CakeLove Is Closing Its Final Store

CakeLove, one of the first bakeries to catch the cupcake craze in the DMV, will close its original store at 1506 U St. NW at the end of the year.

CakeLove will close its original U Street location and begin selling CakeLove in a Jar online and in retail stores. (Photo: CakeLove/Facebook)

Lawyer-turned-baker Warren Brown opened CakeLove in 2002. At one time it had seven locations in the DMV, but the rest have already closed. Instead, the company will sell its CakeLove in a Jar, a single serving of cake and cream cheese icing in a resealable jar, online. CakeLove in a Jar is available in a number of grocery stores on the east coast including Whole Foods, Glen’s Garden Market, Yes! Organic Market and Union Kitchen Grocery locally.

“While I’m sad to leave the many friends and neighbors of this wonderful community, I’m very excited for this change. Over the last few years, I have been working to transition CakeLove from a string of brick-and-mortar stores to a new business focused on portable, ready-to-eat premium desserts. The closing of our flagship location marks the completion of this transition and the launch of a new CakeLove,” founder Warren Brown said in a statement.

Customers in the DMV will still be able to order CakeLove’s signature layer cakes online for delivery or pick-up at the U Street location before Dec. 31. After the New Year, cakes will be available for delivery or pick-up from the bakery’s new warehouse space at 4940B Eisenhower Ave., Alexandria.

There will be a goodbye party today from noon-3 p.m. to celebrate its more than 3 years on U Street. The party will include a cate-cutting ceremony to officially launch the new CakeLove, free cake and bubbly, giveaways of the new jars and a raffle of several of Warren’s autographed cookbooks.

Marcel’s begins Sunday brunch service

Marcel’s, 2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will begin serving at three-course brunch from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 pm. For $65 per person this Sunday, Dec. 20.

Marcel’s will begin serving brunch this Sunday. (Photo: Marcel’s)

The first course includes a choice of roasted pumpkin soup and cashew crab cakes; smoked salmon carpaccio with red onion, dijon crème fraiche and watercress; baby arugula, balsamic shallots, shaved parmesan and aged sherry vinaigrette; gratin of Prince Edward Island mussels with tomato fondue, gruyere and garlic cream; or pan seared diver scallop with baby spinach and Osetra caviar butter.

The main course includes a choice of seared Atlantic halibut with saffron risotto and red wine reduction; poached eggs on toasted brioche with goat cheese and Parma ham in a chive sabayon sauce; three egg omelet with sautéed spinach and gruyere cheese; Ahi tuna niçoise with new potato salad, frisée, haricot vert, cherry tomato and olive anchovy; farmhouse chicken, gruyere cheese potato cake with melange of vegetables and tarragon jus; Martins angus NY strip with baked roma, haricot vert and cabernet sauce; or Aunt Leila’s pancakes with powdered sugar and fresh berries.

Dessert includes a choice of Earl Gray crème brûlée with tea meringues, lemon thyme sauce and lemongrass Chantilly; carrot sponge cake with date jam maple candied walnut and cream cheese ice cream; or Valrhona chocolate bar with coffee crème anglaise and salted caramel ice cream.

Brunch will be complemented with signature libations and bubbly and the restaurant’s 16-page wine list.

Area restaurants toast the holiday with homemade eggnog

This holiday season, many area restaurants are serving unique variations of the festive egg and milk nog.

Cuba Libre in Penn Quarter is serving El Coquito, a Cuban eggnog. (Photo: Cuba Libre)

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 Ninth St. NW, has El Coquito made from a combination of cinnamon, vanilla, coconut milk, coconut rum and a toasted coconut rim for $8 through Jan. 1

1789 Restaurant, 1226 36th Street, NW, is serving its classic eggnog made with whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolks, sugar, rum extract, nutmeg, almond extract, cloves, guar guam and Lambda Carrageenan for $13 through Dec. 31.

Ambar, 523 Eighth St. SE, is offering a special eggnog cocktail called the Egg-N-Grog made from a combination of Hennessy Black, Ron Zacapa, Chairman’s reserve spiced rum, Hidalgo Oloroso sherry, spiced syrup, a whole egg and milk for $12 through Jan. 17.

Bibiana, 1100 New York Ave. NW, is serving a classic eggnog with a twist made from a combination of Pedro Ximénez, Benedictine and Buffalo Trace for $12 through Dec. 24.

Lupo Verde, 1401 T St. NW, is serving the Lupo Eggnog made from a combination of almond milk, brandy, Don Ciccio Nocino (walnut liquor), simple syrup, a dash of cinnamon tincture, an egg yolk and garnished with cinnamon sugar powder for $12 through the end of the month.

Secret Chopsticks now serving lunch

Last week, Secret Chopsticks, 1850 Fort Myer Dr., Rosslyn, began serving its executive lunch service from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Secret Chopsticks is now serving weekday lunch. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

For lunch, diners can choose from entrees and dim sum selections such as sweet and sour chicken; beef braised in tomato sauce; spicy tofu with minced pork; tomato with shrimp and eggs; mo shu pork; vegetarian stuffed bun; beef pot sticker; pork dumpling with spicy sauce; crispy spring roll or the dim sum platter, which includes the pot sticker, dumpling, spring roll and ham pastry.

Entrees are priced at $19.99 and include a pickle salad and dessert, with choice of steamed white or black rice. The dim sum platter is 14.99 and includes a pickle salad and dessert.

Diners can also choose a la carte sides such as white and black rice; bacon or yang zhou fried rice; chicken rice soup; egg drop soup or pickle salad. Dessert includes date cake and sticky rice pudding. Sides range from $2-$8 and desserts are $4.99.

Mango Tree offers bottomless pad thai on Mondays

Monday means bottomless vegetable or chicken pad thai at Mango Tree in CityCenterDC. (Photo: Mango Tree)

Mango Tree, 929 H St. NW in CityCenterDC is offering bottomless pad thai from 5 p/m.-close every Monday.

Bottomless pad thai includes a choice of chicken or vegetable for $17 in the upstairs dining room or at the bar.

701 Restaurant serves Petrossian American caviar samplers

701 Restaurant, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, is serving four sampler portion caviars accompanied by a glass of bubbly or a shot of Boyd & Blair potato vodka, for $45 per person through Feb. 29.

Featured caviars are Tsar Imperial Ossetra, Royal Transmontanus, trout roe and Tobiko wasabi roe, which are served with the traditional chopped eggs, crème fraiche, red onions and potato blinis.