Today (3/14) is Pi Day. At 9:26:53 a.m. and p.m., it will be a once-in-a-century event because the year and time line up with the digits of pi that follow 3.14 (1592653). To celebrate, many restaurants are offering specials.

Saturday is Pi Day. Celebrate with one of these specials for fruit or pizza pies. (Photo: Pillsbury)

Dog Tag Bakery, the Georgetown bakery run by veterans at 3206 Grace St. NW, will donate proceeds from its mini apple pies all during March to Blue Star Families, an organization that aids veterans’ transitions to civilian life. The 4-inch personal-sized pie is made with Granny Smith apples, lightly sweetened and scented with cinnamon for $6.95 each.

At Dangerously Delicious Pies, 1339 H St. NE location, slices of five sweet pies will be $3.14 from 9-11 a.m. and 7-10 p.m. The Chinatown location, 675 I St. NW which is normally closed weekends, will give a surprise to anyone placing an order at 9:26:53 a.m. or p.m.

Whiskey meets Whisked! at One Eight Distilling, 1135 Okie St. NE. The distillery will be offering tours and tastes of its small batch spirits while Whisked! will be selling their pies and quiches by the slice. Visitors can pre-order 6- and 9-inch pies to go.

Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, 750 15th St. NW, will serve slices of its nine pies — key lime, peanut butter, banana cream, chocolate marquise, Havana dream, coconut cream, Boston cream, chocolate-dipped strawberry ice cream and apple pies all day for $3.14. They are normally $7.95.

If you prefer pizza pie over apple pie, head to the basement birreria at Pizzeria Paradiso, 3282 M St. NW in Georgetown for $3.14 select drafts from 9:26 p.m.until close.

Also, Blaze Pizza at 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda in Westfield Montgomery, 7419 Baltimore Ave., College Park or 14709 Baltimore Ave., Laurel in Laurel Towne Centre will offer any of its custom-made pies for $3.14 all day.

Pi Pizzeria at 910 F St. NW in Penn Quarter will have a pi memorization contest at 6 p.m. with a $150 gift card up for grabs. Also, anyone with a Mar. 14 birthday who shows a government ID or birth certificate on Saturday gets a free large pie. And, everyone who buys a large pizza all month getis a “gift” to use on your next. Get a free large salad or appetizer with the purchase of a large pizza.

Finally, Radius Pizza, 3155 Mount Pleasant St. NW, will sell pizza by the slice for $3.14 with the purchase of a beverage.

Stanton & Greene opens on Capitol Hill

Stanton & Greene, 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE opened Mar. 9 with limited services for a preview then opened fully on Mar. 12 with a full menu.

The dining room and downstairs bar at Stanton & Greene. (Photo: Rey Lopez)

The American bar and brasserie spans three floors of a restored building just two blocks from the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court, evoking the elegance of the Capital city’s bars of the early- to mid-20th Century with a marble bar, brass sconces and hand-stitched leather booths. The ground floor is home to a traditional American bar and brasserie with period details from the 1930s and 1940s, and the second floor “loft” features a soaring 16-foot space centered with an Art-Deco bar hand-carved from American ash and three massive windows overlooking historic Pennsylvania Avenue.

Owned by partners August Paro, Eli Hengst and Jared Rager, who also own Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar and Beuchert’s Saloon, Stanton & Greene will serve a refined selection of unique and classic craft cocktails, and creative, updated interpretations of foods evocative of early- to mid-20th Century America.

Stanton & Greene’s craft cocktails and curated American spirits are cornerstones of its beverage program. Mixologist Erik Holzherr, owner of Wisdom and Church & State, partnered with Stanton & Greene to create the menu of era-inspired cocktails. Each priced from $11-$12 draws inspiration from the classics.

The L’Enfant Martini is their take on a classic French martini, and a tribute to Pierre Charles L’Enfant, the French-American architect who designed the layout of the city. It uses Armagnac de Montal VS as a base, along with Giffard Crème de Framboise liqueur, Passoa passion fruit liqueur, pineapple juice and cardamom bitters.

The Rochambeau – Bluecoat Aged Gin, Aperol, Maurin Quina – is an early favorite, a slightly bitter cocktail inspired by the classic Negroni, but with added complexity from the aged gin and cherry flavors in its ingredients. Stanton & Greene’s unique White Bourbon Punch combines Four Roses bourbon, Leopold’s Three Pins liqueur, Bols yogurt liqueur, almond milk and nutmeg in a smooth sippable drink.

A celebratory cocktail named after L’Enfant’s original designation for Stanton Park, the No. 5 is an elegant sipper that shines for its simplicity. Bright, effervescent Brut opens up a floral bouquet of Soho lychee liqueur, Lillet rose, pink grapefruit juice and rose water. The Bent Nail is Stanton & Greene’s dressed up version of the classic Rusty Nail, featuring Bulleit bourbon, Drambuie, Giffard Crème de Peche, and Leopold’s maraschino. After The Duel is an ode to the politically-fueled duels of early America, featuring the dominant herbal flavors of green chartreuse, tamed by bitter Bonal Gentiane-Quina and floral Crème de Violette with Corsair triple-smoked whiskey, celebrating the end of the battle when smoke still hung in the air.

The menu, a collaboration between 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. The era-themed menu is broken down into several sections including: dips, appetizers, salads, main plates, sandwiches, complements, specials and desserts.

Appetizers include dishes like baked Virginia Oysters Rockefeller with garlic spinach and Virginia peanut breadcrumbs, and bacon and egg with crispy pork belly and Anson mills cheddar grits. Guests can also start with a selection of dips like spiced white bean, spinach artichoke, blue cheese-tomato jam and smoked trout. Salads offer versions of the Caesar with boquerones and brioche croutons, a seasonal vegetable market salad and a dressed-up chopped salad with green goddess dressing, shredded Brussels sprouts, feta, crispy pancetta, and hard-boiled egg.

Entrée-sized main plates include brick roasted half-chicken and grilled strip steak with whiskey shallot butter, plus sandwiches like a lobster roll with house aioli and celery atop an Old Bay buttered bun, French dip with grass-fed beef, horseradish aioli and Grayson cheese, and the bacon-laden double-decker Greene burger with two 6-ounce bacon-infused beef patties, smoked gouda, crispy bacon, onion rings and bacon aioli. Several entrees come with a choice of complements, also available a la carte, which include Kennebeck house cut fries, macaroni with Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, Anson Mills grits, mixed seasonal vegetables and broccoli with parmesan cheese and red chili flakes.

Stanton & Greene offers dinner specials three nights of the week: Sunday offers “Sunday Supper” blue plate specials, Monday is burger night pairing featured burgers and beers, and Tuesday features a prix fixe lobster dinner.

Dessert options reminiscent of days gone by include brownie bread pudding with a flambéed marshmallow top, a seasonal sundae with house-made gelato and toppings, and a seasonal fruit pie.

Happy hour from 3-6 p.m. Monday through Saturday features $4-$5 draft beers, $6-$9 cocktails and $3-$9 bar snacks.

Stanton & Greene is open for dinner from 5-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 4:30-9 p.m. Sunday. The first floor bar is open until 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 1 a.m. Brunch and lunch will be added in the coming weeks.

The Pig serves innards dinners

The final installment of The Pig‘s four-part Head to Toe Supper series, a five-course anatomical dining experience, features the innards.

The Pig will serve a five-course innards dinner. (Photo: Byron S./Yelp)

Expanded to two nights, the dinner will be served both Monday, Mar. 16 and Tuesday, Mar. 17 at 7 p.m. A cocktail, beer or wine pairing is served with each course, and the cost is $70 per person. Reservations are required (capped at 12 seats each night), and can be made https://eatwelldc.formstack.com/forms/headtotoeinnards online or by calling 202-290-2821.

The menu starts with an amuse of house bacon with a maple glaze followed by a first course of chicaron bituka, a Filipino crispy pig intestine with vinegar peppers and scallion. The second course is flaczki, a Polish beef tripe soup with carrot, leeks and marjoram followed by the third course of battakha makhni, and Indian duck giblet curry with onion bahji, rice, fava beans and yogurt. The fourth course is rognonnade de veau, roseda veal loin stuffed with kidney, roasted sweetbreads, spring onion and garlic scape cream. Finally, dessert is liverscotch sundae made with blood ice cream, chopped walnuts and pork liverscotch.

Area restaurants offer March Madness specials

Three Washington restaurants are getting into the spirit of March Madness.

Area restaurants are offering March Madness specials. (Photo: Steve Cukrov/featurepics.com)

First up, the craft beer centric City Tap House, 901 9th St. NW, will host a special bracket party Thursday, Mar. 19 and Friday, Mar. 20. The two-day event will consist of four rounds of play:

Round One: Thursday, Mar. 19 from noon-5 p.m. Guests will be given a bracket consisting of 16 pre-selected beers. Each of the participating beers will be priced at a $5 during the first round of play. At the end of the first round (5 p.m.), the eight beers that sell the most pints will advance to the second round and will continue to be sold at $5.

Second Round: Thursday, Mar. 19 from 5-8 p.m. The eight beers that advance to the second round will be matched against one another and poured to guests at for $5 each. At the end of the second round (8 p.m.) the four beers that sell the most pints will advance to the third round and will continue to be sold at the discount.

Third Round: Thursday, Mar. 19 from 8-11 p.m. The four beers that advance to the third round will be matched against one another, and at 11 p.m. the two beers that sell the most pints will advance to the final round.

Final Round: Friday, Mar. 20 from noon-8 p.m. The two remaining beers will go head-to-head and the beer with the highest pint sales at 8 p.m. will be poured for $5 from Mar. 20 until the NCAA Championship game on Monday, Apr. 6.

The individual with the winning beer bracket on Mar. 20 will receive a complimentary happy hour for 10 friends. A standard March Madness basketball bracket will also be available, but must be turned in before the first game on Mar. 19 to be eligible to win two tickets to the Firefly Music Festival.

Arcuri, 2400 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Glover Park, is hosting a special bracket challenge of their own. The restaurant is home to over 40 varieties of house-made “cello,” a nod to their limoncello, an Italian lemon liqueur, crafted by infusing grain alcohol with lemon peels and sugar. Each week, the team at Arcuri experiments with a variety of fruits, spices and sugars. The result is a variety of seasonal flavors with a different citrus flavors, followed by sweetness and a strong bite.

During March Madness, Arcuri has pre-selected its top four flavors to establish a Final Four Cello Bracket Challenge. From Mar. 19 through Mar. 20, guests can help crown the first cello champion. Diners are encouraged to fill out a bracket consisting of V Cello with anise, mint, jalapenos, lemon and sugar; Blood Orange with sliced blood orange and sugar; Strawberry with sliced strawberry and sugar; or bergamot cello with bergamot slices and sugar. Those who wish to sample the cello before making their selection can order a shot glass for $5 each or a flight of all four for $9. The cello champion will be announced during the NCAA National Championship game on Apr. 6. Shots of the champion will be will be available for $1 from whistle to whistle.

Drafting Table, 1529 14th St. NW, has crafted a special beer bracket in honor of the 2015 NCAA Men’s College Basketball Tournament. The restaurant’s beer bracket consists of 16 beers, 15 available by draft and one by the can. From Mar. 15 through Mar. 23, diners can make their selections while watching their favorite team on the restaurant’s four flat screen TVs. Drafting Table will total the votes and announce the winners of each round at 6 p.m. on Mar. 24, Mar. 27 and Apr. 1 The beer that is named the winner will be available for $4 during the NCAA Championship game on Apr. 6. Additionally, Drafting Table will be giving away swag throughout the tournament including T-shirts, basketballs, glassware and more.

Yona pop-up extended another month at G

http://yonava.com/ Yona has extended it pop-up at G by Mike Isabella, 2201 14th St. NW through May 2.

Yona, a ramen bar and small plates restaurant coming to Ballston will continue its pop-up at G by Mike Isabella unit May 2.
(Photo: G by Mike Isabella)

The pop-up is a preview of the noodle bar and small plates restaurant that chef Jonah Kim will open early this summer at 4000 Wilson Blvd. in Ballston.

The a la carte preview menu will be available at G Wednesday through Saturday nights 6-10 p.m. The sandwich shop and Sunday Gravy dinner continue to operate on their normal schedule.

Yona features Kim’s take on ramens, steamed buns, dry-fried wings, Hamachi and yook hwe along with a selection of Japanese beer, sake and Japanese whiskies as well as cocktails, with fermented juice and other Asian-inspired ingredients.

Cochon 555 host large format feast at Del Campo

Cochon 555 is taking over Washington with the help of chefs known for reinventing the traditional steakhouse experience by showcasing a defined large format protein culture that supports responsible farmers.

A pig waiting to be prepared for Cochon555 in 2013. (Photo: Cochon 555)

Cochon 555, the country’s most hyper-local culinary competition, will host Private Dining Cochon “PDC,” a dinner series that celebrates source-driven chefs, prominent winemakers and humanely certified proteins. The “Large Format Feast” campaign showcases 10 of the nation’s top chefs cooking a family-style dinner that spotlights the popularity of chefs shifting meat experiences into protein-paparazzi-moments with a center of floor carving meat feast. Culinary experiences like these blaze a path for heritage pork to be showcased on prominent steakhouse menus and ultimately provide new horizons for emerging farmers while setting course for a safer food system.

On Mar. 21, chef Victor Albisu and his team at Del Campo, 777 I St. NW, will host an epic“Big Beef vs Heritage Pig” themed dinner paired with reserve wines. Guests should arrive at 7 p.m. for the offering of reserve prosciutto di parma followed by a three-course feast. The culinary experience is a seated dinner paired with wines featuring family-farm raised, antibiotic-free, Creekstone Duroc pork side-by-side with Creekstone Farm black Angus beef. Following the wine pairings, guests will enjoy a discussion of spirits featuring Hirsch and Old Potrero 18th Century from Anchor Distilling. To close the evening, a gift of artisan cheese and short discussion with Cochon 555 founder Brady Lowe.

Cost of the dinner is $125 per person and includes beverage pairing, tax and gratuity. For reservations, visit www.cochon555.com.

Alina Bothen new executive pastry chef at Red Light

Alina Bothen is the new executive pastry chef at Red Light Cocktails & Dessert Bar.

Alina Bothen is the new executive pastry chef at Red Light Cocktails & Dessert Bar. (Photo: Red Light)

A native of Fairfax, Bothen fell in love with pastry while attending the Scottsdale Culinary Institute. She graduated with a degree in Culinary Arts in 2008. Bothen returned to D.C. in 2009 when her father was deployed to Africa. She served for one year as lead pastry cook at Poste Brasserie before being appointed pastry chef of the now shuttered Potenza and Potenza Bakery from 2010-2012 At Potenza, Bothen was responsible for producing the desserts for the restaurant, as well as pastries and seasonal gelatos and sorbettos for the market.

Bothen’s new spring additions at Red Light include Nutella s’mores, Nutella ice cream with house-made graham cracker and toasted Italian meringue; olive oil cake with fresh grapefruit and grapefruit tarragon sorbet; dark chocolate pot de crème with white chocolate mint; matcha green tea cake with red bean ice cream, coconut tapioca sauce and almond soy gelee; Indian rice fritters with basmati cardamom rice pudding, curry mango and chai anglaise, and quark cheesecake with lemon curd, lavender and vanilla poached rhubarb. Desserts are priced from $10-$14 each.

New savory creations include cured salmon with asparagus, pickled shallots, orange and dill crème fraîche served on rye bread; spring lamb stew with spring vegetables, herbs and white wine; artichokes with chickpeas, tomato, eggplant, cauliflower and za’atar yogurt; a cheese board, an assortment of three cheeses served with jam, mostarda and bread, as well as a pork and duck confit rillette with pickled apples and apricot mostarda, served on a baguette. Savories are priced from $5-$14 each.

For the perfect pairing, guests can sip on specialty cocktails including the El Viejo, jalapeno tequila with orange, sugar and chocolate mole bitters; Pseudonym with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, ginger liqueur and orange bitters; Dead Man’s Tale, spiced rum, Benedictine, lime juice and raspberry mint syrup; Peep Show, gin, pimms with lemon juice, cucumber, mint and ginger beer; Magdalene with gin, elderflower liqueur and lemon juice; Mata Hari with vindaloo curry infused whiskey, apricot liqueur and lemon juice; Gypsy Eyes with vodka, Crème de Violette, lemon juice and Prosecco; and the Just Peachy, vodka, peach liqueur, lemon juice and Prosecco. Cocktails are $12 each.

Red Light Cocktails & Dessert Bar is located at 1401 R St. NW. It is open for happy hour Monday through Friday from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 4-8 p.m. Dinner is served from 5 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and 5 p.m.-1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

It’s Valentine’s Day weekend and many of this weekend’s events center around the lovers’ holiday. For singles and families, there are some other events in the DMV to keep your mind off your sorrows. But with the cold temperatures and possible snow forecast for Saturday, the best place to celebrate may be snuggled up on the couch or in front of a fireplace.

This weekend, Orange, Silver, Yellow and Green line trains will operate at regular weekend intervals. On Saturday and Sunday, Red Line trains will run every 20 minutes with additional trains providing service every 10-12 minutes from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. between Shady Grove and Dupont Circle and between Judiciary Square and Glenmont. On Saturday, Sunday and Monday, there will be no Blue Line service between Van Dorn Street and King Street-Old Town stations. Blue Line trains will run at regular weekend intervals between Huntington and Largo Town Center and between Franconia-Springfield and Van Dorn Street. The last train will leave Franconia-Springfield Station 29 minutes earlier than usual. Free shuttle buses will operate between Van Dorn Street and Eisenhower Ave stations every 5-10 minutes. Riders should allow an extra 15 minutes for travel time. On Presidents Day, Monday, Feb. 16, Metrorail will open at 5 a.m. and close at midnight. Trains will operate on a Saturday schedule. Parking at all Metro-owned lots and garages is free on Presidents Day.

Curl up with your loved one this cold Valentine’s Day weekend. (Photo: beautysweetspot.com)

Drawing at Dusk participants can paint a live model or draw inspiration from the museums works. (Phtoo: Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Drawing at Dusk

Join the Smithsonian American Art Museum for a special evening session of its Draw and Discover! program., Drawing at Dusk. Sketch from a live clothed model or take inspiration from one of the thousands of artworks on view. Basic drawing materials are provided. Open to all ages and levels of artistic ability.

Feb. 13 from 5;30-7 p.m. at the Luce Foundation Center, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and F Streets NW. Admission is FREE!

Love Hurts

This year, celebrate Valentine’s Day at Love Hurts, a night of broked-hearted cocktails, curated vinyls and an old school film screening. You’ll enjoy cocktails like the Smoother Operator (gin, ginger syrup and champagne) and the Is It a Crime? (bourbon, creme de violette and blood orange) from resident cocktail expert Brian Kay. Heartbreaking hits from the likes of Rick James, Whitney Houseton, Aretha Franklin, Phyllis Hyman, Natalie Cole, Chaka Khan and Shirley Bassey will be playing all night long.

Feb. 13 from 6 p.m.-2 a.m. at Napoleon Bistro and Lounge, 1847 Columbia Road NW. Tickets are $10 online. Ticket includes admission and one cocktail.

Casablanca

Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca. (Photo: Warner Bros.)

It’s Valentine’s Weekend and love is in the air and on the screen. Everyone thinks of Casablanca as one of the most romantic movies ever, yet the leads don’t end up together at the end. Still, the classic film is a classic for a reason. Sure, Ilsa gets on the plane, but just because a relationship ends doesn’t mean it fails – after all, they’ll always have Paris.

Feb. 13 and 14 at 11:59 p.m. at Landmark E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW. Admission is $9 online or at the box office.

Chinese New Year Family Festival

Dragon performers at last year’s Chinese New Year Family Day. (Photo: Yin Bogu/Xinhua)

Celebrate Chinese New Year at the American Art Museum’s Chinese New Year Family Festival. Usher out the year of the horse and bring in the year of the sheep with fun craft activities, a reading corner, puppet performances by the Shaanxi Folk Arts Group, Calligraphy demonstrations, traditional dance performances by the Fairfax Chinese Dance Troupe, artists and demonstrations. Get there early to see the Lion Parade around the building (weather permitting) by the Young Han Lion Dance Troupe, followed by an Awakening Ceremony to start the festivities.

Feb. 14 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th and G Streets Nw. Admission is FREE!

Gourmet Symphony

This concert series, premiering Saturday at Atlas Performing Arts Center, uses food to connect listeners with works by classical composers. Saturday’s Gourmet Symphony four-course meal and beverage pairings – inspired by classic European dishes provided by Vendetta Bocce Bar & Tavern, Smith Commons and Beuchert’s Saloon – will be served in a space without assigned seating. The orchestra, composed of musicians from the National Symphony Orchestra, Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and service bands, will perform recognizable classics in the center of the room. Between songs, performers will engage with guests while John Coco, the organizer and beverage director of Bistro 360 in Arlington, and a music scholar from the University of Maryland share historical anecdotes.

Feb. 14 starting at 7 p.m. at Atlas Performing Arts Center, 1333 H St. NE. Tickets are $125 online.

My Funny Valentine Comedy Jam

Comedians come to DAR Constitution Hall. (Photo: North American Entertainment)

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day or hating it with a passion, the My Funny Valentine Comedy Jam should offer something for everyone to laugh at. Comedians D.L. Hughley, John Witherspoon, Aries Spears, Mark Curry and Joe Tory provide the jokes.

Feb. 14 starting at 7 p.m. at DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D St. NW. Ticket are $59-$125 online.

One of the containers on display at Hillwood. (Photo: Hillwood)

Virtue & Vice

Celebrate the opening night of Hillwood’s exhibition Splendor & Surprise: Elegant Containers – Antique to Modern with a Valentine’s Day affair Virtue & Vice. Naughty and nice guests will revel in an evening of cocktails, dancing, sweet and savory delights, tours of the estate exhibition and greenhouse full of orchids, and a silent auction.

Feb. 14 from 7-10 p.m. at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens, 4155 Linnean Ave. NW. Tickets are $100 or $80 for members online or at the door.

Seth MacFarlane & the NSO

Seth MacFarlane performs with the NSO at the Kennedy Center. (Photo: Kwaku Alston)

Take your Valentine’s Day date to see Family Guy funny man and Grammy-nominated artist cartoon mogul and all-around swell guy Seth MacFarlane sings politically incorrect love songs including I Met a Girl, Face to Face, Violets for Your Furs and many more with the NSO Pops.

Feb. 14 starting at 8 p.m. at the Kennedy Center’s Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are $20-$88 online or at the box office..
 
 
 
 
 

John Pizzarelli and Jane Monheit

Jane Monheit performs with John Pizzarelli at Strathmore. (Photo: Strathmore)

For a soulful, sultry Valentine’s Day celebration, Strathmore presents an evening of solo performances, charming duets and charismatic banter with jazz guitarist, singer and bandleader John Pizzarelli and Jane Monheit, a jazz chanteuse. Both master interpreters of the Great American Songbook, Pizzarelli and Monheit will perform music from their own repertoire and latest albums before swinging to classics by Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, the Gershwins, The Beatles and more. Make a night of it with a special Valentine’s dinner in the historic Mansion at Strathmore catered by Restaurant Associates. The four course menu, with complimentary glass of Champagne or wine, is available for $95 per person. Table seating begins at 6 p.m. Dinner reservations can be made by calling Restaurant Associates at 301-581-5220.

Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. Tickets are $48-$78 online or at the box office.

Cupid’s Undie Run

Cupid’s Undies Run raises funds for Children’s Tumor Foundation. (Photo: Rohan)

Good causes validate dumb decisions, like running through a city street in just your skivvies. That what Cupid’s Undie Run is all about. The annual event, which takes place all over the country, is a benefit for the Children’s Tumor Foundation, and last year it raised over $2.8 million. The event is sold out for participants, but voyers are welcome.

Feb. 15 with the party starting at noon and the run steopping off at 2 p.m. at 319 Pennsylvania Ave. SE. FREE to watch!

LOC Presidents Day Open House

The Library of Congress’ main reading room will hold an open house on Monday. (Photo: Library of Congress)

The Library of Congress will hold its semi-annual Main Reading Room open house The Main Reading Room will be open for viewing and photography will be allowed. Guided tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building begin on the ground floor at 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and at 12:30, 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. At 10 a.m., author Patricia Smith, the 2014 recipient of the Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry, reads from her works. From 10 a.m.-3 p.m., The Young Readers Center celebrates past and future presidents. And mark the 200th anniversary of the acquisition of Thomas Jefferson’s library for the Library of Congress with a visit to the ongoing exhibition of his books.

Feb. 16 from 10 a.m.-3 pm. with the building open until 4:30 p.m. at the Library of Congress’ Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First St. SE. Admission is FREE!

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.