Saturday is July 4th and there will be fireworks and other festivities around the DMV. Many area restaurants are helping you celebrate Independence Day with dining specials to get you out of the kitchen.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken is offering a special USA doughnut on July 4. (Photo: Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken)

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, 1308 G St. NW, will celebrate the Fourth of July by offering their birthday cake and USA doughnuts. The birthday cake doughnut is a chocolate cake doughnut with vanilla glaze, buttercream and sprinkles. The USA doughnut is a vanilla glazed doughnut with raspberry drizzle, blueberries and the letters USA piped in chocolate. The specialty doughnuts will be available on July 4 only or by special order on July 3. One half dozen order with three birthday cake and three USA doughnuts will be available for $14, and eight pieces of chicken can be added to the order for a total of $33.

strong>Bayou Bakery, Coffee Bar & Eatery on The Hill, 921 Pennsylvania Ave SE, is offering Music Box Meals for $15. The dinner box special includes a choice of chicken salad sandwich on 7-grain bread with alfalfa sprouts and avocado; pimiento cheese and cucumber sandwich; or shaved natural turkey with havarti and baby arugula. The boxes come with Zapp’s Kettle Chips, a lemon-cornmeal cookie and fresh fruit.

Burger, Tap & Shake, 2200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will be shaking up a chilly summer treat throughout July with its American spirited Red, White & Blue Milkshake. Made with daily house-churned vanilla ice cream, blueberry purée and crushed raspberries. Grab one en route to the fireworks.

The mercato at Centrolina, 974 Palmer Alley NW, is offering two picnic baskets priced at $75 for two people or $150 for four. The Americano basket includes fried chicken, potato salad, Route 11 potato chips, chocolate chip cookies, lemon bars and two Atlas District Commons beers per person. The Italiano basket includes a prosciutto and fennel salami sandwich with mozzarella, Gordy’s Pickled Peppers and arugula, herbed orzo salad, grissini (Piemontese breadsticks), chocolate hazelnut biscotti, lemon ricotta cookies and one bottle of prosecco for two or two bottles of prosecco for four. Baskets must be orderd by 2 p.m. on July 1 and can be picked up July 3 or 4.

City Tap House, 901 9th St. NW, is with their second annual BeerBQ Brewery Battle on July 4. The restaurant’s culinary team will go head-to-head against representatives from 3 Stars Brewing Co., Evolution Craft Brewing Co. and Adroit Theory Brewing Co. in a cook-off from noon to 5 p.m. For $15, guest can enjoy BBQ favorites prepared by representatives from the beer companies along with City Tap House’s house-made sides including potato salad, coleslaw and watermelon. Guests can vote for their favorite BBQ and beer with the winner named at 5 p.m. Beers from the three breweries will be featured on tap for $5 each. There will also be a July 4th cornhole tournament on the restaurant’s patio throughout the afternoon. There is no cost to enter, but teams should arrive between 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to sign up for their preferred time slot. The winner of the single-elimination tournament will receive a gift certificate redeemable at City Tap House.

El Centro D.F., 1819 14th St. NW and 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, will serve its all-you-can-eat Mexican brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-Sunday for $35 per person.

If you head to the National Mall for the fireworks, take along some of these special deals. (Photo: Shwn Thew/AFP/Getty Images)

G, 2201 14th St. NW, is offering picnic baskets from July 1-Sept. 7 for $39 for two people or $74 for four people. Baskets include a choice of sandwich or salad per person, choice of canned/bottled beverage, two sides, chips and Nutella cookies, 2 sides. Orders can be placed online with 24 hours advance notice required.

Graffiato, 707 Sixth St. NW, is celebrating Independence Day with a classic summer lobster bake. Available July 3-5 for $39 per person, the menu includes a 1 pound lobster with drawn butter, corn on the cob, sausage, potatoes and cornbread.

Jardenea, located at the Melrose Georgetown Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, is offering a special red, white and blue-inspired cocktail through the July 4 weekend. The all-American patriotic cocktail is made with Bacardi rum, Rumchata, Blue Curaçao and grenadine for $10 each or half price during happy hour from 5-7 p.m.

Kapnos Taverna, 4000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, is offering a Fourth of July to-go menu. Guests can choose from popular Greek spreads, sides and roasted meats. Deadline to place an order is July 2. Orders will be ready for pick up on July 4.Orders can be placed online.

Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, will serve its prix fixe Latin-Asian brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday-Sunday for $39. Brunch items can also be ordered a la carte for $4-$13 per dish..

Penn Commons, 700 Sixth St. NW, is serving a Good Ol’ Apple Pie drink made with Apple Pie whiskey, whipped cream vodka, Southern Comfort, lemon juice and aromatic house bitters. It is also offering fried chicken picnic to go for two that includes buttermilk fried chicken, dill new potato salad, sweet corn chow-chow and summer peach hand pies for $17.76. Picnics must be ordered by 4 p.m. on July 3 and picked up between 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on July 4.

Rare Sweets in CenterCityDC is serving First Lady-inspired sweets including Eleanor Roosevelt’s angel food cake (clockwise from top), Lady Bird Johnson’s lemon bars, Hillary Cinton’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and Mamie Eisenhower’s chocolate fudge.
(Photo: Franz Mahr/Brightest Young Things)

Rare Sweets, 936 Palmer Alley NW, will offer a variety of First Lady-inspired sweets for the Fourth now through July 3. The special include Lady Bird Johnson’s lemon bars for $2.50; Mamie Eisenhower’s chocolate fudge for $6 per pack; Eleanor Roosevelt’s angel food cake for $5 per slice or $40 for a whole cake with mixed berry compote; and Hillary Clinton’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies for $2; A Fourth of July BBQ dessert essentials kit with six lemon bars, six oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and one 8-inch blueberry nutmeg cake is available for $65.

Station 4, 1101 4th St. SW will offer its weekend brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Diners can order a la carte for $7-$17 each dish or enjoy endless Bloody Marys and Mimosas along with the choice of one brunch entrée for $30.

Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats, 1370 Park Road NW, is selling a Fourth of July cupcake with stars and sparks for $4 each or $36 for 12.

Zengo, 781 7th St. NW will serve its bottomless brunch Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for $39 per person and $10 per child under 10. Signature cocktails are available for an additional $5 each.

Bolt Burgers opened late last month at 1010 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The new burger joint features a high-tech ordering system.

Those dining in will be taken to a table by a greeter and handed a computer tablet from which to order and swipe your credit card. The food is then brought to your table on real (not paper or plastic) plates. If you’re getting takeout, a touch-screen kiosk near the entrance lets you place your order or you can go up to the register. Soon, you’ll be able to order online.

A computer tablet diners will use to order their meals and pay. (Photo: Washington Post)

Local eye doctors Michael Davidson, Ender Adam and George Brown have teamed up with Restaurant Consultants Inc. founder Joe Spinelli to open the restaurant. Chef Troy Clayton, who owns Alexandria’s Geranio Restaurant and consults with Restaurant Consulting Inc., helped develop the menu.

Diners can build their own burger for $6.99 or try one of the signature burgers, which range from $7.99 to $10.99. The patties — angus beef, ground turkey, chicken breast or vegetarian black bean — all get a spice rub such as toasted peppercorn and herb; chili with cumin and paprika, yellow curry and tumeric, or toasted peppercorn and herb. The spice mixes are also on every table along with other condiments. Bolt Burgers tops its burgers with tomato and sweet basil sauce, creamy herb and garlic, or habanero, cilantro and lime sauce as well as relishes including crunchy Asian slaw, black bean, or corn and Vidalia onion.

The menu also includes a grilled cheese and salads, including a “burger bowl” with greens instead of a bun. Sides include fries that can be topped with any of the spice mixes as well as onion rings and crispy green beans. Bolt also offers smoothies, beer and wine.

The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Osteria Morini opens at The Yards Waterfront

The Capitol Riverfront may be the city’s next hot dining spot. On the heels of Bluejacket/the Arsenal’s opening, Michelin-starred restaurateur Michael White debuted Osteria Morini on Nov. 19 at 301 Water St. SE. The warm-toned Italian eatery is a nearly identical to White’s SoHo original, boasting a hearty menu inspired by the Emilia-Romagna region.

The dining room at Osteria Morini. (Photo: Scott Suchman/Osteria Morini )

The restaurants’ namesake is Gianluigi Morini, chef/owner of the famed San Domenico restaurant near Bologna where White worked for seven years. The meat-centric menu falls includes a number of seafood dishes as a nod to the waterside location. Hearty bowls of agnolotti sauced with short-rib ragu or seafood stew are far from tapas — but executive chef Matt Adler, who cooked at the Manhattan flagship as well as the Altamarea Group’s Marea and Ai Fiori, suggests sharing multiple dishes instead of the individual appetizer-entrée-dessert approach.

Starters include wooden boards piled with Italian meats, cheeses and fresh fry bread; an array of crostini; hearty salads such as bitter greens, caramelized onion and a poached egg; and antipasti like prosciutto-mortadella meatballs or braised baby octopus over polenta.

Pasta is White’s specialty, and all are made in-house, including less-common varieties such as rag-like stracci, dainty pipette tubes and short curls of gramigna. Most arrive with more meats and cheeses. Among the pasta dishes are truffled ricotta ravioli with prosciutto or béchamel-laced lasagna with beef, pork and veal ragu. There’s a two-pound New York strip, which is priced at $82 and aged for 40 days by Pat LaFrieda Meats, the same purveyors behind the restaurant’s white label burger. The Florentine-style steak is cooked on a wood-burning grill and served for two with sweet-sour cipollini onions.

The restaurant is currently open for dinner, but weekday lunch and weekend brunch are set to start soon. Look for dishes such as Osteria porchetta, here in sandwich form on house-made bread with shaved fennel, Emmenthaler cheese and rosemary-mustard aïoli. White will be opening the nearby Nicoletta Pizzeria, which will serve takeout pies that can be eaten with beer and wine at patio tables overlooking the river.

Osteria Morini is open 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The bar opens at 4 Monday through Saturday, and remains open an hour after dinner concludes.

Lupo Verde opening Dec. 16 at 14th & T Streets NW

Lupo Verde, a rustic Italian bistro, is scheduled to open at 1401 T St. NW, on Dec. 16. From the owners of Ulah Bistro, Tunnicliff’s Tavern and Station 4, it will include a market that plans to sell 50 cheeses, five of which will be made in-house, as well as house-made sauces, dried pastas, prosciutto and bread. Seventy percent of the restaurant’s menu will be available as carryout.

The site of the future Lupo Verde Italian restaurant. (Photo: POPville)

The menu at the 100-seat restaurant will include house-made pastas and roasted fish for dinner, and wood-fired pizza and panini for lunch, as well as small plates. There will be 100 wines by the bottle priced from $22-$250. Wine by the glass will be $6, with three wines on tap. Five beers and a selection of cocktails round out the menu.

Passersby might remember the space as the former temporary host of a Civil Rights-themed mural by the French artist JR while it was under construction. The mural is gone, and the space has been transformed into a homey environment with a fireplace and marble bar that seats 15 downstairs, with another 10-seat bar upstairs. The restaurant will be open for dinner service nightly, with late-night bar service on weekends. Lupo Verde plans to introduce brunch in January and, eventually, weekday lunch service.

Reopened Diego Tex-Mex restaurant loses chef

Chef Billy McCormick (Photo: Eat Well DC)

Chef Billy McCormick has parted ways with Diego Restaurant & Bar at 2100 14th St. NW after a brief stint there. The chef only joined Diego in October after the restaurant closed for a revamp.

The restaurant, owned by the same people who own Dupont Italian Kitchen, closed for retooling after a dispute between the owner and original chef. McCormick, the EatWell Group veteran who most recently worked at the revamped Virtue Feed & Grain, only was at the Tex-Mex restaurant a few month. The restaurant had opened in early August but closed after just two weeks, after the owner and initial chef parted ways.

Robert Cain, McCormick’s former sous chef at The Pig, was brought on as the opening sous chef.

There is no word on who is running the kitchen now. Diego is named after artist Diego Rivera, who was married to artist Frida Kahlo.

Former Astro Doughnuts chef moves to Table & Menu

Jason Gehring, who was the chef at Astro Doughnuts and Fried Chicken has become the new pastry chef at Chef Frederik De Pue’s Table and upcoming Menu restaurants. The later is set to open in January. Now he’ll get the opportunity to bake breads, design plated desserts and create sweets for take out instead of just engineering designer doughnuts.

Pastry Chef Jason Gehring (Photo: Scott Suchman)

In his new job, Gehring will oversee the sweets programs for the two restaurants (Table at 903 N St. NW and the soon-to-open dining room on the top floor at Menu in the former Cafe Atlantico/Azur space at 405 8th St. NW, a market on the ground floor, the Bistro Bar on the third floor and De Pue’s catering company, 42 Degrees, which has already moved into the basement.

“I have a lot of different ideas for each venue,” Gehring, 36, the former pastry chef at Fiola, told The Washington Post, “but it’s a little too early” to reveal anything.

Eden Kitchen to open in Seven Corners

Andy Phan, owern of the Pho Factory in Alexandria, is opening Eden Kitchen in Eden Center in the Seven Corners area of Falls Church at 6793-C Wilson Blvd.

The 3,300-square foot noodle restaurant is currently awaiting permits, but hopes to open in early December. The menu will include almost a page of vegetarian options, featuring mixes of tofu, vegetables and mushrooms and of, course, the vegetarian pho with broth made from fruits and vegetables. There are also fish dishes, included a fried version in a garlicky, spicy fish sauce. A seasonal menu with be available with 10 rotating items, including sour soup with shrimp and a pork and vegetable soup loaded with watercress, tofu, ground meat, shrimp and Chinese mustard greens.

Rubba takes over kitchen at Tallula, Eatbar

Chef Rob Rubba, formerly of Azur in D.C., is the new chef at Arlington’s Tallula and Eatbar, 2761 Washington Blvd., Arlington. He replaces Nate Waugaman who left after almost 1 1/2 years at the helm.

Chef Rob Rubba (Photo: Rob Rubba)

Rubba left Azur about a month before it closed. Prior to that, he worked at Philadelphia’s Le Bec Fin. Rubba, who is trained in both French and Japanese techniques, worked under Guy Savoy in Las Vegas and Paris, Todd English and Gordon Ramsay. He never went to culinary school, but learned on the job.

The 31 year old recently introduced a new lighter menu at Tallula with a larger vegetable presence. He describes it as progressive American with a focus on root-to-stem preparations. Rubba’s menu will also include sprouted items, which the chef says are at their most nutrient and most packed with energy, such as lentils, mung beans and flax.

A new addition to the menu is a scallop dish featuring cauliflower pureed, pickled and caramelized and will use the stems (shaved and glossed with warm butter) and leaves (dressed with olive oil and sea salt.)

At the beginning of the year, Rubba plans to update EatBar’s menu with more dishes suited for the by-the-glass wine program and more vegetable-based dishes.

Brunch with Santa at the Kennedy Center

Brunch with Santa (Graphic: Roof Terrace Restaurant)

Santa Claus is flying into town early again this year, parking his reindeer and sled atop the Kennedy Center, 2700 F St. NW, as the Roof Terrace Restaurant prepares for its 17th annual Holiday Brunches with Santa. Families and friends are invited to gather amidst live jazz music and skyline views, while visiting with Old St. Nick to share their holiday wishes and receive a special memento.

Patrons will enter Roof Terrace’s kitchen to choose from an array of items, including seasonal salads, freshly shucked oysters, house-baked pastries, French toast and made-to-order omelets. The kids table will feature favorites such as macaroni and cheese, chicken fingers and fries while each adult will receive a complimentary glass of mimosa or sparkling wine.

Brunch with Santa will be served Dec. 15 and Dec. 22 beginning at 10 a.m. Cost is $45 for adults and $20 for children ages 4-11. Reservations are required by calling 202-416-8555 or booking online at www.opentable.com.

The U.S. government ran out of money at 12:01 a.m. this morning and for the first time in 17 years has shutdown. Hundreds of thousand of government workers have been furloughed. The shutdown includes the Smithsonian museums including the National Zoo, the monuments, the National Archives, the Library of Congress and the D.C. golf courses. Evens weddings planned for the Mall have to be canceled or moved.

With the largest concentration of those laid off employees here in the D.C. area, what are you to do? Well many restaurants are offering furloughed federal employees discounts when you present your government employee ID.

Many area businesses are offering furloughed federal workers discounts. (Photo: netrightdaily.com)

Food & Drink

Art and Soul

415 New Jersey Ave. NW

Get your second happy hour drink for free at the bar tonight with a federal government employee ID. Happy hour is extended from 4-8 p.m.

Asia Nine

915 E St. NW, Penn Quarter

Get 10 percent off your check during the shutdown with your federal government employee ID.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

1308 G St. NW

Receive one free doughnut or chicken purchase when you show your federal government employee ID as long as the shutdown lasts.

Bar TNT

2413 Columbia Pike, Arlington

The cocktail bar will offer Furlough Foolery, a punch made with bourbon, apple and celery, for $4 a glass during happy hour from 5-7:44 p.m. weekdays.

Bayou Bakery

1515 N. Courthouse Rd., Arlington

Complimentary fresh beignets with the purchase of a coffee by government and military personnel.

The Blaguard

2003 18th St. NW, Adams Morgan

Happy hour begins at 3 p.m. while the government is closed, with all draft beers less than $5.

Boundary Road

14 H St. NE

Everyone can benefit from the all-day furlough happy hour with $5 local beers, Green Hat gin and tonics and a $7 Nonessential combo: a Narragansett tallboy and a shot of Old Overholt rye.

Bourbon

2321 18th St. NW, Adams Morgan

Furloughed government workers enjoy happy hour all night long Monday-Friday with $4 Heaven Hill and $2 off all drafts and specialty cocktails with federal government employee ID. “Thank the Republicans.”

Brasserie Beck

1101 K St. NW

Federal and military employees can take advantage of a special $20 menu that includes dishes such as veal meatballs with harissa and yogurt, classic white-wine-steamed mussels and frites, and crème brûlée (pick an appetizer and entrée or entrée and dessert). Add a $2 “shot down” drink or $5 glass of wine.

Cashion’s Eat Place

1819 Columbia Rd. NW

Get half off wines by the glass, $5 craft beers and 50 percentoff appetizers until the government reopens with your federal government employee ID.

Clyde’s of Georgetown

3236 M St. NW

All cans of beer are $3, Leinekugel’s Summer Shandy Draft is $4, Starr Pils Draft is $4, all Absolut and Maker’s Mark cocktails are $4, Fireball and Rumchata shots are $4 and Rosemount Shiraz is $5 a glass. Also, blue plate specials are under $10.

Clyde’s of Chevy Chase

5441 Wisconsin Ave.

Get 20 perecent off your entire check (excluding lobster special) with federal government employee ID.

Cork

1720 14th St. NW

Get happy hour prices on wine “all day, all night, until the Hill kids start acting like grownups and end this insanity.”

Cork Market & Tasting Room

1805 14th St. NW

Receive a 10 percent discount on the market’s wine, beer and retail items with your federal government employee ID.

The Daily Dish

8301 Grubb Road, Silver Spring

Get a free cup of regular coffee. No purchase necessary. As its Facebook page says, “It’s on our house (as opposed to the House of Representatives).” Zagut also reported they are offering a “sequester special” for hungry civil servants. Federal employees can take a 20 percent discount on food during weekday lunches on furlough days.

DC Reynolds

3628 Georgia Ave. NW

Anyone can buy a drink, get one free from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. as long as the government is shutdown.

Del Campo

777 I St. NW

Happy hour prices will be available all night long at the bar if you show your federal government employee ID.

Duffy’s

2106 Vermont Ave. NW

Show a federal government employee ID after 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday and get $2 beers (tall boy PBR, Natty Boh, Miller Lite, and Coors Lite) and $5 Jameson shots.

GBD

1323 Connecticut Ave. NW

All guests get happy hour prices from 4-8 p.m. during the shutdown with discounts on three rotating beers, $3 glasses of wine and $3 glasses of punch.

Kangaroo Boxing Club

3410 11th St. NW

Get $3 screwdrivers from noon-5 p.m. The first is free with your federal government employee ID.

Kramerbooks & Afterwords

1517 Connecticut Ave. NW

Everyone can receive all-day happy hour prices from opening to close including $5 beers, rail drinks and house wine. Members of Congress pay double.

Madam’s Organ

2461 18th St., NW

Get half off the entire food menu during the shutdown with federal government employee ID.

Meridian Pint

3400 11th St. NW

The restaurant is offering 10 percent off from noon-5 p.m. with your federal government employee ID. It is also offering three local beers for $5.

Mockingbird Hill

1843 7th St. NW

Receive a free glass of sherry with your federal government employee ID as long as the shutdown lasts.

MXDC

600 14th St. NW

During the shutdown, get $6 margaritas and $6 taco platters (three tacos per order) with your federal government employee ID.

Nando’s Peri Peri

All Locations

Will messages like “Boneless Chicken, Spineless Congress” and “Dear Congress, Hurry the Cluck Up!” the Portuguese chicken chain has been offering free specials for furloughed employees who show an ID and sign up for the chain’s deal. Check their Facebook page for today’s special.

Osteria Marzano

6361 Walker Lane, Suite 140, Alexandria

Receive half-off select pizzas as well as $3 select draft beers and $4 for hours liquors with your federal government employee ID. Happy hour from 4-7 p.m. weekdays offers $4 drafts and wines by the glass at the bar.

Ovvio Osteria

2727 Merrilee Dr., Merrifield

Get a complimentary bruschetta appetizer from noon-3 p.m. with your federal government employee ID.

P.J. Clark’s

1600 K St. NW

Receive a free draft beer when you show your federal government employee ID and purchase any of the new “hamburger deluxe” items from the menu, which start at $17.

Quill

1200 16th St. NW at the Jefferson Hotel

Anyone can get $2 “furlough fries” with red pepper dipping sauce through the shutdown.

Range

5335 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Suite 201

Receive a free Margherita pie with your federal government employee ID.

Ripple

3417 Connecticut Ave. NW

Happy hour prices all day long with your federal government employee ID including half-price wine and draft beers during the shutdown.

Scion

2100 P St. NW, Dupont
1200 East-West Highway, Silver Spring

Both locations are offering early happy hour with half-price drafts, $5 wine and $4 rail drinks until 7 p.m.

Shaw’s Tavern

520 Florida Ave. NW

Tuesday 2-for-1 happy hour with two-fer drafts and glasses of wine. Also, burgers are half price.

Smucker Farms

2118 14th St. NW

Get a 10 percent discount on Pennsylvania-grown produce, grass-fed meats, French wines, craft beers and more with your federal government employee ID.

Sonoma

223 Pennsylvania Ave. SE

Get $2 DC Brau pints, $4 bottled beer specials and half off small plates during the shutdown with your federal government employee ID.

Sprinkles Over

3015 M St. NW

Receive a free cupcake on Oct. 1 when you show your federal government employee ID.

Taylor Charles Steak & Ice

1320 H St. NE

Receive 10 percent off cheesesteaks with federal government employee ID.

Taylor Gourmet

All locations

Get a 10 percent discount and a free cookie with the purchase of any hoagie or salad as long as the shutdown continues with your federal government employee ID.

Joe Theismann’s Restaurant

1800 Diagonal Rd., Alexandria

Anyone can get 10 percent off your food purchase with their online coupon.

Wisdom

1432 Pennsylvania Ave. SW

Get 20 percent off your entire bill starting Tuesday.

Z-Burger Canceled

All D.C. locations

Get a free burger with your federal government employee ID from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-7 p.m. as long as the shutdown continues.

Others

Ford’s Theater

While the historic theater is shutdown, the Ford’s Theatre Society will present free performances of its current show, The Laramie Project, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G Street NW, just a block from the theater on Oct. 4 and Oct. 8. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come basis beginning at 6:30 p.m. On Oct. 7, the Lincoln Legacy Project panel discussion has been relocated to the Center for Education and Leadership, 514 10th St. NW, across from the theater at 7 p.m. Also, walking tours will continue during the shutdown.

The Energy Club

2900 S. Quincy St., Shirlington

Offering “Don’t Furlough your Fitness” campaign with free workouts to keep you in shape. All federal employees and contractors have to do is take their furlough papers and government IDs, and get “free workouts on the days” they’re furloughed, a club announcement says.

If you know of any other eateries offering shutdown discounts, let us know at [email protected] and we’ll update the list.

Spring is in the air, and new restaurants are popping up like the tulips and daffodils. Among the new D.C. area restaurant are two chicken and doughnut joints, a French bistro, a sausage grill and a 31-TV-screen sports bar. So whether you want a night out with that special someone, to relax on an outdoor patio or get rowdy with friends over beers and the big game, check out these new spots and watch for even more coming soon!

1. Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken

First D.C. fell in love with the cupcake. But the new sweet treat fad is doughnuts. And not just your plain Jane glazed doughnut from Dunkin, Krispy Kreme or Shoppers Food, but gourmet doughnuts like those from chef Jason Gehring at Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken, which opened April 8 at 1308 G St. NW near Metro Center. The fried chicken comes in traditional buttermilk or double-fried Korean style with a spicy garlic or Sriracha glaze. Doughnuts includes daily staples like vanilla glazed or maple bacon with others that rotate depending on the day of the week including creamsicle or grapefruit.

2. Azur

On April 18, Chef Frederik De Pue opened Azur, his second new restaurant of 2013. The upscale casual contemporary seafood spot is located at 405 8th St. NW, the Penn Quarter building formerly occupied by Jose Andres’s Café Atlantico and Minibar. The menu at the 135-seat restaurant includes roasted turbot with hakurie turnips, red mullet alongside a shaved fennel salad and grilled tiger prawns with snap peas and popcorn grits. Azur also offers shellfish cooked “en cocotte,” prepared in a mussel pot and brought to the table with the cooking liquid in a deep serving dish. Choices include mussels, clams and lobster cooked in a variety of flavored broths, from a Southeast Asian-inspired blend of coconut broth, lemon grass and Thai basil to the traditionally Belgian combination of buttered leeks, ale and parsley. The rotating menu will also include a small selection of dishes for vegetarians and carnivores. On the third floor, the small, glass-fronted counter that formerly housed Minibar has been converted to a six-seat raw bar offering oysters, caviar and house-cured salmon. Briny bar bites are the focus of the expanded first floor bar’s menu. Fish and chips, baked oysters, marinated white anchovies, sweet and sour fried squid and uni toast are served alongside a list of classic and original cocktails named after famous boats.

3. Daikaya Izakaya

An izakaya is a traditional Japanese bar serving drinks and small snacks. Accessible via a side door to the left of the ramen joint, the 90-seat establishment at 705 Sixth St. NW, opened March 28. At the bar, patrons can choose beer, wine, Japanese whisky, shochu, sake and craft cocktails. Food ranges from $3 to $15 and comes out on small plates meant to be ordered throughout the evening. The menu includes grilled oysters with housemade oyster salt and sake, grilled avocado with ponzu and fresh wasabi, and abura-miso rice balls.

4. Dangerously Delicious Pies

Dangerously Delicious Pies opened its third D.C. location in Chinatown at 675 I St. NW on April 15. Like the H Street and Union Station locations, the Chinatown eatery offers more than 50 sweet and savory pies as well as quiche and tasty beverages. There are also vegetarian and vegan options. They offer between 15-25 varieties each day depending on what is in season. Each and every pie is made with care and love, handcrafted by hand. All pies are made from scratch with no additives and/or preservatives. There’s nothing frozen, generic or mass-produced about what they do. Chinatown will have a larger selection than Union Station and be easier to get to than the original H Street location. Owner and pie man Rodney Henry will be on this summer’s edition of Food Network’s Next Food Network Star competing for his own show.

5. Fat Shorty’s Sausage Grill

Chef Rahman “Rock” Harper, the Season 3 winner of Hell’s Kitchen, and restauranteur Aaron Gordon opened Fat Shorty’s Sausage Grill in at 3035 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, on April 4. The Belgium-inspired beer hall and sausage restaurant serves almost 20 different types of sausages ranging from $6.75-$8.25. You can get your sausage on a plain bun, and pick two of four toppings of grilled onions, sweet and hot peppers or sauerkraut. Condiments include Mumbo Sauce, mustard and ketchup. There’s even a cozy outdoor patrio with picnic tables to dine with friends.

6. GDB (Golden, Brown, Delicious)

GBD (which gets its name from the restaurant kitchen shorthand for golden, brown and delicious) pairs the sweet and savory specialties of husband and wife team Chef Kyle Bailey and Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac, the culinary masterminds behind Birch & Barley. Located at 1323 Connecticut Ave. NW, just south of Dupont Circle, GBD opened April 5 and pulls triple duty serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. In the morning, guests find a warm and inviting spot to enjoy fresh homemade doughnuts ranging from the fried-to-order vanilla glaze and classic coffee cake to bourbon & bacon brioche with a cup of coffee. The fried chicken and menu of sides take center stage at lunchtime, while the evening will see an expanded dinner menu as well as a snack menu with craft beer, wines and specialty punches in the evening.

7. Gordon Biersch

The national brewpub and restaurant chain just opened a large Navy Yard eatery with a spacious beer garden at 100 M St. SE, along the Capitol Riverfront and one block from Nationals Park on April 1. The 8,290 square-foot restaurant boasts a seating capacity of 226 and features a stylish dining room, outdoor patio that seats 88 and a glass-enclosed brewery. It is the fourth area eatery for the chain. Grab some garlic fries or a handcrafted brew before or after a game.

8. The Grill Room and Rye Bar

Tucked up along the historic C&O Canal, The Grill Room at the new Capella Hotel at 1050 31st St NW in Georgeotwn opened the last weekend of March and specializes in hand-cut, bone-in, artisan meats, fresh seafood and tableside preparations. Framed with a wall of floor to ceiling windows and fluid geometric lines, the ambiance is one of relaxed refinement. Or you can dine al fresco on the patio. The newly opened Rye Bar specializes in a rare and special selection of rye whiskies.

9. The Gryphon

The Gryphon restaurant and sports bar opened March 14 at 1337 Connecticut Ave. NW in Dupont. The eatery has hardwood floors, wood paneling, antler chandlers, faux gold snakeskin wallpaper, tin ceilings, animal skulls on the walls, two wooden bars and 31 flat-screen TVs, that will be able to screen most sporting events, professional and college. With 5,000 square feet, there is seating for 192 and standing room for 350. The menu includes standard bar fare like sliders, grilled cheese, wings and fries as well as a Korean braised short-rib taco, Cajun crawfish mac and cheese, bison burgers, barbacoa tater tots with queso and gator bites (yes, real alligator).

10. La Tagliatella

La Tagliatella, an Italian restaurant chain with two eateries in Atlanta and more than 130 locations in Europe, opened at 2950 Clarendon Blvd. in the Clarendon area on April 1. It is also opening another location at 4053 Campbell Ave. in Shirlington. The newly opened Clarendon spot boasts 400 noodle-sauce combinations that range from pesto to mushroom-foie, plus a variety of antipasti and Neopolitan-style pies. An added perk is a daily happy hour that throws $4 beers and $5 cocktails and wine into the mix.

11. Le Diplomate

The restaurant opened in a former laundry at 1601 14th St. NW in Logan Circle on April 12 Le Diplomate features an on-site bakery producing homemade baguettes and brioche and an outdoor café for nice days. The 260-seat French restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu includes a variety of classic dishes including onion soup gratinee, steak frites and poulet roti as well as contemporary bistro fare, with dishes such as shaved veal tongue with mache and bavette de doeuf à l’echalote (flank steak). There is also a raw bar with oysters and other seafood.

12. Look

Located in the heart of the K Street Corridor at 1909 K St. NW, LOOK Restaurant Lounge opened mid-March and sets out to shatter traditional stereotypes by taking the “boring” out of business lunch and the “corporate” out of corporate reception. The restaurant offers sandwiches and more than 30 small plates. The 150-seat dining room is open for lunch and dinner. Happy hour runs from noon-9 p.m with $5 Absolut cocktails and $5 glasses of select wines.

13. Mothership

From the people who bring you El Floridano food truck, Mothership opened at 3301 Georgia Ave. NW in the Park View neighborhood on March 6. The menu includes starters like lemon dashi steamed mussels with tomato and shallots; mini patties with oxtail and bone marrow with spicy guava sauce; and a potato leek soup with applewood smoked bacon. Entrees, most of which are between $10 and $14, include slow-cooked wild boar rigatoni; herb gnocchi with shredded beef tongue ragout; and a Cuban pizza with roast pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard bechamel. There is also a 40-seat summer garden.

14. Red Hen

The Bloomingdale neighborhood got an upscale boost from the 50-seat Red Hen, an Italian-inspired American restaurant that opened April 16 at 1822 1st St. NW. In a neighborhood known for coffeehouses and laid-back taverns, it’s a taste of something fancier. At the center of the Red Hen’s menu is a custom wood-fired grill, used on scallops, beef tongue and hen, but other dishes will also pass through it like smoked ricotta. Clams, mussels and scallops are prominent on the menu, from the appetizers, like clams casino, to a swordfish with braised mussels and ramps. Sides like polenta or escarole are priced separately at $8 with entrees priced between $15 and $23. The drink menu focuses on seasonally-changing drinks, Italian wines and spirits. There’s a 100-bottle wine list, with five to 10 wines offered by the glass, and bottles under $60.

15. Sol Mexican Grill and Cantina

The Atlas District added another place to get a late night bite on April 12 with the debut of Sol Mexican Grill and Cantina, 1251 H St., NE. From the owner of the two food trucks with the same name, the restaurant serves tacos, burritos and bowls until 3:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For now, the offerings in the first-floor counter-service space will be familiar to the mobile eateries. Pick from veggies or meats, including carnitas, chicken, steak and barbacoa, then decide whether you want them in three tacos, a burrito or a salad bowl. Toppings include pico de gallo, jalapeños, beans and rice, and are free with the exception of fresh guacamole. Also on the menu are Mexican street tacos not currently available on the truck like chorizo and beef tongue topped with onion, cilantro, radishes, and red or green salsa. After the ground-floor restaurant is up and running, a a full-service sit-down restaurant and bar complete with a cozy outdoor patio for al fresco dining will be added on the second floor beginning April 27. With Mexican sodas downstairs, the upstairs will feature an extended menu and a bar with a large selection of tequilas. The menu will include a mix of traditional Mexican and Tex-Mex, like fajitas and grilled seafood.

First D.C. fell in love with the cupcake. We have Georgetown Cupcakes, Sprinkles Cupcakes, Red Velvet Cupcakery, Hello Cupcake, Crumbs Bakery and even Curbside Cupcakes food truck.

But it appears the new sweet treat fad is doughnuts. And not just your plain Jane glazed doughnut from Dunkin, Krispy Kreme or Shoppers Food, but gourmet doughnuts like those from chef Jason Gehring at Astro Doughnuts.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken opened today at Metro Center and offers a wide selection of gourmet cupcakes and chicken. (Photo: Astro Donughnuts & Fried Chicken via Facebook)

Sold out after 90 minutes

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken opened at 8 a.m. today at 1308 G St. NW near Metro Center. The first 200 in line got free doughnuts, but they were gone after 90 minutes. They were scheduled to reopen at noon for lunch with buttermilk fried chicken, sides and a limited assortment of doughnuts.

The fried chicken comes in traditional buttermilk or double-fried Korean style with a spicy garlic or Sriracha glaze. Prices are two pieces for $5.25; four pieces for $10; eight pieces for $18.50; or three chicken tenders for $5. They also serve a chicken BLT for $7 and potato salad and Asian slaw for sides.

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken’s maple bacon doughnut (Photo: Astro Doughnut’s website)

The doughnut selection is much larger and range from $2.25-$2.85 each. The menu includes daily staples with others that rotate depending on the day of the week. The daily doughnuts include vanilla glazed; the Brooklyn blackout with devil’s food cake, chocolate cake and cookie crumbs; maple bacon; peanut butter & jelly with strawberry jelly and a peanut butter glaze; crème brulee; and twink-nut, a golden vanilla cake with buttercream filling and a vanilla glaze. Also, through next Sunday, they are selling a special cherry blossom doughnut filled with cherry compote and an Earl Grey tea glaze.

More than 30 varieties

Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken’s creamsicle doughnut (Photo: Astro Doughnut’s website)

Among the daily specials are lemon blueberry, a blueberry cake with lemon glaze and streusel or salted caramel with caramel glaze, almonds and fleur de sel on Mondays; Saigon cinnamon, a cinnamon dough with cinnamon glaze, or creamsicle with orange curd and blood orange glaze on Tuesdays; piña colada with pineapple compote and coconut glaze and triple chocolate with chocolate dough, chocolate custard and chocolate glaze on Wednesdays; banana nut with banana cake, mascarpone glaze and pecans or grapefruit with a pink grapefruit glaze on Thursdays; and pecan with a butterscotch glaze and pecans or s’mores with chocolate cake doughnut, dark chocolate glaze, graham cracker crumbs and meringue on Fridays. For the complete menu and schedule, visit their website at www.astrodoughnuts.com.

This week, they will be open from 8 a.m. until the doughnuts and chicken are sold out. After its first week, the eatery will open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Article by: Mark Heckathorn, Executive Editor