City Perch Kitchen + Bar from Chef Sherry Yard is now officially open in the Pike & Rose shopping center in North Bethesda. Running the show locally as Executive Chef is Matt Baker, who’s previously worked at Minibar, Brasserie Beck and Occidental Grill.
The grand opening event was held on Wednesday, and you can check out the pictures and some details on the restaurant and what it’s offering up right here.
City Perch Grand Opening Photos
City Perch is located in a massive and beautifully designed space, “perched” over the new iPic Theaters. The concept came together as Yard is the vice president of culinary direction for iPic Entertainment, which owns and operates iPic Theaters. Yard, a long-time executive pastry chef for Wolfgang Puck, was inducted into the Who’s Who of Food and Beverage by The James Beard Foundation earlier in the year. City Perch is the first restaurant concept developed by Yard for iPic Entertainment, and there are more on the way in 2015.
The restaurant is broken into a variety of different areas, with an expansive view into the open kitchen, a large bar along with several nearby lounging areas, an outdoor balcony known as “the infinity dining terrace” with fire-pit tables, and other intimate, smaller spaces.
As for the food, the menu will focus on ingredients sourced from nearby farms and waters, along with a sophisticated beverage program designed by Advanced Sommelier Adam Seger, specializing in hand-crafted farm-to-glass cocktails and boutique wines.
“I see City Perch as a neighborhood restaurant with the quality, flavors and culinary pedigree of a destination restaurant,” Yard says. “We’re hoping for locals to feel at home in our Seasonal American Dining Room as well as to enjoy the interaction of our unique tableside presentation and service.”
With both the food and drink, there’s a combination of refined traditional choices, as well as innovative new combinations and ideas. City Perch is attempting to offer something for everyone, which is evident not only in that multi-faceted space, but also their different cooking and serving methodologies, from char-broiler to rotisserie to the raw bar.
Entrees center on the rotisserie and char-broiler, including the Slow Roast Chicken, half a free-range Amish chicken from Pennsylvania; the Slow Roasted Porchetta, from Autumn Olive Farms in Virginia; and the Whole Roasted Long Island Duck and Salt Crusted 36oz Porterhouse, intended for two.
Dishes showcased at the grand opening included the “Everything” Waffle, with Norwegian smoked salmon, dill crème fraiche and trout roe, a Porchetta Butter Bun, served with fig preserves and scallion, and two tartines, one with braised short ribs, red onion jam, grated percorino and horseradish, and another with roasted mushrooms, whipped goat cheese and mushroom marmalade.
Go-to bites at the bar will include choices like the Loaded Baked Potato Popovers, which are stuffed with potato, sour cream, chive and a hickory bacon dip, or the Deviled Eggs, made with a spicy tomato marmalade and crispy crackling. Take it from someone who typically isn’t interested in deviled eggs — these were fantastic. You can also look forward to homemade biscuits, breads and spreads, fresh seafood at the raw bar, and a number of intriguing dessert choices.
There’s no shortage of fun cocktails either, and again, the focus is on seasonal and local ingredients. A few served up included the Montgomery Blues, made with Greenbrier Small Batch Gin, Blueberries, Rosemary, Jack Rudy Tonic, the Dark + Stoutly, with Stonewall American Rum, Ginger, Flying Dog ‘Pearl Necklace’ Stout, the Forbidden Garden Margarita, made with 100% de Agave Reposado, Applejack, Apple Cider, Apple Salsa, and The Norma Jean, a Strawberry Vodka Lemonade.
Many of their drinks are served up as punches in bottled pints offerings multiple pours.
These include the Roll In The Hay, with Applejack, Mulled Cider Spiced Belle Isle Virginia Moonshine, Twin Springs Apple Cider, Apple Cider Shrub, the Bearskin, made with Ham-Infused Whiskey, Maple, Smoked Tea, Bitters, and topped with a ham garnish, and the Southern Decadence, made with El Dorado 8 Year Old Demerara Rum, Strawberry Lemonade, Rare Tea Cellar Magnolia Blossom Oolong, Hum.
City Perch is definitely swinging big with its concept, so it will be interesting to see how they develop in their space at Pike & Rose.
