Cranes

"Introducing all these specialty Spanish dishes while also balancing an upcoming breakfast menu and shared kitchen with the Bodega by Arrels, on the other side of the lobby, is also a challenge. The market serves quick, under-$25 lunches made in 10 minutes that “cross-utilizes ingredients” from the larger restaurant. Paella rice will be cooked up in advance and quickly fried up into a “paella fried rice” for 9-to-5 workers on the go and a Spanish twist on the classic American breakfast combines the main menu’s patatas bravas with butifarra (simple Catalan sausage also served as hot dogs at the bar), bacon, and eggs. Even the high-end tinned seafood and chips, which Moncayo painstakingly sourced from four different distributors to bring in from Spain, will be on sale at the bodega and also served at Arrel’s chill bar area. A chargrilled medium rare tuna belly with olive sauce at Arrels will be repurposed in a confit topping off a salad at the bodega. Later, that same tuna will be found in hand rolls at a rooftop bar, called ART, that’s coming in December. The small kitchen space upstairs will mostly serve up raw fish in hand rolls and other Japanese dishes that Moncayo has become known for at Cranes for the last four years. Beverage director Ferit Ozergul, who’s manned the bar at Cranes for almost three years, will be making cocktails that mix in Japanese flavors at the rooftop bar, while classic gin and tonics, plus sherry and vermouth-forward drinks to pair with the Spanish food downstairs." - Emily Venezky

"Get into the Olympic spirit at Cranes with its exclusive bar specials. From July 26 to August 11, enjoy happy hour from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. every day. There’s a featured cocktail called the “Golden Dream” that blends seasonal yuzu, vodka, and apricot liqueur." - Vinciane Ngomsi, Tierney Plumb

"Cranes is the only restaurant in D.C. currently exploring the intersection between Spanish and Japanese cuisine, courtesy of chef Pepe Moncayo. That means combinations like patatas bravas with yuzu kosho ketchup, and an unagi paella accented with white ponzu, smoked eel, snap peas, and jalapeno aioli." - Missy Frederick, Tim Ebner

"Indulge in a fusion of Spanish and Japanese flavors at Cranes with special sides like Spanish potato salad, baby corn on the cob with anchovy butter, and deviled tamago. From the grill comes pork ribs with gochujang and sesame, rabbit shoulder with sosit and yuzu-kosho glaze, a smash burger with smoked scamorza, and more." - Vinciane Ngomsi

"Chef Pepe Moncayo’s happy hour menu (daily from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.) includes half-dozen oysters ($18), pork ribs ($12), and stir fried udon noodles for $8. Beer and cider go for $5, while specially crafted cocktails like their take on a French 75 and mojito range from $11 to $15." - Vinciane Ngomsi, Tierney Plumb