This week includes hockey-inspired cocktails, unlimited dumplings, and lobster during Lent, plus a couple of birthday celebrations at area restaurants.
The Dubliner turns 45…
… And you’re invited to help them honor their birthday for nine days with a slew of events through St. Patrick’s Day. The celebrations begin Friday from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. with $4.50 Guinness and fish & chips. Sunday, bring your kids to the family celebration for face painting and live music from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Whiskey tastings follow Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (of Redbreast, Midleton, Powers and Green & Yellow Spot Irish whiskeys). Friday is reserved for Jameson Caskmates Stout & IPA and Black Barrel Tastings. Saturday you can look forward to live music all day starting at noon. And on St. Patrick’s Day, sip on 45-cent Guinness while taking in live music all day beginning at 9 a.m. Whew! (The Dubliner, March 8–17)
We are ALL CAPS even when Hell freezes over
We wish winter would go away already, but there’s nothing like hockey-themed cocktails to get us through these final days of pain. Dirty Habit brings it with four such drinks available now through the end of winter for Washington Capitals fans: the “Power Play,” the “Penalty Box,” the “Hat Trick,” and “Rock The Red.” If you’re really feeling the hockey spirit during brunch, happy hour, and dinner, pick up a hockey stick and shoot pucks for fun on the restaurant’s regulation-size hockey net in the courtyard. Don’t worry, thanks to the special flooring you won’t need ice skates. (Dirty Habit, cocktails $12-$15, time on the ice is $12 for every 15-minute session)
Dinner and dumplings
Stuff your face with unlimited soup dumplings every Wednesday at Maketto with for its Xiao Lon Bao dinner series. Also on tap are Taiwanese pork chops, crystal shrimp dumplings, Chinese broccoli, and roasted eggplant with whipped tofu. Tickets are sold out this month, but check back in April. (Maketto, $40 per person, 10 percent sales tax and 20 percent gratuity are charged at checkout)
When the beat drops
Little Sesame hummus and pita shop brings the beat Friday with its inaugural Beatbox Vol. 1, a dance party dropping at The Sunroom. D.C. Afropop artist Elikeh performs live at 9 p.m. followed by Brooklyn-based DJ Center who brings his global music set at 10:30. As far as the eats, expect Little Sesame’s food truck to bring half pitas including the shawarma lamb option with sumac onion, tahini, and amba as well as seasonal salatim. (The Sunroom, 8 p.m., $15 tickets exclude food and beverages).
Throwing it back
Swing by Espita Mezcaleria between now and March 10 where they’re celebrating their third birthday with three popular throwback cocktails—one for every year they’ve been open. There’s the Ginger Cucumber Highball from 2016 that’s an alternate take on a Moscow mule, the Hombre sin Nombre from 2017, a riff on a martini that supposedly tastes like fallen leaves, and 2018’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a spicy mezcal drink mixed with chilis, amaro, and pineapple. (Espita Mezcaleria, cocktails $13-$15)
The games we play at Milk Bar
Hit up Milk Bar’s Logan Circle flagship shop with your pals Thursday to unwind with old-school board and card games in its baking classroom space that’s open to the community for this event. Games provided include CandyLand, Uno, Connect Four, Sorry! and Monopoly. You’re welcome to buy new items from the shop’s rotating test kitchen menu or Fruity Cereal Soft Serve, the shop’s latest seasonal soft serve. (Milk Bar, Thursday, 6 p.m.-8 p.m., free entry, but food costs extra)
Tequila Mezcal Festival ongoing at Oyamel
Oyamel’s two-week ode to tequila and mezcal continues Tuesday with paired intimate cocktail dinners at the ceviche bar. Six seats are available at each of the four dinners—eaters can expect five courses from chef Julio Acosta that are paired with cocktails from beverage manager Alan Grublauskas. Tickets to all other nights are sold out: Tuesday is the last dinner with remaining seats. (Oyamel Cocina Mexicana, Tuesday, 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m., $65)
Boqueria open for dinner in Penn Quarter
Swing by Spanish tapas bar and restaurant Boqueria for its grand opening Wednesday in Penn Quarter (777 9th St NW), the eatery’s second D.C. location. The hand-sliced Ibérico ham at the entrance and the rotisserie are of particular note —the rotisserie will churn out slow roasted pork shank, braised baby back ribs, whole chicken and other specials. Keep your eyes peeled later on this month when the eatery launches its happy hour, lunch, and brunch. (Boqueria, Monday-Thursday 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Saturday 10:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.)
Lobster with your Lent
It’s the Lenten season and if you’re Catholic, you know you’re not supposed to eat meat on Fridays until he has risen. So why not feast on lobster instead? Morton’s The Steakhouse is serving up twin lobster tails every Friday until April 12 at all of its area restaurants. All lobster lovers are welcome. (Morton’s The Steakhouse, 5 p.m. to close, $39)
