Washington, D.C.’s cherry blossom festival runs from March 20 through April 11, and Modena, a modern Italian restaurant in that city, is celebrating with this combination.
For the crudo, executive chef John Melfi slices bluefin tuna thinly and seasons it with smoked Maldon sea salt and cherry blossom flavored soy sauce and garnishes it with micro red shiso, trout roe and black cherry miso. Accompanying the dish is a pipette of lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil for guests to use at the table.
In this picture the crudo is paired with the Fiore di Kyoto cocktail, a collaboration between general manager and sommelier Brian McGahey and lead bartender Dan Marlow. It uses the same black cherry miso that dresses the crudo and combines it with Suntory Toki whiskey and nigori junmai sake.
Prices: The crudo and cocktail are each $16