Grub & Grubs: Snapshots in D.C. Food

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D.C. HAS HAD a lot on its plate in 2008. Now, it's time to digest it all with a highly unofficial highlighting of just a few memorable things that went on behind what we are putting in our mouths.

» Best Trendy Food to Land in D.C.
It's a tie between yogurt and cupcakes. Georgetown Cupcake sold its first vanilla and chocolate on Valentine's Day, and summer brought us Lavender Moon Cupcakery and Hello Cupcake's cutesy flavors (Mexican Chocolate Pudding and You Tart!, respectively). Soon enough, the D.C. cupcake became the new breakfast (and the new reason to be late to work due to long lines), the new conversation starter and almost replaced politics as the issue to take a stance on (Georgetown's chocolate ganache vs Hello's chococo).

Waist-watchers didn't fret, though, for another wave of haute (but frozen) cuisine hit: the fashionable fro-yo. Mr. Yogato, Tangysweet and Yogiberry opened this year to serve frou frou Zen yogurt. And they did not carry, nor speak of, standard vanilla or chocolate; their wares were more along the lines of Cartoon Network character names: Pumpkin Dudek and Saori's Choco-delicious currently grace the menu at Mr. Yogato, while Tangysweet and Yogiberry served original flavor and green tea frozen yogurt.

» Best Return of Fast Food
Parked on 15th and K, and sandwiched between some of D.C.'s finest restaurants, Pedro and Vinny's Burrito Cart was well known as the best lunch on wheels around, serving up fresh burritos ranging from the just-too-much to the monstrously-sized. That is, until owner John Rider shuttered the cart when he left town last year. But September 2008 saw the return of the 15th and K burrito cart, as well as the return of the long lines of heel- and suit-clad downtown workers hungry for a cheap lunch and free chips.

» Best Reception for a Reality Show Loser
How does one extend their 15 minutes of fame? Open a trendy burger joint in D.C., employ your family and go right back to that celebrity 'tude that you had while in the limelight.

That's exactly what Spike Mendelsohn, freshly cast off Bravo's reality show "Top Chef," did on Capitol Hill with Good Stuff Eatery, a restaurant serving gourmet burgers, fries, onion rings and milkshakes.

And out of Spike's hands do we eat: the restaurant has long lines daily of burger-lovers and Spike-gazers alike. Take notice, D-list stars and washed-up celebs! We're just waiting for the Coreys to open their joint venture. Maybe a joint cupcake and frozen yogurt shop?

Written by Express contributor Robyn Mincher