Spring Wine Week Cometh
Not to be outdone by the now near-constant flood of event dining opportunities, local vintners hope to take center stage during Virginia Wine Week (3/22 – 3/28).
Participating restaurants/retailers are obliged to feature at least three Virginia wines by the glass.
But many hospitality purveyors we’ve spoken to are taking the opportunity to trot out a bevy of regional pours, including:
* Capital Ale House: plan to offer Afton Mountain Vineyards Gewurztraminer (bottle only), Autumn Hill Vineyard Chardonnay ($6.95), Autumn Hill Cabernet Franc Vineyard ($7.95), 2005 Blenheim Vineyards Meritage ($8.95), Blenheim Star Chardonnay ($10.95), Burnley Vineyards Riesling ($8.95) and Green Springs Winery Sweet Rose ($6.95).
* The Dock at Lansdowne: plan to offer 2008 Horton Vineyard Viognier ($8), 2006 Barboursville Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($8), 2007 Breaux Vineyards Chere Marie ($8), Breaux Equation Merlot ($8) and 2006 Prince Michel Chardonnay ($8).
* The Majestic: plan to offer Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay ($18), Pollak Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($13.50), Pollak Chardonnay ($11), Boxwood Winery Boxwood blend ($14) and a wine flight ($18) featuring Thibaut-Janisson, Boxwood and White Hall Vineyards Viognier. “We have featured the wine flight before and it has been quite popular,” Majestic manager Maria Chicas said.
* Vintage 50/Vintage 51: chef Aaron McCloud assured me they’ll be pouring something from Fabbioli Cellars and said they were still vetting other potential wine partners.
* The Wine Kitchen: plan to offer Kluge Estate New World Red ($3.50 – taste, $9 – glass, $31 – bottle) , 2007 Michael Shaps Chardonnay ($3 – taste, $11 – glass, $42 – bottle) and Tarara Winery Long Bomb Edition Two ($4 – taste, $7 – glass, $28 – bottle), as well as a discounted flight ($7) featuring all three.
A Virginia Wine Marketing aide said they’ve recruited over 160 participants to date and hope to cross into the 200s before registration closes on Monday, March 15.
Meanwhile, we’d like to know: does your favorite restaurant serve Virginia wine? And if not, might this promotion entice you to sample something local?
–Warren
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Tags: Afton Mountain Vineyards, Barboursville Vineyards, Blenheim Vineyards, Boxwood Winery, Breaux Vineyards, Burnley Vineyards, Capital Ale House, Fabbioli Cellars, Green Springs Winery, Horton Vineyard, hospitality, Kluge Estate Winery, Michael Shaps, promotion, restaurants, Tarara Winery, The Dock at Lansdowne, The Majestic, The Wine Kitchen, Thibaut-Janisson, Vintage 50, Vintage 51, Virginia Wine Week, White Hall Vineyads, wine
Booze Meets Bracketology
Thrillist is offering $4,350 in cash to whoever can correctly crown the “best sports bar in America”–i.e., the best place for everyday fans to pull up and stool, suck down a few brews and spend some quality time loosing profanity-laced tirades at telegenic jocks flittering across mondo plasma screens–via their ongoing Bar Madness contest (2/24-3/24).
Thrillist prognosticators narrowed the playing field to 12 major cities (Washington D.C., included) and got first crack at laying down their sports bar markers : Hard Times – Clarendon and Maddy’s and were their auto-selections.
Participants can also pitch write-in candidates during the first (Crystal City Sports Pub and Grand Slam are the latest recruits) and third round (3/8-3/10).
Check out the full schedule and per-round prize breakdown here.
Having recently toured some diehard sports hubs, I’m very interested to see how our area fares against more renowned sports capitals (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles).
Meanwhile, what local watering holes would you put up against the rest of the country?
–Warren
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Tags: Bar Madness, bars, bracketology, contest, Crystal City Sports Pub, Grand Slam, Gut Check, Hard Times Cafe, Maddy's, Northern Virginia Magazine, restaurants, sports, Thrillist, Warren Rojas
Tap & Vine Taps Out
The nary two-year-old experiment that was Tap & Vine officially came to a close Monday night.
But co-founder Joy Reinhardt reports that the spirit of the craft brew-fielding, kid-friendly dining haven will live on at her flagship property, Restaurant Vero.
Vero also absorbed the neighboring Grape Juice wine shop a while back.
The culinary consolidation means Vero will now be open from lunch through dinner daily, with a new bar menu–a compact carte featuring various T&V carry-overs, including: the Spanish trio (manchego, chorizo and olive tapenade), homemade tater tots and rotating flatbread pizzas–available from open to close.
Vero also inherits more sandwiches and entree options at lunch (the custom mac & cheese is also migrating), familiar kid’s offerings (build-your-own pastas, homemade chicken fingers) and, of course, T&V’s signature closers (cracker jack, malted milk sundaes).
No word yet on whether T&V’s enviable beer catalog will fully transfer.
Meanwhile, Rheinhardt said another local restaurateur has already been in touch about snatching up the T&V site. Those negotiations have not yet been finalized.
–Warren
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Tags: Arlington, bars, Gut Check, hospitality business, Joy Rheinhardt, Northern Virginia Magazine, Restaurant Vero, restaurants, Tap & Vine, Warren Rojas
Culinary Passport to the Winter Olympics
Hockey. The flying tomato. Vodka. Ice. It’s the 2010 Winter Olympics!
Image: Vancouver Winter Olympics, © VANOC/COVAN
If you can’t make it to Vancouver, you can still get your Passport to the Winter Olympics with Neighborhood Restaurant Group (NRG).
From Friday, February 12 until Sunday, February 28, each NRG restaurant will represent a country competing in the Olympics. All six restaurants will offer food and beverage specials inspired by a different country.
Canada: ChurchKey will serve putine, a Canadian dinner staple, and a rotating selection of Canadian beers.
Germany: Rustico will offer housemade pretzels and spaetzle with wild mushrooms and have several Bavarian drafts on tap.
Italy: Vermillion Chef Tony Chittum will serve four-cheese ravioli with blood orange negroni and wines from the Italian Peidmont region.
Poland: At Tallula and EatBar, Chef Barry Koslow will serve his version of traditional Polish dumplings paired with Polish-brewed Zywiec porter.
Russia: Enjoy Shortrib stroganoff with housemade egg noodles at Columbia Firehouse. Don’t forget the house-infused peppered Stoli vodka!
USA: Cheer on Team USA at Evening Star Café by eating all-American burgers like a Waffle burger and a Five “B” Stinger burger.
Each time you visit a restaurant, you receive a passport stamp. If you receive a stamp from all six countries/restaurants you will win a $50 gift certificate redeemable at any NRG restaurant.
Celebrate the closing of the Olympics with NRG’s 2nd Annual Oyster Roast at the Evening Star Café parking lot on Sunday, February 28. The roast begins at noon and features an outdoor screening of the gold-medal men’s hockey game.
Sadly, Jamaica isn’t represented. Neither is their bobsled team.
–Aisha Salazar
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Tags: 2010 Winter Olympics, Aisha Salazar, bobsled, ChurchKey, Columbia Firehouse, culinary, EatBar, Evening Star Cafe, food, Gut Check, ice, Neighborhood Restaurant Group, Northern Virginia Magazine, passport, restaurants, Rustico, Tallula, Vermillion
Snowhere Left to Eat
(Image: freckleface)
Coming on the heels of last week’s #snowpocalypse/#snowmageddon/#snOMG, today’s storm–I’m sticking with #snOMG2. Though I could come around to @anamariecox’s spicier worldview if the situation doesn’t improve post-haste–has struck a nerve with the already struggling service industry.
Most places have chosen to err on the side of safety and shutter their doors for the day/night/foreseeable future, while others will brave the storm to cater to those feral souls wandering the powder-lined streets desperate for food/drink/a change of scenery.
Check this space–or my Twitter–for updates throughout the day (or as long as may internet service stays online).
Business as Usual
* BRABO; BRABO Tasting Room; Jackson 20; Grille at Morrison House
* Buzz
* Great American Restaurants (Artie’s; Coastal Flats; Sweetwater Tavern; Silverado; Mike’s American; Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food)
* Art and Soul – D.C.
* CommonWealth Gastropub; Hank’s Oyster Bar – D.C.
* The Tombs – D.C.
* Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza – D.C.
Closed (And None Too Happy About It)
* Clyde’s – Tysons; Clyde’s Willow Creek Farm
* Restaurant Eve; The Majestic; P/X; Eamonn’s
* Kora
–Warren
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Tags: @WARojas, blizzard, closed, D.C., food, grocery store, Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine, open, restaurants, Snowmageddon, snowpocolaypse, Twitter, Warren Rojas
Forget Snowmageddon, it’s DC Meat-Free Week!
In response to Meat Week, DC Vegan joined forces with Compassion Over Killing to plan the inaugural DC Meat-Free Week. Unfortunately, Old Man Winter doesn’t seem to want you to eat your veggies.
Snowmageddon interfered with the last two days of Meat Week and the first few days of DC Meat-Free Week. There’s a good chance it will interfere with the rest of the week’s events as well.
(Image: DC Vegan)
DC Meat-Free Week is scheduled from Sunday, February 7 to Saturday, February 13.
-Tuesday, Feb 9: Sticky Fingers Bakery in Washington, DC. A portion of the proceeds benefits Compassion Over Killing.
-Wednesday, Feb 10: Busboys & Poets (all locations)
-Thursday, Feb 11: The Source in Washington, DC (5:30-10:30PM) (Reservations Recommended)
-Friday, Feb 12: Restaurant Nora in Washington, DC (Reservations Recommended)
-Saturday, Feb 13: Great Sage in Clarksville, MD (Reservations Recommended)
A dinner with Farm Sanctuary President, Gene Baur will be rescheduled for February, 27 at Great Sage.
There are plenty of vegetarian and vegan restaurants around Northern Virginia if any of those options are too far. Or, if you’re unable to make any of the events but you do venture out to visit the grocery store, there are plenty of tasty vegan recipes to try while you’re stuck at home.
If you do lose power, try these tips from the American Red Cross to keep yourself and your food safe.
Image: One Vs. Many
Just be sure to keep warm. You can even memorialize Snowmageddon by helping a great cause. When you purchase a t-shirt from One vs. Many, founded by local guys Alex Welsh and Grant Hill, 15% of each t-shirt sale will benefit So Others Might Eat (SOME), a non-profit organization that works to help the homeless, poor, elderly, and individuals with mental illness by providing meals, housing, job training, addiction treatment, and counseling services.
Too bad there isn’t a DC Meat-Free Week shirt. Of course, you could settle for one of these shirts.
–Aisha Salazar
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Tags: Aisha Salazar, American Red Cross, Busboys & Poets, Compassion Over Killing, DC Meat-Free Week, DC Vegan, food, Great Sage, Gut Check, Meat Week, Northern Virginia Magazine, One vs Many, recipe, Restaurant Nore, restaurants, Snowmageddon, So Others Might Eat, Sticky Fingers Bakery, The Source, vegan, vegetarian
Walk away calories at Alexandria Restaurant Week
(Source: Visit Alexandria)
There are only a few more days left to ignore your New Year’s Resolution before getting back into shape. Alexandria Restaurant Week continues until January 24th. Thanks to the folks at Capital Spice, here is a map of the participating restaurants. New to this year’s event, $3.50 sweet treats at Bittersweet Cafe and Artfully Chocolate Kingsbury Confections.
If you really want to get some cardio in while enjoying Restaurant Week, take part in an Old Town Alexandria Food Tour by DC Metro Food Tours.
Normally priced at $50 per ticket, this tour is a shortened version of the regular tour, lasting 1.5 hours as opposed to 3.5 hours. The progressive dinner still offers some Virginia history mixed in with some tasty treats. You’ll have your first course at one restaurant and your second course and dessert at the second. The only way to find out which local restaurants you’ll visit is by taking the tour.
(Source: DC Food Tours)
Jeff Swedarsky, director of DC Food Tours, believes in highlighting the local, family run restaurants that make Old Town unique. That’s right, no chain restaurants. He wants diners/tourists to experience Old Town in a new way, without any “preconceived notions about what to expect” in a culinary experience rich with history and architecture. He hopes to extend the tour to the west end of Alexandria in the near future. Each tour is customized to your liking, so call 202-683-8847 to make a reservation.
Cheers to walking away your calories!
–Aisha Salazar
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Tags: Aisha Salazar, Alexandria, Alexandria Restaurant Week, DC Metro Food Tours, food, Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine, Old Town Alexandria, restaurants, walking
Pizzeria Orso Picks Up the Pace
Construction FINALLY began this past Monday at Falls Church’s long-dormant Pizzeria Orso project–the artisan-pizza-in-the-burbs concept 2941’s management leaked to the online faithful nearly two years ago.
2941 owner Rick Adams is financing the neighborhood eatery while Neapolitan pie maker Edan MacQuaid–he’s twirled dough everywhere from perennial award-winner 2 Amys to RedRocks (coming to Old Town Alexandria this spring) to the now-defunct Bebo (for about a minute, anyway)–will man the imported brick oven.
And although MacQuaid glibly describes his raison d’etre (on Facebook) as “I make pizza twice per week,” a 2941 spokesperson suggested the Denominazione di Origine Controllata-obsessed chef has been much more focused on business issues lately.
“He hasn’t really been flinging pizzas anywhere,” the spokesperson said. “He’s been working to get this place open.”
The spokesperson declined to elaborate on any grand opening dates or final menus for Orso (”They know they’re doing pizza!”), but building tenants have been told they could be enjoying gourmet slices by as early as May.
Pizzeria Orso: 400 S. Maple Ave., Falls Church.
–Warren
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Tags: 2 Amys, 2941 restaurant, artisan, Edan MacQuaid, Falls Church, Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine, pizza, Pizzeria Orso, RedRocks, restaurants, Rick Adams, Warren Rojas
Local Restaurants Raise Funds for Haiti Earthquake Victims
Local restaurants are helping in relief efforts for victims of the Haiti Earthquake.
Today, January 14th:
Rock Bottom Brewery: The American Red Cross, Arlington County Chapter will be having a Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser today at Rock Bottom Brewery in Arlington, VA. For $8 you can purchase a bracelet that allows you to buy $2 beers until 9pm. 100% of the proceeds from the bracelet go directly to Haiti. The fundraiser was originally meant to be for the Arlington Chapter, but in the wake of the Haiti earthquake they decided to donate all the funds to Haiti. Club Red, a volunteer group for young professionals (ages 20-30) in the Northern Virginia area, is organizing the event. 5-9pm.
Union Jacks (Ballston and Bethesda locations) will donate 10% of total sales to Red Cross relief effort in Haiti. They will also have collection jars at the bars for cash and check donations. They are asking for all checks to be made payable to “American Red Cross” with “For emergency Haitian relief” on the memo line.
The Gibson: 100% of profits from all sazeracs and old fashioneds will be donated to the Red Cross. (2009 14th St, NW). For more information, visit their Facebook page.
Sunday, January 17th:
Busboys and Poets (2021 14th St. NW DC) is planning a fundraiser for Sunday, Jan 17th at 7pm. Check their website for more information as details are being developed.
Help a great cause by eating and drinking with friends!
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Tags: Aisha Salazar, Dinner, Gut Check, Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser, Northern Virginia Magazine, restaurants
Sorrento Team Turns to Tapas
Just weeks after shuttering their Ashburn store, the Sorrento Grill folks have reemerged with a new vision for their displaced property: Sorrento’s Tapas Lounge.
Partner Jay Banaei confirmed that they were forced to abandon their Ashburn post in late December because of an ongoing real estate tussle (Banaei says the original strip mall owner succumbed to foreclosure, leaving the current tenants with toothless leases), but noted that they were fortunate enough to scoop up the vacant spot directly behind their original Herndon eatery to launch the tapas project.
The latest venture plays up Sorrento’s Mediterranean focus (plenty of salads, lamb and hummus offerings), but also brings in some unexpected elements, including:
* fruit smoothies (four berry blend, guava-passionfruit-orange),
* custom coffee and tea drinks (Columbian coffee cut with Ghirardelli cocao, ginger-spiced chai), and,
* a more fully developed wine and beer program.
Menu expansions include small plates like: grilled portobello with shaved manchego, paprika-spiked chicken, smoked lamb with feta and fried calamari witih cilantro aoili. The restaurant will also field around a half dozen entree-sized platters building upon their many preexisting kebab offerings.
–Warren
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Tags: Gut Check, kebabs, Mediterranean cuisine, meze, Northern Virginia Magazine, restaurants, Sorrento Grill, tapas, Warren Rojas
