Local chefs will put their best tacos forward at Tico this Sunday to support My Sister’s Place. (Photo by Alex Levin)
This week’s food events include a crab cake competition and half-priced glasses of wine. Read on for our full list of picks.
Virginia wines take Flight
Oenophiles can swing by Flight wine bar (777 6th St. NW) on Wednesday for an evening of sipping vintages from Early Mountain Vineyards out of Madison, The $75 admission ticket includes a variety of tastings with paired bites from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. This includes the vineyard’s rosé and Bordeaux-style merlot. Members of the team—including Early Mountain winemaker Ben Jordan—will be on hand to explain and educate.
The great frozen yogurt hunt
Oddball frozen yogurt shop Mr. Yogato in Dupont Circle marks each birthday with a scavenger hunt across the city, and for its 10th year, the stakes are high. Winners of the hunt receive prizes including a test drive with Tesla Motors and, of course, fro-yo. Registration for the scavenger hunt begins at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The hunt lasts from 7-9 p.m., and is followed by a night of drinks specials in Dupont.
Homestead turns two
Neighborhood restaurant Homestead (3911 Georgia Ave. NW) in Petworth is celebrating its second anniversary with a public party on its rooftop garden this Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Specials include two-for-one cocktails, complimentary bites and rosé tastings, and boozy snow cones. It’s free to attend, though an advanced RSVP is requested.
A taco showdown
Eight local chefs will put their taco skills to the test this Sunday at Tico (1926 14th St. NW) in a benefit for My Sister’s Place, a charity that seeks to end domestic violence. Tickets to the Tico SummerFest and Taco Takedown are $50 (free for kids 12 and under) and include samples of each chef’s taco and unlimited food and drinks at other stations. The event runs 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Crab cakes for a cause
Join the DC Food and Beverage Collective at Ivy City Smokehouse (1356 Okie St. NE) on Sunday for the 13th annual DC Crab Cake Competition. Eight chefs will cook up their best rendition of Maryland blue crab cakes all to raise money for culinary internships, scholarships and educational programs. A group of area culinary students will also compete for a $500 scholarship. Guests can sample each cake as well as chow down on clam chowder, oysters and passed bites. Beer, wine, tax, and gratuity are also included in the $85 admission fee. Tickets can be purchased online and the event takes place from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
A seasonal splurge at Bresca
End the weekend on a high note with the second of Bresca’s (1906 14th St. NW) seasonal dinners on Sunday. Executive chef Ryan Ratino will serve a five-course tasting menu with ingredients like yellofin tuna, sweet summer corn and dry aged veal—all served with rosé wine pairings. Guests get a welcome cocktail and small bites, too. Tickets are limited and $145 a person, excluding tax and gratuity. Seats for the 6 p.m.-only dinner can be booked on the restaurant’s website.
A pupusa festival returns
The Shrine of the Sacred Heart (3211 Sacred Heart Way. NW) in Mt. Pleasant hosts its annual pupusa festival on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fill up on two of these griddled and stuffed corn tortillas and a drink for just $5. There will also be kids games, music, Zumba, and a health fair. Get there early: These pupusas tend to go fast.
