{Photograph} by Deb Lindsey.
When chef Colin McClimans and Danilo Simic first partnered up—earlier than opening their Shaw New American restaurant Nina Might or Opal in Chevy Chase DC—they dreamed about doing an off-the-cuff, all-day spot. At the moment, it lastly opens. Elena James, situated within the Ritz Carlton Residences at Chevy Chase Lake, embraces their variations of American classics with a counter-service breakfast-and-lunch cafe and night eating room serving patty melts, pastas, and banana splits.
Whereas McClimans says all his menus have private touches, “for me, that is greatest illustration of my childhood.”
The night menu begins with bar-type snacks resembling buffalo shrimp with fried saltines; fried honey Previous Bay duck wings; and recent mozzarella sticks. Olive Backyard-style breadsticks are one other nostalgic starter.
Entrees embrace a patty soften, pork schnitzel, and a number of recent pastas—from bucatini cacio e pepe to braised brief rib bolognese lasagna. McClimans, who grew up in Chevy Chase and spent numerous time within the Midwest, says his dad used to make pizza for Sunday soccer. So his menu will embrace particular person Neapolitan/New York-style pies with toppings starting from pepperoni to spiced lamb with tzatziki. Drinks additionally lean traditional, whether or not it’s a spicy margarita or smoked negroni.
Like Nina Might, Elena James is a mix of the house owners’ kids’s names. So in fact the family-friendly menu has children lined too. Crowd-pleasers like dino nuggets, mac and cheese, or a patty soften include fruits, veggies, and a drink—all for $9. For dessert, suppose heat black-and-white brownies and pecan pie.
The daytime cafe, which can debut mid-December, will provide espresso drinks utilizing Panamania beans, which Simic favors for the distinctive taste from the nation’s volcanic soil. “I personally drank that espresso earlier than we even opened this idea. I’m very particular about my morning espresso,” Simic says.
A small breakfast menu will embrace egg sandwiches, housemade pastries, pancakes, and platters with bacon, eggs, and hash browns. For lunch, grab-and-go or sit-down choices will embrace soups, salads, sandwiches, and Roman-style pizzas by the slice. They’ll additionally promote some market gadgets, whether or not it’s recent pasta, sauces, espresso, or margarita combine.
Elena James. 8551 Connecticut Ave., Chevy Chase.
Meals Editor
Jessica Sidman covers the folks and tendencies behind D.C.’s foods and drinks scene. Earlier than becoming a member of Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Meals Editor and Younger & Hungry columnist at Washington Metropolis Paper. She is a Colorado native and College of Pennsylvania grad.
