Food.Fun.Stuff: News and More News
This and that:
>We thought the District was hip to creativity with the opening of Crepes on the Walk but after hearing about Slappy Cakes in Portland, Oregon, we know we have some catching up to do. Not that many Washingtonian’s are making frequent trips to Portland, but if you ever are out there, this spot might be worth a try. Think IHOP but without the dry service and wait. Well, the service could still be dry but you can place your pancake order and then start whipping up the pancakes yourself. Reminds us of a Melting Pot concept but with pancakes. The process goes a little something like this:
The griddle is the centerpiece, you order your batter (*served in an 8 oz. squeeze bottle), then choose your fixins (*i.e. chocolate chip, etc.) and then get busy making your pancakes. The finale is when you finish things off with the syrup, of course. Pretty cool.
The Where: Slappy Cakes, 4246 SE Belmont St., Portland, Oregon, 97215 (503) 477-4805
>Upgrades on street food: Sauca is coming to DC towards the end of this month. Sauca is the newest addition to the street vendors you see as you whiz by in these busy Downtown streets. Sauca, however, boasts being more than a mobile restaurant and seeks to offer an upgrade to the typical street fare. Wi-Fi, a sound system and an iTunes app so you can locate the mobile restaurant are just a few distinguished charateristics of the newbie on the block. Farhad Assari, the owner and creator, wants to merge all of his global travel experiences into one spot in the nations capitol. Sauca is a good way to start where it is described as a hand held warm, griddled flatbread wrap-style sandwich. There will be two different saucas served up with choices from Europe (*Croque Monsieur) and African/Indian (*Mumbai Butter Chicken sauca). Soups, salads, coffees and teas will also line the menu with prices ranging from $5-$8. Check out more on the launch here.
>Healthy Sweet Tooth: Buzz Bakery is doing its part in the New Years health kicks. This month, the Alexandria bakery has added an Energy Bar to the bakery’s menu which is made of all-natural fiber, all-natural peanut butter, agave nectar, oats, dark raisins and chocolate. Pastry Chef Josh Short was inspired by the energy balls featured on Dr. Oz Show by offering another alternative to the typical granola bar. Nancy Bars are back on the menu too which are filled with oats, homemade granola, almonds and cranberries. With the good must come the bad. So for those of us not honoring the New Years diet trend, you can fill your belly with the cupcake of the month: The Veruca Salt Cupcake (*chocolate cupcake filled with salted caramel and topped with roasted cashews). The granolas are priced @ $1.95 and the cupcake is priced @ $3.00. To be naughty or nice??
>Ping Pong’s catching on: If there’s one thing every restaurant must have in the District, that’s a happy hour. When we first visited Ping Pong, that was the second question out of our mouths and when they responded they hadn’t set one up yet it was as if they were speaking a foreign language. Now they are speaking our language with today being the Official Happy Hour Kick-Off. From 4 pm-6 pm, there will be $5 martini specials, $4 beer specials and $3 bar bites (*We strongly recommend the Prawn Balls which we are kind of shocked made this list @ a discount, these things are the star of the show!). With a restaurant in Chinatown, the party doesn’t stop there so for those late workers and the like, there is an extended After Dark happy hour on Thursday (*10 pm-11 pm) and Friday/Saturday (*10 pm-12 am). Cheers!
>Stacey Kane made the list. Who is Stacey Kane? If you have walked up 7th street DC by the Verizon Center, you at least know the works of Stacey Kane. She is the marketing mind behind California Tortilla and FastCasual.com just recognized her (*the only female on the list) as an industry executive to watch in 2010. As the Director of Marketing, Kane has created some innovative techniques to spread awareness about the companies deals and promos. The Burrito Bailout Program is our favorite which gave a free meal to workers laid-off during the 2008-2009 recession. Kudos to Kane! See more here.
>We thought the District was hip to creativity with the opening of Crepes on the Walk but after hearing about Slappy Cakes in Portland, Oregon, we know we have some catching up to do. Not that many Washingtonian’s are making frequent trips to Portland, but if you ever are out there, this spot might be worth a try. Think IHOP but without the dry service and wait. Well, the service could still be dry but you can place your pancake order and then start whipping up the pancakes yourself. Reminds us of a Melting Pot concept but with pancakes. The process goes a little something like this:
The griddle is the centerpiece, you order your batter (*served in an 8 oz. squeeze bottle), then choose your fixins (*i.e. chocolate chip, etc.) and then get busy making your pancakes. The finale is when you finish things off with the syrup, of course. Pretty cool.
The Where: Slappy Cakes, 4246 SE Belmont St., Portland, Oregon, 97215 (503) 477-4805
>Upgrades on street food: Sauca is coming to DC towards the end of this month. Sauca is the newest addition to the street vendors you see as you whiz by in these busy Downtown streets. Sauca, however, boasts being more than a mobile restaurant and seeks to offer an upgrade to the typical street fare. Wi-Fi, a sound system and an iTunes app so you can locate the mobile restaurant are just a few distinguished charateristics of the newbie on the block. Farhad Assari, the owner and creator, wants to merge all of his global travel experiences into one spot in the nations capitol. Sauca is a good way to start where it is described as a hand held warm, griddled flatbread wrap-style sandwich. There will be two different saucas served up with choices from Europe (*Croque Monsieur) and African/Indian (*Mumbai Butter Chicken sauca). Soups, salads, coffees and teas will also line the menu with prices ranging from $5-$8. Check out more on the launch here.
>Healthy Sweet Tooth: Buzz Bakery is doing its part in the New Years health kicks. This month, the Alexandria bakery has added an Energy Bar to the bakery’s menu which is made of all-natural fiber, all-natural peanut butter, agave nectar, oats, dark raisins and chocolate. Pastry Chef Josh Short was inspired by the energy balls featured on Dr. Oz Show by offering another alternative to the typical granola bar. Nancy Bars are back on the menu too which are filled with oats, homemade granola, almonds and cranberries. With the good must come the bad. So for those of us not honoring the New Years diet trend, you can fill your belly with the cupcake of the month: The Veruca Salt Cupcake (*chocolate cupcake filled with salted caramel and topped with roasted cashews). The granolas are priced @ $1.95 and the cupcake is priced @ $3.00. To be naughty or nice??
>Ping Pong’s catching on: If there’s one thing every restaurant must have in the District, that’s a happy hour. When we first visited Ping Pong, that was the second question out of our mouths and when they responded they hadn’t set one up yet it was as if they were speaking a foreign language. Now they are speaking our language with today being the Official Happy Hour Kick-Off. From 4 pm-6 pm, there will be $5 martini specials, $4 beer specials and $3 bar bites (*We strongly recommend the Prawn Balls which we are kind of shocked made this list @ a discount, these things are the star of the show!). With a restaurant in Chinatown, the party doesn’t stop there so for those late workers and the like, there is an extended After Dark happy hour on Thursday (*10 pm-11 pm) and Friday/Saturday (*10 pm-12 am). Cheers!
>Stacey Kane made the list. Who is Stacey Kane? If you have walked up 7th street DC by the Verizon Center, you at least know the works of Stacey Kane. She is the marketing mind behind California Tortilla and FastCasual.com just recognized her (*the only female on the list) as an industry executive to watch in 2010. As the Director of Marketing, Kane has created some innovative techniques to spread awareness about the companies deals and promos. The Burrito Bailout Program is our favorite which gave a free meal to workers laid-off during the 2008-2009 recession. Kudos to Kane! See more here.
Category: Announcements, Food.Fun.Stuff., Travels, Washington D.C.
About the Author (Author Profile)
Johnna French is a Harlem NY native with deep roots in Panama, Washington, DC and North Carolina. All four places have heavily influenced her life and the foods she loves today. After graduating Howard University School of Law and beginning her life as a young professional in the city she was led to start Johnna Knows Good Food in November 2007 to keep family, friends and colleagues updated on where to go and what to eat while dining in the nation’s capitol. French, who still practices law, leads a team of three writers to cover the ever expanding Washington, DC food scene. French has been featured in print and television, appearing in Washingtonian Magazine and is a regular contributor to various local TV affiliates including WUSA 9, FOX 5 DC and WJLA (ABC Affiliate) News Channel 8. During the 2016-2017 football season, Johnna aired on Comcast Sports Mid-Atlantic (CSN) show, Redskins Life, as the weekly tailgate host. Johnna is currently a regular contributor to the FOX Baltimore Weekend morning show.Subscribe
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