Looking for dishes prepared on a Japanese binchotan grill? Perhaps Korean flavors are calling to you? A few weeks ago, Clifton American bistro Trummer’s would not have been a destination for either of those things, but a few weeks ago, Daniel Perron was not the restaurant’s chef. Nine years ago, Perron first walked into the restaurant as its chef de partie. Now he’s back, replacing Jon Cropf as executive chef.
In the intervening years, the Woodbridge resident’s resume has included tenures at Range by Bryan Voltaggio and Blue Duck Tavern. As opening sous chef at Fabio Trabocchi‘s Fiola Mare, he helped earn the restaurant its credits as “Best New Restaurant” from GQ Magazine and the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington in 2015. He held the same position at The Oval Room before becoming executive chef at Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Whaley’s, which shuttered last year.
Now, he’s leaning both on his experience sourcing fresh, local foods and his childhood of eating Korean fare to bring a new face to the dining at Trummer’s. New dishes include kimchi-marinated monkfish shellfish broth, cranberry beans, caraflex cabbage and negi scallion. Among sides, there’s tempura delicata squash with kimchi mayo and togarashi.
But diners looking for classic American fare won’t be disappointed, either. Perron is taking advantage of the restaurant’s rotisserie to create his own take on roasted chicken with delicata squash, cipollini onion, braised kale and chicken jus. Artfully plated seared scallops are served alongside heirloom carrots, charred radicchio and poached pear in a ginger-pomegranate jus. Look for regular changes to the seasonal menu. With each one, Perron will continue to make his mark on his old stomping grounds. // 7134 Main St., Clifton
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