With the election right around the corner, it’s only fitting that the restaurants in our nation’s capital are celebrating—culinary style! Some of Washington DC’s bars, hotels, and restaurants have toasted the upcoming election by creating or renaming food in honor of Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, or even just the election in general. From sweet desserts to savory entrees, DC restaurants are offering something for everyone this fall. Here are some of the best politically inspired food and drink specials that DC’s restaurants are offering this election season:
Who: Occidental Grill & Seafood (1475 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)
What: A Romney-Obama cookie competition!
At Occidental Grill DC, guests can vote on their favorite First Lady cookie recipe! Michelle Obama’s recipe has chocolate chips of the regular, white, and mint variety, while Ann Romney’s cookies are oatmeal-peanut butter with chocolate chips and M&Ms. Get them while you can though! These complimentary cookies will only last until election day.
Who: Georgetown Cupcake (3301 M St. NW)
What: Democrat & Republican Dozen Cupcakes
The popular cupcake shop of TLC fame pays homage to its DC roots with election-inspired cupcakes! Cupcake connoisseurs can choose from either a Democrat Dozen or a Republican Dozen for $29 a batch. The dozen consists of 3 red velvet cupcakes, 3 chocolate & buttercream cupcakes, 3 vanilla & buttercream cupcakes, and 3 lava fudge cupcakes. Depending on which dozen you order, the cupcakes come adorned with donkeys or elephants—too cute!
Who: Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats (1370 Park Rd. NW)
What: Cookies & Cupcakes
“Cast your cookie ballot” for Republican or Democrat sugar cookies at Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats beginning on October 15—get one for $2.50 or a dozen for $24.00. The cute cookies are donkey and elephant shaped and decorated with the appropriate color frosting! Also, swing by on election day to show off your ‘I Voted’ sticker and be rewarded for exercising your right to vote with a baker’s dozen of cupcakes for only $36 (the offer is only valid on election day, however.)
Who: The Ritz-Carlton, Washington DC (1150 22nd St. NW)
What: “Choose your Cocktail, Choose Your Candidate” + Beer & Slider Pairings
For those 21 and up, the Ritz-Carlton DC “invites you to elevate your ‘inner politician’ with one of their presidential cocktails.” For Romney, choose a Grand Old Fashioned (“bourbon, muddled strawberries and oranges, Peychauds Bitters and topped with a ‘conservative’ splash of Club soda), and for Obama, enjoy a Blue Bourbon Baracks (“made with a ‘liberal’ pour of bourbon, fresh blueberries, Angostura Bitters, and topped with Ginger Ale.)
The hotel will also feature beer and slider pairings that nod to the home states of the vice-presidential candidates, Joe Biden and Paul Ryan. From Biden’s home state of Delaware, the Ritz-Carlton offers up a Dogfish Head Raison D’Etre beer and Rockfish Sliders (arugula & pickled fennel, old bay remoulade). For Ryan’s Wisconsin, the menu delivers a Leinenkugel “Leinie’s” IPA beer and Beer Bratwurst Sliders (caraway sauerkraut, pickled red onion, whole grain mustard & beer dip.)
Who: Good Stuff Eatery (303 Pennsylvania Avenue SE)
What: Pundit Burger
Good Stuff Eatery—from Spike Mendelsohn, of Top Chef fame—is offering two pundit burgers in honor of “America’s favorite political duo,” James Carville and Mary Matalin. Carville’s Ragin’ Cajun burger comes toasted with roasted creole onion, southern fried pickles, and a chili barbeque sauce. Matalin’s burger has grilled Portobello mushrooms, goat cheese, tomato, arugula, and peppadew pepper mayo.
Who: 1331 Bar & Lounge at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)
What: Left & Right Wings
Returning to the menu from the election 4 years ago are the hotel restaurant’s ‘Right’ (Republican) and ‘Left’ (Democrat) Wings—barbeque wings, that is! The Right Wings are Boston honey glazed and served with a mini pot of Boston-style baked beans, nodding to Romney’s governorship of Massachusetts.
Inspired by Obama’s Hawaiian birthplace, the Left Wings are Hawaiian-glazed and served with fresh pineapple. On the dessert menu, indulge in a mini chocolate White House filled with chocolate truffles to round out your political feast.
Who: Legal Sea Foods (704 7th St. NW)
What: Seafood Election Entrees
The Washington DC branch of Legal Sea Foods is offering two exclusive election-themed entrees for a limited time—October 24 through November 5, so get there while you can!
Their ‘Red Plate’ is Pan Seared Cod with steamed spaghetti squash in a bourbon lobster cream sauce.
Their ‘Blue Plate’ is Hawaiian Macadamia and Coconut Crusted Mahi-Mahi with roasted Brussels sprouts in a lime butter sauce. At $25.95 per dish, bring a group of friends to split the cost of this savory splurge!
Who: The Sweet Lobby (404 8th St. SE)
What: MacTops and Cupcakes
What better place to find election-themed desserts in DC than at “your Official Pastry Polling Headquarters for Election 2012?” The Sweet Lobby is celebrating the 2012 election full-force by offering RomneyMac and ObamaMac MacTops—macarons that are almond meringue shells filled with white chocolate ganache infused with vanilla beans—, each imprinted with an ‘Obama’ or ‘Romney’ logo. The cupcakes are themselves decorated with emblems and logos of the Obama and Romney campaigns, but the sweetness doesn’t end there! Come in on Election Day with your ‘I Voted’ sticker and get a free dessert!
Who: California Tortilla (728 7th St. NW)
What: Burrito Bowls
Customers can cast their burrito bowl ballot by choosing either Obama’s Chicken Teriyaki Luau Bowl (Mexican rice, grilled chicken, Teriyaki sauce, stir fry vegetables, grilled pineapple spears, and chopped green onions), or Romney’s Mexican Mitt-Loaf Bowl (grilled Mexican meatloaf, fresh mashed potateos, sauteed vegetables, sweet and savory meatloaf sauce, corn, salsa, and chopped green onions.) At only $7.29 each, these burrito bowls are an affordable way to make your voice heard.
Who: Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe (1517 Connecticut Avenue NW)
What: Split Ticket
This popular DuPont Circle eatery is offering an unlikely combination: its Obama Family chili along with its Mitts Birthday Favorite Meatloaf Cake. In addition, the restaurant has polled its guests to see which meal they preferred—63% prefer the Obama Family Chili, while 37% prefer Mitts Mealoaf Cake!
Let us know below your favorite DC election-themed meals and drinks—from cookies to cupcakes, meatloaf to Mexican burrito bowls, perhaps the only thing Americans can agree on this election season is food!