IT'S FINALLY OCTOBER, and that means it's time for beer. Really, anytime is time for beer, but now you can wave your arms wildly and learn ridiculous German compound words that take weeks to say and also grow an impractical beard. "An Octobeard!" one of my silliest friends called his before we shaved it off in the night as part of a prank, which may sound mean but believe me we were doing him a favor. As I recall, there was beer involved in that decision as well.
Anyway, there will be Oktoberfest celebrations all over the city this month, but one of my favorites is at Pizzeria Paradiso and Birreria Paradiso, which will have German-inspired food (and pumpkin beers!) available for the next two weeks. This is one of the few places in D.C. where the beer AND the food are uniformly excellent, so you'll be safe in their hand.
» Pizzeria Paradiso, 3282 M St. NW and 2029 P St. NW; through Oct. 4; 202-337-1245. (Dupont Circle)
Image courtesy Pizzeria Paradiso
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS used to conjure up images of Salvadorian restaurants, but now it's home to a vastly different type of eatery: a British-inspired gastropub. Can one neighborhood handle this much change?
CommonWealth, one of the new restaurants to open in this rapidly gentrifying area, is aptly named — it emphasizes the interests of the masses over those of the privileged. Jamie Leeds (of Hank's Oyster Bar) serves up modern spins on pub fare. But you may want to do some Googling before heading over, unless you're already familiar wit: bubble and squeak, welsh rarebit, and frog in a puff — not frog at all; whew! But the menu won't tell you that.
Of course, there's the more familiar fish and chips — three good-sized strips of fried fish with large wedge fries, so creamy that the insides feel like mashed potatoes. The chicken pot pie has a flaky crust and stewy center. The freshness of the food is part of CommonWealth's commitment to local, seasonal and humanely raised ingredients. But can $17 entrees compete in the land of grab-and-go pupuserias?
Continue Reading "British Invasion: Columbia Heights Welcomes CommonWealth" »
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
JOURNALISM IS a tough gig. We have to go undercover, posing as Playboy bunnies and security guards. And on some assignments — like this one — we have to eat cupcakes.
You see, our fair city has recently fallen prey to a cupcake craze, with the opening of two new cupcakeries since February — Georgetown Cupcake and Hello Cupcake. So we decided to see whether these new cupcakes were truly superior to the old D.C. standby, Cakelove. We gathered warily around ominous square boxes decorated with pink and beige stickers. And then, the delicious carnage began.
Continue Reading "Lion of the Dessert: Rating D.C.'s Cupcakes" »
DO YOU LIKE wine? How about Australian wine? Yeah, they make wine there. Also kangaroos.
Lia's is hosting an Australian Wine Dinner to familiarize you with wines of the continent. And nothing impresses the ladies like a man who has a lot of opinions about wine! Just another dating tip from me to you. No need to thank me.
The dinner includes six courses, six wines and guest speaker Nick Stacy.
» Lia's, 4445 Willard Ave., Chevy Chase; Mon., Sept. 22., 7 p.m., $69; 240-223-5427. (Friendship Heights)
LET'S FACE IT, if you're reading this post, it's likely that you're not Bill Gates and might have some concerns about money. As in, you don't have an unlimited amount of it. That's what Chef Geoff, the pleasant-looking man in the picture above, is here for.
At his three restaurants — Chef Geoff's uptown and downtown and Lia's in Friendship Heights — you can enjoy one of the city's finest (and most substantial) burgers for just $5 along with a discounted drink every day from 3-7 p.m if you sit at the bar. That's a pretty sweet deal, considering the caliber of this restaurant and its reputation as a place the more powerful amongst us might go to dine.
» Chef Geoff's, 1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-464-4461. (Metro Center)
» Chef Geoff's, 3201 New Mexico Ave. NW; 202-237-7800.
» Lia's, 4445 Willard Ave., Chevy Chase; 240-223-5427. (Friendship Heights)
Photo by Len Spoden
MANY AMERICANS STRUGGLE with the question of giving back — how can we juggle helping with our high-paced jobs? Oh, and with all the leisure activities we enjoy? Share Our Strength, an organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger, has found a way to marry the two.
The Great American Dine Out is a nationwide campaign that recruits restaurants — both chain and independent — to contribute a portion of their profits to Share Our Strength from Sept. 21-28. Several D.C. favorites have jumped on the charity wagon. That's where your appetite and wallet come in.
If you've been meaning to try Rasika, now is the time. It's tough to go wrong, but seafood appetizers, the savory chaats and any of the lamb entrees (the roganjosh, particularly) are all a sure thing.
Continue Reading "Eat Well to Help Those Who Can't: The Great American Dine Out" »
WASH YOUR FEET!
DRINK TO THE GRAPE HARVEST
This weekend, Tarara Winery holds its 13th annual fall Great Grape Festival. Taste award-winning wines, visit up to 50 food and craft vendors, enjoy food and wine pairings at the Vintage 50 tent and listen to live music. Other activities include grape-stomping, apple-picking, hayrides and tours of the winemaker's cave. There will also be raffles for prizes donated by local businesses.
» 13648 Tarara Lane, Leesburg, Va.; Sat., 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m.-
5 p.m, $15, 21 and over; $8, ages 6-20; 703-771-7100.
OCEAN IN A BOTTLE
A WINE FOR EVERY FISH
Wine consulting group GiraMondo Wine, holds the latest installment of its Food and Wine Pairing Series, at which Women's National Democratic Club manager Gilles Syglowski will serve up roasted tomato velouté with grilled sea bass; seared Dover sole with wine-poached Yukon potatoes and a custard of baby spinach; and a dessert of poached pear tarts with a honey-walnut crème anglaise.
» Whitemore House, 1526 New Hampshire Ave. NW; Fri., 6-9 p.m., $69; 301-841-7609.
RAISE A GLASS OR TWO
GOOD WINE, GREAT CAUSE
The Foundation Fighting Blindness is hosting D.C. Taste for Sight, a wine event benefiting retinal degenerative disease research. The event will take place at the Cafritz Mansion of the Field School. The Foundation chose the location for its great views of the National Cathedral on one side and the Lincoln Memorial on the other. There will be a live jazz band and a silent auction featuring items such as bottles of wine and restaurant gift certificates.
» D.C. Taste for Sight, 2301 Foxhall Road NW; Fri., 7-10 p.m., $75 in advance, $85; 202-295-5826.
Written by Express contributor Suemedha Sood
Photo by Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post
ON SATURDAY MORNINGS, vendors set up shop outside Great Wall supermarket in Falls Church. They serve sweet-smelling Chinese breakfast treats including flaky breads topped with sesame seeds; rice rolls stuffed with dried pork; savory sesame balls filled with green onions; and deep-fried doughnut breads — almost like giant churros without the cinnamon sugar.
Inside Great Wall, there's even more action.
Sunny Chang, a 24-year-old accountant living in Arlington, has become a Great Wall regular. (Full disclosure — we've known Sunny for 10 years.) A first-generation Taiwanese-American, she discovered the Asian market on a shopping trip with her mother.
"My mom goes every weekend," she said. "It's super, super cheap. She says it's better than Lotte, Super H-Mart and Kam Sam." Sunny's mother, Nancy Chang, who lives in Fairfax, says Great Wall specializes in traditional Chinese produce, poultry and live seafood.
Continue Reading "Exotica Adjacent: Great Wall Asian Market" »
IT TAKES PERSISTENCE to land a seat at Persimmon. With a small location on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda and a big reputation, this upscale American bistro can be fully booked two weeks in advance. After a recent foray into the suburban restaurant capital, it's easy to see why.
Having made reservations three weeks in advance, a party of four came away thoroughly impressed with an interesting menu and excellent execution. There were several fish, poultry and meat dishes — including the signature barbeque rack of lamb that, while not cheap, is not unreasonably priced.
I'd enjoyed the lamb my previous trip, so in an effort to branch out, I jumped on the crab cake platter — featuring two perfectly sized cakes with no filler and healthy portions of delicious mashed potatoes and a corn hash. At $26, it was a bargain. Two in the group had the rockfish, and the bouillabaisse rounded out our entrees. Each was done exquisitely, making for a nice evening.
Addison Road