Mike Isabella’s second regional Greek restaurant, Kapnos Taverna will open for lunch in the Ballston neighborhood of Arlington beginning Tuesday.

Kapnos Taverna, with a heavy seafood menu, opens Tuesday for lunch. There’s no sign yet, but it is across the street from Buzz coffee shop. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The 165-seat, 5,700 square foot space at 4000 Wilson Blvd. is a sister restaurant to Kapnos, Isabella’s Northern Greek restaurant that opened in 2013 on the 14th Street corridor.

Kapnos’ executive chef George Pagonis will oversee the new kitchen along with chef de cuisine Greg Basalla. At Kapnos Taverna, the menu will focus on the coastal regions and islands of Greece, including dishes from the Cyclades, Peloponnese, Thessaloniki and Ionian Islands. Pagonis, the son of Greek immigrants, drew on his experiences dining throughout the Aegean Islands near his family’s vacation home on Paros to create the restaurant’s heavy seafood menu.

“I’m proud of the ways in which we’ve made Kapnos Taverna stand apart from the original restaurant,” said Isabella. “At Kapnos we showed how much more there is to Greek cooking than lamb shank, spanakopita and moussaka, and I think people are going to see even more of the depth of the cuisine when they see and taste the menu at Kapnos Taverna.”

Isabella’s third Greek concept, Kapnos Kouzina, is slated to open this summer at 4900 Hampden Lane in the former Vapiano space in Bethesda Row. Meaning kitchen in Greek, it will focus on homestyle dishes and shareable platters of fried chicken, stewed lamb and more. It will be outfitted like a market with pantry items and wine on display, and bowls of fruits and vegetables throughout.

Dishes at Kapnos Taverna include swordfish kebabs, crispy calamari dressed with za’atar and whole branzino served with braised kale. The restaurant’s raw bar featuring East and West Coast oysters is a centerpiece of the seafood-heavy menu, along with massive shellfish towers that feature half a Maine lobster, king and snow crab legs, marinated razor clams, octopus, braised mussels, salmon tartar, poached shrimp cocktail, and East and West Coast oysters served with harissa hot sauce, ouzo cocktail sauce, lemon yogurt, mignonette, fresh horseradish for $125.

Dishes at Kapnos Taverna includes the $125 Seafood Tower (left) and spanakorizo, rotisserie chicken served on barley with spinach, barley, dill and charred lemon. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

“I grew up vacationing at a family house on Paros and eating my way around the Aegean,” said Pagonis, who was kicked off Top Chef Season 12’s opening show in October because of his oyster shucking skills. He was won his way back, but was told to pack his knives again earlier this month when the judges disliked his plate that combined grilled octopus legs, a crispy croquette made out of the ground head, green apple harissa, lentils, pickled mustard seeds and a bacon chip. “To be able to bring those flavors to a wide audience in Northern Virginia where I grew up is something I’ve been dreaming about since I went to culinary school.”

An extensive list of Greek mezze includes the chefs’ takes on traditional dishes like falafel and cheese saganaki, as well as cold and garden mezze sections with spiced beets and dolmades. While about two-thirds of the menu will be different than the original Kapnos, some of its most popular dishes will such as its spreads and flatbread, and meat roasted on a wood-fired rotisserie spit, will find their way to NoVa.

The wine selection includes more than 90 bottles with at least three quarters of the list originating in Greece. Greek wines even find their way onto the taps, where a crisp, floral Moschofilero takes up one of the bar’s four draft lines. The other three are anchored by local beers, a rotating selection that includes brews from the likes of D.C.’s 3 Stars, Charlottesville-based Champion and Alexandria’s Port City. Also, the cocktail program is complete new from the D.C. location including The Papa Bear, which blends rye and amaro with cinnamon raisin-infused sweet vermouth, pimento bitters and Aleppo pepper.

The cocktail program includes the Papa Bear(left) with rye, amaro, cinnamon raisins infused sweet vermouth, pimento bitters and alleppo; the Gracias Amigo (center) with tequila, aperol, grapefruit, agave and thyme; and the MIC Martini (right) with vodka or gin, dolin blanc and orange bitter. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The restaurant’s interior designed by Bethesda-based Streetsense is rustic with earth tones accented with light blue booths and marble counters. The décor uses terra cotta and other earth tones offset by a variety of eclectic lighting styles, classic Greek tile motifs, live herbs and plants, and millwork panels. The overall effect evokes an urban Mediterranean garden atmosphere.

The ebony-stained, distressed wood bar front has a charred wood back bar and white marble top. The dining area is highlighted by a steel framed vertical herb garden punctuated with lava rock. A dining mezzanine overlooks the open kitchen. In the spring, a 60-seat patio and fire pit will be added.

The interior is dark woods, terra cotta and blue with marble countertops. (Photo: Greg Powers/Kapnos Taverna)

Located around the same building around the corner, Isabella’s Pepita Mexican cantina is scheduled to open in February or March. Come summer, chef Jonah Kim will open Yona, a noodle bar and Japanese small plates restaurant that Isabella is a partner in.

Beginning Tuesday, Kapnos Taverna will be open from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. for lunch only. Beginning Feb. 2, it will add dinner service, serving lunch from 11:30 a.m-5 p.m. and dinner from 5-10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 5-11 p.m. Thursday and 5 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. Eventually, it will add brunch from 11:30-3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Capitol Hill will soon have a new destination for classic American cocktails and cuisine, with the early 2015 opening of Stanton & Greene at 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE in the former Pour House space. It is owned by partners Eli Hengst and Jared Rager of Sonoma and August Paro of Beuchert’s Saloon. The new restaurant could open as early as the end of this month.

Stanton & Greene will open in the former Pour House space early this year. (Photo: Popville)

The three story, the 180-seat Stanton & Greene will evoke the feeling of the city’s bars of the early- to mid- 20th century. The ground floor is home to a traditional American bar and brasserie with period details: a classic thick-edged marble bar top, handmade brass sconces, a custom-milled oak bar rail, hand-stitched cognac leather booths, the original tin ceiling pattern, honed tobacco-colored floor tile and vintage crackled porcelain wall tiles. The bar and restaurant will be open seven days a week for lunch, dinner, brunch and drinks.

A restored oak staircase leads to the second floor with 16-foot ceilings with original skylights, an Art-Deco bar hand hewn from American ash and three huge windows overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue. The second floor bar and lounge will be open to the public and also available for private events. Like its downstairs counterpart, the upstairs bar will offer a classic cocktail menu and draft local craft beers.

The restaurant is named after Capitol Hill’s Stanton Park and the statue of Revolutionary War General Nathaniel Greene, which sits in the park.

The focus of Stanton & Greene is cocktails and a carefully-curated classic cocktails, although seasonal and artisanal specials will be available. Its spirits program will have a distinctly American imprint featuring an expansive selection of local, regional and national distilleries balanced between gins, whiskies, vodkas and other craft spirits.

Mixologist Erik Holzherr, proprietor of both Wisdom and Church & State, designed the cocktail program and has partnered with Stanton & Greene to develop a selection of early to mid-20th century classics, along with a signature cocktail menu. The bar will also offer a small selection of American and Old World wine selections and highlight the best local and East Coast wineries, as well as local draft and bottled beers from breweries like DC Brau, 3 Stars and Port City.

The restaurant menu, developed by executive chef Josh Hutter and chef de cuisine Damian Brown, will offer American classics updated to reflect a commitment to local and naturally-raised ingredients.

Z-Burger Mobile food truck to launch Jan. 20

Z-Burger’s Peter Tabibian plans to launch the Z-Burger Mobile food truck on Jan. 20. The truck will serve the brick and mortar locations’ regular and vegetarian burgers, hot dogs and 14 different flavors of hand-spun milkshake. However, the fries and onion rings will be missing from the menu.

The Z-Burger Mobile will take to the street Jan. 20. (Photo: Peter Tabibian)

The Z-Burger mobile plans to hit the streets in D.C. neighborhoods and around Montgomery County, eventually targeting areas with heavy night life traffic in the evenings. Customers will be able to pinpoint the truck’s location via Z-Burger’s Twitter accounts @zburger and @zburgermobile.

To celebrate the truck’s launch, it will offer groups supporting the Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day on Jan. 19 by serving lunch to a group of volunteers on-site of a community service project in D.C. Interested groups and organizations are urged to request the new truck to feed their team by sending an email to [email protected]. Entries should include the type of project, location, number of participants and timeframe. One group will be served lunch with a choice of burger or hot dog with a side of Z-Burger’s new signature potato chips and a drink. Entries are required by Jan. 14.

Tabibian, who opened the first Z-Burger in 2008 in Tenleytown, is in the process of suing his business partners, Mohammad and Ebrahim Esfahani, over ownership and trademark infringement. Tabibian claims the brothers never paid him his share of the profits. Tabibian claims in his lawsuit that Mohammad Esfahani has essentially locked him out of the businesses, “informing Z-Burger employees, suppliers, accountants and agents that Tabibian was no longer involved with Z-Burger.”

His partners have counter-sued him, claiming he was never an owner of the burger chain, but a manager. They also claim he trademarked the logo without their knowledge or permission.

Tabibian doesn’t expect that case to affect the operations of the truck, though he also is optimistic about the case’s outcome.

Mio Restaurant adds Chef’s Counter Tasting Experience

Mio Restaurant, 1110 Vermont Ave. NW, began a new Chef’s Counter Tasting Experience last Wednesday. Two guests per seating will be treated to sitting at the elevated chef’s counter looking into the working kitchen so they can interact with executive Roberto Hernandez as he prepares a nine-course, prix fixe tasting menu for them.

chef Roberto Hernandez prepares a nine-course tasting menu at the new chef’s counter. (Photo: Mio)

The tasting portions will showcase the best of Puerto Rican cuisine. Two seatings are available every Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

The prix fixe tasting menu is $95 per person or $135 per person with four suggested cocktail, beer or wine pairings. Dietary restrictions must be announced when booking a reservation and a vegetarian menu is available upon request.

Isabella to open Kapnos Kouzina in Bethesda

Chef and restaurateur Mike Isabella announced plans this week to open a new Greek restaurant in the 5,200 square-foot space at 4900 Hampden Lane, Bethesda, in the Bethesda Row development. Kapnos Kouzina, set to open in summer 2015, is a sister restaurant to Kapnos, his Northern Greek-inspired eatery, which opened in D.C. in July 2013, and the forthcoming Kapnos Taverna, set to open in Arlington later this month.

“We’ve had our eye on Bethesda for a long time,” Isabella said in a press release. “When we began preparations to move into Virginia, we knew Maryland couldn’t be far behind. We are so excited about the spot in Bethesda, we see a real opportunity to build something that the neighborhood has been lacking: casual, chef-driven dining that is as good for after-work get-togethers as it is for special occasions. Those familiar with the original Kapnos are going to find something different in Bethesda, it’s a little more casual, a little more traditional and a little more neighborhood-y.”

While Kapnos draws inspiration from inland Greek flavors, and Kapnos Taverna will focus on coastal and island cuisines, Kapnos Kouzina will serve a homestyle take on regional Greek cooking that is more traditional and classic than its sister restaurants. Kapnos executive chef/partner George Pagonis will draw heavily from his experience growing up in a big Greek family and working at his father’s Greek diner in Alexandria to build a menu of comforting Greek classics.

While still a small plates concept like its sister restaurants, Kapnos Kouzina will also feature a section of large-format platters meant to be shared by two to four guests. Signature dishes will include Greek spiced crispy chicken with attiki honey; braised lamb top round served with lentils, eggplant, tomato and harissa; and whole roasted branzino in a spicy clam broth with tomatoes, peppers and pearl onions. The Kapnos Kouzina menu will also include some signature dishes from the original Kapnos, notably the stone bread and Greek spreads. Unlike the original, the Bethesda location plans to open for weekday lunch.

Kapnos Kouzina will boast an expansive bar program, similar to the original with cocktails on tap and a large wine list highlighting a diverse selection of new and old world wines with a particular focus on the wines of Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The décor will be washed in deep, earthy tones with natural wood and olive green and grey accents. Natalie Park Design Studio and Eimer Designs are behind the interior design, which features approximately 160 seats, including a 14-seat communal table, a 31-seat bar and chef-counter seating for 12, and an additional 94-seat patio.

Zengo debuts Test Kitchen: Mexico to Korea

Zengo, the Latin-Asian inspired restaurant at 781 7th St. NW, has introduced its next “Test Kitchen” series. Every few months owner Richard Sandoval and his culinary team research and develop new recipes featuring the cuisine and spirits of one Latin and one Asian country. The result is a special menu featuring small plates and cocktails that feature some of the bold flavors and techniques from each region.

Achiote mahi mahi tostadas from Zengo’s Test Kitchen: Mexico to Korea menu. (Photo: Zengo)

From Monday through Mar. 31, chef de cuisine Jason Streiff is preparing Test Kitchen: Mexico to Korea with dishes inspired by a recent trip by the culinary team to Guadalajara. The specials are offered during dinner service beginning at 5 p.m. Menu items are marked with the “TK” symbol on the menu, noting that they are exclusive and available for a limited time.

The menu for this Test Kitchen will feature four dishes including achiote mahi mahi tostadas with chile morita salsa, black bean puree, avocado, pickled onion and cabbage slaw; Roseda Farms beef cheek albóndigas, Mexican-style spicy meatballs, chipotle tomato sauce and cotija cheese, served with a warm baguette; kimchi and tofu soup with pozole, cabbage, guajillo broth and tortilla strips; and spicy Korean-style Rhode Island squid with rice cakes, dried shitake mushrooms, scallions, gochujang and sesame. Item range from $8-$14.

To complement the dishes, Rob Day, Richard Sandoval Restaurant’s national beverage director, is crafting new cocktails, priced at $13 each, with the flavorful fruits, spices and spirits of Mexico and Korea. The special cocktails are the watermelon soju margarita with Agavales Tequila Reposado, Korean charm soju, watermelon juice, sour mix and serrano pepper, and the Dimelo with Korean Jinro 24 soju, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, Patron citrónge, thyme simple and grapefruit juice.

Blue Duck Tavern Lounge introduces warm raclette

The Blue Duck Tavern Lounge in the Park Hyatt Washington at 24th and M Streets NW, is serving an artisanal Vermont raclette cheese starting at 6 p.m. nightly at the marble cheese display table.

Raclette is indigenous to parts of Switzerland and is a semi-firm cow’s milk cheese. The raclette will be heated table side and served with traditional warm sour dough bread and house made pickles. It is priced at $18 per serving and perfect for two people to share.

Blue Duck’s cheese specialist Sophie Slesinger will be on hand to answer questions about the raclette and other winter cheeses and charcuterie, which are sold by the ounce and served with house-made seasonal chutney and jams.

To pair with the cheese, the lounge is featuring a Wimmer-Czerny, Gruner Vetliner, Wagram, Austria 2012 priced at $15 per glass and $60 per bottle.

Daikaya offers whiskey “bottle keep” program

Daikaya, the izakaya and ramen shop at 705 Sixth St. NW, has launched a Japanese whiskey “bottle keep” program. Bottle keep is a common practice in Japan where customers can buy a bottle at a discounted price, and the bar will keep it for three to six months.

Nikka from The Barrel Japanese whiskey. (Photo: Daikaya/Facebook)

At Daikaya, diners wishing to purchase a bottle of Japanese whiskey to enjoy at their leisure in the restaurant can choose from six to 12 rotating selections each month with prices ranging from $160 for a Nikka Taketsuru 12 year-old whiskey to $600 for the Suntory Yamazaki 18 year-old whiskey. Most of the bottles are 750 ml, which provides 12 two-ounce pours.

Patrons will buy a bottle and Daikaya will label it with a display tag containing the owner’s name written in both English and Japanese with the date of purchase. Information will also be kept on a master list for cross reference, and Daikaya will keep the bottle for up to six months from the date of purchase, stored behind the bar on display shelves. The owner will need to present ID to be able to access his or her bottle on return trips to the restaurant.

Anyone purchasing a bottle during February will get a free raffle ticket with every purchase of a 40 ml pour of the “Nikka from The Barrel” priced at $35. One winner from the drawing held on Saturday, Feb. 28, will receive a prize bottle of Nikka Taketsuru 21 year-old whiskey, valued at $410, for the bottle keep shelf at Daikaya.

Japanese whisky tends to fall, stylistically, somewhere between Lowland and Speyside malts, typically having characteristics of being floral with light peat and delicate smoke. Because of the diversity in climate in the northern part of Japan, there tends to be more interaction with the wood through the aging process, setting Japanese Whisky further apart from American or Irish whiskeys.

Will Artley takes over kitchen at BLT Steak

BLT Steak, 1625 I St. NW, has named Will Artley its new executive chef.

Will Artley is the new executive chef at BLT Steak. (Photo: Evening Star Cafe)

Artley’s blackboard menu will emphasize his healthful lifestyle, accenting the BLT Steak menu with more health-conscious vegetable-based options. New dishes could include a grilled mushroom fricassee with sunflower root and cauliflower or a roasted monkfish with eggplant BBQ and carrot caramel. Artley will also add more high-end A5 Wagyu and other premium cuts.

He attended the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., and staged at restaurants such as Aquavit in New York City under chef Marcus Samuelsson and worked under chef Seth Bixby Daugherty at his renowned D’Amico Cucina Minneapolis. After graduation, he joined chef Bob Kinkead at the newly opened Colvin Run Tavern in Tysons Corner and cooked at restaurants such as Butterfield 9, Indebleu and Kinkead’s.

He then moved to the Evening Star Café, where he won several awards, which included being invited to serve as guest chef at the White House, and showcased his locally-sourced, refined American comfort food. Artley oversaw Evening Star for almost six years, before he was tapped to head the kitchen at Pizzeria Orso, where he became certified by the VPN and the Italian government as a Master Pizziaolo.

John Melfi replaces Tony Conte at Oval Room

John Melfi was recently named executive chef of the newly renovated The Oval Room, 800 Connecticut Ave. NW. Melfi brings 12 years of experience to his new position having previously worked at restaurants in Washington, D.C. and Charleston, S.C.

John Melfi is the new executive chef at The Oval Room. (Photo: Blue Duck Tavern)

Conte was executive chef at the eatery for nine years. He left to open Pizzeria Inferno in North Potomac, Md., which is expected to open in March and feature a Neopolitan cuisine as well as small plates similar to what he created at The Oval Room. Last summer, The Oval Room underwent a $1 million renovation.

Prior to joining The Oval Room, Melfi was the opening executive chef of Fiola Mare under Fabio Trabocchi. Prior to that, Melfi served as chef de cuisine for 2.5 years at Blue Duck Tavern. Previously, he worked as executive sous chef at Vidalia from April 2008-May 2011.

Before moving to D.C., Melfi lived in Charleston, where he served as sous chef at Slightly North of Broad, a low country bistro. His culinary career also includes working as executive chef of Charleston’s Island House Restaurant. He also spent time in Naples, Fla. cooking at the Hideout Country Club, Audubon Country Club and Quail Creek Country Club.

Melfi graduated from the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute in February 2002, earning top honors as class salutatorian. Melfi lives with his family in Arlington.

‘Twas the weekend before Christmas and all over town,
All the creatures were stirring, even the clowns (in Congress),
The appropriations were passed by Congress with care,
In hopes that reelection soon would be theirs.

For those of us who aren’t in Congress, there’s plenty of things to do in the DMV on this last weekend before Christmas.

Metro is giving us all a gift by not planning any weekend track work. All 91 Metrorail stations are open this weekend with no rebuilding work going on. After 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, the some Red Line trains my incur 5 minutes of additional travel time.

The Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful LIfe, will be shown this weekend at AFI Silver in Silver Spring and Angelika Cinema in Fairfax. (Photo: Liberty Productions)

It’s a Wonderful Life

It’s a little weird that a movie built around a near-suicide has become THE Christmas movie, but 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life is the bar by which Christmas Spirit is measured. You can watch the Frank Capra classic starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed on TV almost at random, but this holiday season try leaving the house and heading to an area theater to watch it. It’ll help a lot of angels if you’re there with your bells on.

Dec. 19 at 12:45 p.m., Dec. 22 at 1:50 p.m., Dec. 23 at 1:50 and 6:45 p.m. and Dec. 24 at 1:50 and 6:45 p.m. at the AFI Silver, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring, and Dec. 21 at p.m. and Dec. 24 at 5 and 7 p.m. at Angelika Film Center, 2911 District Ave., Fairfax. AFI tickets range from $5-$12, while tickets to Angelika are $7.

The plaza at CityCenterDC is decked out for Christmas and hosts concerts this weekend. (Photo: CityCenterDC)

Christmas concerts

CityCenterDC presents free Christmas concerts in December. Friday features The Capital Hearings making spirits bright with their fresh interpretations of beloved carols, vocal jazz and seasonal favorites. On Saturday, the 18th Street Singers, a group of about 45 young professionals in their 20s and 30s, will perform a cappella.

Through Christmas eve on the Plaza at CityCenterDC, 950 I St. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 

Handel’s Messiah

The National Symphony Orchestra performs Handel’s Messiah at the Kennedy Center. (Photo: Artshound)

Get in the holiday spirit with Handel’s Messiah masterpiece, performed each year with a fresh perspective by the National Symphony Orchestra. This year, Nicholas McGegan conducts four gifted singers and The Washington Chorus in this tradition.

Dec. 19 and 20 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $10-$85.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Drink at more than 10 Dupont area bars on Saturday. (Photo: Snow Day DC)

Snow Day Bar Crawl

Drink with 6,000 of your closest friends at the fourth annual Snow Day Bar Crawl. Participants will quench their thirst on exclusive drink deals as they explore D.C. and celebrate the season one bar at a time. Get a signature Snow Day mug, drink specials at more than 10 Dupont bars, free cover, $2 beer refills, $3 rail drinks, $4 candy cane shots and $5 Red Bull vodkas. Participating bars include The Front Page, BlackFinn, Irish Whiskey, Bread & Brew, Bottom Line, Dirty Bar, Dirty Martini, Mad Hatter, Midtown, Public Bar, Recesssions, Rumors, Ozio and Sign of the Whale.

Dec. 20 from 2-10 p.m. starting at The Front Page or BlackFinn. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 day of.

Ugly Sweater Sign Along Party

Sing ugly Christmas sweater kareoke on Saturday at Republic in Takoma Park. (Photo: Life Inspired)

Proof that no tradition is safe from the irony of hipsters, trendy Takoma Park bar Republic is through a much more millennial-friendly version of Christmas with your family. In addition to a live band to accompany your holiday-themed karaoke, the event features chef Danny Well’s secret-family-recipe eggnog, mulled wine to give you a little courage for the karaoke and a $100 gift card to the reveler who sports the ugliest Christmas sweater.

Dec. 20 at 10 p.m. at Republic, 6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park. Admission is FREE!
 

The Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church in Washington performs the Messiah on Sunday. (Photo: Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church/Facebook)

Handel’s Messiah

The Metropolitan Memorial Baptist Church choir presents is 68th rendition of Handel’s Messiah. Messiah is a commentary on Jesus Christ’s Nativity, Passion, Resurrection and Ascension, beginning with God’s promises as spoken by the prophets and ending with Christ’s glorification in heaven.

Dec. 21 from 5-8 p.m. at Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Ave. NW. Admission is FREE, but a free will offering will be accepted. RSVP here.

Chanukah: Lights & Music

Bethesda Row and Chabad Center of Bethesda hold the seventh annual Chanukah Family Spectacular on Sunday. (Photo: Robert Dyer)

Bethesda Row and Chabad Center of Bethesda hold the seventh annual Chanukah Family Spectacular at Bethesda Row. This year’s Chanukah: Lights & Music will feature a giant techno-Menorah adorned with thousands of colered LED lights that flash and pulsate to music. The festivities inclue a musical performance by Hassidic rapping sensation Mor-To-Life as well as hot latkes, jelly donught and chocolate Chanukah gelt.

Dec. 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Bethesda Row, Bethesda Lane, Bethesda. Admission is FREE!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Downtown Holiday Market

The Downtown Holiday Market in Penn Quarter is open through Dec. 23. (Photo: Downtown D.C. BID)

This is the last weekend for the 10th annual Downtown Holiday Market, produced by the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District. It features outdoor shopping, music, entertainment and more in Downtown D.C. At this year’s outdoor marketplace, located on F Street between 7th & 9th Streets NW, shoppers will find more than 150 exhibitors and artisans offering a diverse array of quality items including fine art, crafts, glass, jewelry, pottery, photography and clothing. The market’s festive atmosphere will be complemented by decorative accents and lighting, tasty treats, hot beverages and live musical entertainment.

Through Dec. 23 from noon-8 p.m. daily on F Street NW between Seventh and Ninth Streets. Admission is FREE!

Winter Lights Festival

Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival is open nightly through New Year’s Eve. (Photo: City of Gaithersburg)

The City of Gaithersburg’s Winter Lights Festival is welcoming visitors for its 19th season. The 3.5 mile drive through Seneca Creek State Park takes you past more than 365 illuminated displays and 65 animated vignettes that light up the night. Themed areas include Winter Woods, Teddy Bear Land, Victorian Village, the North Pole, and more. Proceeds from the festival benefit local charities.

Through Dec. 31 from 6-9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 6-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Seneca Creek State Park, 11950 Clopper Road, Gaithersburg. Admission is $12 per car Monday-Thursday and $15 per car Friday and Saturday.

2014 National Christmas Tree

The National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse is lit nightly through Jan . 1 until 10 p.m. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The 2014 National Christmas Tree was lit Dec. 4, but if you weren’t lucky enough to snag a ticket, now is a perfect time to visit without the crowds. This year’s design includes approximately 180 green and red LED net lights, 180 green and clear twinkle LED string sets and about 300 snowflake ornaments. The Pathway of Peace around the tree features 56 unique Christmas trees to represent each U.S. state, U.S. territory and the District of Columbia. The National Christmas Tree Music Program brings in a wide variety of talent to celebrate the season from Dec. 10-22. Performances on Tuesday through Friday from 5-8:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1-8:30 p.m, plus Monday, December 22 from 5-8:30 p.m.

Nightly through Jan. 1 from dusk to 10 p.m. at the Ellipse in front of the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!

ZooLights

The entrance of ZooLights at the National Zoo. (Photo: Mike Becvar)

ZooLights decks the National Zoo out in environmentally friendly LED lights for the holidays. More than 500,000 lights will be used on everything from light-up elephants to twinkling floral displays. There will also be live performances from local artists, plenty of food and gift-worthy goods for sale.

Through Jan. 1 from 5-9 p.m. at the National Zoo, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. Admission is FREE!
 
 

ICE!

ICE! is open at Gaylord National Resort with a Frosty the Snowman theme through Jan. 4. (Photo: Gaylord National Resort)

ICE!, the life-sized ice show is back at Gaylord National Resort, this year featuring Frosty the Snowman, everyone’s favorite snowman. Carved from over 2 million pounds of colorful ice, enjoy larger than life scenes from the classic tale, slide down two-story high ice slides and watch artisans in action at the new Frostbite Factory, an interactive live carving area. As part of Christmas on the Potomac, the Gaylord atrium is also transformed into a winter wonderland with a free nightly indoor snowfall at 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m., more than 2 million lights that illuminate the glass atrium and outdoor garden areas, the free fountain show with the water and lights “dancing” to the music of the Christmas story at 7 and 9 p.m. and classical Christmas carols at 6 and 8 p.m. There is also a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree made of synthetic “candy” glass suspended from the center of the atrium.

Through Jan. 4 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center, 201 Waterfront St., Oxen Hill in National Harbor. Adult tickets range from $21-$34 and children’s tickets range for children 3-11 range from $14-$28 depending on dates. Tickets and the schedule are available here.

Bethesda Row is a great place to shop, catch a movie or grab a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants with outdoor patios in the summer.

After roaming the aisles of clothing racks or shelves of books, take a break and sip some wine and nosh at Vino Volo wine bar & café, 7243 Woodmont Ave. in the heart of Bethesda Row.

Vino Volo in Bethesda Row has a new small plates menu. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The restaurant recently unveiled its new summer menu that showcases small plates, perfect for sharing and pairing with their hand-picked wine flights. The Bethesda location is the first to introduce the new menu, which will eventually be rolled out to its 36 airport locations and other stand-alone restaurant in Tysons Galleria.

At Vino Volo, about a third of the wines are the same at all locations. The rest are chosen locally by each restaurant’s staff. During a recent media night at the Bethesda Row location, we tried two pairings of food and wine flights that will be available for the rest of the summer.

The White Hot Summer Flight of white wines at Vino Volo. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

To begin the evening, we started with a refreshing watermelon and feta salad with red onion, mint and balsamic vinegar and the chain’s signature smoked Atlantic salmon rolls with crab salad and cracked pepper on crispy crostini. These were paired with the White Hot Summer Flight that included a 2013 Blanco from Solar Teules Winery in Spain with hints of lemon zest and citron flowers, a 2012 Veltlinsky from Graf Hardegg Winery in Vienna with hint of green apple and hay and a 2009 Divinity from Jankris Winery in California with hints of passion fruit and white flowers.

Vino Volo’s watermelon and feta salad (left) and Atlantic salmon rolls. (Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Following those, we had the savory wine county chicken pate with duck fat, olive and caramelized shallot jam, and brioche thyme toast points and lamb meatballs with manchego chees, crème fraiche and mint pistou. These were paired with the Sonoma Selections Flight — all picked by the staff on a trip to California this past May — which included a 2012 North pino noir from La Follette Winery on the North Coast with hints of ripe raspberries with cinnamon bark, a 2012 Syrah estate from Alexander Valley Vineyards in the Alexander Valley with hints of wild strawberry and vanilla and a 2012 Angela’s Table zinfandel from Seghesio Winery in Sanoma County with hints of blackberry and spice box.

Wine country chicken pate with brioche thyme toast points (left) and lamb meatballs from Vino Volo’s new small plates menu.
(Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Other dishes on the new menu, which range from $6 to $10 includes braised pork tacos with black beans, a cilantro slaw and a red pepper aioli; grilled farmstand asparagus with crispy pork pancetta, rock salt and a mustard vinaigrette; a grilled chicken and citrus salad with field greens, orange, grapefruit, toasted walnuts and a sherry vinaigrette; a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato fennel soup with aged gruyere, Monterey jack and cheddar on Italian bread; and truffled penne rustic baked pasta, cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, truffle oil and toasted bread crumbs.

The new menu retains the house olive plate, truffled popcorn, marcona almonds and kale chips bites ranging from $4 to $5, cheese and cured meat boards (three for $12 or six for $23) including Italian montagna gorganzola, Pennsylvania tumbleweed, Spanish drunken goat cheese, Virginia Surry Farms ham, Virginia wild boar salami and Italian porchetta. The restaurant’s margherita ($12) and prosciutto ($15) pizzettas and bourbon bread pudding ($5) and Dolcezza gelato or sorbetto ($4) also remain on the menu.

Relax on Vino Volo’s outdoor patio with a glass of wine and a bite from the new small plates menu. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Next time you are in Bethesda, take a break from shopping and have a snack and glass of wine with the wind in your hair and a good book to read.

Richard Sandoval’s Washington restaurants Masa 14, El Centro D.F. and Zengo will celebrate Cinco de Mayo by offering classic, strawberry and mango margaritas on May 5 for just $5 each.

Masa 14, El Centro D.F. and Zengo will offer $5 original, strawberry and mango margaritas on Cinco de Mayo. (Photo: giglig.com)

Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, will offer the three margaritas at the bar/lounge during lunch and dinner, as well as at the 64-seat rooftop deck from 3 p.m. to close. Five small plates featured on the restaurant’s new spring menu will be available at the bar/lounge for $5 each: mini brisket tacos, al pastor tacos, octopus ceviche tostadas, Veracruz chicken chalupa and mini an ancho chile mahi mahi quesadilla. Additionally, the restaurant will have DJs spinning music from 7 p.m.-close.

El Centro D.F., with locations at 1818 14th St. NW and in Georgetown at 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW will offer a buffet of Mexican comfort fare from 5-11 p.m. for $10. Dishes include carnitas, brisket and nopal tacos with molcajete, verde and morita salsa, pico de gallo, crema and lettuce; refried beans; Mexican rice; chips with salsa and guacamole; mini chorizo empanadas; chicken tinga flautas; mini mushroom quesadillas and mini open-face tortas. A DJ will play from 7 p.m.-close.

Zengo, 781 7th St. NW, will offer complimentary chips and salsa and passed hor d’oeuvres in the lower level lounge beginning at 3 p.m. in addition to the margaritas. A DJ will play from 7 p.m.-close.

Bethesda Row holds restaurant week

Bethesda Row’s restaurant week kicked off today with 15 restaurants offering three-course lunches for $15 and three-course dinners for $30.

Participating restaurants include 100 Montaditos, American Tap Room, Assaggi Mozzarella Bar, Café Deluxe, Jaleo, Lebanese Taverna, Luke’s Lobster, Mamma Lucia, Mon Ami Gabi, Mussel Bar & Grille (lunch only), Nando’s Peri Peri, Parker’s American Bistro, Raku (dinner only), Redwood and Vapiano.

Luke’s offers a small clam chowder, blueberry ice cream sandwich and shrimp roll combo (chips, drink and pickle) for lunch or Maine Trio (1/2 lobster roll, 1/2 shrimp roll and 1/2 crab roll, two claws, soda, chips and pickle) for dinner. Assaggi features a seared ahi tuna carpaccio, local sea bass and semifreddo for lunch while Mon Ami Gabi offers onion soup au gratin, steak frites and crème brulée. A list of all restaurants’ specials are at the Bethesda Row website.

BlackFinn’s former Bethesda location suddently closed in March. (Photo: Bethesda Magazine)

BlackFinn closes Bethesda restaurant

The BlackFinn American Saloon, which had been at 4901 Fairmont Ave, Bethesda since 2007, closed suddenly last month without warning.

Richard Greenberg of Greenhill Capital, the restaurant’s landlord, told Bethesda Magazine that the company, which was behind on rent, wasn’t told the eatery would close. He said they had attempted to make arrangements to keep the restaurant open and even reached one agreement that BlackFinn management never signed.

The restaurant suddenly closed, posting “BlackFinn American Saloon in Bethesda has Permanently Closed its Door for Business. We want to extend a sincere thank you to the Bethesda community for the support you have shown during our time serving you. Thank you, Team BlackFinn”

The D.C. location is still open.

Greenberg said Greenhill changed the locks and posted no trespassing signs two days after BlackFinn closed. He told the magazine it “remains to be seen” if the owners of the restaurant will attempt to claim the property inside the space. “They went silent and this is what happened.”

Greenhill is looking for another tenant, likely another restaurant.

Vapiano celebrates strawberry season

The fast-casual Italian restaurant Vapiano is featuring fresh strawberry dishes and cocktails to celebrate spring and strawberry season. The strawberry options will be available through May at all D.C. area locations including M Street, Chinatown, Dulles Town Center, Reston Town Center, Bethesda and Ballston.

Special dishes include the house-made strawberry spinach salad with baby spinach, strawberries, goat cheese, red onion, pine nuts and raspberry maple dressing for $9.95; and the crema di fragola, a dessert with mascarpone crème and fresh strawberries for $2.95 for a small or $3.95 for a large.

Vapiano will also feature three strawberry-inspired cocktails, including the strawberry and rosemary martini made with Stoli vodka, Cointreau, orange juice and soda water garnished with a strawberry and rosemary spring for $9.25; the strawberry basil sangria for $8.95; and the belafina pink moscato with strawberry garnish for $8.25.

City Tap House celebrates Savor’s return

City Tap House at 901 9th St. NW is celebrating Savor: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience’s return to the National Building Museum with a weekend of events. Tickets to Savor are sold out.

A Sierra Nevada Tap Takeover will be held May 8 from 8 p.m.-close. All 40 of City Tap House’s draft lines will be dedicated to Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., which will pour its year round, seasonal and rare styles. Prices range from $5-$10 per draft. Members of Sierra Nevada’s national sales team will be on hand, and City Tap House’s culinary director Brian Cooke will recreate specialty bites found at the Sierra Nevada’s Taproom in Chico, Calif. including their famous Torpedo Beer Cheese.

Colorado Brewers Night will be held May 9 from 10 p.m.-close. The beer lines will have Colorado breweries Oskar Blues Brewery, Left Hand Brewing, Avery Brewing Co., Great Divide, Odell Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing, Boulder Beer Co., as well as Funkwerk’s Brewery. Prices range from $5-$10 per draft. For the perfect pairing, Cooke will create a variety of Colorado-inspired specials including Colorado Rack of Lamb and a rendition of Denver’s famous green chili sauce. Also, representatives from the Colorado-based breweries will be on hand throughout the evening.

On May 10, a Locals Only brunch will from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Guests will enjoy a la carte dishes off Cooke’s regular brunch menu along with 10-12 suggested pairings from D.C.-based breweries such as 3 Stars Brewing Co., Evolution Craft Brewing Co., D.C. Brau Brewing Co., Atlas Brew Works, Port City Brewing Co. and Virginia’s Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, among others. Prices will range from $5-$7.

Also, the official Flying Dog Brewery Savor After Party will be held May 10 from 10 p.m.-close. Frederick’s Flying Dog Brewery is one of Savor’s official beer collaborators and they’ve partnered with Firestone Walker Brewing Co. out of Paso Robles, Calif., to create the official Savor 2014 beer, a blended robust porter with portions that have been barrel aged called Hydra Cuvee. City Tap House will tap a keg of the limited edition beer for guests who stop by after the Savor event has concluded. Additional beers from Flying Dog Brewery and Firestone Walker Brewing will also be available throughout the evening with prices ranging from $5-$10 by draft.

The new BC Steak in Gaithersburg. (Photo: Jessica L./Yelp)

Gaithersburg’s Bugaboo Creek is now BC Steak

Capitol BC Restaurants has transformed its Bugaboo Creek Steakhouse at 15710 Shady Grove Road, Gaithersburg, and renamed BC Steak.

It is the first of the company’s 10 steakhouses in New England and the Mid-Atlantic to unveil the sleek new concept and menu. Gone are Bugaboo’s the animatronic moose and bison heads that come to life. The only remnants of the former Bugaboo Creek are two black antler chandeliers in the renovated Silver Birch Bar. Bill Burnett, BC Capital’s president and COO, said that children armed with iPads and smart phones don’t blink an eye at an animatronic moose. So to compete with other steakhouses like Outback and Longhorn, they’ve developed the new concept.

“We needed to change the name, change the décor and get a fresh start,” said Burnett, a former vice president for companies that run Houston’s and The Capital Grille.

That new $500,000 look keeps the lodge feel, but pulls out the clutter, giving the 7,300-square-foot restaurant a more refined look with red velvet couches, lounge chairs and landscape paintings.

The new menu was created by chef consultant Mike Hufler. Prices are more expensive, but food quality has been raised. Entrees range from about $15 for roasted half chicken to $29 for a 7 ounce filet topped with crab meat and béarnaise sauce.

Ron Robbins from the Clyde’s Restaurant Group updated the drink menu, which now includes an expanded wine selection and offers martinis and Manhattans for $5 during happy hour. There is a new shuffleboard table in the center of the bar area.

Rose’s Luxury to open roof garden to diners

Chef Aaron Silverman’s Rose’s Luxury at 717 8th St. SE plans to open its roof garden for reservation-only feasts.

The garden space is still under construction, but when it opens it can be reserved in advance for 8-10 guests for a private dining experience. A dedicated server will bring food and drinks up from the main restaurant.
For $125 per person, not including alcohol, you and your guests will be able to order unlimited dishes from the regular menu as well as a special menu. “Basically, we’re just gonna cook for you until you are full,” Silverman said. After alcohol, tax and tip, the cost will be about $200 each.

Reservations will be accepted online once the rooftop is ready. In the meantime, Rose’s front patio with 10 seasts, opened today for al fresco dining from the regular menu.

Dennis Marron will leave Post Modern Brasserie for Pittsburgh’s Hotel Monoco in July. (Photo: Scott Suchman)

Dennis Marron to leave Poste for Pittsburgh

Dennis Marron, who has been executive chef for several years at Kimpton’s Poste Modern Brasserie at 555 8th St. NW, is leaving the Penn Quarter restaurant for Kimpton’s new Hotel Monaco in Pittsburgh.

Marron will head to Pittsburgh in July. The hotel is slated to open in late-2014 downtown. The nine-story hotel in a 1902 Beaux-Arts style building will offer 247 rooms, a fitness center, 9,000 square feet of meeting space and a 120-seat restaurant.

With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America, Marron has years of restaurant experience across the United States, including Scala’s Bistro, Mecca and Indigo in California and Craftsman Restaurant in Minneapolis. In D.C., he worked under chef and owner Jeff Bueben at Bistro Bis, where he perfected the kitchen skills that led to executive chef roles first at Kimpton’s The Grille at Morrison House and then its sister restaurant, Jackson 20. In both positions, Marron introduced monthly pig roasts, and extensive canned beer programs.

Marron’s wife is from nearby Latrobe, and her family still lives there.

Wiedmaier planning restaurant at National Airport

Robert Wiedmaier is the latest to announce a new restaurant at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Wiedmaier, the chef behind Brasserie Beck, Marcel’s and Mussel Bar, is planning a Provencal restaurant that will emphasize French county cooking. It will source meats, fish and produce locally.

ICRAVE is handling the design of the restaurant. Seats at the restaurant will all have iPads and power outlets so diners can order their meals and use the Internet while they’re eating. The unnamed restaurant will open in summer 2015.

Wiedmaier’s new restaurant will join Page featuring southern comfort foods by former Top Chef Carla Hall, Legal Sea Foods, Ben’s Chili Bow, &pizza and Taylor Gourmet, which were previously announced for the pre-security area of Terminal A at Reagan National as it undergoes renovation. An American Tap Room is slated to open in Terminal C next month.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates both Reagan National and Dulles International airports, will open Bar Symon from Iron Chef Micahel Symon, a D.C. Craft Brew station, Smashburger, brb (a burger joint from Thompson Hospitality, which also owns Austin Grille), District Chophouse, Carrabba’s, Chef Geoff’s, &pizza and Potbelly at Dulles later this year. New retail vendors will include Michael Kors, Estee Lauder, L’Occitan, Burberry and Coach.

Bethesda’s Penang restaurant ready to reopen

Penang at 4933 Bethesda Ave., Bethesda, is preparing to reopen Wednesday after a $60,000 renovation. The Malaysian and Thai restaurant has been closed several weeks to undergo the facelift.

It is the first time the restaurant has remodeled is it opened in 2001. Owner Kevin Cheah described the new look designed by At Design Partners as vintage warehouse, but modernized with vintage wine racks at the bar, porcelain “wood” planks on the walls and a subway tile bar in an attempt to appeal to a younger crowd.

The menu will remain the same.