August continues in D.C. with a handful of refreshing ways to cool off with a cocktail, including an embrace of sour cocktails, international gins, and house-made tonics. Home chefs can get tips behind some of Julia Child’s favorites, and fans of discounted dining can start planning for the annual summer Restaurant Week.
Happy birthday, Julia Child
The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is hosting a free “Cooking Up History” lunch discussion and demonstration on Friday honoring the late, great Julia Child. Chef Lynne Just of Sur La Table will walk through how to prepare classic French onion soup and crepes suzette. Registration is free. (14th and Constitution Ave. NW, Friday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., free)
Learn to master sour cocktails
Getting comfortable with the sour cocktail formula is essential knowledge for any bartender. It’s the blueprint for classic drinks like the margarita, daiquiri, and sidecar. Cocktail historian and author Phillip Greene is holding court at Archipelago tonight for stories, education, and instruction on this versatile category. The ticketed event includes four sample-sized cocktails and light appetizers. (1201 U St. NW, tonight from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., $50)
Asian food trucks assemble
This Saturday is the first ever Asian Food Truck Festival at The Bullpen. Swing by the outdoor space for a taste of Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese cuisine. Vendors include Abunai, What The Pho, Miso Honey, Due South, and others. The event is all-ages and will also feature drink specials and live entertainment. Food will be sold a la carte once inside. (1201 Half St. SE, Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m., free admission).
Celebrate in Cuban style
Spend Sunday with an open bar of mojitos, rum punch, and pina coladas as Little Havana toasts to its first birthday. Expect empanadas and other passed appetizers along with a live DJ and good vibes all afternoon. Tickets are all-inclusive, and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. (3704 14th St. NW, Sunday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., $57.60)
Salute D.C.’s culinary history
This month is the 40th anniversary of powerhouse French chef Jean-Louis Palladin’s arrival at The Watergate Hotel. Palladin passed away in 2001 and his restaurant is long gone, but the influence of his Nouveau French cuisine endures. Kingbird at The Watergate is honoring the chef with a $69 three-course menu throughout the month. Each week is inspired by a different season, beginning with spring, which lasts through August 10. Come for chilled Maine lobster, lamb, and fig mousse. (2650 Virginia Ave. NW, August 1 through 31, $69 plus tax and gratuity)
Showing love to low-brow drinks
The Columbia Room’s next cocktail tasting menu is out to turn around perceptions of the Long Island iced tea, the appletini, and other uncool drinks. Its “So Bad, It’s Good,” flight launched this week and features four drinks paired with small bites. The reimagined cocktails swap out basic booze and sugary mixers for upscale liquids including Cognac, sake, oat whiskey, and green pepper rum. Reservations are available online and the menu will run for the next couple of months. (124 Blagden Alley NW, $85 plus tax and gratuity.)
International gin and tonics
Olivia is leaning into its Mediterranean influence this August, offering a gin bar with rare spirits from across the region, including from Spain, France, and Italy. The restaurant has also whipped up house-made tonics infused with flavors of lavender, clove, thyme, and citrus zest. Guests can grab a seat in the dining room or at the bar and experiment with the combinations. (800 F St. NW, now through August 31, $12 each)
Plan for summer Restaurant Week
More than 200 restaurants in the D.C. metro are gearing up for summer Restaurant Week, which begins Monday. Menus start at $22 for lunch and brunch and $35 for dinner. Popular tables book up in advance, so now is the time to get a reservation working. Visit the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington online for the full list of participants. (Multiple locations, August 12 – August 18, $22 and up)
