Posts Tagged ‘Pork Barrel BBQ’
First Night, Second Sitting: Will Artley’s Project 2312 and a Quest for a Permanent Kitchen
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Tuesday, January 31st, 2012
An almost life-size banner of Chef Will Artley hangs from the building housing his pop-up restaurant, Project 2312. For eight days, Artley and his quickly-assembled crew of friends and former collegaues–”We’re getting the band back together”–will fill the space of Chop Chop, a catch-all, casual Asian concept, launching in the next three weeks.
Project 2312 opened last night; reservations are booked for the duration, although about ten open bar seats are available.
Since leaving Evening Star Cafe, down the road from his now temporary kitchen, Artley’s been consulting for restauranters “Mango” Mike Anderson and Bill Blackburn. Artley jumped on four days before the launch of Pork Barrel BBQ, re-testing recipes and training staff, and has since worked on the menu for their next concept, Chop Chop.
Restaurants require much paperwork to open so with Chop Chop still weeks from service, Artley eyed the unused space.
“In about 20 minutes,” Artley brags, he convinced Anderson and Blackburn to lend him Chop Chop’s space to open a quickie restaurant. After the successful, and hurried, Artley-led premiere of Pork Barrel, he simply asked the two owners, “Have I failed you yet?” A plea to bestow the place for good, however, was dismissed.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Monday, January 30th, 2012
America’s most powerful people in food: the top 10 slots are dominated by corporate America (Monsanto, McDonalds, Walmart) and the bottom 10 slots are filled with crusaders (Bittman, United Farm Workers, PETA). [The Daily Meal]
Evening Star scored a glowing two stars from WaPo and started brunch service this weekend. Anyone check it out? [WaPo, Washingtonian]
Michael Landrum must get bored easily. He started a new concept (is it the fourth one in so many months?) with Retro Ray’s, intended as overflow seating for the original Ray’s the Steaks, but with an emphasis on higher-end liquors and cognacs. The same menu will be found at both Ray’s, save for the “retro” (aka 2003) prices at Retro Ray’s. (PS-Ray’s the Steaks at East River opened this weekend.) [ARLnow.com, WCP]
Meat Week lands in NoVA: Pork Barrel BBQ tomorrow and Memphis BBQ on Friday. [Meat Week]
Feeling guilty about eating all those animals? Meet-Free Week begins February 6th. Arlington’s Guajillo Grill offers a 3-course prix fixe menu, with vegan choices, for $35. [DC Vegan]
Do This. [Mostly Cabbages]
Don Rockwell praises Yechon‘s new take-out menu (Good, Noteworthy), enjoys La Caraqueña‘s arepas and its lunch carry-out (Excellent, Noteworthy) and can barely believe the cheap beer pricing at Bollywood Bistro, as well as its large-portioned vegetarian entrees (Very Good). [DC Dining.com]
In totally non-shocking news, McLean’s Chocolate Festival deemed a success. [McLeanPatch]
Where you should eat breakfast, says Kathleen Nixon. [Falls Church Times]
Missing your fix of local radishes? Sign up for a CSA. [WaPo]
The Girl Scouts turn 100. It’s about damn time there’s a new cookie: Savannah Smiles. What’s your favorite? [OTAlexandriaPatch]
Photo by Stefanie Gans, rare roast beef from South Side Under
[tips for the food desk / follow @gansie]
Where Will the Obama Family Eat in 2012?
Posted by Stefanie Gans / Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
The Obamas flew back from Hawaii yesterday and now it’s Game On for where the First Family will dine in 2012. Being an election year, the Os will probably not find much time to eat in their home city, which will make an appearance all that more special.
I’m thinking they’ll want to try the re-vamped 2941, the eat-in-only cheesy, porky and salty calzone from Pupatella, or ribs from Pork Barrel BBQ.
Any other guesses?
More in Barackulars after the jump.
Photo by Andrew Harrer / Getty Images via Mrs. O
Del Ray’s Pork Barrel BBQ Opens Today!
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, November 29th, 2011
Image: Rebecca Armendariz/TBD
In 2008, Pork Barrel BBQ founders Heath Hall and Brett Thompson released their company’s first product – the All-American Spice Rub. The brand has grown and, since 2009, Hall and Thompson have entered a competition barbecue team in contests, beginning with the Safeway National Capital Barbecue Battle in D.C. They even have their own fragrance – “Que.”
The Alexandria restaurant, which opens today, is another first for the company.
The first Pork Barrel BBQ restaurant opens today at 2300 Mount Vernon Avenue in the Del Rey neighborhood of Alexandria. It’s been over two years since the venture was first announced in August 2009.
Also news is that they’ve brought aboard former Evening Star Café chef, Will Artley, as a consultant to share his knowledge of operating a restaurant and even offering tweaks to the side dishes — including what co-owner Brett Thompson calls an “off-the-charts” rendition of mac-n-cheese.
Pork Barrel BBQ Ribs!
Northern Virginia has been waiting a long time for great BBQ, and I, for one, am looking forward to filling that BBQ void with sumptuous pulled pork, ribs, brisket, chicken and special recipe sausage and sides like BBQ baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, corn salad and mac & cheese!
Opening today! Go get your BBQ on!
Pork Barrel BBQ Restaurant - 2312 Mt. Vernon Ave, Alexandria
Visit their Facebook page or website for more information!
– Jennie Whistler
Get your “small town vibe” from the Del Ray Music Festival
Posted by clara / Friday, June 24th, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Celebrate the rich diversity and talent of our community at the Fifth Annual Del Ray Music Festival on Saturday, June 25, 2011. Scheduled from 10am to 10pm on the Mt. Vernon Recreation Center Fields at 2701 Commonwealth Avenue, the Del Ray Music Festival will include music, food, games, and a chance to ring in the summer with friends and neighbors, no admission fee required.
Family Friendly Alert! From 11am to 5pm there will be kids games, a moon bounce and craft activities. And if you don’t want the hassle of packing a sack lunch for the family, Evening Star Cafe, Pork Barrel BBQ, and Taqueria Poblano will be there dishing up a variety of grilled American and Mexican treats.
Dave Dodd, front man for the local band Elroy Jenkins, performing at 7pm, put it this way:
“When you look out into the crowd and see friends and neighbors, it reminds me that, even though we live just outside of a big city, the small town vibe is still alive and well here in Del Ray.”
The festival will feature a variety of music including jazz, blues, folk, country, Celtic, Reggae and rock. Returning favorites from last year Jonny Grave and the Justin Trawick Group will perform at 2 and 3pm. The complete schedule is available online.
For more information, visit www.delraymusicfestival.com.
–Clara Ritger
Carnivores Unite for Meat Week 2010
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, January 28th, 2010
Two days and counting until Meat Week 2010! The event lasts from January 31 to February 7 nationwide, with the event culminating on Super Bowl Sunday. What a perfect way to end the week: barbeque and pigskin. Eight days of pure heaven for meat lovers.
Image: Kelly Kubik
In 2005 “The Holiday That Time Forgot” was founded by Chris Cantey and Erni Walker in Tallahassee, Florida. Although the term meat refers to any and all animal flesh, they decided to focus meat week on barbeque, Southern style barbeque that is. Awards are handed out for Best of’s (Sauce, Service, Sides, Atmosphere, and All-Around) and Meat Week Honors. Meatography is key to documenting the event.
The DC region can thank Captain Mike Bober of Capital Spice, for putting together a mouthwatering list of venues for DC’s first ever Meat Week.
-Sunday, Jan 31: Urban BBQ in Rockville, MD
-Monday, Feb 1: Rocklands Barbeque in Washington, DC
-Tuesday, Feb 2: Red Hot & Blue in Arlington, VA
-Wednesday, Feb 3: Pork Barrel BBQ at Mango Mike’s in Alexandria, VA from 5-9pm ($15.95)
-Thursday, Feb 4: Capital Q in Washington, DC
-Friday, Feb 5: Branded ’72 in Rockville, MD
-Saturday, Feb 6: Mr. P’s Ribs and Fish in Washington, DC (514 Rhode Island Ave, NE in the Safeway parking lot) at 3pm
-Sunday, Feb 7: venue of your choice at 6pm
The idea was to keep the event within the Beltway and Metro accessible, so only two venues are in Virginia.
Lucky for us, one of the Virginia venues (Mango Mike’s) will feature a preview of what’s to come at Pork Barrel BBQ (yes, the makers of the sauce and dry rub), which opens this spring in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, VA. It’s an appropriate debut as the guys at Pork Barrel are partnering with Mike Anderson and Bill Blackburn of Mango Mike’s to develop the new restaurant.
Image: Pork Barrel BBQ, Capital Spice
Urban BBQ is on the list, which is the location of last years first attempt by Tim Carman in drawing fans to the holiday.
Rockland’s Virginia locations, though not the primary site for the holiday, will be happy to take any carnivores eager to bite into some barbeque.
On the last day participants are free to eat barbeque at a game watching party of their choice. All gatherings are open to the public and take place at 7pm, unless otherwise noted. You don’t have to attend all 8 days.
To secure a spot at Pork Barrel’s tasting, email capitalspice@gmail.com by Monday evening.
Excuse me while I go wipe the drool off my face.
–Aisha Salazar