Food and Drink: December 2007 Archives

Believe it or not, it’s that time of year…. again. A time to sit back and reflect, but also to look to the future. But speaking in wine terms, it’s the time of year to pick out that bottle (or bottles) of bubbly to ring in the New Year. As much as we love our champagne, vintage champagne no less, it’s not always the practical choice. Unless you plan on not drinking what so ever before midnight, so that you can fully appreciate an expensive bottle of fizz, we suggest looking to sparkling alternatives. In......

Good holiday news for District oenophiles: via the Examiner, the D.C. Council is considering legislation that would boost the amount of wine you can could have shipped to you from outside the city to two cases per month, per home or business. Currently an individual is limited to only one quart of wine per month if you don't have a manufacturer's, wholesaler's or retailer's license. Of course, retailers and wholesalers are expected to oppose the bill, because it would do away with the advantage they currently hold as the only people who can import......

Buried at the end of today's Marc Fisher column is an exciting bit of news for baseball fans and half-smoke lovers alike: Fisher says that Ben's Chili Bowl is going to have an outpost in the new Nationals Stadium. Unfortunately though, co-owner Kamal Ali tells DCist that the Ben's stand at the stadium is far from a done deal. "We are in a good faith conversation with them, but it would be premature to say it's definitely happening. There is no signed contract yet," Ali said. Ben's Chili Bowl has never had......

Aside from donating to charity or saving for your child's college fund, the best use of $6.75 is the quarter-chicken platter with fries and salad at Skorpios Maggio's Family Restaurant (affectionately known as Skorpios) in Vienna.  Hot rotisserie chicken, dusted with a lemon peppery spice blend, served to you on a divided plate with thick cut steak fries and a simple lettuce salad covered generously in feta and dressed with oil and vinegar, and a side of pita to mop up the juices that ooze out of the end......

This past Friday night and with little fanfare, Alberto’s in Dupont Circle restarted its ovens and pizza-making operations, less than four months after a fire seriously damaged the P street location and left a pizza shaped hole in many pizza lovers' hearts. The same fire also forced the closure of the DJ Hut located above Alberto’s and the Subway next door, both of which remain closed. According to Alberto’s staff, renovations to reopen the shop started just over a month ago. The staff attributes the quick turnaround to the store's previous experience......

Much A-Dough About Nothing Over the last two weeks, Todd Kliman's chatters have gotten riled up over CityZen's Parker House rolls. A chatter wrote in about his/her experience at CityZen a few months ago with pleasant servers and delicious food. But then he/she complained that his/her party of seven requested a second serving of the Parker House rolls. Apparently the server hesitated and seemed uncomfortable, but said he would check with the kitchen. The chatter said that they did not receive more bread or more information, and as such, the individual expressed that......

Since 1990, Burma’s rightful Prime Minister – and only hope for democracy – has been a political prisoner under a military dictatorship built on a foundation of violence and intimidation. Thus, struggle is nothing new for the Burmese people as civil unrest has become analogous to the country for nearly half a century. For this, one can’t help but hope for better fortune for the people of Burma, be it in their native land or right here in D.C., like the success of a small, unassuming restaurant simply called Burma. Whether owner

Fans of Petworth bar Temperance Hall better get up there for their Sazerac cocktails as soon as possible—the bar is on its way out. Don't throw out your arms in plaintive questions to the heavens yet, though. While the bar will go, a bar will stay; the property has been sold to the folks behind Columbia Heights' The Wonderland Ballroom. Following a tip from Prince of Petworth, we caught the Wonderland owners, Matthew McGovern......

Flying food? Perhaps you've noticed the odd little vehicle with wings near 8th and H, NW selling empanadas and other Mexican fare. It's On the Fly, a new food business started by one of the founders of Zip Car, Gabe Klein, L'Enfant cafe owner Christopher Lynch, and architectural designer Michel Heitstuman. The car is one of the first in a planned series of food carts and small stands that will swarm the city. This......

Han Sung Oak in Falls Church has a familial feeling, from the large parties that occupy the main dining room and the private rooms in the back, to the service staff, willing to help you as you navigate the intricacies of their native cuisine. I was surprised to be asked "smoking or non-smoking" when I entered the restaurant, but all I smelled was grilled meat, so I don't think the seating area would have mattered.......

It is truly the most wonderful time of year — for caterers, that is. D.C. knows how to feast. Between all the holiday/non-denominational/winter solstice parties for every single nonprofit/government/lobby/press room in town and our own personal holiday events, the humble art of bringing a homemade dish to any event has fallen by the wayside. Personally, I’ll be bringing a dozen Krispy Kreme jelly doughnuts to a Hanukkah party this weekend. On the other hand, there......

"Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is hereby proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by conventions of three-fourths of the several States: "Article – Section 1. The eighteenth article of amendment to the......