Food and Drink: January 2008 Archives

It's a very good time to be a wine drinker in D.C. With spring not too far away, wine bars have been popping up like daisies around town. Newcomers include Proof in Chinatown, Vinoteca at 11th/U, and Veritas in Dupont Circle. Just last night, another contender entered the fray: Cork officially opened its doors on 14th between R and S. The wine list is 40 strong by the glass, and around 130 by the bottle. Prices are generally in the $8-$11 range for glasses, although there are a few outliers......

In what was probably the last time Dr. Dremo’s Taphouse in Arlington would be open to the public, close to 100 spectators, friends and former patrons of Dr. Dremo’s Taphouse gathered around the indoor bar last night to give their last tributes to the staff and possibly take home a memento by which to remember the D.C.-area fixture. While a few came in search of a deal on a pool table, kitchen appliance, or set of bar furnishings, many of those who showed up came to watch the auction festivities and learn the......

I count 29 different cans of beer. Yes, 29. No beer bottles, no tap handles, just cans. Sure, The Red Derby has a fully stocked liquor selection, and six wines at $6/glass, but really, the comfort beverage of choice here is the canned beer. Understanding this unusual approach to beer selection requires a quick detour through the history of beer in America. In the beginning, there was beer. It was good. It was poured into drinking vessels from large tanks: this was time efficient and cost-effective, but it lacked portability. Then along came......

Have you noticed that certain drinks are missing a certain oomph in Virginia? Do you find yourself traveling into D.C. for that special glass of sangria? It’s that oomph that is under debate in the Virginia General Assembly today. The Post reports that a House subcommittee will be debating a bill introduced by Del. Adam P. Ebbin (D-Alexandria) that would amend the 74-year-old Virginia code outlawing the mixing of wine or beer with spirits and the storage of alcohol outside of its original container. Traditionally, sangria consists of a mixture of red......

Dog owners looking for an excuse to spoil their bundles of joy are in for a treat tomorrow night. Todd and Ellen Grey of Equinox Restaurant will be hosting their 6th annual Sugar & Champagne Affair to honor and benefit the Washington Humane Society’s Law Enforcement Officers and Humane Education Programs (anyone who’s seen Animal Planet’s Animal Precinct or Animal Cops should already be familiar with all the good these guys do). Canines of all breeds and sizes will get to schmooze it up with other local pooches......

Restaurant Week or Restaurant Weak? It happens twice a year. Whether you love it or hate it, it's the Restaurant Week breakdown. Who brought it out like a champ, and who deserves the title of chump? Some DCist staffers hit up a few spots: Spezie I just had a pretty good RW lunch at Spezie. The raddichio salad had a nice balance between the bitter greens and walnuts and cheese. Braised lamb with fennel was a generous portion, and the fennel and lamb played nicely together (the fennel wasn't overpowering as it......

There are three simple rules when planning a trip to Pike Pizza (which doesn't actually serve pizza) on Columbia Pike in Arlington: Arrive hungry; Arrive early; Hog the salteñas. Usually available right when the restaurant opens and only in limited supply, salteñas are a version of empanadas, turnovers with your choice of meat combined with potatoes, peas, olives, and a hard-boiled egg. The chicken tends to complement the other ingredients better than the beef, but both are worth trying if you can your hands on one of each. One quirk with the......

Hot, rich, and sweet, just the way I like 'em It's been a warm week, and lately everyone has been sweating the gourmet hot chocolate coming out of the Cocoa Gallery. But with cooler temps predicted for the next week, you can stay in and enjoy this thick, creamy hot chocolate. And because you don't need a liquor license, you can make it as Irish as you want. Unlike hot cocoa, hot chocolate is not made using cocoa powder, which makes it much richer and denser. What you need:......

I've been directed to numerous Japanese restaurants in the past by both self-proclaimed sushi aficionados and those who eat to fill-up, many with forgettable results. So when a friend invited me for lunch at McLean's Tachibana Restaurant I was expecting more of the same – average sushi at the expense of a smaller bank account. Apparently, the owners themselves expect their fair share of doubters, evident by the restaurant's cubbyhole of awards at the entrance of the main dining area. Once inside, it becomes painfully obvious that those awards aren't for best......