Eating Around: Elegance in Clarendon

AMONG OTHER THINGS
3 CHEERS FOR BACON
While Clarendon surely caters to the sports-watching crowds, it just upped its elegance with the edition of Restaurant 3. Take advantage of the cooling fall weather and sit outside. If you're still craving bar-style food, try the blue cheese chips. The crisp chips are house-made and smothered in a lighter, creamy blue cheese and dotted with house-cured bacon — an appetizer that even non-bleu cheese fans can appreciate.

Keep it classy, Arlington, with one of the seasonal signature cocktails. You might even make it in time for their Kentucky Peach: Maker's Mark, house-made honey syrup and fresh white peach puree.

» 2950 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington; 703-524-4440, restaurantthree.com. (Clarendon)

PIGSKIN AND CHICKEN WINGS
LET WINGAPALOOZA BEGIN!
With football season in (and Tom Brady out), it's time to honor the great American bar food — Buffalo wings. And in the spirit of competition, two Georgetown chefs are battling it out in the first War of the Wings: chef Darrell "Big Wing" Hughes of J. Paul's versus chef Richard "The Pit Master" Brooks of Old Glory.

With a $15 advance purchase, human vacuum cleaners can enjoy all-you-can-eat wings and two beverages. But you won't have to feel too gluttonous — the battle is also a benefit for D.C. Central Kitchen.

» War of the Wings, Wisconsin Avenue & M Streets NW; Sun., noon--2 p.m., $15 in advance, $20 at the door; buffalobattle.com.

CELEBRATE VIRGINIA WINES
EXPLOIT A DESIGNATED DRIVER
Virginia is not just for lovers and gun owners; it's also for wine enthusiasts. The 33rd Annual Virginia Wine Festival, spread across two days, offers local wine tastings, arts and crafts, and live music.

Seminars focus on things like learning how to pair Virginia wines with local food, how to throw a swank drinkfest and how to discover one's own wine palette, including at-home taste and mouth-feel experiments. Or you could just get drunk.
On the other hand, designated drivers get in for cheaper and get free nonalcoholic drinks.

» Prince William County Fairgrounds, Manassas; Sat. & Sun., 11 a.m. -
6 p.m., $20 online, $25 at the gate, $15 for designated drivers; virginiawinefestival.org.

Written by Express contributor Stefanie Gans
Photo courtesy 3 Lockharts