Chaia and Toki Underground are pairing up for a special taco menu this Sunday. (Photo by Toki Undergound)
Welcome October with a donut scavenger hunt, a spooky Halloween bar, a taco and ramen collaboration, and more on the coming week’s food calendar.
This week’s food events
Brunch on a rooftop, in October
El Techo (606 Florida Ave. NW), Rito Loco’s hip rooftop spinoff, kicks off brunch service this weekend with a menu featuring a Latin American twist. Come and fill up on plates of fried chicken and churros, chorizo eggs Benedict, breakfast tacos, and more. Sip on the bar’s full range of cocktails or order up an El Techo Bloody Mary, with pico de gallo, hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, fresh horseradish, citrus, and spices. Instead of just vodka, choose between mezcal, vodka, tequila, or “aguardiente.” Hours are Saturday and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Tiki and pork
Join the D.C. Craft Bartender’s Guild on Sunday, Oct. 1 from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. for its 4th annual Tiki Competition at The Brixton (901 U St. NW). Tickets are $50 and buy bottomless tiki punches from eight competitors and access to a whole pig roast. Proceeds will go to support hurricane recovery efforts in the U.S. and the Caribbean. A $50 gift card is up for grabs for the male and female guest with the best tiki attire. In addition to all that, there will be a Bloody Mary competition at noon.
Ramen and tacos unite
Toki Underground (1234 H St. NE) is joining with vegetarian taco shop Chaia for a special ramen and taco menu on Sunday, Oct. 1 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Expect a taco trio featuring a blend of Latin and Asian flavors including fried enoki mushrooms, sweet potato and kale, and fermented black bean and rice. The trio will be $11, or order them a la carte for $3.75 each. Since it’s during brunch, drinks ($10) will flow, too. So grab a kimchi Bloody Mary or a grapefruit margarita. If you can’t make it Sunday, Chaia’s Georgetown location (3207 Grace St. NW) will serve one of the tacos on its menu from October 16 through the 20.
Cycling with chefs, for a cause
Sweat it out with Flywheel Sports and Hungry Harvest this Tuesday, Oct. 3 for the “Pedal Against Hunger” event. Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley of Smoked & Stacked will be participating as well, all to help reduce food insecurity in D.C.’s most needy neighborhoods. Hungry Harvest will donate one pound of produce to benefit wards 7 and 8 for each mile ridden and every barre class taken throughout the day at either the Dupont Circle (1927 Florida Ave. NW) or CityCenter (824 9th St. NW). Register online to participate, and first time users can enter code FLYHHDC15.
A donut scavenger hunt
Area locations of Sugar Shack Donuts are hosting a Halloween Scavenger hunt with gnomes, goats, and giveaways. Beginning on October 1, there will be 29 small gnomes, nine goats, and three giant gnomes stashed around South Arlington, Alexandria, and Shaw. Find them and take them back to the shops for prizes like donuts and t-shirts, depending on what you’ve found. Follow along on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for clues and more details.
Openings
D.C. has yet another choice for ramen noodles and Japanese small plates. The newest outpost of chain Jinya opened this week in Logan Circle at 1336 14th St. NW. The two-story restaurant has a bar, a small outside area and lots of seating to slurp noodle bowls and snack on fried chicken, dumplings, bao, and other Asian-inspired bites.
Shaw’s most anticipated new bar, PUB Dread, opens Sunday, Oct. 1. The Halloween-themed bar is the next concept from the minds behind the immensely popular Game of Thrones bar and the Miracle on 7th Street Christmas bar. Prepare for frights, cocktails, and long, long lines.
Fall is technically here, but that’s not deterring Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams from its D.C. launch. The Ohio chain, beloved for its quality and innovative flavors (salted caramel, anyone?) will give away free ice cream during its launch on Thursday, Oct. 5 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Plan ahead
Fans of fancy brown liquor can purchase tickets for the upcoming Whisky Extravaganza expo on October 26. It goes down at the J.W. Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are a bit pricey at $150 each, though it does provide unlimited premium whisky tastings, a tasting glass, and access to an education seminar. Maybe don’t make plans for Friday morning after this one.
