501 Florida Ave, NW
From a press release:
“As temperatures hit triple digits in DC, The Royal in LeDroit Park has introduced a new menu of boozy shaved ice cocktails to help Washingtonians beat the heat. Churned from the bar’s vintage Guatemalan ice shaver, four fruit-centric slushies refresh guests, taking creative inspiration from classics like the Negroni and sangria. And the restaurant’s new Executive Chef Anna Miller has revamped the morning and daytime menus for summer, introducing ceviches, grilled meats and other bright, seasonal fare.
courtesy The Royal
Bar Manager Lee Carrell has concocted four unique shaved ice cocktails for summer (ranging from a reasonable $8-$11) such as the Arctic Sunrise with vodka, lychee, Cappelletti and lime; the Tiki-inspired Trade Winds with dark rum, pineapple, lime and cinnamon; the house Sangria made with wine, brandy, fruit and spices. He’s also offering a Negronicello on special, a citrusy spin on the classic Negroni with Campari, Dolin Dry Vermouth and limoncello ($8). These will be available through summer. Classic cocktails are also available on shaved ice by request.
Carrell recently introduced several other cocktails for the warm-weather season, including the island-inspired Captain’s Quarter’s with Hamilton Rum, allspice dram, falernum, lime and smoked lava salt; a cool Aguardiente Milk Punch with Antioqueno Aguardiente, quince, orange and honey; the cold brew coffee-infused Café Torino with Cocchi di Torino, Counter Culture Coffee ‘Cold Hearted’ cold brew and orange bitters; the Winston with Monkey Shoulder scotch, Dolin Blanc, lemon, habanero and egg white; and the simple Vermouth Cocktail using the bar’s house vermouth, Plymouth Gin, maraschino and Regan’s Orange Bitters. Cocktails range from $10-$13.
And new Executive Chef Anna Miller, who just joined the kitchen in June, has introduced a new summer menu featuring bright ceviche, grilled seafood, fresh vegetables, and new arepas, all dotted with seasonal flavors of corn, peppers, tomatoes, green beans and more.
Vegetarians have fulfilling meatless options, such as the Charred Field Vegetables, a seasonal mix which currently features broccoli, peppers, green beans, mushrooms, and squash, topped with cashews and lemon mint vinaigrette; and the Black Bean Arepa filled with cheese and topped with tomato, cotija cheese and crema.
Seafood is prepared with bright, fresh summer flavors in mind, such as the Grilled Squid with sweet corn, pickled jalapeno, radish and mojo verde; and the Shrimp Ceviche with tomato, lime, red onion and radish served with house-spiced popcorn, the way it is traditionally presented in South America. While pork lovers may love the bowl of Fried Pig Ears with coconut rice and mixed herbs, and the Pork Loin Sandwich with avocado, pickled peppers, mojo verde and house cut and spiced fries.
The Royal’s open-kitchen wood-fire grill evokes the familiarity of an outdoor barbecue, adding a bit of char to dishes such as the Grilled Half Chicken with black beans and grilled vegetables; the Grilled Market Fish, which is currently catfish, with cabbage, cilantro and lime; and of course the Parillada, a 30oz. meat feast for two, featuring a house selection of grilled meats ranging from butifarra, morcilla, steak, squid and vegetables.
And morning diners can find a few new dishes on the breakfast menu: the Arepa Rancheros, a spin on huevos rancheros, with beans, avocado, cilantro and a fried egg atop a cheese arepa; the fresh fruit Yogurt & Granola with strawberries and wildflower honey; and the Lox Bagel with smoked salmon, red onion, capers and cream cheese, perfect for those on-the-go.”