By Tom Sietsema (The Washington Post, Wednesday, February 27 2013)

Ivan Iricanin faced many hurdles on the path to opening a Balkan restaurant on Capitol Hill that would deliver what he calls “the whole package”: service, setting and the Serbian flavors of his youth.

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WASHINGTON (JCHAYWARD.COM) — Ambar, a new restaurant with a desire to introduce D.C. to cutting edge Balkan cuisine recently opened up at Barracks Row, 523 8^th Street, SE Washington, DC. The restaurant features “small plates,” focusing on Serbian cuisine and offers wines and spirits from the Balkans not often experienced by the American diner. Executive Chef, Bojan Bocvarov joined JC Hayward on Wednesday to prepare a signature dish off the menu: Rolled Pork with Creamy Horseradish Dressing, Apricot Jam, and Carmelized Apples. Bocvarov said his standout dishes include grilled stuffed prunes, grilled goat cheese, and homemade cheese pie…

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Drink: Ambar’s cocktail menu may seem strange to Americans: 8 of the 11 drinks feature rakia, a brandy-like liqueur made from fermented fruit. It’s not a common taste in Washington. It can be dark and sticky, as in the Sarajevo cocktail, with slivovitz plum brandy, rye whiskey and viscous cane syrup. But the lighter rakias are the gateway: Try the Trycycle 007, which is basically a martini with quince rakia in place of gin. The liqueur is smooth, with a floral scent and a hint of ripe fruit, which is balanced by vermouth and bitters. It’s the best aperitif in the house.

Dish: While many of the dishes at Ambar have been adjusted for American tastes, the sarma, or stuffed sour cabbage, is one of the few 100 percent authentic items on the menu. In our preview of the restaurant, owner Ivan Iricanin said that it was a family recipe: “When I eat it, I’m home.” It’s more sour and salty than its Greek cousin — dolma, the stuffed grape leaves — with a hint of bay leaf.  Sarma are filled with beef and pork, and topped with a generous dollop of sour cream.

Dessert: The forest gnocchi doesn’t incorporate traditional Balkan flavors at all — pastry chef Danilo Bucan says that the inventive dish comes straight from his imagination — but it is a standout nonetheless. Balls of “gnocchi” formed from chocolate mousse, bitter orange cake, orange gelee and tarragon cream lay atop a layer of salted ground chocolate in a heavy stone bowl. When the dish is presented, the server pours a passion fruit espuma with black tea sauce around the globules, and encourages diners to mix multiple gnocchi together to ensure a different and interesting flavor pairing in every bite.

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A native of Trstenik, a small town in southern Serbia, Iricanin plans to give locals a rare taste of his home country. Washingtonians have not been afforded many opportunities to dip into Balkan cuisine: Adams Morgan played host to the short-lived Slaviya, while Alexandria is home to both Euro Foods and the Cosmopolitan Grill, the latter of which is owned by Amela and Ivica “Ivan” Svalina, a pair of expats from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So how does Serbian food differ, if at all, from Bosnian cuisine?

“I’m not an expert,” says Iricanin, 34, during a phone conversation before he hopped on a plane this afternoon for a Balkan research trip. “But I know they don’t eat pork” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Charissa Benjamin, regional PR director for Kimpton Hotels, is married to Serbian native Vladan Stankovic, and she mentions the same pork divide between Bosnians and Serbs. As you might suspect, it boils down to religion: Serbia is majority Christian (Serbian Orthodox), while themain religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Islam.

Other than protein preferences, the two areas share many of the same dishes, says Iricanin. You’ll find cevapcici, pljeskavica, punjena paprika,sarma and many other dishes throughout the Balkans, but you may find variations, depending on the region. For instance, Iricanin says he makes cevapcici with beef and pork, rather than the all-beef version favored by Bosnians.

Because Iricanin is not a trained cook, he has turned to 70-year-oldMilka Zukic, once the personal chef to Yugoslav presidents Marshal Josip Broz Tito and Slobodan Milosevic , to help develop recipes and maintain a sense of authenticity. She will no doubt work with the chef that Iricanin finally hires to run the kitchen at Ambar. The owner says he will be interviewing candidates during his Balkans trip.

Aside from the classic Balkan spreads and dishes, such as those listed above, Ambar will bake its own breads. “That’s a big part of our culture,” Iricanin says about bread. Ambar plans to import Balkan wines as well as a line of rakija brandies, which are fermented from fruits and include the Serbian national drink, slivovitz, a plum brandy.

So how will Iricanin package his Balkan offerings in the (mostly) conservative Barracks Row dining scene? That’s something Iricanin hasn’t fully worked out. His trip should go a long way toward answering the question. He will be traveling with Richard Sandoval and Kaz Okochi, his Masa 14/El Centro partners, to the Balkans and working with them on how to maintain the flavors of the region while upgrading the presentations for American diners. (Sandoval, incidentally, is a partner in Ambar.)

“It’s kind of comfort food,” Iricanin says about his native cuisine. “I think people will like it.”

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by Larry Janezich

Ivan Iricanin, one of acclaimed chef and international restaurateur Richard Sandoval’s partners in two 14th Street restaurants – El Centro and Masa 14 – expects to open Ambar on Barracks Row this fall – perhaps by November.  The restaurant will serve Balkan cuisine, focusing on dishes from the owner’s native Serbia.  The name “Ambar” refers to the bin where corn is stored after harvest in Serbia, and according to Iricanin, is part of every Serbian household.   Iricanin has leased the 3,000 foot space at 523 8^th Street, formerly occupied by Jordan’s 8.  The restaurant will initially serve dinner and brunch, but eventually the owner hopes to serve all three meals.

Iricanin appeared before ANC6B Commissioner Carol Green’s ABC Committee last Thursday to seek the Committee’s endorsement for a liquor and entertainment license for the new restaurant.   It was the latter that caused the most concern among commissioners and nearby residents.  The applicant offered assurances that the entertainment would be limited to creating a “vibe” to enhance the dining experience and not for dancing.  He envisions strolling musicians and occasionally, a DJ.

The ANC voted 8-0 to take no position in referring the matter to the full ANC6B meeting for consideration on Tuesday, September 11.  Iricanin agreed to work with ABC Committee Chair Green on a voluntary agreement limiting potential problems foreseen by commissioners and nearby neighbors before the Tuesday meeting.  Although the DC Alcohol Beverage Review Board will have the last word, it is charged with giving “great weight” to the recommendation of the ANCs in issuing liquor licenses.

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A project from Masa 14 and El Centro D.F. partner Ivan Iricanin, the restaurant will span two floors and include a second-floor patio. Iricanin is Serbian, and plans to import Balkan wines and beer to complement the multiple types of Rakija on the drink menu. He may even distill the brandy in house, though that is not yet confirmed.

To accompany the drinks, Richard Sandoval will consult on a food menu of Serbian and Balkan cuisine, with dishes inspired by the pair’s recent trip to the region. Modern twists will be given to classic plates from each region throughout the peninsula — for example, a slow-cooked pork neck will be served with horseradish ice cream.

Even the decor will be from the Balkans, as Iricanin has hired Serbian-based architectural firm Atelje AL to oversee the design. Expect a modern and minimal interior, with Mediterranean textiles, old photos and natural wood. No exact opening date is set, but we’ll keep all you rakija fans out there posted of new developments.

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Though the menu will be heavily influenced by Mediterranean flavors, we’re particularly excited about the concept as there are no Balkan restaurants in DC at this time. Partner and chef Richard Sandoval helped develop the menu, to be executed by a visiting Serbian chef.

Ambar is the Serbian name for a storehouse for drying and storing corn, just in case you were wondering.”  Featuring the best dishes from different regions throughout the Balkans, look forward to hearty yet sophisticated dishes of melt-in-your-mouth lamb and pork, grilled goat cheese, cheese pie and potatoes.  There will be stuffed turkey with ajvar, cheese, bacon and mashed potatoes, which sounds way more fun than those potato skins headed towards your mouth right now.  (Put those down.)

There will be imported Balkan wines and beer to try, but come here for the rakija, which you’ll find only here (and inside my toilet tank).  This fermented fruit brandy is an essential part of life in Serbia, and it’s sipped with every meal, everywhere, on every occasion.  Iricanin says he’s tapped a local distiller to start making rakija exclusively for Ambar.

Ambar opens tonight for dinner, with lunch and weekend brunch planned soon.

Photo: Daniel Swartz for Revamp.com, and Ambar Restaurant

Ambar
523 8th Street SE

Washington, DC 20003
202.813.3039

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Iricanin is partners in this project, as well as in Masa 14 and El Centro D.F., with Richard Sandoval and Kaz Okochi (Kaz Sushi Bistro). The owners plucked their top toque, sous, and pastry chefs from a modern restaurant in Belgrade that they discovered on a food research trip. Executive chef Bojan Bocvarov had just a few months to learn the menu the owners have been developing. Offerings from pastry chef Danilo Bucan—whose “dessert bar” prep area is plainly visible to the downstairs dining room—include a signature dish he calls Forest Gnocchi, featuring a “gnocchi” of tarragon, cream, and kuzu (Japanese arrowroot), plus chocolate grounds, chocolate mousse, passionfruit espuma, bitter-orange cake, orange gel, and black-tea-infused cream.

Iricanin enlisted his longtime friend Branimir Lukic of Serbian architecture firm Ateljeal to create the design at Ambar, a two-level space that features five distinct environments. Downstairs, a banquette lines the long, narrow dining room. It’s attached to a wall lined with light, rustic wood meant to suggest the corn storage barns—called ambar—that dot the Serbian countryside. Upstairs, a copper-topped bar faces high-top tables leading back to a 40-person rooftop patio. At the front of this second level, a small raised area hosts a few tables with comfy upholstered chairs. The second floor has been pushed back from the front wall to create a two-level entranceway that allows for greater flow between the two stories and an overall sense of cohesiveness, says Lukic. Contrasting with the rustic white-wood stairs leading to the second floor is custom Swedish wallpaper with a picture frame pattern—Lukic says the idea is to link traditional and modern.

When drinking at Ambar, the thing to try is rakia, a Serbian brandy often made from fruit like plum or apricot, as well as nuts. The restaurant will offer more than 20 varieties, which guests can order straight or as a base in riffs on classic cocktails. Iricanin will also stock two popular Balkan lagers: Lav (which means lion) and Jelen (which means deer). Click through the slideshow to check out the space and a few of the dishes.

Ambar. 523 8th Street, SE; 202-813-3039.

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A native of Trstenik, a small town in southern Serbia, Iricanin plans to give locals a rare taste of his home country. Washingtonians have not been afforded many opportunities to dip into Balkan cuisine: Adams Morgan played host to the short-lived Slaviya, while Alexandria is home to both Euro Foods and the Cosmopolitan Grill, the latter of which is owned by Amela and Ivica “Ivan” Svalina, a pair of expats from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

So how does Serbian food differ, if at all, from Bosnian cuisine?

“I’m not an expert,” says Iricanin, 34, during a phone conversation before he hopped on a plane this afternoon for a Balkan research trip. “But I know they don’t eat pork” in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Charissa Benjamin, regional PR director for Kimpton Hotels, is married to Serbian native Vladan Stankovic, and she mentions the same pork divide between Bosnians and Serbs. As you might suspect, it boils down to religion: Serbia is majority Christian (Serbian Orthodox), while the main religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Islam.

Other than protein preferences, the two areas share many of the same dishes, says Iricanin. You’ll find cevapcici, pljeskavica, punjena paprika, sarma and many other dishes throughout the Balkans, but you may find variations, depending on the region. For instance, Iricanin says he makes cevapcici with beef and pork, rather than the all-beef version favored by Bosnians.

Because Iricanin is not a trained cook, he has turned to 70-year-old Milka Zukic, once the personal chef to Yugoslav presidents Marshal Josip Broz Tito and Slobodan Milosevic , to help develop recipes and maintain a sense of authenticity. She will no doubt work with the chef that Iricanin finally hires to run the kitchen at Ambar. The owner says he will be interviewing candidates during his Balkans trip.

Aside from the classic Balkan spreads and dishes, such as those listed above, Ambar will bake its own breads. “That’s a big part of our culture,” Iricanin says about bread. Ambar plans to import Balkan wines as well as a line of rakija brandies, which are fermented from fruits and include the Serbian national drink, slivovitz, a plum brandy.

So how will Iricanin package his Balkan offerings in the (mostly) conservative Barracks Row dining scene? That’s something Iricanin hasn’t fully worked out. His trip should go a long way toward answering the question. He will be traveling with Richard Sandoval and Kaz Okochi, his Masa 14/El Centro partners, to the Balkans and working with them on how to maintain the flavors of the region while upgrading the presentations for American diners. (Sandoval, incidentally, is a partner in Ambar.)

“It’s kind of comfort food,” Iricanin says about his native cuisine. “I think people will like it.”

By Tim Carman

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