Although District residents may be seguing into fall's business-as-usual pace, we're reminded today that, one year after Hurricane Katrina, those who call New Orleans home are still caught up in loose ends and mired in disarray caused by Katrina's aftermath. Area food folks remind us that people still need our help. As Metrocurean reported last week, local restaurants participating in Share our Strength's Restaurants for Relief today, which include Evening Star, Tallula and Capitol Grille,... more ›

With the revival of classic cookbooks propelled by the releases of The Silver Spoon and Julie and Julia -- the blog-turned-book in which Julie Powell writes on cooking every recipe in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking -- it’s worth noting the death of chef and cookbook writer Edna Lewis, 89. Lewis didn't just compile recipes. Having authored The Taste of Country Cooking, she's largely credited with explaining and showcasing Southern cooking to... more ›

In gentrifying neighborhoods from U Street to Upshur, top-notch D.C. chefs and restaurateurs are jockeying for prime positions. Along the U Street corridor, Al Tiramisu owner Luigi Diotaiuti has opened Al Crostino and Saied Azali followed suit with Viridian, Perrys' sibling venture. Nora Pouillon of the eponymous Nora and Asia Nora allegedly has her eye on 14th Street for a new place (U Nora, perhaps?) and James Beard nominee Ann Cashion of Cashion's Eat Place will open Taqueria De Flores on 11th Street in Columbia Heights in fall 2006. more ›

Are the standards of Post food reviewer Tom Sietsema declining? Some local diners seem to think so. Sunday's Post Magazine saw Sietsema give three stars to Etrusco, the five-year-old Italian restaurant in Dupont Circle. The three-star rating ranks Etrusco among the best restaurants in D.C., including CityZen, Le Paradou, Cashion's Eat Place, and Palena. eGullet member "BilRus" was surprised by the rating: "A restaurant broke out of the two-star parade and we haven't picked up on it ... We're slipping." Other forum members were quick to point out the negative reader reviews of Etrusco in response to Sietsema's piece, and their own negative experiences with the restaurant:

There were two fish on the menu, rockfish and snapper, prepared three or four ways (all sounded very good). We ordered wine and an antipasti while we decided. It wasn't until the waiter came to take our order that he bothered to inform us that they were out of rockfish ... about 15 minutes later the waiter returns to tell us they are out of snapper with no real apology. We were all dumbfounded that a place praised for its grilled fish had none on a Saturday night.