Saturday, July 12, 2014

Menu Details of New Brunch at Equinox Revealed


From our friends at Equinox...

Muse On The Move: Menu Details Revealed

Beginning July 20th, fans of Chef Todd Gray’s gourmet vegan brunch buffet will be enjoying their favorite meat-free fare at a new address. While it was previously announced that the Corcoran Gallery of Art would be taken over by the National Gallery of Art and George Washington University, the filing of a recent lawsuit now leave the fate of the museum hanging in the balance. As a result restaurateurs Chef Gray and his wife/business partner, Ellen Kassoff Gray, made the decision to move their popular weekend brunch from the museum’s Muse Café to their flagship restaurant, Equinox. Now, just a couple weeks shy of the beloved brunch’s debut at Equinox, Chef Gray is giving diners a sneak peak at what will be served that first Sunday:

•  Blueberry Stuffed French Toast with Granola Crust & Maple Syrup
•  “Muse Scramble Station” - made-to-order omelets, featuring local & regional ingredients delivered from our farmers
•  Grilled Avocado and Rhappanock Peaches with Roasted Cipolines & Smoked Olive Oil
•  Sweet Corn Tamales with Summer Succotash, Fired Roasted Peppers & Green Onion
•  Early Summer Gazpacho with Cherokee Tomatoes, Pickled Melon and Thai Basil
•  Salad of Golden Tuscarora Cherries, Lolarosa Lettuce, English Cucumbers and Green Garlic Vinaigrette


Available every weekend, the $30 brunch will feature a menu that changes regularly based on season.  In addition to the fresh, flavorful fare diners have come to crave from Chef Gray over the years, guests can also expect to see some classic Muse Café favorites - an homage to the Corcoran Collection, which was the inspiration behind much of the original Muse menu.

Guests will also be able to take advantage of outdoor dining (thanks to Equinox’s large patio) and an expanded bar, which will include libations ranging from Bing Cherry Mimosas and Sweet Garlic Bloody Mary’s to non-alcoholic craft sodas in flavors like Strawberry Hibiscus.

About Chef Todd Gray: From the seasonally-inspired dishes he creates every day to his undeniable influence on the city’s palate, Chef Gray’s impact on Washington, DC’s culinary scene is immeasurable. Raised in Virginia, Chef Gray studied at the University of Richmond and graduated with honors from the Culinary Institute of America. He then went on to work at a number of fine dining restaurants, where he was able hone his craft, refine his technique, and develop his kitchen philosophy. A five time nominee for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Chef, Mid-Atlantic Award Todd is a longtime advocate for sustainable agriculture and incorporates local and organic ingredients into as many of his dishes as possible.

Chef Gray and his wife/business partner, Ellen Kassoff Gray, currently own and operate Equinox Restaurant and Muse Café in Washington, DC. Todd additionally serves as the Culinary Director for Salamander Resort & Spa. In late 2013 Todd and Ellen published their first cookbook, The New Jewish Table (St. Martins Press.)

About Equinox Restaurant: For over two decades Equinox has been downtown DC’s dining destination for exquisite seasonal cuisine. Owned and operated by husband and wife team Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray, Equinox boasts a menu of American cuisine created using well-established European techniques. As one of the frontrunners of the sustainable and regional food movement, Chef Todd Gray serves up an incredible array of dishes that are inspired by the US’ Mid-Atlantic region and highlights community-sourced, organic ingredients as much as possible. Highlights from the Equinox’s distinctive rotating menu include items like Pistachio-Oat Crusted Norwegian Salmon, Bacon Wrapped Medallions of Cerena Venison, Truffled Macaroni & Cheese and Homemade Spinach Rigatoni with Beef Bolognese. Equinox is located at 818 Connecticut Ave, NW in Washington DC. For more information please visit www.equinoxrestaurant.com or call (202) 331-8118.