Festivities Starting... Now!

We've officially launched the holiday season! At Todd Gray’s Watershed, we just hosted the annual holiday party for our extended DC- restaurant-industry family, the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW). It was an unseasonably warm, almost balmy evening—perfect for cocktails on the patio...

...and Todd’s grilled oysters.

Then we moved indoors for Todd’s signature East Coast Seafood Gumbo and other hearty main dishes...

...saving room for a sweet ending to a convivial evening.

If you’re planning a holiday event for family, friends, colleagues or associates, book now to party at our place! We host events at any of our venues: Todd Gray’s Watershed, Equinox and Todd Gray’s Muse at the Corcoran. Or, our catering service can bring the party to your place!

The next party we’re throwing at our place is our Monthly Friday Night Roast, Hunt Country Fare on Friday, December 9, 7–10 p.m. at Watershed. If you missed out on our sold-out Friday Night Oyster Roast, please plan to reserve your spot for this casual, family-style mixed grill of countryside-sourced meat and fowl, including: Roasted Venison Denver Leg, Cider Brined Roasted Game Hen, and Pheasant & Port Wine Cherry Sausage. We’ll be gathering around the patio bonfire, listening to live music by The Walkaways and featuring beer from our local brewery, DC Brau. $75 per person, all-inclusive. ($75 / 2 people for our NoMa neighbors in zip code 20002). For reservations, please call 202-534-1350. 

Celebrate the start of the season with us at our Winter Solstice Dinner at Equinox. Todd and our new Executive Chef, Karen have designed a simple, elegant menu of food-and-wine pairings, as always showcasing seasonal elements and flavors, including: Pan-Roasted Turbot on the Bone with Leek-Wrapped Spaghetti Squash, Miners Lettuce and Infused Lobster Broth; Juniper-Brined Medallions of Cervena Venison with Italian Hazelnut Spaetzle, Slow-Cooked Endive and Quince Mostarda and Winter Chestnut Cremeux with Brown Butter, Armagnac Toffee Sauce and Hawaiian Coconut Sorbet. $150 per person, all-inclusive. Limit of 50 seats. Reservations are requested, please call 202-331-8118.

We will have details soon for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve celebrations!

ALSO HAPPENING...

Market Brunch at Todd Gray's Muse at the Corcoran, December 18: Every first and third Sun., 11–2, in classic atrium of the Corcoran Gallery we offer a sumputous buffet of brunch classics, which may include dishes such as waffles, quiche, salads and desserts, along with hot mulled apple cider to ward off the chill. Muse guests are entitled to $5 off Corcoran admission, making it even more reasonable to have a fabulous Sunday of brunch and browsing through the current exhibits. Reservations suggested: 202-639-1786.

Sugar & Champagne Affair, February 1, 2012: The Washington Humane Society presents the 11th annual dessert and champagne reception to honor local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Control Officers, and Humane Educators. This celebration of all things sugary and sweet showcases tastes from the DC area’s most talented pastry chefs complemented by some of the world’s finest sparkling wines. The VIP reception presents an exclusive savory gathering prepared by the finest chefs of the national capital region. For tickets and info, please visit the Washington Humane Society website.

New Cookbook: We are wrapping up a project very close to our hearts: an ethnically diverse family cookbook that mixes Jewish cooking with today’s modern cuisine trends from a professional and home-cook point of view. We have excellent collaborators who share our joy in the process of bringing to life this labor of love: co-writer, David Hagedorn; and, photographer, Renée Comet. As soon as we can, we’ll let you know how to get your own copy. Meanwhile, to learn a little about it (and to see some beautiful photos of our recipes), please visit Renée Comet’s blog, CometPhoto.

Photo by Renée Comet

RECENT BUZZ... 

Katy Adams and Nikki Schwab have the scoop in their “Yeas & Nays” Examiner column on Todd “bringing DC cuisine to the Caribbean” (where we are heading with friends and family for a brief holiday season retreat)...The Grand Resorts at Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic. 

Todd just had a wonderful time in the Dominican at the David Ortiz Celebrity Golf Classic. He got to compete with some great golfers, coming in third! Plus, the event raised much-needed funds for pediatric care in the Dominican and New England. Here's a pic of Todd with David Ortiz, Papi himself.