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By DCist Contributor Travis Mitchell

Dish of the Week: A Pig Feast

Where: The Pig, Birch & Barley, The Partisan

Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of winter, which means it’s time to pack on some extra fat and go back into hibernation until spring weather rolls in. Luckily, several restaurants in D.C. offer decadent feasts that make a festive meal for a group of friends looking to shake the mid-winter blues.

Call ahead before your next visit to The Pig (1320 14th Street NW) and arrange for something special, like a whole roasted head ($60), a full loin ($75), or even an entire suckling pig. The Partisan’s (709 D Street NW) $120 pig feast includes pork head, sausage, smoked bone marrow, and assorted garnishes and sides, and serves four to six people. Birch & Barley will prepare an indulgent multi-course porcine feast, complete with beer pairings. All you need is $95 a person and four days notice.

So, gather up a group with an urge to splurge on one of these hearty meals and ride out the rest of winter. Besides, you won’t want to stuff yourself with pork once the 90 degree heat of summer comes around, because meat sweats.

Small Bites

Union Market gets sweet and salty
Brooklyn’s Fatty Sundays is bringing its signature chocolate-covered pretzels to Union Market (1309 5th Street NE) this February. Choose from a variety of sweets, including birthday cake and PB&J pretzel rods and pretzel brittle. There will be options for gluten-free eaters along with the opportunity for customers to dip and top custom creations. The pop-up will open for two weekends—from February 5-8 and again from February 13-15.

Late-night dancing and drinks at Compass Rose
For the month of February, the international-inspired eatery Compass Rose (1346 T Street NW) is launching Rose’s House Party, which will take place each Saturday beginning at 10 p.m. The event promises to be a “chill space” to hang out with friends and will include a keg of craft beer along with other snacks and drinks. DJ Dirty Hands provides this week’s entertainment.

A Sweet Valentine’s Day pop-up
RareSweets’ latest pop-up is this Saturday at West Elm (1728 14th Street NW). Stock up on Valentine’s day treats including prepackaged items from the shop’s “Let’s Get it On” basket. These include blondies, heart-shaped cookies and a special riff on candy sweethearts featuring love song lyrics.