Busboys & Poets Anacostia Opens Tuesday
Busboys and Poets is set to open its fifth D.C. restaurant and seventh overall at 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE in Anacostia on Tuesday, Mar. 12.
The new Busboys and Poets restaurant and bookstore is located at the same site as the new Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative (FSFSC) – a non-profit that serves families in Ward 8. Mayor Muriel Bowser provided $14.6 million in gap funding for the project that transformed a vacant building into a 20,000 square-foot facility for FSFSC’s new offices. The first floor will include the new Busboys and Poets, a bookstore and a hospitality training center.
Wards 7 and 8 share fewer than a dozen sit-down restaurants. With 80 new jobs at the restaurant, 95 percent of them are filled by Southeast residents.
The new 200 seat, 7,000-square-foot restaurant – the fourth largest of the chain — will feature art from local artists, 90 percent of whom live in Wards 7 and 8, for sale. A permanent mural on the wall, which features images of deities representing art in the community as well as historical figures with root in the area such as Frederick Douglass, social worker Ophelia Egypt and former Mayor Marion Barry, was painted by Mia Duvall. Barry, who was the Ward 8 councilmember when he died in 2014, has a room named in his honor with photographs from his life, including on of him shaking hands with President Ronald Reagan, lining a wall.
The cuisine will be essentially the same as at the chain’s other locations vegan, vegetarian and gluten-friendly options, like falafel wraps, red quinoa and vegetable curry. Dishes for meat lovers include lamb sliders, a roasted turkey sandwich and burgers.
Mastro’s Steakhouse offers cherry blossom drink special
Cherry Blossom season is nearly here with peak blooms announced beginning Apr. 3. In honor of cherry blossom season, Mastro’s Steakhouse, 600 13th St. NW, is serving the “Bing and Blossom” now through April.
The drink is made with Calyx gin, Italicus “Rosolio di Bergamotto” liqueur, Luxardo cherries, fresh mint and lemon served over ice with a splash of Fever-Tree tonic garnished with a Luxardo cherry and mint. It is priced at $19.
Dubliner celebrates St. Patrick’s Day all week long
As The Dubliner, the District’s oldest Irish pub, celebrates its 45th anniversary, it will have specials all week long leading up to St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday.
Festivities kick off on Friday – its anniversary – and continue through Mar. 17.
This week, the restaurant located at 4 F St. NW across from Union Station is hosting special tastings of Redbreast Irish Whiskey on Monday; Middleton Irish Whiskey on Tuesday; Powers Irish Whiskey on Wednesday; a “Spotlight on Spot Night: Green & Yellow Spot Tastings” on Thursday; and Black Barrell Tastings of Jameson “Caskmates” Stout & IPA Editions on Friday.
An all-day bash of live music and ballroom dancing starts the pre-game St. Patrick’s Day celebration at noon on Saturday. Festivities reach a grand finale on Sunday, kicking off from 9-10 a.m. with 45-cent Guinness and live music all day, featuring John McGrath, Brian Gaffney and Morris Minor on two stages.
Red’s Table features Wednesday night draft beer special
Red’s Table, 11150 South Lakes Dr., Reston, is now offering draft night every Wednesday from 4 p.m.-midnight with a rotating list of premium label draft beers available for $4 each. One beer will be available each Wednesday.
The beer selection will highlight local craft breweries such as Fairwinds Howling Gale IPA from Lorton; Port City Optimal Wit from Alexandria; Old Ox Black Ox Nitro from Ashburn; Reason American Pale Ale from Charlottesville; Three Notch’d Hydraulion Irish Red from Charlottesville; and Hardywood Pilsner from Richmond.
Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill celebrates National Pi(e) Day
On Pi Day (3.14), Dyllan’s Raw Bar Grill, 1054 31st St. NW, will offer a three-course, prix-fixe menu with a glass of wine for $31.40.
Math-lovers will begin their meal with a spicy goat cheese tart with roasted seasonal vegetables, followed by a choice of roasted chicken pot pie or beetball pot pie with seasonal vegetables. To complete the meal, diners can choose key lime pie with chocolate graham cracker crust or apple crumble pie along with a glass of pre-selected Pi-not Noir or Pi-not Grigio.
The offer is good from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for lunch or from 5-11 p.m. for dinner.
Oceanaire hosts Stag’s Leap wine dinner
Oceanaire, 1201 F St. NW, will host a five-course prix-fixe Stag’s Leap wine dinner beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Mar. 15 for $99 per person.
The meal begins with a reception featuring Oceanaire salts oysters casino, caviar blini and filet mignon carpaccio crostini paired with Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Valley Chardonnay; followed by a first course of king crab with avocado, citrus and chile paired with Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Valley Viognier, and a second course of peppercorn crusted ahi tuna with wild mushroom ragout and Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. The third course is braised beef short ribs with black truffle risotto and grana padano paired with Stags’ Leap Winery Napa Valley Petite Sirah. The entrée is SRF Wagyu NY strip with blue cheese fondue and chef accompaniments paired with Stags’ Leap Winery “The Leap” Stags Leap District Cabernet Sauvignon. Dessert includes an assortment of truffles.
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.