What: Lobster Taco

Where: Eddie V’s Prime Seafood

A love affair with lobster rolls drove into town several years ago on the four wheels of the Red Hook Lobster Pound food truck. It has manifested itself at seafood restaurants and casual counter-service spots that specialize in New England’s signature sandwich—a bun straining to contain lobster meat. Using the right white bun is almost as important as the lobster mix that goes inside. Almost.

It turns out that when you switch out that glorified hot dog bun for a fresh-off-the-griddle tortilla, the result is glorious.

Invited to an early peek at Eddie V’s, the latest upscale Texan chain to plant a flag in the D.C. area, I was warned not to miss the Maine lobster tacos.

Loaded with lobster, a spoonful of corn pico de gallo, shredded white cheese, and avocado, it’s vital to fork off a few of the large chunks to have a chance at picking up the taco. As good as the lobster is, it’s the tortilla that really makes this dish. Homemade, oversized, studded with green specks of cilantro—it’s nothing like eating the conventional corn flatbread.

I’m not surprised that I had to travel from Columbia Heights to a fancy seafood restaurant in Tysons to get great lobster. I just didn’t expect the visit to outclass anything I’m used to when it comes to tortillas.

Small Bites

Charitable Chances for Crawfish
Crawdaddy boil season is upon us! For a charitable way to get your fix, Crawfish for Cancer returns to D.C. on April 25 for their third annual boil, raising funds for multiple myeloma cancer research. Tickets can currently be bought for $70, though they will go up in price.

The event will run the entire Saturday afternoon at Bardos Brew Pub on Bladensburg Road. Meanwhile Pearl Dive is preparing for a Boil on the Bayou on April 19. A $55 ticket gets access to the salty red creatures, fixins, and a roast pig. Up it to $90 to add Abita beer, hurricanes, and wine. Acadiana is holding it’s second Crawfish Boil Throwdown on April 18, and a third on May 2 (the first took place in March). It is $55 for three hours of crawfish, shrimp, sausage, gumbo, fruit hand pies, beer, and wine, accompanied by a jazz and zydeco band.

Now Open For Asian Brunches
It’s only a matter of time before new restaurants open their doors on weekend mornings. Mango Tree DC didn’t wait too long after their opening to put a Thai twist on English breakfast fare. Brunch service began at the upscale CityCenterDC eatery last weekend, incorporating kaffir lime and curry hollandaise sauces. It took Doi Moi a little more time to cash in on those sweet brunch dollars. Chef Haidar Karoum has a number of enticing highlights, though, including an omelet with spicy minced pork; a Laoatian soup with poached egg, pork belly, and chili-garlic oil; and banh mi sandwiches with scrambled eggs and ham. Bar director Adam Bernbach will pair any of those with a Southeast Asian-inspired Bloody Mary or basil tea punch. Moving to the subcontinent, Washingtonian got a sneak peak of a new brunch at Rasika West End.

Nora’s Organic Life
Nora Pouillon is getting ready to release her memoir My Organic Life: How a Pioneering Chef Helped Shape the Way We Eat Today. Pouillon and the Environmental Working Group gathered a small group together earlier this week around plates of sake glazed black cod to chat about healthy eating, EWG’s food scores app, and the book. “The first writer I had was wonderful, but she was so young she didn’t understand what was the big deal about being organic,” Pouillon explained. She eventually found the right partner, plus an acceptable photo for the book. While the chef was game to run a nude shot with her body covered only by a Vitamix blender, the publisher opted for tamer photo.

At Urbana, That’s Amaro
Urbana offers a That’s Amaro bar class on Saturday, April 18 to teach students about how different types of amari work in cocktails. New head bartender Andrea Tateosian, formerly of The Gibson, will offer up tastes of the Italian herbal liquor and help guests pair amaro with spring ingredients such as sour cherry, chamomile, rhubarb, and cardamom tinctures. The class is $35 and spots can be reserved by emailing ray.daly@urbanadc.com.

Burgers at Capella
Making one of Washington’s best hamburgers was chef Frank Ruta’s trademark for years in Cleveland Park. Now that he’s settled into his spot in the kitchen of the Capella hotel in Georgetown, his burger is featured on the lunch menu at The Grill Room. Right now, it’s coming out with crispy bacon and cheddar on a toasty house-baked bun. He anticipates changing things up based on the season, including switching out toppings as well as the cut of beef and how it’s ground. At a burger launch event last night we had a taste of a creation with a fried duck egg and another with mortadella. A version with an olive oil fried tomato may see a turn as well.

No, the other Georgia
Grab the chance to try food and guzzle wine from the Republic of Georgia at Mess Hall (703 Edgewood St. NE) on April 24, where local blog The Georgian Table and Food Works Group are hosting a Georgian pop-up night. The menu includes a slate of passed appetizers including the cheese bread khachapuri, meatballs with pomegranate glaze, and spinach balls with herbs and walnuts, plus unlimited wine. Tickets are $65 for general admission or $85 if you want to add a guided tasting of five premium wines.

Taste the Nation on Monday
One of Washington’s signature mega tasting events, Taste of the Nation’s DC party is this Monday evening. Share Our Strength puts the event on across the country, featuring scores of local restaurants and mixologists to raise money to fight childhood hunger. General admission tickets are $120.