(Photo by Osteria Morini)
It’s an exciting week to be eating and drinking in Washington. Thomas Jefferson turns 274, new cream soda products are on the way to &pizza, and a taste of Uganda is coming to the World Bank. Read on for all those events and more.
This week’s food events:
&pizza and Milk Bar’s sweet, fizzy alliance
Milk Bar (1090 I St. NW) chef-owner Christina Tosi is known for being bubbly. So perhaps her new collaboration with &pizza (multiple locations) shouldn’t come as a surprise. On Wednesday, the eateries announced new cream soda-inspired products, which will be available at all &pizza locations starting April 18. The first is the Cereal Milk Cream Soda, joining &pizza’s lineup of craft beverages at the soda fountain. And then there’s the bite-sized Cereal Milk Cream Soda Cookie, which looks like white chocolate macadamia but has a subtle edge. It took the better part of a year, “and a lot of sugar highs,” to perfect the cookie in Milk Bar’s D.C. kitchen, according to &pizza co-founder and CEO Michael Lastoria. It’s reportedly the first time Tosi has taken her signature Cereal Milk concept outside Milk Bar itself. The timing couldn’t be sweeter— &pizza is opening its first New York City location in eight to twelve weeks. The collaboration also will introduce Milk Bar’s wares to new neighborhoods, Lastoria points out. “What it’s really all about is lifting each other up.” —Carmen Drahl
Celebrate TJ at Plume
Founding father Thomas Jefferson was born on April 13, 1743, and the Michelin-starred Plume Restaurant (1200 16th St. NW) is throwing him a birthday party for the occasion. Stop by their location in the posh Jefferson hotel through April 15 to enjoy a five-course tasting menu showcasing recipes from the former president’s personal collection and highlighting ingredients and dishes he brought back from his travels abroad. Dishes include Virginia sea trout, white asparagus from France, and grilled lamb loin. The dinner is $117 per person or $190 or $260 with Virginia or French wine pairings, not including tax and gratuity.
New doughnuts for Spring
Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken released their new monthly flavors last week, and they are most definitely sweet. Stop by their store at 1308 G St. NW to grab a meyer lemon pie doughnut, complete with meyer lemon glaze, meyer lemon curd, and graham cracker crumble. Or choose a chocolate mudslide, glazed with a potent combination of vodka, Bailey’s and Kahlua, and drizzled with chocolate.
Enjoy a spritz on the waterfront
Osteria Morini (301 Water St. SE #109) has declared April the month of the spritz and crafted a cocktail trio dedicated exclusively to this iconic Italian refreshment. For $13 each, guests can enjoy an Aperol crush with orange and basil infused Aperol, Cocchi Rosa, and Prosecco; a negroni sbagliato, with Campari, sweet vermouth, and more Prosecco; or a bianco spritz with bitters, orange, as well as more vermouth and more prosecco. Patio seating is recommended, and dreams of running off to Italy are also encouraged.
A taste of Uganda at the World Bank
On April 18 and 19, the World Bank will be hosting a celebration of the culinary and cultural roots of Uganda. Stop by their offices at 1818 H St. NW anytime between 12 and 2:30 p.m. for a lunch of traditional Ugandan dishes, including mushroom soup, baked whole tilapia, and an assortment of tropical salads. The cost is $32.95 per person and it includes an art event by contemporary Ugandan artist Stephen Gwotcho. If you are interested in attending, email Uganda@phgconsulting.com.
Plan ahead:
A group of 20 bars and restaurants are banding together for a Taste of Shaw, a celebration of the many diverse businesses the neighborhood has to over. The event runs from 7until 9 pm on Tuesday April 25 at the Howard Theater (620 T St. NW). Tickets are $80 in advance, $100 the day of, and include unlimited food, drinks, and complimentary valet parking. Tickets can be purchased online.
The Bloody Mary Festival is back again for its third year of celebrating this boozy brunch staple. Stop by the SW Arts Club (700 Delaware Ave. SW) between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 7 to enjoy a curated selection of the best Bloody Mary mixes the District has to offer. Tickets are $50 to $79.
