(Photo courtesy of Milk Bar)
By DCist contributor Emelyn Rude
If you’ve served in the military, Veterans Day is a delicious one in D.C. Read on for specials today as well as what’s on tap for the coming week.
Veterans Day deals
GCDC (1730 Pennsylvania Ave. NW), self-proclaimed as “Washington’s first and only grilled cheese-centric restaurant and bar,” is honoring our nation’s military in the best way it knows how—with free lunch. If you are an active duty or retired veteran of the U.S. military, head on down today between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a free signature sandwich of your choosing.
If grilled cheese is not your thing and you’re a member of the military still looking for a good bite, Le Diplomate (1601 14th St. NW) is offering up a complimentary burger Américain, one of Zagat’s “30 Best Burgers in America,” to those who have served.
At Provision DC (2100 14th St. NW), Bonfire (1132 19th St. NW), Agua 301 (301 Water St. SE) and The Prospect (1214 U St. NW) you can receive fifty percent off the total check. A similar Veterans Day discount can be found at BLT Steak (1625 I St. NW), which will offer 50 percent off for parties of two or less and 25 percent for parties of three or more. Don’t forget to bring your valid military ID with you.
More food events for the week ahead
Bake your cake and eat it too!
Milk Bar DC (1090 I St. NW), the District’s bakery outpost of chef’s Christina Tosi and David Chang’s Momofuku empire, is hosting the first of their “Bake the Book” cooking classes this Sunday, November 13. Participants will learn how to make the addictive and sprinkle-filled birthday cake, one of the most popular recipes from the Momofuku Milk Bar Cookbook, and will come home with their own 6-inch cake (and a few birthday cake truffles as well). The class runs from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. and all ages and experience levels are welcome. Registration is required in advance and you can sign up here.
Talk cocktails with author Kara Newman
Kara Newman, spirits editor of Wine Enthusiast magazine, will be hanging out at 2 Birds 1 Stone (1800 14th St. NW) on Thursday, November 17 to talk everything booze. Wander upstairs to Salt & Sundry to grab her best-selling cocktail book “Shake.Stir.Sip,” and then grab a seat at the bar to enjoy a specialty drink menu celebrating equal-parts cocktails. The specials and the conversation last as long as the bar is open, 6 p.m. until 12:45 a.m.
Old Ebbitt Grill hosts another kind of riot
Love bivalves? Then Old Ebbitt Grill (675 15th St. NW) is the place for you. On the evening of Friday, November 18 and all day on the 19, the storied eatery is holding its annual Oyster Riot, a celebration of everything wine and oysters. As it has been for the past 21 years, there will be crowds, tunes, over 10,000 oysters, and plenty of glasses of the gold-medal winners of the International Wines for Oysters competition to go around. Tickets are $150, all-inclusive, and can be purchased here.
Openings:
On Rye (640 6th St. NW), a once beloved pop-up at Nationals Park, is officially opening its brick-and-mortar location in Chinatown today. This twist on a classic Jewish deli will offer a variety of sandwiches, including wagyu pastramis and portobello reubens, alongside roasted beet salads, matzo ball soup, oven-roasted veggie latkes, and, most importantly, a heavenly babka ice cream sandwich. On Rye’s hours are 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. daily.
Plan Ahead:
The District’s embassy community is taking to the Ronald Reagan Building (1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) on December 7 for its annual Winternational Showcase. The market is a perfect place to pass time during your lunch hour—running from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. It will feature food and crafts from around the globe, as well as travel and tourism exhibits. The event is free to the public, but you must be registered in advance.
