Tucked away on Clarendon Boulevard in Arlington is a small eatery that promises what it delivers: slow food fast. That is, the kitchen serves up dishes — sandwiches, salads and entrees — that are kicked up several notches beyond the typical fast-food offerings. Its name: Rabbit Salad and Grill. And behind the line is the young chef/manager Malachi Broadnax. A native Californian who grew up in Marion, Ind., Broadnax gives full credit to his mother, who took him at the age of 7 and said quite firmly, “You will learn how to cook,” he recalls. Great words of advice from a woman who had a catering service and then some restaurants. “She made really traditional American cuisine,” he says. “Her foods were traditional style, and included chicken, steak and pasta.”
The first food his mother taught him to prepare was fried potatoes, and he remembers her instructions to be sure the oil was very hot and to be very careful around the kitchen. “I learned [all this] very early,” he said.
| If you go |
| Rabbit Salad and Grill |
| » Where: 3035 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington |
| » Info: 703-243-5660 |
| » Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday |
In college, Broadnax attended culinary arts classes, he says, a shift from his original intentions. “I went to college on a scholarship for track and football,” he explained, “and then I dropped out to work as a fast-food cook in Muncie, Indiana. The restaurant hired me as a line cook after one year, and then to a sous chef, and finally to the head chef. I was just 24.”
With hindsight, he concedes he didn’t realize at the time how lucky he was to get the chance to advance so quickly in his chosen profession. “I ran that kitchen for two years,” he says. “I won an award for ‘the best new dessert,’ and won second place for my ribs.”
From there, he moved to a restaurant called Scotty’s Brewhouse in Indianapolis, where he worked both in the kitchen and in the front of the house. After five years, however, Broadnax wanted to move to the D.C. area, and a successful interview with a restaurant placement firm netted him the job at Rabbit.
Doubly fortunate, Broadnax works at a restaurant that serves solely upscale meals. And, his mentor is none other than Katsuya Fukushima — formerly of Cafe Atlantico and other Jose Andres eateries — who is Rabbit’s consultant. A wildly creative chef, Fukushima, aka Kats, has inspired Broadnax on to bigger and better cooking. As Broadnax notes, “He is the brains. I am the brawn.”
Q&A
What is your comfort food?
Tuna and rice — steamed rice and canned or fresh tuna seasoned with salt and lemon. I could eat this every day. There have been times when I have done that.
What is your signature dish?
I have been exposed to many different styles. A couple of things I do well, so maybe my ribs. I use a dry rub, wrap in foil, then braise for 24 hours … then to the grill.
What’s in your fridge?
Soy and almond milks, three different kinds of juices, a bottle of wine, lots of lunchmeats, a lot of Korean food like kimchi and miso, eggs, and venison.
What is your must-have ingredient?
Tabasco sauce. I have every kind they make … and kimchi.
What is your luckiest moment in the culinary world?
Being involved with Katsuya. He’s taken me around town, introduced me to other chefs. I feel pretty lucky, actually.
Recipe
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Serves 4 to 6
1 (3-pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
4 carrots, halved
4 stalks celery, halved
1 large onion, halved
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 garlic cloves
1 cup wild rice, cooked
3 bay leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chicken bouillon cube, optional
Put the chicken pieces, carrots, celery and onion in a large soup pot and cover with cold water. Heat over medium-low heat, and cook, uncovered, until the chicken meat falls off the bones; skim off foam every so often.
Take everything out of the pot. Strain the broth. Pick the meat off the bones, discard the skin and bones, and chop the meat, carrots, celery and onions into smaller pieces; put these back in the pot. Add the wild rice, garlic and tomatoes. Season the broth with salt, pepper and bay leaves. Add chicken bouillon to taste, if desired. Reheat the soup until hot, discard the bay leaves, and serve.
