Celebrations, Restaurant Week, Openings & More
Image via Sugar & Champagne (Washington Humane Society)
PUPPY LOVE
The Washington Humane Society’s 12th annual dessert and champagne reception honors local crusaders against animal cruelty: Washington Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement Officers, Animal Care & Control Officers, and Humane Educators. If you have a strong sweet tooth then you should be at this event, which showcases the DC area’s most talented pastry chefs. Guests have the opportunity to nibble sweet treats and sip champagne throughout the night. The VIP Chefs’ Tasting Room will feature an exclusive savory gathering prepared by local chefs. The Washington Humane Society will also honor the community’s “Humane Heroes” who have had a positive impact on the lives of animals in the District and who have shown support for their programs and services. If you cannot attend the 12th Annual Sugar & Champagne Affair but would like to make a donation, please click here.
When: January 31, 2013
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM: VIP Chefs’ Tasting Room
7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: General Reception
Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center
Hosted by Chef Todd Gray & Ellen Kassoff Gray
Equinox Restaurant, Muse at the Corcoran Gallery of Art & Salamander Resort
Presented by Trade Center Management Associates
Michelle’s Ribs
WHAT: Barbecue lovers from across the Washington region will gather at eight of the area’s top ‘cue establishments for the fourth annual DC Meat Week. This week-long celebration of smoky, low-and-slow cooking will highlight two of the newest barbecue restaurants in the area, four long-time favorites, and for the first time a barbecue-focused Food Truck Face-Off, hosted by Living Social.
WHERE: See the schedule here for each night’s host venue.
WHEN: Sunday, January 27, through Sunday, February 3, 2012
HOW: Anyone is welcome to participate by simply showing up at the host venue and looking for the Meat Week flags. Participants order and pay for their own food and drinks and then join in the festivities with other Meat Week attendees. Some host venues will be offering Meat Week specials (to be announced). Additional details, specials and trivia will be posted at http://www.meatweek.com/chapters/washingtondc and during Meat Week via Facebook and Twitter (@meatweek, @babeque) and on the Capital Spice blog (www.capitalspiceblog.com).
HAPPY NEW YEAR
Ancient Chinese culture dictates that a snake won’t attack its opponent unless it is hungry, so Ping Pong Dim Sum is encouraging their patron snakes to feed their hunger with food and drink specials during their two-part Chinese New Year celebrations from February 10 – 24.
For the first week of Chinese New Year, guests can take advantage of 7 days of [Snake] Sins promotions at both the Chinatown and Dupont Circle locations, listed below:
Sunday, February 10th – Snakeskin Sunday (Sin: Gluttony)
Guests that wear snakeskin print clothing (or a boa) can shed 15% from their Lazy Sumday bill (valid 11am-4pm)
Monday, February 11th – Year of the Snake Charity (Sin: Pride)
Ping Pong will donate a portion of the proceeds from the Chinese New Year specialty cocktail, Snake Venom(a blend of rum, guava and Jasmine Iced Tea) to the Chinatown Community Cultural Center.
Tuesday, February 12th – “Snakes on a Plane” Viewing Party (Sin: Sloth)
Visit Ping Pong Dupont for a “Snakes on a Plane” Viewing party at 8pm and take advantage of Yum Cha (happy hour) food and drink specials offered from 4pm-11pm.
Wednesday, February 13th – Snake Venom Happy Hour (Sin: Rage)
Ladies can get any pre-Valentine’s Day aggression out of their system by stopping by the Snake VenomHappy Hour, which will give complimentary “snakebite” shooters to the ladies from 5pm-6pm.
Thursday, February 14th – Love at First Bite (Sin: Lust)
Share a sinful Valentine’s Day with your special snake by sampling the Love at First Bite menu ($60 per couple), which includes aphrodisiac ingredients in each dish. The menu features two fig and chocolate martinis, and an array of baked, steamed and fried dim sum, including favorites like the honey roasted chicken puffs, spicy basil dumplings, and char sui buns.
Friday, February 15th – Roll a Snake Eyes for $50 off your bill (Sin: Greed)
Waiters will entice guests with a pair of gold dice at the end of the meal, and guests who roll a snake eyes will receive $50 off their entire bill.
Saturday, February 16th – End the Chinese New Year Celebrations with a Special Performance (Sin: Envy)
Round out the week with a special Chinese New Year celebratory performance for dinner guests at Ping Pong Dupont.
RESTAURANT WEEK
DC Restaurant Week will take place from February 4-10, 2013. Make your reservations now! Pick your spots here.
Ironically, I avoid Restaurant Week like the plague. Overcrowded restaurants, food prepped way to early for my taste and rushed service…I’ll pass. This is probably the reason that I love Food, Wine & Co.’s “Anti-Restaurant Week Menu”, which will be offered from January 28th – February 2nd. “The unfortunate part about Restaurant Week is that while diners are getting a deal, the high volume and limited menu means they are not getting to know a restaurant and generally getting sub-standard food,” says Food, Wine & Co. Executive Chef Michael Harr. “We are over bad food for cheaper prices and in lieu, wanted to offer diners the chance to taste some truly extraordinary food. High-level, tasting menu dishes that would cost diners upwards of several hundred dollars in other restaurants.” Food, Wine & Co.’s Anti-Restaurant Week Menu is priced at $59 and offers a 5-course tasting menu. Check out their site here.
Ambar in Eastern Market (outdoor patio bar)
OPENINGS
Eric Rohleder, Founder and President of Cordial Fine Wine is pleased to announce the opening of his first wine shop, Cordial Fine Wine, on February 1, 2013. With the philosophy that small is the new big, particularly in the world of wine and beer, his boutique store will offer 216 small production artisanal wines and 35 craft beers from around the world at Union Market, DC’s newest culinary epicenter. The wine shop is conveniently located at 1309 5th Street NE, Unit #2, Washington, D.C., 20002, next door to NoMa-Gallaudet U. metro stop off the redline. Store hours are Wednesday-Sunday from 11 AM to 8 PM with complimentary wine tastings every Thursday from 5 PM to 7 PM, and Saturday & Sunday from 12 Noon to 3 PM. Shoppers will be pleased to find great value in the selection as most wines are priced around $20 and under, with no wines priced higher than $60. Regions of specialty include great finds from Oregon, Washington, Spain, Portugal, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and Eastern Europe.
Chef Frederik de Pue, owner of 42° Catering, and former Executive Chef of Smith Commons opened his breakout solo restaurant project, Table, on January 18, 2013. Table is located at 903 N Street NW in the Mt. Vernon / Shaw / Logan boundary neighborhood. Doors open at 5pm for dinner service.
Serbian Ivan Iricanin, who is a partner with renowned chef/restaurateur Richard Sandoval in two of the District’s most popular restaurants, Masa 14 and El Centro D.F. on 14th Street, NW, is pleased to debut the opening of his newest venue, Ambar, which opened January 14th at 523 8th Street, SE, 20003.
PAUL Tysons Galleria opened at 2001 International Drive #1856-G, McLean, VA 22102 (Located at the Level I Parking Garage entrance between Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus, and directly across from Lebanese Taverna). This is the first PAUL bakery in Virginia.
Robb Duncan, Washington’s premier artisanal gelato maker and co-owner of Dolcezza is pleased to unveil his fourth Dolcezza location, which opened February 9, 2013 at 2905 District Avenue, Suite 155 in Fairfax, VA, 22031, in the vibrant new Mosaic District.
Nando’s Peri-Peri, the international chicken restaurant, is opening its doors at a new location in Washington, DC’s renovated Boilermaker Building at The Yards. The restaurant, scheduled to open in June 2013, will occupy 2,866 square feet and offer patio seating.
Category: Announcements, Food.Fun.Stuff., 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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