How To Work Hush Puppies Into a Sparkling Summer Evening

It's tucked away in a little visited corner of Washington, but just a few blocks from the Smithsonian metro stop -- on Independence Ave, not the Mall -- is the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Inside said hotel is the Sou'wester restaurant, and inside the Sou'wester Restaurant, is Carlton McCoy, wunderkind sommelier and I suppose what most people would call a mixologist. The Sou'wester has a lovely terrace on a garden facing almost due southwest, so while the weather is great you should hie on over there and order, at minimum, the following things: The Revenge of Napolean III, and hush puppies.

Those are the hush puppies. I take seriously my fried starchy products and my friends, these hush puppies are heaven. HEAVEN. The outside is like crunchy lace, but tastes much better than crunchy lace might be expected to. Inside: tender, sweet corn bread. Spread them with honey butter, of which your waiter will provide a never-ending supply in tiny little pots.

I'm not kidding. Turn off your computer, go to Sou'wester and order them. Now. I'll be here when you get back.

WAIT WAIT WAIT! You also have to order a cocktail called The Revenge of Napolean III. Carlton works on these things for hours -- using fresh herbs and fruits...he said something about Paw Paw coming up in the spring. But never mind that now. Now you are focused on the Napolean III, a magical mix of fresh grapefruit juice, fine tequila and what is that aromatic something that hits you when you lift the drink to your lips and then lingers long after?


It's absinthe, friends -- not the kind that will rot your brain and make you hallucinate like Oscar Wilde did -- that's long since been outlawed (I think). But this -- the tiniest little spoonful and the whole drink explodes into a giant YES. Order it.

Then when you are done with that, you might want some Chesapeake oysters -- raw, with a bloody mary sauce -- or fried with an aioli that is pink from I forgot what because of the next picture.

Clever, handsome Carlton who is soon to be one the youngest master sommeliers in the country and a DC native -- did I mention? graduated from the CIA in Poughkeepsie, NY, but really learned to cook from his Pentacostal minister grandmother in DC who also ran a catering business out of her church -- has done something deeply wonderful: he has paired wines into reasonably priced (and generously poured) flights, allowing diners to compare similar wines from different countries while they eat. It's like a wine tasting party with none of the annoyance.

So. Get over there while the weather is still good, and read the cocktail menu closely, because it is slyly funny.

And in the meantime, dive into local peaches. This is perhaps their last week. This was our morning-after-5-cocktails-each at the Mandarin breakfast: white peaches and good orange juice. You must eat like you mean it. Summer is fleeting.

http://www.mandarinoriental.com/washington/dining/souwester/