamas for an October event, in which a dish of fried snapper and peas n’ rice will be served.
“We are thrilled to welcome Connie and Sanya to our food and beverage team at The Ven and Fred & Stilla,” said Jennifer Goodman, general manager of The Ven at Embassy Row. “I have no doubt that their expertise and understanding of international cuisines will make a memorable dining experience for our guests and our neighbors in and around Dupont Circle.”
Coffee and breakfast are served from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. and on weekends from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Fred & Still offers dinner service Wednesday to Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Fred & Stilla, The Ven at Embassy Row, 2015 Massachusetts Avenue Northwest, Washington, DC 20036
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