Category Archives: Food and Drink

Business and Money, Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Closings: CPK, Vegetate, Yaku

Photo courtesy of
‘Vegetate Outside’
courtesy of ‘needlessspaces’

While I was reporting a flurry of good restaurant news on H street last week, this week I’ve got a few bad news reports for you:

First, Vegetate in Shaw is closing at the end of the month, they’ve decided not to renew their lease and are looking for a new local.

California Pizza Kitchen on Connecticut Ave is closing, the Going Out Gurus reports that the BLT empire is bringing in an Italian concept in its place.

Yaku in Arlington, which I never particularly loved to begin with, is changing hands to become a Rock and Roll sushi club concept. Tim Carman over at Young and Hungry has the details.

All I’ve got to say here is that I hope Vegetate gets a new lease. I have a crush on their greasy vegetarian fare. The rest – eh. Such is life.

Food and Drink, The DC 100
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DC Omni 100: #24 Rice and Bean

Photo courtesy of
‘161/365 Rice and Beans’
courtesy of ‘eiratansey’

It’s time for another item from the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

After all the turkey, potatoes, gravy and stuffing from the past week, let’s take a flavor profile U-turn to explore the popular Latin American and Caribbean dish, rice and beans.

Prepared separately, rice and beans are usually served side by side, not mixed together, and can be both a main and side dish. Traditionally, the rice is usually of the white grain variety, but can be seasoned to take on a more creole or Spanish style flavor. In researching the dish, I was surprised to learn that rice is not a native grain to America, rather it was introduced to the continent by European colonists during the early 16th century. Rice provides an abundance of nutrients, like iron, protein, and vitamin B. As a starch, rice is also an excellent source of energy.

The beans is where you’ll find a lot of variety. Beans can black, red or brown, and can be cooked from in either dried and fresh forms. Like its rice counterpart, beans contain a wealth of iron, protein and other necessary vitamins. Continue reading →

Downtown, Dupont Circle, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, People, The Daily Feed
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Dining with Elites

Photo courtesy of
‘Grant Bar, Old Ebbitt Grill’
courtesy of ‘marialgilbert’

In a city known for it’s power grubbing politicians, it stands to reason that there are certain dining oasis that all of them congregate to.  Most are well known to DC locals, places like Old Ebbitt and the Palm, but CNN helpfully categorizes DC’s power restaurants by who your most likely to see dining in them.  For example, did you know that Sonia Sotomayor is a fan of Lebanese Taverna or than Rahm Emmanuel enjoys Tosca? If you want to rub elbows with our nation’s leaders and don’t quite know where to go, read the article to find out.

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Foodie Roundup, The Features
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We Love Leftovers

Photo courtesy of
‘Turkey cupcake tutorial’
courtesy of ‘kristdin_a’

The turkey is still brining, the potatoes aren’t even peeled and the pies are still cooling, and I’m already thinking about what to do with the leftovers.  Of course, there’s the traditional turkey fixings sandwich, which requires putting every item from the meal between two slices of bread and then prying your mouth open like a boa constrictor and jamming it in there. And however much I love me a leftover sammie, there’s only so much our palates can tolerate, so it’s high time we look into other creative options for the food exploding out of the fridge.

Let’s start with potatoes. These tubers are perhaps the most versatile leftover you have at your disposal. If you’re left with boiled or roasted potatoes, they make the perfect based for Alton Brown’s breakfast hash, or some potatoes au-gratin or the crispy topping of a pot pie.  If you have some whole potatoes left over of the yam variety, then I suggest using them in this simple sweet potato casserole. And should you have an ample portion of mashed potatoes, add some bacon, onions, chives, or if you like seafood some cooked white fish, and mold them into 3″ potato cakes. Pan fry the cakes until they have a golden, crispy exterior on both sides, and garnish with sour cream, applesauce or whatever accompaniment your palate desires. Continue reading →

Adventures, Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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Share Your Thanksgiving Mishaps

Photo courtesy of
‘OH GOD TURKEY.’
courtesy of ‘ibroadfo’

I’m sure we all have them, or have at least been a party to them. My story involves our next door neighbors nearly setting our apartment building on fire by leaving their bird in the oven a tad too long. There we were, just sitting down to our meal, when the sirens sounded and the firemen were knocking on our door. Luckily, the building didn’t go up in flames, and I believe our neighbors celebrated by hitting up the Chinese restaurant around the corner.

Have any really good Thanksgiving mishap stories? Share them and we can all hopefully learn from our mistakes.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Art Smith Gets TV Show

Photo courtesy of
‘Chicken’
courtesy of ‘lorigoldberg’

Once Chicago’s and now DC’s too, Chef Art Smith (Art & Soul) has landed himself a TV show on TLC. I love him. Adorable, fabulous, and totally a big teddy bear, Art’s new show Craving Comfort will give us our necessary dose of the lovable “Oprah’s Personal Chef”.

The Hollywood Reporter says Smith will travel across the country looking for popular comfort food from “fried chicken to apple pie.” Smith has signed on for eight episodes. The show should air on Mondays.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Red Hot Red Ribbon

Photo courtesy of
‘Cocktail’
courtesy of ‘Quinn Dombrowski’

We all know that the next couple of days will be filled with holiday excess. So why not plan to do something noble next week to compensate?

As part of Kimpton’s Red Ribbon Campaign for HIV/AIDS Awareness, a $10 donation will cover your entrance and one drink ticket to their Red Hot Night on Tuesday, December 1. Extra drink tickets are $5 each, with a silent auction featuring a weekend getaway to a Kimpton hotel, airfare included.

At Hotel Rouge from 5:30pm to 8:30pm, all proceeds will go to the Whitman-Walker Clinic. Of course there will be red-themed specialty drinks like the Cordon Rouge – Absolut Ruby Red, grapefruit juice and passion fruit puree – but the best part is helping raise money in the fight against DC’s HIV/AIDS epidemic.

RSVP to the Whitman-Walker Clinic at 202.797.3543.

Food and Drink, History, Night Life, People, The Daily Feed
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A Repeal Day Celebration

Photo courtesy of
‘West End Bistro’
courtesy of ‘InspirationDC’

I can’t remember prohibition.  My grandfather can barely remember prohibition.  But that doesn’t mean that the anniversary of its repeal is bad excuse to drink.  The 76th (thanks Nicole) anniversary of the 21st Amendment is less than two weeks away and DC’s Craft Bartender’s Guild is celebrating in style.  They are hosting the Repeal Day Ball on Dec. 5 at PS7 in Chinatown.  Tickets are available to the public at $100 a pop, which gets you in the door and lots of booze.  If you’re really interested in DC’s bartending scene, you can throw down an extra $50 for VIP tickets, which gets exclusive demonstrations by DC’s best and a chance to meet your favorite mixologists. Tickets are available here.

Essential DC, Food and Drink, The Features
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Thanksgiving In The District: Katie’s Picks

Photo courtesy of
‘Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Turkey on Cooking With Kat 02.jpg’
courtesy of ‘davecurlee’

If you’re going to be here for Thanksgiving, and you’re not up to the task of brining, and cooking, and all that, then you’ve got a lot of choices as to where to eat. The lovely Alex over at Brightest Young Things has a super-comprehensive list of all the choices that you’ve got, organized by date, and there’s absolutely no need for me to reinvent the wheel, especially when her wheel was awesome to begin with. So, I’m going to do a different take – I’m going to tell you what sounds the best to me, and where I’d go if I were here. My priorities are going to a place that I know I like, since then it’ll feel more homey, and somewhere where I really trust the chef not to screw up my favorite dishes. So here are my top five, in no particular order.

(Side note: these menus are expensive. Dining out in DC on Thankgiving isn’t cheap. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. This is why your parents are in town.)

INOX Restaurant – Chef Jon Mathieson knows meat. And I would be a happy girl to have his turkey. He’s offering it up either smoked or Heritage turkey in a a three-course menu. Highlights include Butternut Squash Potage with Spiced Creme Fraiche and Corn Bread-Andouille Sausage Stuffing. The four course menu is $62 per person. Continue reading →

Entertainment, Essential DC, Food and Drink, Fun & Games, Life in the Capital, Night Life, The Daily Feed
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Saving The Planet One Drinking Game At A Time

Photo courtesy of
‘Max’s Cup Tower’
courtesy of ‘Kevin Lawver’

I’m all about enjoying a good alcoholic beverage, playing games and being environmentally responsible, so when VAT19 gave me the option to embody these principles in one amazing product, I jumped on it.

This set of  Reusable “Plastic” Cups allows us drinking game players to play pong, flip cup, beer die, etc. to our hearts content, all while knowing we’re saving local landfills from hundred of the classic, red Solo cups.

And no, users of these cups will not throw out these melamine, dishwasher safe cup; they’re much more substantial then the cheap, plastic version.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Crumbs Comes to DC!

Photo courtesy of
‘Buon Appetito!’
courtesy of ‘LaTur’

Crumbs, the delicious NY cupcake shop, is expanding to DC! “The D.C. market was the next logical choice for our expansion,” said Jason Bauer, CRUMBS CEO and co-founder. “The CRUMBS brand has strong name recognition in the market and we decided to listen to our fans who have been asking us for many months to come to D.C.”

True, DC has lots of cupcake shops. But personally, I am stoked about the arrival of Crumbs in March 2010. Their cupcakes are huge, first of all, and they also come up with some creative flavors and decorations. Check out Orange You a Chocolate Lover— cute, right? Bring on the happy.

Food and Drink, Night Life, People, The Features, We Love Drinks
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Drinks Preview: The Passenger

Photo courtesy of
‘The Passenger 7’
courtesy of ‘maxedaperture’

Let’s say you love hand-crafted cocktails, but your friend is all about Miller High Life. Up until this point, I’d be hard-pressed to recommend a place where you both would feel comfortable. Thankfully, brothers Derek and Tom Brown have created a bar where the two of you can happily cosy up in a booth together.

Last night, The Passenger opened its doors to the public. The night before, I was lucky to attend a preview of the new bar and sample the atmosphere. It’s still a work in progress, the rough-and-ready quality mimicking the surrounding neighborhood. If you were familiar with the Warehouse, the space revamps the front bar and the back area near the theater. It’s got a black diamond quality, with exposed brick, hardwood floors and a long photographic mural that’s meant to remind you of the view from a train’s windows. Booths line the walls and by this weekend the back section will be finished to resemble a mirrored dining car.

If you’re expecting an upscale exclusive club atmosphere with pinkies raised over clinkety-clink glasses, well, you’ll be disappointed. What we have here is a funky, eclectic neighborhood bar that’s set to evolve organically. And I’m not kidding, in addition to those famous made-to-taste cocktails you can also get Miller High Life and a chili half-smoke.

This is a bar where both mods and rockers are easily at home. Continue reading →

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed, The District
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Top Chef Contestant Blais Brings Burgers to Chinatown

Photo courtesy of
‘The Juicy Loosey’
courtesy of ‘akuban’

You guys, we must be getting sexier, ’cause Top Chef has been drawn to us as of late. The crush is festering, and we’ve just moved from the couch to the bedroom. Not only do we get served by Carla Hall, Spike, Bryan Voltaggio, and Mike Isabella but Richard Blais recently announced that he is bringing his Flip Burger concept to DC.

Atlanta is the home base for Flip Burger and Blais is reportedly looking around Chinatown for his third location (We’re second to Birmingham, odd, right?). For my love of Richard Blais subtle sarcastic sense of humor I’m going to politely refrain from whining about how all celebrity chefs like to bring us steak and burgers. Cause they do. Steak or burgers. Red meat. Woo! Ugh.

(Oh, whoops.)

Anywho, Blais says that Flip is all about burgers + molecular gastronomy, and who doesn’t love a little liquid nitrogen mixed with their food? I say? Bring it.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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The Passenger Embarks

Photo courtesy of
‘Peychaud Rinse’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

The long-awaited new venture of the brothers Brown is set to open this Thursday. Yes, The Passenger is ready for embarkation on 7th Street, in the old bar space of the Warehouse Theater complex. It sounds rather rock-n-roll to me, with Tom Brown (formerly of Cork) slinging up made-to-taste cocktails, including seasonal pitchers, along with what will no doubt be a phenom wine list and beer – canned or draft.

Derek Brown’s internal combustion engine, the Columbia Room, won’t open til early 2010 – this is a smaller bar-inside-a-bar modeled after tiny Japanese bars with high personal interaction between bartender and guest.

Back over the summer, purely by chance, I ended up sitting next to their concept meeting outside at Room 11 and really struggled with writing about anything I’d heard that evening. I could’ve started a whole slew of rumors about what Tom and Derek were planning, but honestly, they don’t need the buzz, already being cocktail legends with a loyal following in the city.

Bottom line? I think it’s fantastic the two brothers are finally getting to work together, highlighting their different styles in one place.  You can expect a funky interior that still stays true to the surrounding historic architecture, complete with a “dining car” in the back, but nothing incredibly high-end or elaborate – there’s a dedication to building a low-key neighborhood bar feel as well. Will it become a total scene because everyone and their mother wants a hand-crafted cocktail from these guys now? Will this finally revitalize that rather raggedy stretch of street? We’ll find out.

Essential DC, Food and Drink, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District
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Five Guys Makes Ad Age’s “America’s Hottest Brands” List

Photo courtesy of
‘Five Guys’
courtesy of ‘SWP Moblog’

Well, lookie here, Lorton-Baltimorebased chain Five Guys has made it on to Advertising Age’s “America’s Hottest Brands” List. Long heralded by DCites for its juicy, meaty burgers and specially spiced cajun fries, the Five Guys chain is exploding, opening shops along the Northeast corridor and infiltrating the Midwest.

The secret to Five Guys success, apart from their menu offerings, is good old fashioned customer service. You really can’t beat a good burger, some spicy fries and a smile.

*Rob C and Billy are correct. Five Guys is currently headquatered in Lorton, VA. The first Five Guys location, now closed, opened in 1986 at South Glebe Road and Columbia Pike in Arlington, VA.

Food and Drink, The DC 100
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DC Omni 100: #32 Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl

Photo courtesy of
‘Chowder in sourdough bread bowls from Boudin’
courtesy of ‘TheGirlsNY’

It’s time for another item from the DC Omnivore 100 list of the top one hundred foods every good omnivore should try at least once in their lives.

As I’m a Northeasterner, when I hear “clam chowder” my mind immediately goes to the creamy, rich, hearty goodness that is New England Clam Chowder. This is the typical winter fare that keeps us Yankees warm on the ski slopes and sledding down snowy banks for hours and hours.  The chowder sticks to your ribs, keeps your core warm and makes you smile on -15 degree (including wind chill) days.

I’m also from Manhattan, so I’m well aware of New England Clam Chowder’s alterego, the red Manhattan Clam Chowder. As a kid, I was not a fan of this soup. It was the imposter of clam chowder. Definitely not the real deal. “Ewww…who eats red clam chowder?!!” However, as an adult, my palette has shifted and I really like the acidity and sharpness of this tomato-based version. And now that I don’t have the metabolism of a hypeactive 8 year old, it’s also a more health conscious choice.  For those DC-VA-MD folk, Manhattan Clam Chowder is farely similar to Maryland Clam Chowder, only the NYC version lacks corn and chicken (presumably these additions come from the Eastern shore of MD). Continue reading →

Food and Drink, Special Events, The Daily Feed
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The New Vintage

Photo courtesy of
‘Bottle’s Top’
courtesy of ‘Samer Farha’

Want to benefit a good cause while drinking wine and eating food prepared by Esquire’s best new chef? Look no further than Heart’s Delight: the New Vintage Eat Local ~ Drink Local wine auction, hosted at the Blue Ridge this coming Wednesday.  $50 gets you in the door and allows you to sample fare prepared by the acclaimed Chef Barton Seaver.  His dishes, which are locally sourced, will paired with beer and wine from the DC area.  Proceeds from the auction benefit the American Heart Association, and the event is designed to give young, philanthropically minded professionals an opportunity to network and volunteer.  If you’re interested in attending, be sure to buy your tickets by the end of the day!

Food and Drink, Fun & Games, News, The Daily Feed, WTF?!
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Leesburg Under Attack by Overly Agressive Turkey

Photo courtesy of
‘I’m no one’s Thanksgiving dinner!’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Leesburg, VA is under siege by an aggressive,  car hating turkey. According to Fox, the bird, affectionately, albeit uncreatively named “Tom,” has been patrolling the streets, chasing passing vehicles.  Animal control officers managed to lure Tom to a flock of turkeys on a near by farm, which they hope will keep him out of traffic.  If not, the impending holiday should provide an easy and delicious solution to this problem.

Food and Drink, The Daily Feed
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Thanksgiving Pie Sale Benefits Food & Friends

Photo courtesy of
‘Pumpkin Pie’
courtesy of ‘Bethany Ann Khan’

At the DC foodie happy hour last month, I found out about this great holiday pie sale to benefit Food & Friends, called Slice of Life.  While I’ve never volunteered for Food & Friends, it is a great organization with a great reputation. And we all know that it’s going to be a particularly rough holiday season this year…

If you purchase a pie for Thanksgiving and take it home for you and your clan through the Slice of Life program, 100% of the cost of the pie goes to the foundation. Or, you can donate the pie and the funds directly to the families who need them most.

All the information you could possibly be interested in can be found by clicking this link.

Let me know if you have any questions or, you know, what your favorite pie is. Orders must be completed by this upcoming Thursday, November 19.

You have the choice of five pie flavors: Continue reading →

Food and Drink, People, The Features, We Love Drinks
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Drinks Special: Holiday Rum Punch

Mixing up rum punch

"Mixing up rum punch" by Jenn Larsen, on Flickr

The first in an occasional series where we ask local bartenders, mixologists and other libation lovers to show us how to rustle up some specialty drinks. As I can’t fit you all in my kitchen, I’ll bring my kitchen to you.

In just a few weeks, many of us will be joining family and friends for a relaxing, low-key little gathering known as Thanksgiving. Perhaps you’ve been asked to contribute something, and you’re racking your brain for what to do. How about punch?

Ok, not that kind of punch – I’m not advocating holiday violence! Though I know many of us feel like pulling a punch over the holidays, let’s get happy instead. Punch by its communal nature is festive, like an alcoholic water-cooler bringing everyone together as you dip and pour. To help get us in the holiday mood, Dave McCabe tested out my kitchen one afternoon with a winter rum punch. He brought the punch ingredients, we provided the cheese, everyone got happy.

Formerly a manager at Oyamel, Dave is now co-owner of Punk’s Backyard Grill in Annapolis. He explained that the restaurant is dedicated to serving healthy food at reasonable prices, and as a member of the Maryland Green Registry is an avid believer in sustainability. Dave himself is clearly a passionate proponent of honest and simple ingredients, both in food and in cocktails. This punch recipe is both easy and approachable.

But wait, let’s kick up the classic champagne cocktail first. You’re going to need it while you squeeze all those grapefruits and lemons. Continue reading →