Best Bites Blog

“Power Breakfast” Returns to the Four Seasons (Pictures)

Here’s what the wheelers and dealers are eating in the newly remodeled Seasons restaurant.

A new item on the Seasons breakfast menu, smashed-chocolate-croissant French toast, is topped with raspberry compote. Photographs by Carol Ross Joynt.

If your favorite Beltway bigwig seems a little more relaxed this week, it may be thanks to the re-appearance of the grand tradition of breakfast confabs in the Seasons restaurant at the Four Seasons. As Capital Comment reported Tuesday, the restaurant reopened this week after a million-dollar remodel (during renovation, the morning meal was served upstairs at Bourbon Steak). The expansion added 800 square-feet to the dining room. Also new: banquettes, wool carpeting, and a small “living-room” area for guests looking for a quick coffee before heading out.

Valentine’s Day Recipes: Two Beef Dishes from Bourbon Steak

Executive chef Adam Sobel suggests serving a spicy Thai beef salad or a prime rib cap with stuffed Yorkshire pudding.

On Tuesday, we shared a couple of appetizers—one simple, one slightly more involved—from Cork Wine Bar chef Rob Weland. Today, we’re moving on to the main course with two flavor-packed dishes from Adam Sobel at Bourbon Steak. His simple-to-execute spicy Thai beef salad is an excellent pick for kitchen newbies looking to impress a loved one this February 14. And the prime rib cap, while slightly more involved, is sure to wow your favorite beef aficionado. Be sure to read through the recipes before you begin, as some advance prep is required.

Food Truck Stops: February 9

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Thursday, food truck followers! There's lots of sunshine out there, so head to L'Enfant, West End, Farragut, and everywhere else your favorite trucks are gathering.

Our Favorite Things: Fresh Clam Juice from Virginia

Buster's Seafood sells the lightly salty juice for $5 a pint.

Clam juice is an easy way to add a briny kick to seafood dishes, but the brands at supermarkets tend to be packed with preservatives and added salt. A better alternative: fresh clam juice from Virginia waterman Jimmy Hogge, who with his wife, Paige, runs Buster’s Seafood at local farmers markets.

Hogge has fished the Chesapeake for 54 years but only recently discovered he could sell the liquid that’s released when he cracks open the littlenecks he harvests in Mobjack Bay. The liquor—$5 a pint—is clear and lightly salty, with the flavor of just-shucked clams. The juice keeps only three to five days, but there are many ways to use it. We’ve added it to a garlicky pot of steamed mussels for extra dipping broth, mixed it in with white wine for Italian clam sauce and with cream for New England chowder, and even thrown it into a spicy Bloody Mary in place of Clamato.

Available October through March on Saturday at the Arlington Farmers Market (N. Courthouse Rd. and N. 14th St.) and Sunday at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market (20th St. and Massachusetts Ave., NW). May through October, it’s available Thursday at the FreshFarm market near the White House (Vermont Ave. between H and I sts., NW).

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Our Favorite Things: Carr Valley Bread Cheese

A firm, mozzarella-like cheese that just needs a quick pan fry.

If you work in a restaurant kitchen, the last thing you want to do when you get home is slave over another stove. I discovered Carr Valley Bread Cheese when I last cooked in a restaurant, and it was a godsend. All the firm, mozzarella-like cheese needs is a quick pan fry—or 30 seconds in the microwave—and you have a warm, melty block that tastes like a homey grilled cheese sandwich.

The Wisconsin cheese is a twist on a Finnish product, juustoleipä. Carr Valley bakes its version, giving it a nutty brown surface that crisps nicely in a skillet. The mild, sweet-salty flavor takes well to a dab of apricot jam, a drizzle of honey, or a dunk in fresh marinara. Or you could go the post-restaurant-shift route: Unwrap, zap, and enjoy with a cold brew.

Carr Valley Bread Cheese, $8.40 a pound, is available at Whole Foods and at carrvalleycheese.com.

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Food Truck Stops: February 8

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy humpday, food truck followers! It's DC Meat-Free Week, and many of your fave vendors are offering vegetarian and vegan specials, including mushroom drunken noodles from the Thai Fojol, $1 red pepper soup from Cap Mac, and Tasty Kabob's $2 veggie platter.

Restaurateur Stephen Starr Is Hiring for a New Washington Restaurant

Looks like the mystery-shrouded project at 14th and Q is going forward.

Philadelphia-based restaurateur Stephen Starr has been tight-lipped about his plans to open a French-bistro-style restaurant on 14th Street. For months there was a lot of back and forth as to whether the project was even happening. Then last fall, Washington Business Journal’s Missy Frederick confirmed that a lease had been signed at the corner of 14th and Q streets for a 7,000-square-foot space.

Now it seems plans are moving forward, because we just spotted this Craigslist ad from the Starr Restaurants seeking a general manager for the new Washington, DC, location. Team players, “driven people,” and those equipped with “satisfaction excellence”—whatever that is—get your résumés ready: It looks like we’ll have a Starr spot arriving in the not-too-distant future.

Details on the Pig, Coming to 14th Street This Spring

With its new neighborhood restaurant, EatWell DC aims to reintroduce diners to the "off cuts."

Let’s get this out of the way. When the Pig opens this Spring on 14th Street, there will be vegetarian and vegan dishes on the menu. And according to chef Garret Fleming, they won’t be the token offerings. “I want them to be the most intriguing, delicious vegetarian items, so we can get a vegetarian to go to a restaurant called the Pig” he says.

The name—a reference to a Roald Dahl poem—is a bit of a misnomer anyway, says David Winer, partner in EatWell DC, the restaurant group behind the Pig as well as Logan Tavern, the Commissary, Grillfish, and the Heights. It “started as ‘nose to tail, farm to table,’” says Winer, “and that became cliché. So we just changed it to ‘handmade food and drink.’ Because that became more important, more overriding. We want the food we buy to be hand-raised as best as possible.”

Here’s how they hope to do that:

Valentine’s Day Recipes: Two Appetizer Ideas From Cork Wine Bar

Start your love-day dinner with a simple avocado bruschetta or an elegant seared scallop dish from chef Robert Weland.

There's a lot to love about Cork chef Robert Weland's caviar-topped seared scallops. Photograph by Erik Uecke.

Whether you’re looking for a simple yet delicious appetizer for a get-together or trying to wow your valentine with your culinary skills, Cork chef Rob Weland has you covered. The avocado bruschetta is a favorite on the cozy wine bar’s menu, and is perfect for couples (halve the recipe if you’re serving it with a main course) or a Valentine’s Day party. On the other end of the spectrum, seared scallops with pickled and puréed sunchokes make a delicious centerpiece for an intimate table.

This week’s Kliman Online Book Giveaway: An Open Letter to a Restaurant

The winning entry receives a barbecue how-to.

Want to win a very good guide to home barbecuing? Head over to Todd Kliman’s dining chat, which begins every Tuesday at 11 AM. The challenge today is designed to help you get something off your chest. Have you had it with a restaurant’s no-reservation policy or two-hour-long brunch lines? Did a mustachioed “mixologist” snub you for ordering a vodka tonic? Some know-nothing Yelp reviewer malign your beloved neighborhood pizza joint? A cherished dish get inexplicably 86ed from the menu of your favorite tapas spot? Tell the offender how you feel in an open letter, and submit it to the chat. Adopt whatever tone you feel suits the occasion—touching, sarcastic, sincere, enraged—just make sure it’s intelligent and thoughtful, too. This week's giveaway book: Steven Raichlen's The Barbecue Bible. Best of luck ...

Food Truck Stops: February 7

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Tuesday, food truck followers! There's sunshine out there, and your favorite food trucks are around Farragut, NoVa, L'Enfant, and more. To keep up with the conversation, check out the food truck petition here.

The Week in Food Events: Lady Chefs at the Ritz and Disney-Inspired Dishes

Plus: a Valentine’s-themed cocktail party and DC Meat-Free Week.

This week you can sample Disney-inspired dishes at Graffiato, Fiola, Rosa Mexicano, Meatballs, and Ping Pong Dim Sum. The five Penn Quarter chefs behind these eateries are competing to concoct the “ultimate Disney Dish” in preparation for Disney On Ice: 100 Years of Magic, opening at the Verizon Center on February 15. Minnie, Mickey, and some human judges will ultimately decide the winner, but you can try all of the lunchtime-only selections through February 15 and choose for yourself. Part of the proceeds go to DC Central Kitchen.

If you indulged in last week’s DC Meat Week, repent with DC Meat-Free Week, today through February 13. The lineup of vegetable-y fun includes some serious deals H Street on Tuesday; a vegan cocktail demo and book signing from The Tipsy Vegan author John Schlimm on Thursday; and a raw-food tasting dinner at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw on Friday.

Estadio and Proof Owner Mark Kuller Plans a Southeast Asian Restaurant

Familiar names from Kuller’s existing endeavors will head up the kitchen and bar.

Via a series of tweets this Saturday, Washingtonian restaurant critic Todd Kliman revealed some exciting news: Mark Kuller, owner of Proof and perpetually packed tapas spot Estadio, has a new place in the works.

Here’s what Kuller told Kliman:

Located at 14th and S streets, Northwest, in the JBG building, the yet-to-be-named restaurant is inspired by Southeast Asian cuisine. Chef Haidar Karoum of Proof and Estadio “will bring modern techniques and execution to these traditional dishes,” Kuller said.

The menu at the 140-seat spot will be “an assortment of noodle dishes, soups, and grilled ‘sticks’”—skewers—of meats, seafood, and vegetables. There will be an open kitchen and a “curated cocktail bar . . . along the lines of Little Branch in NYC.” The latter will be helmed by Adam Bernbach, who is the bar manager at Kuller’s other two restaurants. An outdoor patio will accommodate 40 additional diners.

Food Truck Stops: February 6

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Super Bowl Monday, food truck followers! Whether you're celebrating or nursing a hangover loss, head out in the sunshine to your favorite food trucks around Navy Yard, State Department, Union Station, and more.

Toki Underground Starts Accepting Reservations

The tiny H Street ramen restaurant opens up a few tables to CityEats.

Twenty-seven seat ramen (and dumpling) phenomenon Toki Underground is a famously tricky place to score a spot. As of today, however, it just got a little easier—provided you like to eat early.

The new reservations site CityEats has brokered a deal with Toki to turn over one reservation for two people at each of the following times: 5, 5:15, and 5:30, Monday through Thursday. Two additional four-top tables will be reservable via the site at 5:45 and 6 on the same days.

Now we can only hope that Little Serow will follow suit. We hear that last week, the wait at Johnny Monis’s tiny Thai place was up to two hours long.

Stealing Glaciers and Gagging at Gaga's: Eating & Reading

Every week, we'll let you know what the Washingtonian food staff is reading in the blogosphere and off the bookshelves.

The stuff major life decisions are based upon. Photograph courtesy of Chick-Fil-A.

Ann Limpert, food and wine editor

• New York Post critic Steve Cuozzo pays an opening-night visit to Joanne, the restaurant owned by Lady Gaga’s parents and featuring the cooking of Michelle Obama fave and Art and Soul chef-owner Art Smith. He finds a room that’s “loud as an avalanche,” “calamari like leather,” and “flaccid pasta commonly doled out along Long Island’s Jericho Turnpike.” Not even a Tony Bennett sighting could save the evening. You’ll Gag on the Food at Gaga’s

• This isn’t so insane to me. Cassanova McKinzy Cites Chick-Fil-A in Choosing Auburn Over Clemson

Jessica Voelker, online dining editor

• How do you know when the fancy ice trend has gone too far? When someone steals a hunk from a melting glacier in order to sell it to swanky cocktail bars. Man arrested for stealing glaciers

• “Can’t you see it’s made of chemicals and fat and dead, lost dreams?” Oh my God please do not eat this

Food Truck Stops: February 3

Every morning, we’ll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Friday, readers! As always, there's a food truck party at Farragut Square today, with ten trucks stationed with hot food to warm you up. A bunch of vendors will be roaming around Metro Center, too. Have a great weekend.

Worst Shift Ever: JP Caceres

The Bolivian barman relives the career-defining night at Zaytinya that left him covered in cocktail.

JP Caceres poses at Dirty Martini. The Dupont bar is a current client of his cocktail consultancy business. Photograph by Erik Uecke.

Red Truck Bakery Offers Key Lime Pie for Super Bowl

If you want one, order it now.

Key lime pie is kind of a summer thing, but Red Truck Bakery in Warrenton—home of, let’s not play around here, some very fine pies—is making an exception for the Super Bowl. The Key lime confection is usually only available from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but if you order today, you can pick one up on Friday or Saturday . . . just in time for this weekend’s game.

Now, we admit that for those of us living near Washington, DC, Warrenton is a bit of a hike. So what this comes down to is: One, how seriously do you take your Key lime pie? And two, how seriously do you take you Super Bowl party food?

The pies cost $24; order by 5 PM today.

Food Truck Stops: February 2

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Thursday, food truck followers! It may be dismal out there, but your favorite trucks are ready to serve you delicious eats. Don't forget to place Super Bowl orders today with the likes of Cap Mac, Red Hook Lobster Truck, and more!

Tasty Takeout Ideas for Super Bowl Sunday

Chips and dips? Forget about it. Go above and beyond with one of these five procrastinator-friendly options.

1) A.M. Wine Shoppe has meat and cheese boards—artisanal cheese, salami, bite-size sandwiches—that you can order for the Super Bowl. A cheese-only platter that serves ten is $55, and a combo with meats is $75. A plate of bite-size Admorghese sandwiches (finochino, mortadella, prosciutto, cotto, provolone, spicy pickles, and olive oil on semolina sesame bread), meanwhile, is $50. Place your order by 5 PM on Saturday.

2) Key lime pie from Red Truck!

3) In addition to cleaning and steaming your lobsters, Cannon’s Fish Market in Georgetown will sell you cocktail shrimp for $25.99 per pound, along with oysters—Blue Points and Chincoteagues are among the varieties currently on ice.

4) A whole lot of chowder from Legal Seafoods can be overnighted to your doorstep. Order online here.

5) Georgetown Cupcake has special Super Bowl cupcakes for both Pats and Giants fans. They can be ordered in any quantity, but call before 8 PM on Saturday to ensure you’ll have them in time for the game.

For New York– and New England–themed takeout ideas this Sunday, click here.

Gina Chersevani Out at PS 7’s

“It’s like a divorce,” says the popular bartender.

Here’s sad news for anyone who loves posting up at PS 7’s bar and sipping a creative cocktail from Gina Chersevani: The self-dubbed “mixtress” left chef Peter Smith’s Penn Quarter eatery this week.

According to Chersevani, a disagreement with Smith led to the split. The duo—who’ve been a prominent team both in the restaurant and out on the event circuit—were developing a new concept together this year, but it's unclear whether or not that will go forward as planned.

“How do you leave a place after three years and separate yourself?” says Chersevani. “It’s like a divorce.”

Chersevani is currently weighing the prospects (a cuptail-ery, pretty please?). We’ll catch up with Smith as soon as possible to find out about his plans.

An Update on Upcoming Majestic Bar and Grill in Bethesda

Golf-watching parties and gastropub cuisine are part of the plan at the yet-to-open sports bar in the former Gaffney’s space.

Early in January, a Bethesda Magazine blog reported that Gaffney’s had closed and was being replaced by an eatery called the Majestic Bar & Grill. Since then, there haven’t been many details other than a faux-news interview posted on the upcoming restaurant’s door and website. So we checked in with PR spokesman Jeff Wyatt for an update.

Wyatt said first-time restaurant owner Stefan Lalos is planning a sports bar and grill theme, but that the target audience is Bethesda’s thirtysomething-plus population looking for a quieter “gastropub” atmosphere with watch parties organized around golf tournaments (Lalos is a fan). Wyatt says they’ve picked a local chef who’ll create a “creative American” menu for the space, but the Majestic team wouldn’t release a name or offer up any menu details. One of the biggest draws at Gaffney’s was the airy back patio; there’s a possibility that it will be expanded at the Majestic.

There is some local controversy surrounding the name, but Wyatt says Lalos borrowed the title from the Pittsburgh-area bar his grandfather ran after immigrating to America in the 1930s, not the popular Alexandria restaurant.

Check back in with us for details in the coming weeks.

Valentine’s Day Dining: Five Restaurants for the Casual Couple

Newly dating or looking for a more laid-back night? Here’s where to eat on February 14.

You hear a lot about how Valentine’s Day is rough on singles, but it’s no picnic for new or casual couples, either. Fledgling partners can opt not to acknowledge it, but there’s a certain stage in a relationship—somewhere between “What’s your middle name again?” and “Should we get a dog?”—when ignoring Valentine’s Day is as awkward as recognizing it at some romance-on-steroids place with smooth jazz on the stereo.

It’s with these couples in mind that we created this list of relaxed restaurants where you can celebrate being in love (or being in like, whatever) without all the candlelit, rose-petal-strewn pressure.

1) Graffiato is too noisy for serious romance, and the classic-rock soundtrack makes it impossible to take anything seriously, anyway. Still, there’s Prosecco on tap in case you want to toast, and the food tends toward the swoon-worthy. A $60 special menu will be served on February 14 (the regular menu will be available on the first floor); be sure to reserve right away.

2) Granville Moore’s will turn the lights down a little lower than usual on February 14. Other than that, it’s business at usual at this skinny stretch of restaurant in the center of the H Street action. No special menu, no heart-shaped anything. Just mussels, fries, and lots of beer.

New York- and New England-Themed Takeout Food for Super Bowl Sunday

Giants fan? Patriots person? No matter: Local shops and eateries are well stocked with regionally appropriate party fare.

Fuel Pizza has designed pies for Giants and Pats fans alike. Photograph by Erik Uecke

Everyone loves a theme party, and a Super Bowl bash should be no exception. With the New York Giants and New England Patriots going head to head this year, we’re thinking oversized slices, Buffalo wings, stuffed lobster rolls, whoopie pies, and other signature eats from the near and far North. Here’s where to find it all.

Food Truck Stops: February 1

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy February, food truck followers! It feels more like May out there, so stop by your favorite trucks around Farragut, NOVA, L'Enfant, and more! And if you want to talk shop with your vendors today, do some advance reading here.

A Q&A with “Top Chef” Finalist Edward Lee

The cheftestant talks tough challenges, newfound fame, and cooking for the evil queen herself, Charlize Theron.

Ed Lee, flanked by fellow cheftestants Heather Terhune and Paul Qui. Photograph courtesy of Virginia Sherwood/Bravo.

Top Chef: Texas fans, take note: Season 9 finalists Edward Lee and local son Paul Qui (from Springfield, Virginia) are going to be in town on March 31 for a cooking demo, lunch, and Q&A at Asia Nine, so get your tickets early. If you miss the class, you might catch Lee dining at Volt or tasting through a meal at Minibar—two spots he says he’d like to hit during the visit.

We recently checked in with the Louisville, Kentucky-based chef, who has spent this season whipping up rattlesnake for Padma, barbecuing for Modernist Cuisine author Nathan Myhrvold, and creating gore-inspired treats for the Evil Queen herself, Charlize Theron. With only five toques left, the pressure is on, and we won’t know until tomorrow night whether Lee makes it to the final four. Below, the chef spills his thoughts on the toughest challenges, what he’d change about the season, and his upcoming projects.

So what have been some of your favorite challenges so far?

My favorite challenges were the ones I did well in! The one with Charlize Theron is definitely up there, and I think the other chefs would agree. It was challenging, but there was a lot of freedom. As chefs, that gets our juices flowing.

Dangerously Delicious

The Hamilton's sushi chef hopes to start serving fugu. Just how risky is the famous puffer fish?

Fried fugu. Photograph courtesy of Flickr user istolethetv.

There’s no more notorious food than fugu—a.k.a. puffer fish, a potentially deadly Japanese delicacy. So young sushi chef Jason Zheng caused a stir when he told the City Paper's Chris Shott that he hoped to offer puffer at the Hamilton, a new downtown DC 24-hour mega-eatery whose offerings include sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls.

In Japan, sushi chefs-in-training test their skills by how well they can carve puffer. The fish contains a poison 20 times as lethal as cyanide. If the chef fails to remove the tetrodotoxin, diners are in danger. In Tokyo last November, a woman almost died after eating fugu liver at a two-Michelin-star establishment. The chef who prepared it was suspended for serving such a dangerous morsel.

Only one known Washington-area restaurant currently serves fugu: Kaz Sushi Bistro in DC’s Foggy Bottom. Kazuhiro “Kaz” Okochi orders the fish from Wako International Corp. in New York City, the only fugu importer approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Only a select group of restaurants are certified by Wako to buy the fish, and Wako lobbied for years to get approval; all of the company’s fish comes from Shimonoseki, Japan, home to an expert group of slicers trained to remove all traces of tetrodotoxin. The fish doesn’t come cheap: Okochi paid Wako $90 a pound for farm-raised fugu in 2011. The prices proved too steep for Terry Segawa, owner of Bethesda’s Tako Grill, who says he stopped serving fugu in 2010 due to rising costs.

When a twice-yearly shipment comes in, Okochi creates a $150 dinner featuring various preparations. He says he thinks his diners, most of them American, understand that fugu served stateside in legal restaurants is about as safe as any other sushi: “They don’t pay $150 to die from eating dinner.”

This article appears in the February 2012 issue of The Washingtonian.

Recipe Sleuth: Chili from Busboys and Poets

A popular riff on the perfect Super Bowl food for your consideration this Sunday.

Busboys and Poets uses dried beans in its chili. Soak them on Saturday and the dish will be all set for Super Bowl Sunday.

When the Best Bites Blog asked our Twitter followers for their favorite chili recipes from local restaurants, two winners emerged: Clyde’s and Busboys and Poets. Earlier today, we posted a recipe for the chili at Clyde’s; now, without further ado, the tasty version from BB&P.

Have a recipe you’d like sniffed out? Tweet us your request with the hashtag #RecipeSleuth.

Food Truck Stops: January 31

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

It feels like spring out there today, food truck followers! Time to ditch your office and your jacket, and head out for a picnic in Franklin Square, L'Enfant, Bethesda, or Tysons.

Georgetown Cupcake Will Open its New York City Shop Next Weekend

The new SoHo location is modeled after the flagship store, says owner Sophie LaMontagne.

The Georgetown Cupcake sisters will debut their NYC location next weekend.

It’s always nice when a DC eatery expands to NYC—so often it’s the other way around. The grand opening of the Georgetown Cupcake location at 111 Mercer in SoHo is slated for the second weekend in February, according to Sophie LaMontagne, who owns the cupcakery with sister Katherine Kallinis.

“The new shop is modeled after our flagship in Georgetown with a SoHo twist,” says LaMontagne. “Some of our core staff have already moved to New York City. Katherine and I will be splitting our time between DC and New York. We will be debuting some new flavors, which we’ll offer at our Georgetown/Bethesda shops, as well.” Among those new flavors is cheesecake, naturally enough.

LaMontagne says the process of building the SoHo shop will be documented on a future episode of DC Cupcakes, the TLC television show featuring the sisters. “Viewers will get to see the entire process of what it’s like to open a bakery from scratch, from signing the lease to the construction to training the staff, and the mad rush leading up to the grand opening.”

Recipe Sleuth: Clyde’s Chili

Just in time for Super Bowl weekend, a classic recipe from the local chain.

Liz Taylor loved Clyde's chili, and so will you.

Ah, the Super Bowl. We all watch it, but some of us are really just in it for the food. If you’ve invited anyone in the latter group to your Super Bowl party (and trust us, you have, even if you don’t know it yet), you’re going to need to do more than just empty a bag of Ripples into a bowl and call it a day. Here’s what we suggest: make chili. It’s easy to prepare ahead of time and very difficult to mess up, particularly if you have a tried-and-true recipe. To help you find one, we took to Twitter last week and asked our followers for favorite versions at Washington restaurants. Chief among the picks: the chili at local chain Clyde’s. You’ll find the recipe after the jump, but first, a fun fact: According to the Clyde’s Restaurant Group, Elizabeth Taylor loved this chili so much, she had it shipped to her by the gallon.

Have a recipe you’d like sniffed out? Tweet us your request with the hashtag #RecipeSleuth.

The Week in Food Events: A Cava Grill for Tenleytown and DC Meat Week

Plus: Birch & Barley's Scottish beer dinner and free tickets to Sugar & Champagne.

Learn how to create on-point pairings at Cork this week. Photograph by Chris Leaman.

We just received some good news to start off the week: Cava Grill is opening a new branch in Tenleytown this summer. When we checked out the original location in Bethesda—where the Cava Mezze guys launched the “Mediterranean Chipotle”–esque concept last February—the team was planning a swift expansion. Looks like that plan is being fulfilled, with additional locations slated for Tysons Corner, Merrifield, and, per the press release, additional areas in Washington as spots become available.

Mike Isabella Reveals Menu Plans at Bandolero

With a pop-up preview of his forthcoming Mexican eatery planned for February, the chef dishes on the details.

“This is not classic food,” says Mike Isabella, pointing to a draft of the Bandolero menu. “The tradition is there, but then it’s the Mike Isabella touch.”

A few days before Living Social announced a new pop-up project that will preview the menu at Isabella’s forthcoming Mexican restaurant in Georgetown, the Graffiato chef had just returned from an eating trip to San Francisco—the final leg of a three-city tour designed to familiarize himself with the offerings at the best Mexican eateries around the country. In between these jaunts, he’s been poring over the Mexican cookbook canon, “from Diana Kennedy, the classic, to Rick Bayless and some of the modern stuff.” The Bandolero menu has yet to be finalized—Isabella says he’ll likely make tweaks up until two weeks from the opening—but the chef seems to have nailed down the lion’s share of the dishes.

Here’s the scoop on what to expect:

Food Truck Stops: January 30

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Monday, food truck followers! There's a new face on the streets today: Borinquen Lunch Box. It will be dolling out Puerto Rican eats at L'Enfant (parking pending). Welcome!

Valentine’s Day Dining Guide Part 2

Sixteen more restaurants boasting special menus this love day.

Last week, we sent you a list of special Valentine’s Day menus with a promise to deliver more when they came in. So here you go: 16 more restaurants offering one-off fare this February 14.

Bourbon Steak
Seating(s): 6 to 10 PM
Price: $95 for a three-course dinner.
Menu
Reservations: Call 202-944-2026, or reserve online.
Etc.: Diners can choose between four dishes for each course.

Brabo
Seating(s): 5:30 to 10 PM
Price: $85 for a five-course dinner, or $130 with wine pairings.
Menu
Reservations: Call 703-894-3440, or reserve online.

Carmine’s
Seating(s): 11:30 to 10 PM
Price: $15 for a special Valentine’s Day cocktail for two.
Reservations: Call 202-737-7770, or reserve online.
Etc.: Indulge in a heart-shaped chocolate torte with fresh strawberry-Chambord sauce and four chocolate-covered strawberries to end the night. Available from Saturday, February 12, through Tuesday, February 14.

Mario Batali, Drew Barrymore, and Spicy Wings for the Super Bowl: Eating & Reading

Every week, we'll let you know what the Washingtonian food staff is reading in the blogosphere and off the bookshelves.

Todd Kliman, food and wine editor

• Asked how he intended to address questions of anti-Latino bias in the wake of the arrest of four East Haven, Connecticut, policemen described by the FBI as “bullies with badges,” Mayor Joseph Maturo on Wednesday said, “I might have tacos for dinner.” Yesterday, activists flooded his office with hundreds of tacos. With Trays of Tacos, Joining in Condemnation of a Mayor

• So you can’t get into Komi. So? Neither can Drew Barrymore. Drew Barrymore Spotted in Washington, DC, at Komi—No, Wait, Shake Shack! [PHOTOS]

• David Foster Wallace asked us to “consider the lobster.” These days, we might also want to consider the jack mackerel. As it goes—one scientist refers to it as “the last of the buffaloes”—so goes our fish supply. In Mackerel’s Plunder, Hints of Epic Fish Collapse

An Early Look at Mintwood Place (Pictures)

Pork lovers, prepare yourselves. Opening Sunday, this new neighborhood spot in Adams Morgan has plenty of pig on the menu.

Um, yes please. Mintwood's hush puppies are studded with escargots and served with creamy dipping sauce. Photographs by Erik Uecke.

Slideshow: An Early Look at Mintwood Place

Restaurateur Saied Azali has lived in Adams Morgan for 32 years—and has run Perry’s for 25 of them. Over those three decades he’s seen the neighborhood grow and shed many skins. Now he’s looking back to a time when restaurants run by the likes of Roberto Donna and Yannick Cam were the main draw, rather than bars for hard-partying twentysomethings.

“This is an incredibly rich, diverse neighborhood, and we’re seeing a resurgence of restaurants,” says Azali.

Food Truck Stops: January 27

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Happy Friday, food truck followers! The storms and rain are supposed to clear by lunch, so head to Farragut Friday, Navy Yard, NoVa, and other food truck-filled destinations as planned!

What’s It Like to Eat at a Toki Underground Pop-Up Dinner?

We infiltrated the ramen joint’s recent Chinese New Year feast to find out.

Staff gather at Toki Underground to school themselves on dishes in advance of the restaurant's recent Chinese New Year pop-up. Photographs by Erik Uecke.

Slideshow: Inside A Toki Underground Pop-Up

“We want people to know we’re a real restaurant,” says Toki Underground chef-owner Erik Bruner-Yang, perched on one of the ramen shop’s signature stools. Given the eatery’s tendencies towards hour-plus-long waits and a menu packed with foodie bait—pork cheeks, goat-centric specials, sparkling sake on tap—it’s clear that Toki is, indeed, a very real restaurant. But once in a while it’s good to pull out all the stops and flex different culinary muscles, and that’s where the Toki pop-ups come in.

2941 Adapts to a New Era of Dining (Pictures)

The Falls Church special-occasion spot reopens Monday with a remodeled bar and dining room (so long, jellyfish chandelier) and a revamped menu.

Jose Alvarez's modernist amoebae paintings decorate the new 2941 and its menus. Photographs by Jeff Martin.

Slideshow: 2941 Adapts to a New Era of Dining

So here’s the thing you hear again and again from restaurant-industry experts, eatery owners, and everyone else in the biz: Generally speaking, people are still eating out—a lot—but they want to do so in a more ad hoc and flexible way. Chef’s tables? Not so much. Small plates? Bring them on. At the same time, diners care more than ever about what they’re eating and where the food came from. The upshot: a larger market for mid-price to sorta-expensive places making carefully sourced food in a more affordable way.

District Taco Plans Two DC Locations

The Arlington-based taqueria is about to live up to its name.

Good news, taco lovers, (bad news, people who love to hate on District Taco for invoking the DOC without actually operating with in its parameters): The popular Arlington taqueria hopes to open not one, but two new locations inside the District this year, according to owner Marc Wallace. And that’s just the start.

“The plan is to expand in DC a little bit more, and then [open] more restaurants around the area,” says Wallace.

The first DC location is a 50-seat spot set to open in the former Funxion space at 1309 F Street, Northwest, potentially in late March. Wallace says the menu of customizable tacos, burritos, and quesadillas will be the same, as will the early morning, later-evening hours (7 AM to 10 PM daily). As always, tweaks may be made based on neighborhood demands, and the goal is to get a liquor license sometime after opening. Design by Core (Pearl Dive, Founding Farmers, Brasserie Beck, and many more) will also mean a more streamlined interior than at the original spot, which Wallace describes as “very much bootstraps.” The second DC location has yet to be secured, but spaces are being scoped around Capitol Hill, Dupont, and the Palisades.

Fans of El Torito, the Arlington food truck that started the whole District Taco venture, also have something to look forward to: A second truck is set to begin roving the streets of DC come spring. In the words of the taco cart itself, Orale!

José Andrés Seeks Local Cook for Pop-Up

Does this mean we'll soon see Pepe rolling around Washington?

Eater National broke the (very exciting!) news last week that José Andrés is testing a food truck—working name “Pepe”—in Washington that may or may not be bound for Miami. That last bit remains unsure, but it looks like Andrés is at least hiring in DC. According to a Craigslist ad posted Wednesday, “Pepe is seeking a motivated cook to join the culinary team.”

What will it take to please Pepe? Well, a lot, actually. According to the ad, the job requires “writing, standing, sitting, walking, repetitive motions, bending, climbing, listening, hearing ability, and visual acuity.” Just like second grade! And that’s only one bullet point. You also have to speak English, know how to handle knives, have a passion for cooking, and be able to interact with the general public and law enforcement, potentially at the same time (thank you, DC regulators).

There’s no word on the menu, but the CL post notes that “the little plate movement that José has been credited with seems to be taking the country by storm, and we need to find the right people to support this growth.” So keep your eyes peeled for little Pepe plates on wheels sometime soon.

Food Truck Stops: January 26

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

Good morning, food truck followers! It may be a little cloudy out there, but your favorite food trucks are out in force. Both Big Cheese and BBQ Bus are making a second stop for a late lunch at GWU. Head to Navy Yard, meanwhile, for a free Arnold Palmer from Feelin' Crabby (keywords: "I'm feelin' crabby!").

Evening Star Cafe Debuts Brunch Menu

Chicken and waffles, anyone? The Del Ray restaurant begins serving Southern-style dishes in the daytime this Sunday.

This man wants to make you brunch. Evening Star Cafe chef Jim Jeffords shows off his new mid-morning menu this weekend. Photograph by Jeff Martin.

A new brunch is always good news, and never more so than when it’s within stumbling distance of the spot where you sleep. So Del Ray denizens should be pretty happy about the news that Southern-leaning (and pretty darn adorable) Evening Star Cafe will debut a new brunch this Sunday. Saturday service starts on February 4.

Cashion’s Debuts a Weekend Tasting Menu

The Adams Morgan eatery will offer a new six-course menu starting this weekend.

Fans of Cashion’s Eat Place can go for something new on the menu starting this weekend: a six-course tasting from chef John Manolatos, offered for the whole table on Friday and Saturday evenings. The lineup is made up of the toque’s favorite dishes—think fried oysters, tagliatelle with black truffles and bacon, and beef strip loin sauced in mushrooms and Madeira. The Adams Morgan spot has always been a favorite for relaxed yet romantic dining, so if you’re looking to kick things up a notch (the menu is $85 per person; $105 with wine pairings), this should do the trick.

Food Truck Stops: January 25

Every morning, we'll let you know where to find lunch on wheels.

It's a chilly but sunny day out there food truck followers! Go see you favorite vendors at Farragut "it might as well be Friday" Square, L'Enfant, Navy Yard, and more!

An Early Look at Unum (Pictures)

A neighborhood restaurant takes over the Mendocino Grille space at 2917 M Street in Georgetown.

Unum hopes to unite Georgetowners over a menu of diversely inspired dishes. Photographs by Erik Uecke.

Slideshow: An Early Look at Unum

Washington is filled with restaurants whose names reflect their home in the nation’s capital—1789, Lincoln, Policy—and as of next week there’ll be another: Unum, primed to open in the old Mendocino Grille space in Georgetown.

10 Places to Buy Good Valentine’s Day Chocolates

Forget the drugstore stuff. These local shops stock candy your loved one will actually love.

Chocolates from Georgetown's Fleurir are always a good gift. Valentine's Day is no exception. Photograph by Erik Uecke.

Don’t be that Valentine. You know, the one who rushes to the pharmacy at 5:30 on February 14, desperately hoping there’s a heart-shaped box of something left on the shelves. It’s not a good look. Instead, head (early) to one of these chocolate shops around town, and pick up some sweets as special as your special someone.

Washington Watering Holes Make the “Garden & Gun” List of Top 50 Southern Bars

The Dixie publication counts local beer bars, snack spots, and speakeasy-style bars among its favorites.

Garden & Gun’s February/March cover story is “Best Southern Bars” and there are some local locales among its top 50. “The draws are obvious” at 14th Street beer destination Churchkey, listed in the category of Draft Houses. And G&G considers Ripple to be among the Southeast’s best snack bars, singling out chef Logan Cox’s “locally sourced dishes” like “glazed shoat belly and blood-sausage-stuffed squid.” It should surprise nobody that recherché-concoctions destination Px made the cut, though closely associated barkeep/owner Todd Thrasher was not mentioned by name.

Other regional mentions: Greenwood, Virginia’s Pollak Vineyards—which got singled out for its views of, well, vineyards—and the Purser’s Pub in St. Michaels, Maryland. There, the magazine recommends “an ice-cold ‘up’ martini (vodka, please)”. That's maybe not the best drink to order at Px, however.

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Food Truck Stops: January 30

Valentine’s Day Dining Guide Part 2

Mario Batali, Drew Barrymore, and Spicy Wings for the Super Bowl: Eating & Reading

An Early Look at Mintwood Place (Pictures)

Food Truck Stops: January 27

What’s It Like to Eat at a Toki Underground Pop-Up Dinner?

2941 Adapts to a New Era of Dining (Pictures)

District Taco Plans Two DC Locations

José Andrés Seeks Local Cook for Pop-Up

Food Truck Stops: January 26

Evening Star Cafe Debuts Brunch Menu

Cashion’s Debuts a Weekend Tasting Menu

Food Truck Stops: January 25

An Early Look at Unum (Pictures)

10 Places to Buy Good Valentine’s Day Chocolates

Washington Watering Holes Make the “Garden & Gun” List of Top 50 Southern Bars