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Winter may be peak season for black truffles, but fans of the luxurious treat can enjoy a budget-friendlier version right now.
Normally harvested during warmer months, chefs commonly shave summer truffles atop first courses, pasta sauces, and fish dishes, with peas and ramps serving as popular accompaniments. As opposed to their winter counterparts, summer truffles have thicker skin and are less pungent — and are therefore much cheaper.
“Summer truffles should be available through September, depending on the weather in Italy,” Charlie Palmer chef Mike Ellis tells Eater.
Here’s where to find all kinds of truffles (including black) at the moment around town.
Send more truffle sightings to dc@eater.com.
1789 Restaurant
1226 36th Street NW
The prix fixe American restaurant has stocked up on hard-to-spot black truffles for the season, pairing pork loin and belly with Périgord truffle, escargot, garlic confit, fava beans, and wild ramps. The restaurant also integrates pistachio foie gras truffle into its duck braised trevisano with cherries.
Charlie Palmer Steak
101 Constitution Avenue NW
The Capitol Hill haunt serves an herb-roasted chicken with summer truffles, as well as potato gnocchi with black truffle and pecorino. The five-course tasting menu includes Wagyu short ribs with smoked chili-citrus glaze and summer truffles. Or add shaved summer truffles to any dish for $19 extra.
Hay-Adams Hotel
800 16th Street NW
The downtown hotel bolsters pasta with fava bean ragout, artichoke, and summer truffle.
Mastro’s
600 13th Street NW
The chain steakhouse has a black truffle Alaskan King Crab gnocchi on the menu at the moment.
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Nopa Kitchen and Bar
800 F Street NW
A mushroom- and pea shoot dish integrates truffled pecorino with guanciale, spring peas, and basil vinaigrette.
The Oval Room
800 Connecticut Avenue NW
Lemon ricotta agnolotti includes summer truffles, English peas, squash blossoms, and basil butter. Pan-seared scallops are accompanied by truffles with lemon ricotta ravioli.
Seasons 52
11414 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, Md. / 7863L Tysons Corner Center, McLean, Va.
The Italian black truffle landed on the nationwide chain’s local menus this month. The featured ingredient is shaved into a special risotto featured roasted mushrooms, summer corn, and chive oil.
