Charcuterie and other savories will be options at Pitango Gelato + Café opening in Adams Morgan. (Photo by Pitango Gelato)
There’s an explosion of openings going on at The Wharf and around the city. Plus a history lesson and a lot of cocktails and booze to sample. And don’t forget to check out our top Halloween food and drink picks.
This week’s food events
Smithsonian’s food history weekend
The National Museum of American History’s third annual Smithsonian Food History Weekend is currently underway. The heart of the programming occurs Saturday at the National Museum of American History (1300 Constitution Ave. NW) with demonstrations, talks, and stories “exploring the past, present, and future of food and community in America” throughout the museum. The day-long event is about food history, not eating, so don’t come expecting samples. And tickets to the evening’s “After Hours” event are sold out. But select restaurants including Bluejacket and Compass Rose will each feature a special dish on their Friday dinner menu inspired by American food history and the legacy of Julia Child in the spirit of the weekend.
D.C. gets a Shake Shack special
District locations of Shake Shack are rolling out a new mushroom Swiss burger beginning on October 30. The patty includes caramalized onions, tender crimini mushrooms, and a (very) herby cheese spread. The burger runs $6.89 and will only be available for a limited run.
A Cocktail Week sneak peak
In anticipation of mid-November’s D.C. Cocktail Week, Jack Rose Dining Saloon (2007 18th St. NW) hosts a sneak peak party on Wednesday, Nov. 1. For $35, get a tasting portion preview of the drinks that restaurants like Convivial, Dram & Grain, and Sally’s Middle Name are working on plus spirit and cocktail tastings from D.C. and Virginia distilleries like Green Hat Gin and Virgina Distillery Co., among others. Jack Rose will supply the hors d’oeuvres. From November 13 through the 19, participating restaurants will pair a creative cocktail with a food item for a fixed price.
TICO goes in on lunch
Chef Michael Schlow’s Latin American-inspired TICO (1926 14th St. NW) has launched lunch for the first time. Dishes will be available Monday from Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. and include options like a pork carnitas bowl with cilantro rice, crispy fish tacos, and a warm quinoa bowl with avocado, cauliflower, apple, and wilted greens. There will also be a selection of sandwiches and snacks.
Openings:
Restaurants at The Wharf continue to come online in a big way. Requin (100 District Sq. SW) by Mike Isabella Concepts began service on October 26. Michael Rafidi, who is also the executive chef at Arroz, is also in charge of Requin. It’s Isabella’s take on upscale, contemporary French cooking.
The curtains also lifted for Del Mar (791 Wharf St. SW), Fabio and Maria Trabocchi’s Spanish seafood restaurant. The couple behind Fiola, Casa Luca, Fiola Mare, and Sfoglina are featuring a “soft” opening and offering a 10 percent food discount through October 31. Inspired by the Trabocchi’s home on the island of Mallorca and Maria’s Spanish heritage, the nearly 12,000 square-foot restaurant pays tribute to the Mediterranean Sea with Spanish-style sashimi preparations, paellas cooked on a custom stove, tapas, and large-format options including a whole dorade baked in a salt crust and a lobster and potato stew.
Pitango Gelato and Cafe opens Saturday at 1841 Columbia Rd. NW as the company’s sixth location. Along with gelato and sorbet, the Italian café aspect adds charcuterie, sandwiches, salads, and pastries to the mix. The coolest thing about the place, along with Alex McCoy of Alfie’s consulting on the savory menu, is their vertical gelato maker. The machine will be in the front of the house so customers can see the gelato being churned.
Add a new fast-casual to the D.C. mix. Naf Naf Grill, popular around Chicago, Minneapolis, and a few other cities, enters D.C. at 1875 K St. NW. The Middle Eastern food centers around shawarma, falafel, and scratch-made sauces including a yellow pickled mango, spicy green s’khug, and red chili pepper harissa.
In the basement of Sugar Shack Donuts and Coffee in Shaw, Nocturne (1932 9th St. NW) serves cocktails in an intimate, Parisian inspired space. Billing a “show-like presentation” with a bartender guiding guests, the speakeasy encourages guests to sample cocktail flights in three-quarter pours paired with elegant sweets. Root beer pudding with smoked whipped cream, brown sugar and clove dusted jerky, and marshmallow infused with bitters topped with finger lime, and such things, will be presented in precious ways.
Plan ahead:
Whiskey & Bubbles is a first-time event taking place on Saturday, Nov. 11 at the National Union Building (918 F St. NW). Organizers are touting tastes from over 50 whiskies and 50 sparkling wines selections and a mac n’ cheese bar. A handful of whiskies including entries from D.C., Maryland, and Virginia are listed on the website. If you want to check it out, early bird pricing at $45 is currently still in effect.
