Before the restaurant opens tomorrow, Mayson Shane, the owner of Windsor’s Barracks Row, handed over decorating duties to a designer who could be the best thing for Aunt Helen’s new all-day American comfort food spot, Crazy Aunt Helen’s. Anyone who loves shopping at Logan Circle’s institution, Miss Pixie’s, might have daydreamed about going to a dinner party at the house of Windsor’s Pixie owner, where they sell other household curiosities and vintage furniture.
The sign in pink neon that says “Crazy” is just the beginning of what McCool’s Finn, an Irish pub, has to offer. The pub used to be a dark and gloomy space, but now it is glitzy and bright with lots of crazy and interesting decorations. The room includes a full replica of the Mona Lisa and headstones decorated with men’s names. This is the same apartment where Windsor stayed for a couple of months, admiring her maximalist taste. It was here that the two friends became close and originally met at a jazz show in Windsor.
According to Mayson, “she was extremely friendly and consistently hospitable.” She was an exceptional lady… She was not insane. I want to emphasize this point, I had an aunt named Helen. Aunt Helen is a genuine individual, with one significant difference.
Mayson expresses, “This is a cheerful, jubilant location.” Mayson aimed to inject the eccentric, zany vitality of Auntie Mame that the “insane” descriptor encompassed into the area. “I frequently state that we are a local eatery that serves as a secure environment for all.”
Mayson exclaims, “It has a delightful aroma. It permeates the entire room.” There’s something captivating about that cinnamon sugar. There’s homemade corned beef, gruyere mac and cheese, roasted chicken, a variety of burgers, and cinnamon bun pancakes. A traditional, Jewish-style braised brisket puts a unique twist on the recipe from Moll’s grandmother. Mykie Moll, the executive chef from Crazy Aunt Helen’s, who previously helmed the kitchen at the short-lived Pom Pom in Petworth and worked as a sous chef at Doi Moi on 14th Street NW, has wholeheartedly embraced that concept with a cozy menu (full versions below) that ranges from meat-centric to vegan options.
Aunt Crazy Helen, who hails from Charleston, South Carolina, serves them as an appetizer with boiled peanuts. Mayson, a vegan, wanted to incorporate soy (okara and pulp) into the menu items, like cheese grilled and chicken tenders burgers for the kid’s menu. Moll’s fried chicken sandwich comes with a lime leaf aioli. It also includes meat-free items such as vegan crab cakes that look like the real deal. The gatherer’s pie includes mashed potatoes baked underneath lentils and seasonal veggies, adding a vegan option with an appetizing twist.
The compilation of local beers was assembled by Thor Cheston, co-founder of Right Proper Brewing Company. Each mixed drink incorporates spirits distilled in the local area. Valenzuela created a lemon drop cocktail, as expected, and also came up with the “Kiss My Sassafras” drink, which includes Macchu Pisco, Don Ciccio Cerasum Aperitivo, Embitterment Sassafras Bitters, orange peel, and mint. “I purchased various vintage candies such as sassafras and root beer” for inspiration, Mayson explains. Mayson hired Jo-Jo Valenzuela, the owner of the Game Sports Pub in Adams Morgan, to invent cocktails that incorporated flavors commonly found in a grandmother’s candy dish.
I have hired an amazing player piano that is used to accompany singers and musicians, says Mayson. I am going to bring your book. I will buy you a drink and bring your friends. Later in the summer, Aunt Helen’s Crazy Room Peacock, a performing space upstairs in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of D.C., Will start hosting theme nights on Mondays for the community theater members to stop by, cabaret on Saturdays, and improv on Thursdays. Mayson, who used to work as a waiter at Mr. Henry’s restaurant in Capitol Hill, wants to showcase local performers too.
Helen’s Aunt Crazy will open from Monday to Wednesday. The breakfast runs from 7 a.M. To 11 a.M. Lunch is available from 11 a.M. To 4 p.M. And dinner is served from 5 p.M. To 11 p.M. The restaurant on the first floor has a total of 76 seats, with 53 seats upstairs, including a bar with 26 seats. Additionally, there is an outdoor patio with 12 more seats setup on the streetside.