Slide on Over to M Bar at Renaissance M Street Hotel: Executive Chef Darren Anklam Unveils a New Small Plates Menu

    /24-7PressRelease/ - WASHINGTON, DC, August 25, 2007 - Following a $25.2 million make-over at the Renaissance M Street Hotel, contemporary downtown Washington, DC dining reawakens at M BAR with the debut of the bar's small plates menu. Unveiling a Modern Renaissance in West End dining, Executive Chef Darren Anklam presents a contemporary, fresh and familiar American menu that is PPP -- portion and price perfect for anytime of day.

Chef Anklam's menu brings delectable whimsy to every meal, beginning with starters that rival anything in downtown Washington, DC restaurants. Relish the Signature Asian Chips and Salsa, a yellow fin tuna tartar with fried wonton chips, Shrimp and Smoked Cheddar Grits, White Truffle Tater Tots, fresh steamed Edamame with flaked sea salt, and Sweet Potato Fries with powdered sugar.

With a new M BAR menu comes the renaissance of the traditional slider. Signature Sliders come in 10 varieties in "packs" of three, six, or platter sizes. Premium sliders include Butter Poached Lobster, Beef Tenderloin, Crab Cake and Seared Tuna with Wasabi Mayo. Traditional sliders include a choice of three Mini Angus Beef burgers with Mushroom and Swiss or Bacon and Cheddar while BLT sliders include a choice of chicken with horseradish mayo, salmon with red pepper aioli or portabella mushroom varieties.

Can't miss salads and entrees come in easy to discern small and large portions with prices to match, ranging from $4 to $24. The menu at M BAR is ideal for any time of day: lunch, dinner or a late night nosh. Entrees include saut ed Lemon Sole with Crab and lemon butter sauce, Illy Espresso Rubbed Flat Iron Steak and Broiled Jumbo Lump Maryland Crab Cake with saut ed green beans.

Decadent desserts include a heavenly Crème Brule Trio of bananas foster, raspberry and vanilla bean flavors, a "Sorbetini" with Simplicity Sorbet served with Frozen Absolut Vodka, Grand Marnier Infused Strawberries and Chocolate Mud Pie with coffee flavored chocolate mousse, Oreo crust, dark chocolate ganache, caramel and chocolate chips.

Late-night lingering in the great room-style hotel lobby at M BAR would not be complete without the lovely libations. Guests are encouraged by M BAR's resident Fizzicians to relax by watching the game on the two 32" HD plasma flat screen televisions, enjoy the latest in wireless internet access or peruse the large lending library of best-sellers and classics with an effervescent vitamin-C rich fizzies Martizzi. Fizz into a Lemon Fizzie Drop, or the Twilight BlueZZzz or cozy up to a fresh herb and fruit cocktail like the Cosmo Thymes Ten, Basil Mojito or a traditional Brazilian Caipirinha.

The M BAR wine list now offers wines by the glass and bottle. A perfect range for everyone, glasses vary from modestly priced Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz to exceptional George de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Domaine Fournier Sancerre Grand Cuvee. Prices range from $9-$30 by the glass and bottles range from $35-$110.

Executive Chef Darren Anklam is a long-loyal Renaissance employee who brings 12 years of kitchen experience to the M BAR table. A fixture in the Renaissance hotel brand kitchen, Chef Anklam began as a line cook at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore, MD working his way up to Executive Sous Chef. Now at the helm of his own kitchen at the Renaissance M Street Hotel, Chef Anklam lets his creativity and style shine, creating new and innovative Renaissance brand Signature dishes, with a contemporary American menu suitable for any palate.

Located at 1143 New Hampshire Avenue, NW and M Street in the heart of Washington's West End,
M BAR is open 6am to 2pm for Breakfast and Lunch; 5pm to 10pm for Dinner. The trendy Washington, DC restaurant seats 180 guests and features two (2) private dining rooms accommodating 20-45 guests. For reservations please call 202-775-0800. To request menus, photographs or more information about M BAR or the Renaissance M Street Hotel please contact Alicia Sovart, Linda Roth Associates, LLC at 703.417.2701, or [email protected].

About the Renaissance M Street Hotel
Set your sights high on this downtown Washington, D.C. hotel that offers a monumental stay. The Renaissance M Street Hotel is a West End Washington, D.C. luxury hotel located in the energetic Georgetown and Dupont Circle neighborhoods, minutes from the metro and legendary city sites. Contending luxury hotels in Washington, D.C. cannot rival this cutting-edge hotel's phenomenal renovations. New hotel suites wow visitors with sophisticated style and contemporary amenities. The trendy downtown D.C. hotel flaunts a fine dining restaurant, conveying class and comfort, while 12,050 square feet of event space appeals to business travelers with state-of-the-art meeting facilities and entices brides-to-be as a great wedding location. Discover a new city favorite, the Renaissance M Street downtown Washington, D.C. luxury hotel. For more information or to make a reservation, call (202) 775-0800 or visit http://marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasrw-renaissance-m-street-hotel/.

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