Neighborhood Restaurant Group has named New York chef Kyle Bailey as executive chef of the forthcoming restaurant Birch & Barley, (1337 14th St. NW) as well as the bar ChurchKey, which will be located above the restaurant.

Bailey is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and recently worked in the kitchen at New York’s one-Michelin-star restaurant Allen & Delancey, where he served as executive chef. The Birch & Barley menu will include modern American dishes, including a charred octopus appetizer with fingerling potatoes, pickled eggplant and fried capers. Entrees such as crispy wild striped bass and braised beef cheeks will also be offered.

ChurchKey, the beer bar located above the restaurant, will also feature a menu developed by Bailey. The menu will be broken into four parts: fresh, pressed, roasted and fried. Hush puppies, truffled grilled cheese and artichoke hearts will all be available.

Tiffany MacIsaac was named pastry chef. MacIsaac also comes to Birch & Barley from Allen & Delancey in New York.

Birch & Barley is slated to open later this fall.

Dumplings and More

Power hour is no longer just a college drinking game. The Source (575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) is offering a new after-work special called “the hour of power,— which will feature fine wines and food from the kitchen of chef Scott Drewno. For $25, patrons get a flight of wines paired with a flight of dumplings. The special is large enough to act as a light dinner and features organic chicken and wild mushroom dumplings, scallop and shrimp sui mai, and pork belly “tiny dumplings.—

The dumplings are paired with a viognier, riesling and valpolicella. The offer is available in the lounge 5-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. Over time, the food will change, but it will still be offered with wine pairings.