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Room 11 and The Passenger partner Paul Ruppert hasn’t yet finalized a name for his new bar coming to the former Island Cafe space at 829 Upshur St. NW, but you’ll nonetheless be able to get a first taste of it at Hogo this month.
Chef Makoto Hamamura, formerly a senior sous chef at CityZen, will prepare a menu of elevated bar food. The Hogo menu, which runs July 9-20, will feature dishes like a mini Spanish omelet, shrimp and waffle, and pork and grits. (Check out all the offerings below.) Hamamura, who grew up on the coast of Japan, has experience as a sushi chef, in Italian cuisine, and even as a butcher’s apprentice in the French Alps. He spent six years at CityZen. Most recently, he has been chef at the Evermay estate in Georgetown.
Ruppert describes the Upshur bar as a “neighborhood hangout” with a “quality beverage program.” He hopes to open it around Labor Day.
MENU
Fish Fritter, $8
(Salted Haddock and Potato with Red Pepper Aioli)
Mini Spanish Omelet, $8
(Homemade Fresh Chorizo and Manchego Cheese)
Fried Chicken Wings, $10
(Marinated in ginger, garlic, soy)
Pork ‘n Grits, $9
(Crispy Pork Belly and Creamy Grits with Soft Boiled Egg)
Falafel Pita, $10
(Eggplant Chutney and Kohlrabi Slaw with Tahini Sauce)
Shrimp & Waffle, $12
(Batter Fried Shrimp on a Belgian Waffle with Tomato Marmalade and Baja Sauce)
Fried Chicken Sausage Sandwich, $11.50
(Chawchaw Relish and Grain Mustard)
Stuffed Cabbage, $11.50
(Ground Pork , Rice, Cabbage Leaf, and Corn)
Image via Google Maps