Food

We all know the adage “all good things must come to an end.” But when it comes to Hook Restaurant we didn’t realize how quickly the “end” would arrive. Okay, maybe that’s a bit dramatic, but by now we’re all aware that the restaurant has hit a major bump in the road with the sudden departure of its founding chef, Barton Seaver as well as the recent departure of Chef Joshua Whigham. more ›

Written by DCist contributor Whitney Satin more ›

Where: Hello Cupcake more ›

No doubt D.C. area residents have already been enjoying their share of after work, al fresco drinking and dining this summer. That’s what summer’s for, and it actually hasn’t been bikram-yoga-studio-hot in the District much this summer, save an odd week or two. [Yes, I know, I probably just jinxed it. Code Red Air Quality alert here we come.] There’s still a few weeks left of summer proper, however, and even longer for summer-like weather, meaning plenty of time to check out “Monday Madness,” the happy hour/full day of specials at Medaterra in Woodley Park. more ›

It's a really slow day for local news, so allow me to indulge in a little PoP-style observation and question session. I'm not often downtown during the day, but on the occasion I have a meeting in the middle of the day, I usually install myself someplace nearby with free wireless internet to get back to work as quickly as possible. Today, I picked the Cosi at 14th and H Streets NW. They have salads, wifi, and a spacious upstairs section in which it's easy to find a seat. more ›

Not ever having had the luxury of taking anyone to an expense account meal at Taberna Del Alabardero—and having failed on more than one occasion to convince my boss that he should take our staff there for a holiday party or birthday celebration—I chose the Old-World Spanish cuisine restaurant for last week's Restaurant Week pilgrimage. Taking almuerzo there Sunday was a decision that proved delightful at nearly every turn, from the grinning, attentive service to three inspired, perfectly executed courses. more ›

Dish of the Week: Heirloom tomatoes more ›

Three years ago, Johnny's Half Shell co-owner Johnny Fulchino was at a Southern Foodways Alliance event when he heard absinthe codebreaker, fanatic and microbiologist Ted Breaux talk about the Green Fairy, absinthe. It piqued his interested in adding a program to Half Shell, but absinthe only became legal in the U.S. in 2007. When his business partner, Chef Ann Cashion, and original Abita brewmaster Brooks Hamaker discovered an old absinthe fountain in New Orleans and numerous notable absinthes starting flowing into the country, he began working on it in earnest. more ›

Three or five? This is the question you'll be asking yourself if you have reservations at Vidalia this week. In addition to the standard three course dinner for $35.08, Vidalia is also offering five courses for $50.08--and no upcharges. That is a mere $10 a course for a restaurant that normally charges $15 for starters and $30 for entrees. However, a Restaurant Week deal is only as good as the menu the restaurant elects to serve. Sometimes, you get what you pay for. In Vidalia's case, you get much more. more ›

The Upper King Street Neighborhood Association launched its Fresh Farmers' Market (not to be confused with the FreshFarm markets) yesterday in King Street Garden Park (across from the King Street Metro).  The market primarily features produce grown by local farmers (sworn to be homegrown (PDF)), as well as fresh flowers and canned dips/spreads (pumpkin pie spread, black bean/hot pepper dips).  Despite a small number of vendors, the market provides residents, visitors, and commuters an opportunity to pick up fresh fruit and vegetables on a Wednesday afternoon.  The market runs every Wednesday until October 29th, 3-7 p.m., rain or shine. more ›

Restaurant Week at Oyamel is a loud, crowded, and chaotic affair. On Tuesday night, the tables were full and the waitstaff already looked haggard at 7 p.m. Our waitress's explanation of the Restaurant Week menu was barely audible over the din; luckily, the instructions are also printed at the top of the menu. For $35.08, diners can choose three "antojito" (Mexican-style tapas) courses, one taco, and dessert. The selection is decent - each antojito course has four options, plus four types of tacos and two desserts. more ›

Big companies, we dare you to give away more free stuff this summer. We triple dog dare you. But this one is pretty good, at least for those folks living in Virginia. Multi-day, multi-location free gelato from Ciao Bella, a New York-based gelateria, whose pints retail for around $3-4. more ›

Restaurant Week is risky business. In order to secure a spot at the best restaurants during the prime 7 p.m. dinner hour, you'll have to book two to three weeks in advance. But even the most careful planning and meticulous research will not guarantee a perfect meal. Like the best things in life, Restaurant Week is high risk, high reward. Which is to say, when it's good, it's really good; and when it's bad, it's really bad. more ›

Plenty of people put soy milk in their coffee, but soy sauce? John Ulaszek, who also goes by the DCist Flickr contributor pseudonym F1.4, was eating breakfast at what he describes as one of his favorite restaurants in Northern Virginia over the weekend, when he had an experience that makes us a little queasy

The ever attentive waiter noticed my empty cup and promptly topped me off – by now I was rockin the caffeine, the birds were chirping, the sun was smiling, so I gulped down another mouthful and……and something is really wrong here – what the hell did I just drink – It looks like coffee, but I don’t think it is, as a matter of fact it tasted like hot Soy Sauce?! Suddenly I wasn’t sure if I just drank coffee, soy sauce, or maybe some cleaning chemical ended up in the coffee. I am almost instantly nauseous, probably not from what I drank, but my mind and body running in overdrive trying to figure out if I should hurl, because whatever I just drank sure as hell wasn’t coffee. more ›

Two DCist writers will be on the Kojo Nnamdi Show today at noon, discussing the local restaurant scene on this first day of Restaurant Week. Our new Food and Drink Editor, Jamie Liu, and Assistant Arts Editor Missy Frederick (representing the Washington Business Journal, where she's a reporter) will join Washingtonian Magazine's Food and Wine Editor Todd Kliman. They'll talk about how the current economy is affecting business, as people decide to eat out less, and on a lighter note, will cover the slew of affordable joints that have opened up recently. Tune in at 88.5 FM or catch the live webcast at the WAMU web site. more ›

Where: Columbia Heights more ›

I'm totally going to the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair on Saturday. It's an excellent fair, with genuinely fun, scary rides, a demolition derby, pig races, the full Ag competition thing ranging from chickens to rabbits to steer, and all the delicious, fattening fair food you could hope for. So I was deeply disturbed to run across the news this morning that the fair is subject to the county's trans fat ban, which passed last year and is now fully in place. more ›

CommonWealth, the new British gastropub from Chef Jamie Leeds, officially opened last night. DCist got a sneak peek on Friends and Family Night on Monday. more ›

Adam Express, a tiny Korean take out joint in Mount Pleasant, is not much to look at. The green brick exterior has traces of graffiti; the rickety bar stools are being held together with chicken wire; and the tired air conditioning unit can barely keep up with the heat emanating from the open kitchen. Write ups from the Washington Post and Washingtonian are proudly displayed on the walls, along with a giant thank you card from a local elementary school, and a primitive drawing of a fish that advertises the day's special as "Fish Soup Cod Fish." Next to the fish sign, a laminated maroon poster proclaims that the Washington City Paper has named Adam Express Best Korean Food in D.C. this year. You would never guess it from looking at the outside. more ›

Last night was the D.C. Craft Bartender's Guild's Rickey Party at Bourbon, where 10 local bartenders put on a show based around the Gin Rickey. The drinks were served in stages throughout the night. Central bar manager Justin Guthrie's Black Pepper Gin Rickey took both the judges' vote and voters' favorite. more ›

Drink of the Week: Gin rickey more ›