Results tagged “restaurants>”

We'd been hearing the rumors that Vegetate, the popular vegetarian restaurant on 9th Street NW in Shaw, would soon be forced to close its doors, and now the Convention Center Community Association has posted this farewell message from owners Dominic & Jennifer Redd, confirming the news. Fans of the restaurant will be relieved that the Redds say they are planning on opening in another location as soon as they find one.

With the opening of The Bazaar in Los Angeles and his Made in Spain cooking show on PBS, José Andrés has been busy building a name for himself on the national scene. All of this culminated today in him being named GQ's Chef of the Year. This article highlights tapas selections that you can find at his D.C. restaurants, including Jaleo, Zaytinya, and Minibar. With Blue Ridge chef Barton Seaver's Chef of the Year award from Esquire, D.C. is really coming out on top this year. Now about that Chef of the Year cage match...

Joe Englert's H Street NE bar The Argonaut was closed last night, thanks to a dispute with the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, as Frozen Tropics reported earlier this morning. Englert tried to explain his side of what happened in a statement to the neighborhood blog, outlining a process that started with being notified that three of his businesses owed tens of thousands of in back sales and use taxes. He said two of those accounts were quickly resolved, but The Argonaut's was more complicated, and "even though we kept in daily contact with the Department and even though we were told repeatedly that we were working in compliance, they came any way and shut us down," Englert wrote.

Ray's Hell Burger. Ben's Chili Bowl. Five Guys. Good Stuff Eatery. And now Pete's Apizza. It is becoming abundantly clear that the first family has a yen for junk food that rivals even former president Clinton's Big Mac attacks.

Don’t get in Hagan Blount’s way this weekend if you run into him in a D.C. bar or restaurant. He’s got mouths to feed—or more accurately, one mouth, 24 times: his own. Blount, who blogs under the name “Wandering Foodie,” is invading D.C. this weekend in an attempt to test 24 of the area’s eateries in 24 hours. He performed a similar feat in Boston last month—video footage available here and here—and has now been scouting D.C. for the better part of the last two weeks: testing routes, interviewing fellow foodies, and talking with some of D.C. food industry insiders. Some of his interview footage is already posted here.

Update: Washington City Paper's Tim Carman followed up with Ray's Owner Michael Landrum, who told Carman that there are no plans to open a Hell Burger in Adams Morgan. He chalks up the chatter to his business relationship with property owner Wilma Roumel, who he is assisting with modernizing the space. However, he is not ruling out a location there in the future.

I'm all for awesome iPhone applications that make my life easier, but I'm curious exactly how often one would need to frequent the Chipotle fast food chain to justify having a special app just for pre-ordering your burritos (hat tip to the Washington Business Journal on this one).

We told you a few months ago about a new venture by CityZen's Eric Ziebold at the Mandarin Oriental called South by Southwest. The restaurant is supposed to offer less pricey regional fare. The name was questioned by the City Paper's Tim Carman, so when a number of folks received invitations to save the date for the opening of Sou'wester, we wondered, what's going on here?

Another D.C. Restaurant Week is upon us. Three course lunches and dinners are on offer for $20.09 and $35.09, respectively. It’s an event that’s either loved or loathed by dining out enthusiasts. Restaurants cling to the promotion as way to get butts in seats during the peak of the slow season. Some diners are grateful for the bargains and excuse to try somewhere new, while RW haters out there feel rather strongly about their amateur hour complaints.

The video itself is grainy and hard to make out. Here's what the folks at Tastee have to say about its contents:

"We believe inappropriate behavior is what was going on here and that the discrimination allegations are false. In this video, the couple was sitting right inside the restaurant front door pressed up against each other and during their interaction, one was burying her face in the other's breasts. They were asked to tone it down but responded angrily so they were asked to leave. Nothing more - any couple regardless of gender or sexual orienation would have been asked to leave Tastee Diner in the same situation."

After reviewing the video several times, I'm still not buying Tastee's version of the story here. It looks like the two women were holding each other and hugging, one while seated and the other while standing. Yes, that meant that the seated woman had her face against the other's breasts, but try to imagine instead that the couple was heterosexual, and the woman was seated while the man was standing. Would they have been perceived as being "inappropriate" if they had engaged in the exact same behavior? Definitely not. And if the issue here is face-in-breasts, then let's reverse it: a man is seated and embracing a woman who is standing in front of him. He presses his face against her breasts. Is that couple asked to leave, too? I have a hard time believing that they are, unless the woman's breasts are actually exposed, which doesn't appear to have been the case here.

The Washington Blade reports (hat tip to The New Gay) that a kiss-in protest is planned for this evening at the Tastee Diner in Silver Spring. Aiyi'nah Ford and Torian Brown, a local lesbian couple, say that during a recent visit, they were asked to leave the restaurant by the manager after he observed them embracing.

Ford said a manager she identified only by the first name Paul, asked if they could "please take that outside." Ford asked Paul if he was serious, and he said that he was. Ford noted that a heterosexual couple was kissing at a nearby booth.

Continue reading "Kiss-In Protest Planned for Tastee Diner Tonight"

Relatively new Columbia Heights chicken carryout spot Kiko's Chicken has closed up shop, Prince of Petworth reports. The restaurant had only opened in March, but had kept odd and inconsistent operating hours, often closing at 8 p.m. on weeknights. For those who had a chance to try out Kiko's equally inconsistent online ordering service, their memorable/grating theme song, "I want to eat ... Kiko's right now!" will surely be missed. A message on the outgoing voicemail at Kiko's says that a new Peruvian-style chicken joint, to be called Pollo Mio, will soon take over the space.

It was just a month ago that Carol Joynt, the owner of Georgetown institution Nathan's, sent out word that after months (years, really) of speculation, the restaurant had managed to secure a lease extension, and would, it seemed, therefore stay open. But in an email to patrons late today, Joynt announced that Nathan's will suddenly be closing its doors for good on July 12. Joynt writes:

Dear Friends,

Continue reading "Georgetown Restaurant Nathan's to Close After 40 Years"

Is it wrong to expect an innovative brewery to have equally forward thinking alehouses? Because heading to the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg, MD, I was trying to think what kind of otherworldly experience it would be, coming from folks who turn out great beer like the 60-Minute IPA as well as interesting mixes like the Midas Touch. Would the menu continue fusions where the beer left off? Would the atmosphere push together styles that have never met?

Teddy Folkman, D.C.’s latest representative on the reality food television circuit, was sent home from The Next Food Network Star in last night’s episode. It was the fourth episode of the season—he outlasted three of the ten fellow contestants, but didn’t make it to cook in Rachel Ray’s studio in episode 5. The ouster wasn’t a product of poor cooking, though we weren’t too thrilled with much of his offerings from his relaunched Capitol Lounge menu. In fact, his haute DLT sandwich (duck, lettuce, and tomato) won praises from the show’s judges in last night’s elimination challenge.

Here's some more places to avoid at all costs, or where you can try to get on TV -- earlier today, Capital Restaurant Concepts' Twitter feed said "Just did interview outside The Real World house...construction is ongoing and they're slated to visit our restaurants." Their restaurants include J Paul's, Old Glory, Georgia Brown's, Paolo's, Neyla and Pik a Pita. If you ask us, it's pretty lame that the Real World folks already have their destinations picked before they've even moved in. Maybe that's why some cast members are rarely shown on TV: they don't go to the chosen bars and restaurants with the rest. That, or they're really boring. For more places that have accepted or refused the Eight Strangers, check out our post from this past weekend. The cast is supposed to move in within a few days. Hat tip to the RealWorldDCNEWZ Twitter feed for the CRC post.

The Going Out Gurus had the skinny yesterday on why popular downtown lunch spot The Breadline got temporarily shut down by the D.C. Dept. of Health at the end of last week:

"Operating without a valid license, operating with incorrect hot and cold holding temps for potentially hazardous foods that do not comply with the food code and could not be corrected at the time of the inspection. Failing to minimize the presence of vermin on the premises and operating a food establishment with circumstances that may endanger the public health."

Not exactly minor violations, so it's no wonder they were shut down.

The proprietors of Eventide restaurant and lounge have said they are essentially trying to be everything Clarendon is not. Putting aside whether that bruises your ego—we’re looking at you, Whitlow’s lovers—the lounge and rooftop bar at the four-months old restaurant are upscale yet approachable spots for happy hour that will win over just about anybody. Hoping to kick back with, say, a tasty Belgian triple from a Canadian microbrewery? Yeah, they’ve got that. Prefer your beer cheaper and more, how shall we say, in a can? Tecate it is. Like trying new cocktail creations, especially if they involve some kind of liquor you’ve never heard of? Voila. The Vieux Mot with Plymouth gin, St. Germain Elderflower liqueur and lemon juice is for you.

You may already be following the story of the Capital City Diner, a new restaurant planned by Trinidad resident Matt Ashburn (City Paper wrote about it yesterday). Ashburn and his partner, Patrick Carl, bought a Silk City Diner, one of those original 1940s era sleek modular diner buildings, in upstate New York and planned to install it on the site of one of the former used car lots shut recently shut down by Mayor Fenty. Great idea, right? We were definitely intrigued by the news, and had already set up a time for a photographer to go down there this weekend to check the place out.

The Going Out Gurus are reporting that two Adams Morgan bars, Bossa Bistro & Lounge and Bobby Lew's Saloon, have had their liquor licenses revoked by the D.C. Alcohol Control Board for low food sales. Both bars had restaurant-class licenses, which require 45 percent of gross receipts to be derived from food sales. Neither establishment has ever been in trouble regarding their liquor licenses before, but it's unclear what will happen now, as the board seems bent on sticking to the letter of the law and making an example out of the two.

Inside Edition's "Rat Patrol" returned to the District this week, taking aim, perhaps predictably, at the various D.C. fast food joints recently frequented by the Obamas. The television program confirmed that two of the eateries featured in the upcoming episode were Five Guys restaurants, including the Dupont Circle location where Michelle Obama took members of her staff for lunch back in February. Indeed, the Five Guys located at 1645 Connecticut Ave NW is shuttered this morning, with a sign on the door explaining that the fast food restaurant is "closed until further notice."

Via the Washington Business Journal, we learn that The Bullpen, the new outdoor beer garden and entertainment venue going in at the corner of N and Half Streets SE, plans to open on Friday. On the one hand, we're obviously thrilled that something, anything is opening up next to the ballpark. The neighborhood has sadly continued to be a wasteland of construction sites and empty condos well past the one-year anniversary of the new stadium. On the other, initial reports on what's actually in store for fans who pregame at the Bullpen have been ... let's just say not exactly promising: the live music is being described by the manager as "Dewey Beach bands." Blech. JDLand has a couple photos of part of the space. Hey, it's drinking and eating outside no matter what, right?

Barack may like Ray's Hell Burger, but Michelle is all about the Good Stuff. Spike Mendelsohn's Good Stuff Eatery, that is. Blogger DC365 spotted the first lady earlier today stopping in the Capitol Hill burger spot to pick up some lunch.

She whizzed past us, waving and smiling, in a kicky little ponytail and grey capri pants, as the crowd shouted "We love you!"

The Twitterverse lit up with several reports of the FLOTUS sighting, too. We like to think the Obamas can now compare notes and discuss which burger is better.

Hot hot Arlington burger joint Ray's Hell Burger got even hotter today after President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden stopped in for lunch around 12:30 p.m.

For the food nerd set, the James Beard Awards are akin to the Oscars. Sunday night, media awards were handed out, and The Washington Post was the winner of the best newspaper food section this year. Tonight, the winners of the restaurant industry portion will be announced. You can follow the announcements as they happen on The James Beard Foundation's Twitter feed starting at 6 p.m.

Citronelle has plans to move to the Tysons Corner Ritz Carlton from its current Georgetown location. In a mad rush to break the news first, Don Rockwell from DC Dining and Tim Carman from Washington City Paper reported the news within minutes of each other.

Policy, a new lounge on 14th Street NW, opens today, billing itself as a "modern interpretation of the classic diner." Chef Brian Murphy (formerly of L'Auberge Chez Francois and Palena) takes the lead on a seasonal menu that fuses global cuisines with classics into menu items such as madras curry lamb sliders and kobe hot dogs.

“Sparkling, still, or D.C.’s finest?” It’s the no longer particularly funny question that serves as a standard start to many a dinner out. I always go for the latter; I’m not paying for San Pellegrino in this or any economy. But next week, even the tap water is going to cost you. That's if you care to make a small donation for it.

Remember 2020 Martini, the three-story, 10,000-square-foot brick oven pizza/pasta/sushi/martini restaurant and bar planned for Old Engine Co. 12, the 112-year-old firehouse at 1626 North Capitol Street? We were deeply skeptical of the concept when NextGen Development first announced its deal with Twyla Garrett of Cleveland-based Garrett Entertainment Corp. last year, and now it seems with good reason. The Bloomingdale blog reported recently that the deal has long since fallen through (hat tip to Arts & Real Estate), and the building is now on the market, listed at $1.5 million.

Gothamist reports that New York City announced over the weekend that it will soon begin requiring restaurants to display Los Angeles-style health inspection letter grades. Now today, D.C. Council member Mary Cheh sent out a press release announcing her intention to introduce similar legislation here in the District.

“D.C. should get up to speed and join major cities around the nation that grade restaurants for food safety,” said Cheh. “Making restaurants post their health grade will give residents the tools they need to make an informed choice about the safety of the food they consume. Moreover, this bill will create an environment where restaurateurs are publicly encouraged to keep their kitchens clean.”

Cheh intends to introduce the bill on Tuesday. The move comes about seven months after the release of a report by the Center for Science in the Public Interest that scolded the District for making it far too difficult for consumers to get restaurant health and safety inspection reports.