Photo courtesy Twitter user @RisUnionMkt
Mention the name Ris Lacoste, and you’re likely to find more than just a few fans of her cooking.
Lacoste’s Foggy Bottom restaurant, Ris, is best known for soups, stews, and entrees, like duck confit and Icelandic cod. It’s cooking that skips the fuss and goes straight for the flavor.
But, what if you could transport the flavors of Ris to your own kitchen? Lacoste’s new market concept in Union Market makes that possible.
Ris Union Market opened Thursday and features kitchen to-go items, like stocks and broths, pickles, vinaigrettes, and pre-prepared meats. Lacoste says she wanted to offer the convenience of a take-and-go option, and she says it’s a test to see how some of her more popular items might stand up as retail products.
Cooks will want to zero in on packaged goods, like lamb shank for roasting, tomato eggplant sauce to top fresh bread or pasta, and a champagne vinaigrette ready for your next salad.
Lacoste’s market does not discriminate, there’s also options for the lazy cook. The bakery selection might come in handy when there’s no time to preheat an oven. Early favorites include the mini-pie collection, butterscotch pudding cups, and chocolate macaroons by the dozen or half-dozen.
And, if your just looking for a small sample of Lacoste’s cooking, the Union Market location might be easier than scoring reservations at Ris, plus it’s kid friendly.
The menu is seasonal and will change week-to-week, featuring a hot and cold bowl option. Right now, the Jamaican curried goat stew is the hot bowl. The stew hides a base of black beans and rice, and spiced peanuts top it for a slight crunch. All together, it’s a hearty mix sure to beat winter’s blues.
The cold option this week is a tortilla salad with avocados, rice, and corn, and topped with a chili buttermilk ranch dressing. And, the kid’s menu features comfort food dishes, like mac and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, grilled cheese, and tomato soup.
Because the menu is constantly changing, it’s probably best to check their Twitter page to see what’s coming. Most dishes range in price from $5 to $12. The overall concept was to keep the market casual but maintain the same quality, Lacoste says. Almost all the dishes are prepared at Ris and transported to Union Market.
And, while it’s easy to see how Ris the market is more causal than Ris the restaurant — patio chairs and table tops replace white tablecloth settings — one bite (with your eyes closed) and suddenly, it’s not so easy to notice the difference.