Passion Food Hospitality will open its second Burger, Tap & Shake at 4445 Wisconsin Ave. NW in Tenlytown in mid-July. It is moving in where Neisha Thai Restaurant and EUR Asian Hot Pot had been.

Burger, Tap & Shake will open its second location in Tenleytown where Neisha Thai Restaurant and EUR Asian Hot Pot had been.
(Photo: Popville)

Like its Washington Circle sister in Foggy Bottom, the new location will serve up a full range of premium patties along with milkshakes, hand-cut fries and small-batch craft beers on tap. BTS will anchor the corner of Wisconsin Avenue across from the Tenleytown Metro station with an industrial chic, urban-graffiti style.

The menu includes customizable beef burgers made with a blend of brisket and chuck ground in-house throughout the day. Six Buck Chuck, the house burger, comes with lettuce, pickles, onion, tomato, and AP Sauce, a house blend of mayo, ketchup, mustard, BBQ sauce and chipotle. For another buck each, diners can add toppings such as Lea & Perrins mushrooms, Benton’s smoked bacon, Texas chili con carne without beans, crumbled blue cheese or smashed avocado. The Haight-Ashbury is a meatless burger. Others burgers include turkey, chicken and salmon. Any patty can be added to the house salad for an extra $5. French fries, sweet potato fries and onion rings comprise the side-menu.

Shakes run from the traditional chocolate, vanilla or strawberry to something zippier like double espresso, blueberry-pomegranate or tart cherry. A secret off-the-menu item is the root beer float made with BTS’ own bottled root beer and house-churned ice cream. Grown-ups can enjoy “Shaketails” that combine a milkshake and a cocktail. Just in time for summer, Talladega Nights is a blend of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, house-made limoncello, vanilla ice cream and lemon juice and the Oreo Speedwagon combines Kahlua, Oreo cookies and vanilla ice cream.

There will also be small-batch craft beers from a dozen taps, a selection of wines by the glass and spirits and specialty cocktails.

Royal officially opens in LeDroit Park

LeDroit Park’s newest neighborhood bar and eatery, The Royal officially opened its doors on Thursday at 501 Florida Ave. NW. From Vinoteca owner, Paul Carlson, the restaurant is a coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and an intimate bar and casual eatery by night.

The Royal, from the owners of Vinoteca, opened in LeDroit Park this week. (Photo: The Royal)

The Royal opens its doors early offering a full Counter Culture coffee program of espressos, lattes, cortados, drip and cold-brew coffee for dine-in and to-go, along with loose leaf teas from Good Thoughts Tea Co. There will also be freshly baked pastries, such as roasted plantain bread, homemade corn muffins and Nutella pin-wheels, and heartier fare like arepas stuffed with a fried egg, cotija cheese and avocado, and Calentado, a combination of rice, roasted potatoes and peas, topped with a fried egg.

Starting at noon, The Royal offers an all-day menu featuring a variety of salads such as grilled avocado with red quinoa, lentils and house vinaigrette made from ground pumpkin seeds; tomatoes with raw goat feta, herbs, garlic and cumin; cucumber and hearts of palm with lime, chili and red onion; and bibb salad with pickled carrots, red onion, salsa rosada and corn nuts. There will also be Latin-inspired snacks and meats, seafood and vegetables cooked on a custom-made four-foot wood-burning grill. Chef Lonnie Zoeller will hand-make beef empanadas and cheese arepas served with aji sauce. Entrees include grilled squid with smoked tomato, radish and cilantro; morcilla made with pork and rice, alongside roasted potatoes; Butifarra pork sausage with roasted potatoes; charred field vegetables with buttermilk dressing; and grilled steak with roasted potatoes.

The bar focuses on craft cocktails created by beverage director Horus Alvarez using exotic fruits, juices and herbs to flavor cocktails like the Ashes to Ashes with El Dorado 8-year rum, guava, mole, ancho chile and mescal. Signature cocktails will range from $11-$14. It will also offer classic $10 cocktails including a daiquiri with El Dorado white rum, lime juice and sugar and a rye Old Fashioned with Pikesville rye, bitters, sugar and water. A feature will be shaved ice cocktails, such as the Royal Cup with Ford’s gin, cucumber strawberry gastrique, Averna and ginger beer; and the Ascension with house-infused pineapple cachaça, dark rum, hibiscus syrup and citrus year-round, churned from a vintage ice shaver Carlson sourced from Guatemala. The bar will also boast an extensive vermouth selection, featuring a housemade vermouth on draft that is dispensed from a vintage copper fire extinguisher draft system build by Carlson.

The Royal offers 8-10 wines by the glass, plus some unique reserve bottles. Draft, can and bottled beers showcase local breweries such as Atlas, 3 Stars, DC Brau, Port City and Flying Dog.

The Royal is open from 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m.-1 a.m. Friday, 7 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m.-1 a.m. Sunday.

Magnolia’s on King opens in Old Town on July 1

Steve Fogleman and Mehrnoosh Rajabi will open their first restaurant, Magolia’s on King at 703 King St. in Old Town Alexandria on Wednesday.

Magnolia’s on King will open in Old Town on Wednesday. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The 60-seat dining room is emphasizing southern hospitality and cuisine. The 30-seat second floor bar and lounge menu will focus on small, southern-inspired dishes. Executive chef Brian Rowe, who previously worked for Wolfgang Puck and Jacques Ganeu, and pastry and sous chef Hans Fogleman – the owner’s son who previously worked at Bayou Bakery and BLT Steak — will serve classic dishes with a southern twist. Dishes include molasses crusted pork belly with chipotle cheddar grits and smoked apple BBQ sauce; deep fried oyster po-boy sliders served on a grilled baguette with bibb lettuce, tomato and blacked aioli; watermelon and local feta salad with arugula, baby spinach, red onion and Champagne vinaigrette; cornmeal-dusted fried blue catfish served with house-made cornbread and Southern coleslaw; sweet tea-brined buttermilk fried chicken served with quinoa sweet potato hush puppies and greens; bison meatloaf with pan gravy, greens and mac and cheese; and grilled bone-in pork chop with mashed sweet potatoes greens and root beer gastrique.

Desserts include Bananas Foster pudding with banana custard, Nilla wafer crumbles, fosters caramel and brûléed bananas; s’mores bread pudding with chocolate pieces, graham crackers, torched marshmallows and whiskey caramel served with vanilla ice cream; and World Fair chocolate cake with pistachio, almond, peppermint and cinnamon-cocoa cream layers.

Prices range from $10-$15 for sharable plates, $9 for salads, $14-$27 for entrées, $3-$4 for sides and $6 for desserts.

Craft mixologist Zachary Faden, formerly of Rouge 24, will be in charge of the bar program, which features 12 house-made, specialty cocktails including the Magnolia Old Fashion, the restaurant’s signature drinkmade with Rittenhouse rye, pineapple syrup, Fee Brothers cherry bitters and Angostura bitters garnished with a maraschino cherry and brûléed pineapple. Cocktails are priced from $12-$18. There will be 15 wines by the glass priced from $9-$15 and $40-$300 by the bottle.

Magnolia’s on King will be open from 5-9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Sunday brunch will eventually be added from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The lounge is open from 4-10:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Cuba Libre celebrates National Ceviche Day

June 28 is National Ceviche Day, Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 9th St. NW, is celebrating with specials all weekend.

Cuba Libre’s special cervices include (l to r) shrimp ceviche, tuna ceviche and bay scallop ceviche. (Photo: Cuba Libre)

The restaurant is offering three variations of the popular seafood dish for $5 each. The special is available in the bar and lounge from 5-7 p.m. Saturday and from 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sunday. The special include tuna ceviche made with diced yellowfin tuna, jalapeño-coconut-ginger sauce and red onion escabéche; bay scallop ceviche with Baja Bay scallops, tomato, Bermuda onions, cilantro and jalapeño salsa, fresh lime juice and extra virgin olive oil served with saltines; and shrimp ceviche, a Cuban-style shrimp cocktail with Latino cóctel sauce and avocado salsa.

Sushiko serves exotic ice cream trio for ice cream month

Sushiko, 5455 Wisconsin Ave., Chevy Chase, is serving an exotic trio of unique ice creams served in a two-ounce glass. For National Ice Cream Month from now through the end of July.

Sushiko’s ice cream trio. (Photo: Sushiko)

The trio includes lychee sorbet with pink peppercorn and a mint leaf; huckleberry with a shiso leaf; and the savory foie gras with pink himalaya Sea Salt. The trio is priced at $9.

El Centro D.F. brings back guacamole festival

El Centro D.F., 1819 14th St. NW and 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is bringing back its guacamole festival from June 29-Sept. 30. The festival will feature different flavors that highlight various regional ways of preparing guacamole. Dating back to Aztec times, the traditional Mexican dip was made with avocado, onion, chilies, fresh tomato and salt. Over time, regions of Mexico began mixing local ingredients, creating thousands of variations.

The Yucatan guacamole with shrimp ceviche is one of the specials offered during El Centro D.F.’s guacamole festival. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Specials include the Yucatán, with flavors from the Yucatán Peninsula including shrimp ceviche, spicy salsa habanero, pickled onion, orange, lime and sea salt; the Baja, with ingredients from Baja California including kiwi, jicama, strawberry, mango, mint, chile arbol, lime and sea salt; Supremo, with flavors from multiple Mexican regions such as bacon, roasted corn, queso fresco and pumpkin seeds; and the Norteno, incorporating ingredients from the North such as chicharrón, menonita cheese, pickled onion, lime and sea salt. Featured guacamoles range from $12.55 to $14.75.

Drink specials to pair with the guacamole include the Engañado Margarita with sauza blue blanco tequila, roasted pineapple, habanero, fresh lime and pillincillo; and The Suavecito with sauza blue blanco tequila, agave nectar, fresh lime and Champagne. Both are $12.

During the festival, El Centro D.F. will hold an Instagram contest Diners are encouraged to snap a photo of the restaurant’s featured guacamole specials and upload it to Instagram with the hashtag #GUACFEST15 and @ElCentro_DF for a chance to win dinner for two including two margaritas, one appetizer, two entrees and one dessert.

Ice cream festival returns to Rosa Mexicano

All through the month of July, Rosa Mexicano, 575 Seventh St. NW and 153 Waterfront St. in National Harbor, brings back its annual ice cream festival featuring flavors of Mexico a la mode with desserts inspired by classic savory dishes such as guacamole and empanadas; paired with handmade ice creams infused with Mexican flavors ranging from prickly pear-blueberry sorbet to cinnamon-chili spiced chocolate.

Rosa Mexicano’s ice cream festival brings back the postre de guacamole, a sweet, frozen take the restaurant’s signature guacamole en molcajete. (Photo: Rosa Mexicano)

The festival brings back the postre de guacamole, a sweet, frozen take the restaurant’s signature guacamole en molcajete and the new buñuelos rellenos, a take on Mexican fried ice cream.

The special menu features a guacamole sundae, made with avocado ice cream in a frozen molcajete with raspberries, white chocolate shavings, coconut crunch and mint served with piloncillo-chocolate sauce and cinnamon sugar buñuelos; empanadas de manzana, warm apple empanadas with spiced Mexican chocolate sauce topped with vanilla-chocolate mole swirl ice cream; buñuelos rellenos, deep-fried sweet corn-caramel and Mexican chocolate ice cream coated in cinnamon buñuelo crust served with churros and dipping sauce; crepas de cajeta, crepes folded and served with a caramel sauce topped with sea-salted cajeta ice cream; and abuelita banana split with Mexican chocolate ice cream, warm Mexican chocolate sauce, caramelized bananas, strawberries and cinnamon whipped cream.

Authentically flavored ice creams include avocado, vanilla with chocolate mole swirl, cinnamon-chile spiced chocolate, sea-salted cajeta and prickly bear-blueberry sorbet.

Sette Osteria, which has a restaurant a 1666 Connecticut Ave. NW, will open a second location at 1634 14th St. NW in Logan Circle at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. It is in the space formerly occupied by M Café Bar, which closed in January and was also owned by Iraklis Karabassis of IK Retail Group.

Sette Osteria will open on 14th Street NW on Tuesday. (Photo: Popville)

“We are thrilled to be opening Sette Osteria on 14th Street,” said Karabassis in a press release. Karabassis also created Café Milano and the former Crepizza in Georgetown and the former Famoso Italian restaurant in Chevy Chase. “We decided to expand the brand to 14th street because of the highly dynamic and diverse neighborhood. This area is comprised of families and residents who desire simple and delicious food, in a warm and rustic set up paired with extraordinary service.”

Executive chef Nicola Sanna, who was born in Italy, will serve an Italian menu similar to the original Sette’s, with house-made pastas cooked in a wood-burning oven, antipasti, seafood and meat entrees. The dishes cover the classics, such crispy calamari and beef carpaccio, veal piccata and spaghetti with clams. There will also be gluten-free items, as well as a kid’s menu with mini pizza and chicken tenders. Menu items range in price from $8 to $28.

The bar will serve an extensive list of Italian wines by the glass and Italian-inspired cocktails. The beer selection will include some Italian classics and six beers on draft along with craft beers. Wines and beers range from $6-$12 by the glass and $25-$75 by the bottle.

Karabassis is working with an Italian architect/interior designer to create a cozy cool meets classic row-house dining atmosphere with a palette of wood, steal and warm glass that will envelop the dining room with exposed beams and a polished dark floor. Iron and crystal mixed with distressed metals and a few historic artifacts will pepper the space. A steel and wood staircase will lead to the private dining room, which will feature a wall of windows, corrugated metal, and rich upholstery creating an industrial feel with cozy semi private booths.

The 72-seat dining room and 45-seat patio debut with a 50 percent discount on Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. After Tuesday, the restaurant will serve dinner from 5-11 p.m. daily. Lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays and brunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. weekends. Happy hour will be from 5-8 p.m. nightly and all night on Sunday and Monday.

All Set Restaurant & Bar to open in Silver Spring on Tuesday

All Set Restaurant & Bar, 8630 Fenton St., Silver Spring in the Montgomery Center, on Tuesday, Apr. 14 at 11:30 a.m.

All Set restaurant will open in Silver Spring on Tuesday. (Photo: All Set)

“The phrase ‘All set’ is frequently heard throughout the New England region to indicate one is ‘good to go’ and nothing more is needed,” explained co-owner Jennifer Meltzer, who previously worked at BLT Steak, The Capital Grille, Founding Farmers and Del Frisco’s Grille. “Our goal at All Set is to treat our community and guests to an exceptionally satisfying dining experience which far exceeds our guests’ expectations.”

The 4,730–square foot New England-inspired restaurant seats 125 in the dining room, 15 at the bar, which features a raw seafood display, and 24 on the outdoor patio. There’s also a private dining room.

StreetSense designed the interior, which features a navy and white color scheme and rope-themed accents, including chandeliers and room dividers.

The menu, from co-owner and chef Edward Reavis, formerly of District Commons/Burger Tap & Shake, Tico, Cru Oyster Bar in Nantucket and The Capital Grille, will feature seafood with highlights including a crispy-skin rockfish, crab cakes, a fried oyster burger and a full raw bar with seasonal oysters, littleneck clams, chilled shrimp, lobster and crab. Other dishes include butternut squash risotto and braised short ribs. Entrees range from $18-$37, while seafood such as oysters and lobster rolls are market priced. A family clam bake with littlenecks, mussels, shrimp, lobster, kielbasa and corn on the cob will be offered Sunday nights for $35 per person.

The bar will serve classic and modern cocktails, alongside select wines, craft beers and ciders, all with an emphasis on coastal New England. The bar will also feature handpicked spirits and liqueurs with house-made juice blends and syrups.

All Set will serve lunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m weekdays and dinner from 5-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday and Saturda and 5-9 p.m. Sunday. Happy hour will be from 3-6 p.m. daily and the raw bar and bar menu will be available between lunch and dinner. Brunch will be added later.

Veloce pops up at Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Saturday

Pizzeria Paradiso’s chef and owner Ruth Gresser will open her fast-casual Neapolitan-style brick oven pizza place, Veloce — the Italian word for “speed” — at 1828 L St. NW later this spring. But from 9 a.m.-noon today, Apr. 11, she’ll be giving diners a preview of Veloce’s breakfast pizza at the Dupont location of Pizzeria Paradiso, 2003 P St. NW.

Ruth Gresser, right, will open Veloce pizzeria on L Street NW this spring. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

On Saturday, the menu will include two individual-sized pies: The Pig with scrambled eggs, Applewood smoked bacon, roasted mushrooms, red onions and Italian cheeses; and The Flag with scrambled eggs, mozzarella, roasted cherry tomatoes and Italian cheeses. There will also be an egg, vegetable and spicy garlic pesto calzone and a smoked salmon “pocket” with herbed mascarpone, capers, red onions and cherry tomatoes. All the dishes will be $5 and includes an espresso or drip coffee from Compass Coffee.

When Veloce opens in its permanent space, diners can choose a house pizza or build their own with a choice of white, whole wheat, mixed grains and seeds or gluten-free crusts. The personal pizzas will cook in about two minutes in gas-fired ovens, as opposed to Pizzeria Paradiso’s wood-fired ovens. It will also serve calzones, sandwiches and salads.

The restaurant will seat 30, including those planned on an outside patio.

Redwood Restaurant launches a la carte brunch

Redwood Restaurant, 2171 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda, has replaced its buffet brunch with a new a la carte brunch menu. Brunch is served from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sunday.

Redwood’s skillet breakfast from its new a la carte brunch menu. (Photo: Ann K. Sherwood/Yelp)

Executive chef Randy Mosteller rolled out a wide selection of new brunch dishes made with locally sourced, farm-fresh ingredients including an array of small plates to share, like a smoked fish plate with salmon, house cured trout, sieved egg, capers two ways, dill cream cheese and bagel chips; mini funnel cakes with powdered sugar and maple syrup; and yellowfin tuna tostadas with avocado puree, cucumber, puffed rice noodle and tamari.

Entrees include crème brûlée French toast with maple syrup, apples and whipped cream; a breakfast crepe with scrambled eggs, home fries, cheddar cheese, sour cream and pico de gallo; corned beef hash with sunny side up eggs, home fries and hollandaise; and fish tacos with salmon al pastor, avocado, pico de gallo, creamy cabbage, jasmine rice and black beans in flour tortillas. Redwood’s brunch menu also features several burgers, such as the breakfast burger, which is sandwiched between a house-made biscuit and features either a local beef or veggie patty with fried egg, hot sauce hollandaise and home fries, and the house-made white bean-wild mushroom “burger” on a brioche bun with lettuce tomato, pickles and fries or salad.

The beverage menu includes four unique Bloodies, all featuring the new house-made Bloody Mary mix. For $8 each, options include the classic Mary with an Old Bay spice rim; the Mexican Michelada with a chili-lime rim; Caesar, which throws clam juice into the mix; and aquavit-based Hamlet with dill and lemon. Guests can enjoy bottomless flutes of mimosas for $15 a person, or try a seasonal mimosa, currently featuring blood orange puree and cherry limeade with vanilla vodka, cherry Heering, lime and prosecco.

Cuba Libre celebrates National Empanada Day

Wednesday was National Empanada Day and Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 Ninth St. NW, is celebrating with all month with two special empanadas. Through Sunday, an empanadas de cerezas with goat cheese, sour cherries, toasted pistachio and sweet cherry mostarda is available, and from Apr. 13-21, the Total Eclipse Lobster Empanada with a black corn shell, Maine lobster and coral butter served with a mango escabeche salad and passion fruit-citrus mojo will be served. The specials are priced at $7.50 and $9 respectively, and are available during lunch and dinner.

Cuba Libre’s Total Eclipse Lobster Empanada will be available from Apr. 13-21. (Photo: Cuba Libre)

Also, Cuba Libre will host a cooking class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Priced at $65 per person, 20 guests can learn to make Cuba Libre’s signature Mama Amelia’s empanadas as well as the Total Eclipse Lobster Empanada. New executive chef Matt Zagorski will share the rich history of Cuban cuisine while teaching the art of creating homemade empanadas. Participants will enjoy a variety of empanadas, along with signature tapas dishes and a complimentary cocktail while they experience the unique hands-on cooking experience.

Tickets for the empanada class can be purchased online.

Spring vegetables return to ShopHouse

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, with locations in Dupont, Chinatown, Georgetown and Union Station in D.C. as well as Bethesda and North Bethesda in Maryland, has brought back two seasonal spring vegetable favorites: kale with chilies and vinegar replaces collard greens, and eggplant with Thai basil and garlic replaces parsnips.

ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen in Dupont has added new vegetables to its spring menu. (Photo: Business Insider)

Sourced locally whenever possible, the vegetables are cooked quickly in a hot wok and tossed with fresh Thai chilies before being added to a ShopHouse bowl.

A bowl starts with jasmine or brown rice, chilled rice noodles or salad. Diners then choose grilled chicken satay, grilled steak laab, pork and chick meatballs or tofu and add one of the new spring veggies, charred corn or green beans, add tamarind vinaigrette, green curry, spicy red curry or peanut sauce and garnishes such as herbed slaw, pickled vegetables or green papaya slaw. Finally, top it off with toasted rice, crispy garlic, crushed peanuts or Thai chilies.

El Centro D.F., Masa 14 to host patio parties

El Centro D.F., 1819 14th St. NW and 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, and Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, will host separate patio parties to kick-off the spring season.

El Centro D.F. Georgetown’s patio opens Tuesday. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Guests will be the first to sample new additions to the restaurants’ food and cocktail menus and can vote on their favorite menu items showcased that evening. Both restaurants will announce the winner via social media three days following the events; guests can redeem that menu item on the house with purchase of another entrée during their next visit.

Both El Centro D.F. locations will be hosting patio kick-off parties on Tuesday from 6-9 p.m.. New dishes include the duck tlayuda Mexican pizzas; BBQ shrimp skewers; lamb tacos; plantain empanadas, as well as a beef cheek flautas. El Centro’s patio parties are $25 per person and include two drink tickets and light appetizers throughout the evening. Guests will enjoy happy hour drink specials throughout the three-hour event, including $5 bottled beers such as Dos XX Lager, Dos XX Ambar, Tecate and Corona Light, house red and white wine, new tequila infusions such as pineapple and serrano, and watermelon, as well as signature cocktails such as the El Centro margarita with house-made strawberry and mango puree and spiked watermelon agua fresca.

The patio parties are limited to 75 guests at each location and reservations can be made online here for 14th Street or here for Georgetown.

Masa 14 will hold its patio party from 6-9 p.m. on Apr. 21. New spring dishes include a spicy tuna roll; pork and beef meatballs; seared diver scallops; pork okonomiyaki; and the Japanese vegetable pancake.

The event is priced at $25 per person and is limited to 75 guests. Tickets are available here. Guests will receive two drink tickets light appetizers along with happy hour drink specials including bottles and cans of Corona, Corona Light and Tecate, house red and white wine by the glass, and signature cocktails for $5 each during the event. Happy hour cocktails include the Margarita Tradicional with Sauza Blue, simple syrup and fresh lime juice; Mojito Tradicional with Castillo rum, lime, mint and simple syrup; and strawberry lemonade with vodka, fresh strawberry puree and lemon juice.

Mango Tree to celebrate Thai New Year

Mango Tree, 929 H St. NW in CityCenterDC, will celebrate Thai New Year, traditionally called the Songkran Festival, with dinner specials Apr. 13-15.

Mango Tree will celebrate the Thai New Year with a special menu. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Songkran, or Thai New Year, is a Buddhist festival and the kingdom’s most important public holiday. Songkran, Sanskrit for “astrological passage,” is a time for Thais to visit their local temple to pray and to wash their Buddha icons. Buddhist statues on house shrines are also cleaned. This cleansing ritual is to bring luck and prosperity for the coming year. Additionally, adults, children, locals and visitors take to the streets to celebrate with lively water fights and throwing talc. The traditional water pouring is meant as a symbol of washing away all of their sins and the wrong doings.

Special appetizers include khao tang na tang, crispy rice crackers and romaine lettuce with pork and a coconut dip; pla salmon, salmon marinated in lime juice with red chili, shallot, spring onion and cilantro; and kalam savoy, roasted Brussels sprouts with chili cashew nuts and coconut sauce. Entrees include pla pow, marinated blue catfish wrapped in a banana leaf with Thai herb salad and a spicy lime sauce; gae yang, cilantro, garlic and pepper marinated lamb cutlets with Thai warm potato salad, tamarind and a dry chili sauce; and choo chee tow hoo, crispy soft tofu with red curry sauce and kaffir lime leaf.

New Year specials are available exclusively during dinner and are priced from $8 to $30.

Michael Schlow to open The Riggsby this summer

James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Schlow, who owns Tico restaurant along 14th Street NW, will open his second area restaurant. The Riggsby will open in the remodeled Carlyle Suites Hotel, 1731 New Hampshire Ave. NW in Dupont Circle, this summer.

Michael Schlow will open his second D.C. restaaurant, The Riggsby, in the Carlyle Suites Hotel later this year. (Photo: Tico)

It is named for Riggs Place and in homage to the former Riggs Bank. The space was designed by Brian Miller of Edit Lab at StreetSense and will feature an open kitchen, wood tables, leather booths, brass finishes and whimsical décor that includes a custom designed wallpaper incorporating original artwork from Schlow’s wife, mixed media artist Adrienne Schlow.

The bar and lounge area will seat 40, while the dining room seats 75 and also has a private dining space for 10.

The menu includes American dishes with European influences for breakfast, lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch. The bar will have an emphasis on classic, hand crafted cocktails, bar snacks and an extensive wine by the glass program.

Philippe Reininger, who was most recently executive chef at J&G Steakhouse in the W Hotel, will oversee the kitchen and Daniel Lobsenz, who most recently oversaw front of house operations and managed the wine programs for both Roofer’s Union and BLT Steak, will be the general manager.

More information as it becomes available.

Provision No. 14 adds executive chef, chef de cuisine

Provision No. 14, slated to open at 2100 14th St. NW in late April in the former Diego space, announced it culinary team led by executive chef James Duke and chef de cuisine John Leavitt.

John Leavitt (left) and James Duke will head up Provision No. 14’s culinary team. (Photo: Provision No. 14)

The pair were the opening chefs at H Street’s Driftwood Kitchen. The duo, both trained at L’Academie de Cuisine, became friends a decade ago working front-of-house with Great American Restaurants.

Duke, who was born and raised in Northern Virginia and lives in Shirlington with his girlfriend and their dog, has spent his entire career in the D.C. area. He has worked at Great American Restaurants (Carlyle, Mike’s American Grill, Jackson’s Mighty Fine Food), 1789 Restaurant and the now-closed Tallula.

Leavitt, who moved often with his Marine father, has worked in restaurants in Chicago, Cleveland, Seattle and D.C. including front of house at Carlyle, cooking at 2941 and purchasing for Farmers Restaurant Group. He lives in D.C.’s Bloomingdale neighborhood.

Last October, the two opened Driftwood Kitchen on H Street NE and oversaw the kitchen there.

They have begun planning Provision No. 14’s modern American seasonal scratch menu, which will change every few weeks. The menu will include several family-style platters served on wood planks that feed two to four people. The menu will include an extensive house-made pasta selection, whole fish and miso-glazed lamb ribs.

Among the dishes to look for is pork pata, a Filipino dish made from a whole pork leg that is braised, hung to dry for a day then deep-fried. The result: an umami-laden piece of meat that is moist on the inside and crispy on the outside. Also, melon and ham with sweet summer melon and Iberico ham that are vacuum-compressed to form a salty-sweet combination and served with micro-greens.

Philos mezze and wine bar will open Wednesday in the former Tel’Veh space at 401 Massachusetts Ave. NW in Mount Vernon Triangle.

Philos will open Wednesday in the former Tel’Veh space with a Mediterranean small plates menu and 20 wines by the glass.
(Photo: Philos)

The restaurant, owned by Richard Jarrouj and Talal Orfaly, will feature small plates from the Mediterranean basin.

“Small plate dining is very trendy in our city, and it works because it allows people to sample more dishes without shelling out a lot of money for multiple entrees,” said Jarrouj and Orfaly in a press release. “It is also the core of Mediterranean cuisine, turning dining into more of an experience rather than a rushed meal.”

Chef Ghassan Jarrouj, previously executive chef at Agora in Dupont Circle, has designed a menu that includes a variety of spreads such as hummus and baba ghannouj, grilled meats such as Merguez sausage and lamb loin chops, and vegetables such as mushrooms with garlic, sherry and parsley and roasted cauliflower with cilantro pesto and tahini sauce. The menu also features cheese boards, charcuterie and warm cheese section that includes baked goat cheese with dried figs, honey and pistachios and grilled halloumi with watermelon and mint. The menu’s core ingredients are garlic, lemon and legumes including chickpeas and lentils, as well a nutrient-dense ingredients such as kale, tahini and Brussels sprouts. Seafood dishes include steamed mussels, grilled octopus, sautéed shrimp, seared sea scallops and pan seared branzino. The dessert menu include baklava, rice pudding, banana cream pudding and ice cream. Dishes range from $6-$14.

Philos’ wine selection includes 20 wines by the glass priced from $8-$13 that will be dispensed by a Vinotemp cooling system and another 25 wines by the bottom priced from $40-$325. Inspired by Mediterranean selections, the wines are predominately from lesser-known regions such as Lebanon, Greece and Bulgaria in addition to local vineyards. The bar also features eight craft cocktails priced from $10-$12, homemade sangria at $8 per glass or $30 per carafe and four draft beers priced from $6-$8.

The restaurant features a curved bar, dark wooden tables and chairs, custom-made banquettes, high ceilings, earthy tones and iron fixtures including Moorish panels on the mezzanine that overlooks the 70-seat dining room. There’s also a semi-open kitchen. Oversized windows provide a glimpse to the 30-seat patio that will be open in warm weather and an abundance of natural light.

Philos will be open from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m.-3 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Happy hour will be from 4-7 p.m. weekdays.

Karat Cakery visits One Eight Distilling

Karat Cakery’s food truck will be selling both sweet and savory carrot treats including carrot cupcakes, carrot loafs, carrot cakes, carrot ice cream and savory carrot dishes at One Eight Distilling’s weekly open to celebrate International Carrot Day from 1-4 p.m. today, Apr. 4.

Karat Cakery will sell carrot cupcakes and other carrot foods at One Eight Distilling’s weekly open house. (Photo: Karat Cakery)

One Eight Distilling, 1135 Okie St. NE, will host tours and tasting of its latest spirits every half hour on a first-come, first-served basis. Guests must be 21 or older. Admission is free and registration is not required. There is free on-street parking.

Guests can show their love for carrots by participating in Karat Cakery’s challenges like the “place your order using your best bunny imitation” and rounds of imaginary hoola hoop while holding Mr. Carrot.

BLT Steak offers $10 Congressional Recess Menu

While Congress is in recess through Apr. 11, BLT Steak, 1625 I St. NW, is offering a “Congressional Recess Menu” with $10 dishes at the bar from 5-10 p.m.

BLT Stead is offering a $10 Congressional Recess Menu from 5-10 p.m. through Apr. 11 at the bar.
(Photo: Johnnie D./Yelp)

The first “Recess Menu” of the year, this promotion is part of a regular series which launched in March 2014 and is offered every time Congress goes on an extended recess.

For the next week, diners can enjoy upscale bar snacks like lamb neck bao buns with lamb confit, charred tomato salsa and curried chimichurri; and gulf shrimp fritters with smoked romesco sauce. For veggie lovers, there will be dishes that include mushroom fricasse with cauliflower hummus and crispy gnocchi with dinosaur kale and oven roasted tomatoes. Other dishes include Wagyu bolognese with ditalini and grilled squid with puttanesca.

Mango Tree begins weekend brunch service

Mango Tree, 929 H St. NW, will debut weekend brunch service beginning today, Apr. 4.

Mango Tree in CityCenterDC begins serving weekend brunch this weekend. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Chef de Cuisine Paul Kennedy, a native of the United Kingdom, has crafted a menu that integrates traditional English breakfast fare with a Thai twist. Appetizers include green papaya salad, poached shrimp, cherry tomatoes, long beans, chili-lime and a Sriracha cocktail sauce, as well as street-style pork-in-a-bag, grilled marinated pork skewers with Thai sticky rice and a sweet tamarind sauce served in a BPA-free bag like traditional street food in Thailand. Entrées include Mango Tree Eggs Benedict, a toasted English muffin, poached egg and hash browns, served with a choice of grilled salmon, Kaffir lime hollandaise and sautéed spinach or braised beef cheeks with green curry hollandaise and sautéed spinach or sautéed spinach with Kaffir lime hollandaise and shallots; salmon scrambled eggs with hash browns and crispy fried bread; Thai-English breakfast inspired by the traditional English breakfast made with morthern-style Thai sausage, crispy bacon, two wok fried eggs, hash browns, grilled portobello mushroom, grilled tomato and fried bread; oven-baked blueberry French toast with whipped cream and blueberry compote; bacon, bourbon and apple pancakes with hash browns and maple syrup, as well as Mango Tree waffles served with a choice of maple syrup, crispy bacon and whipped cream or strawberry and Thai basil compote and whipped cream or freshly cut fruit and ginger with mint syrup. Brunch prices range from $8-$16.

Mango Tree’s new brunch menu is complemented by featured cocktails such as the traditional mimosa; Mary in the Mango Tree with Mekhong and house-made Bloody Mary mix; mango mimosa with champagne and fresh mango purée; lychee bellini with champagne and fresh lychees; The Spirited Thai with Mekhong, fresh lime, lychee and pineapple, and the Thai tea-ni with Thai tea infused vodka, star anise and evaporated milk. Cocktails are priced from $8-$12.

Brunch will be served Saturday and Sunday, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Red Light launches weekend brunch

Red Light Cocktails & Dessert Bar, 1401 R St. NW, will serve weekend brunch, which will showcase waffles, frittatas and other traditional brunch items, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday beginning today, Apr. 3..

Red Light Cocktails and Dessert Bar is now serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. (Photo: Google Maps)

Executive chef Alina Bothen’s brunch menu include Belgian waffles made to order with a choice of toppings such as maple, bacon and caramel; seasonal fruit and fresh whipped cream; or maple syrup, butter and powdered sugar. Three different frittatas will also be available and include a choice of potato, cheddar, bacon and onion; asparagus, mushroom, tomato and parmigiano reggiano; or chicken, spinach, bell peppers and garlic. Other dishes include the gravlox plate with house-cured Swedish lox, tomato, pickled shallots, cream cheese and capers, served with a plain bagel; morning parfait with Greek yogurt, house-made granola and seasonal fruit; a cheese and rillette plate with port salut, zamorano and morbier cheeses served with house-made pork rillette, apricot mustardo, candied walnuts and a cherry/thyme jam, or a choice of two flatbreads: mushroom, taleggio and white truffle oil; and the bacon, caramelized onions and blue cheese. Brunch items range from $7-$16.

Red Light is offering $4 mimosas and $6 Bloody Mary cocktails during weekend brunch along with $12 cocktails such as the El Viejo made with jalapeno tequila, orange, sugar and chocolate mole bitters; the Pseudonym with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, ginger liqueur and orange bitters; and Dead Man’s Tale with spiced rum, Benedictine, lime juice and raspberry mint syrup.

Masa 14 launches unlimited chef’s tasting menu

Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, 20009, has begun offering and unlimited chef’s tasting menu featuring unlimited small plates and free-flowing cocktails.

Masa 14 is offering a two-hours unlimited tasting menu Sunday-Thursday until 9 p.m. (Photo: Hilton)

Available Sunday through Thursday with the last seating at 9 p.m., the menu offers two package options: unlimited Latin-Asian small plates for $49 per person or unlimited Latin-Asian small plates and a selection of bottomless drinks for $65 per person. The entire table must order the same tasting option and guests have two-hours.

The tasting menu includes an array of dishes from the Latin-Asian inspired menu such as she-crab bisque, Hijiki seaweed-jicama salad, charred octopus, roasted cauliflower and lo main noodles with hanger steak, as well as dim sum such as pork belly steamed buns and crunchy shrimp.

City Tap House host release party for Black is the new Wit beer

City Tap House, 901 9th St. NW, will host a release party for Terrapin Beer Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co. ‘s new collaboration brew, Black is the new Wit, on Apr. 6. The two breweries are joining forces to create the perfect wit beer for summer.

City Tap House will host a release party for Terrapin Beer Co. and New Belgium Brewing Co. ‘s new collaboration brew, Black is the new Wit on Monday. (Photo: Pops! Wines and Spirits)

Attendees will be one of the first to try the traditional Belgian wit, which gets its absence of color from intensely roasted wheat and dehusked barley. As an added bonus, guests will have the opportunity to interact and discuss the beer with representatives from both breweries from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

City Tap House will fill their tap lines with seasonal and year-round brews from both breweries including Oscar Worthy Coffee, the Slow Ride Session IPA, Ranger IPA, Wild2 Dubbel, the Abbey, and The Skinny Dip from New Belgium as well as the Hopsecutioner IPA, HI-5 IPA, Rye Pale Ale, Liquid Bliss Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, Mosaic Red Rye IPA and the Hop Selection IPA from Terrapin. The beers will be poured from their draft lines until they are sold out.

Easter and Passover are just around the corner, and restaurants in the DMV are gearing up for the holidays with special menus and drink offers.

Area restaurants are serving up special Easter meals. (Photo: One Good Thing)

Easter brunch

1789 Restaurant, 1226 36th St. NW, will dish up an Easter a la carte brunch served from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance delivering candy to children. During brunch, the first and second courses are included in the entrée price, which ranges from $27-$50. Dessert can be added for $10. The first course will include beef tartar with smoked egg vinaigrette, beef tendon puff, chives and sriracha; spring pea salad with pea shoots, smoked yogurt and almonds; and mushroom velouté with roasted mushrooms and chorizo. The main course features pork belly with pea puree, spring English peas, pea shoots and glazed carrots; pain perdue with whipped cream, rhubarb compote and maple syrup; shrimp and grits with fried green tomatoes and roasted gulf shrimp; and duck cassoulet with duck confit and sausage, cranberry beans, sofritto and duck skin cracklings. Dessert seletctions include lemon meringue angel food cake with lemon curd, toasted coconut meringue, pie dough flakes, coconut paper and buttermilk sherbet; chocolate mousse bombe, mocha flourless cake, black pepper chocolate mousse, beet gelée, whipped crème fraîche and beet ice cream; or almond crème brûlée with turbinado sugar crunch, vanilla poached pears, amaretti cookie and pear-Riesling sorbet.

701 Restaurant, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will offer a $45 per person three-course menu, or $22.50 for children 10 and under. Brunch will be available from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and dinner will be served from 5- 9:30 p.m. Dishes include golden beets with cocoa crumble, kumquats, goat cheese, tamarind and vinaigrette; carrot salad with paneer, pumpernickel crumble, mint and turmeric honey vinaigrette; Skuna Bay salmon with mustard spätzle, kale and pomegranate; roasted lamb leg with fregola almonds, green harissa and sheep’s milk yogurt; and carrot pasta with braised rabbit ragout, fennel pollen and ricotta salad. For dessert, featured desserts include buttermilk panna cotta with strawberries and fig vin cotto; caramelized rice pudding tart with tropical fruit and chamomile sorbet; and rhubarb crisp with lemon curd ice cream.

Ambar, 523 8th St. SE, will offer a fixed price brunch of unlimited small plates and cocktails from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for $39. The meal includes unlimited mezze, soups, salads, sandwiches, egg dishes, pastry, crepes and sweets. Bottomless brunch must be ordered by the entire table. Dishes include Balkan salad, tomato, peppers, cucumber, onions and aged cheese; egg BLT; and almond and a walnut crusted fried chicken sandwich with spring mix and apple-wasabi slaw. Other dishes include eggs benedict served on an English muffin with ajvar, prosciutto and kajmak sauce; salmon or prosciutto omelet; poached pear waffle with house-made caramel sauce; steak and eggs, sirloin served with house-made fried potatoes and chimichurri sauce; or Balkan scrambled egg with red and yellow peppers, onion, aged cow cheese served with house-made potatoes. The meal also includes bottomless traditional mimosa, Bloody Mary and the Ambar mimosa with sparkling wine and peach puree.

America Eats Tavern, 1700 Tysons Blvd. in the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, is serving an all-you-can-eat Easter brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $45 per person or $25 for children 10 and under including fresh doughnuts to share, a continental breakfast table with house-made granola, South Mountain Creamery yogurt, seasonal fruit and an assortment of cheeses, house-made muffins and biscuits; a seafood bar with oysters, clams, shrimp and grapefruit cocktail, deviled king crab cocktail and shrimp and crab cocktail; a ham carving station with mini drop biscuits, blackberry jam, grain mustard, red eye mayo and pickles; a jambalaya station with vegetable, shrimp and suckling pig jambalaya; a cake table with mini tarts, mini Martha Washington chocolate cakes, mini coconut cakes and mini key lime pies; made-to-order omelets and eggs any style; and entrees such as shrimp ‘n grits, fried chicken with “cold slaw,” Waldorf salad, mini waffles, eggs a la benedick, Texas chili brisket and maple-glazed scrapple.

Arcuri, 2400 Wisconsin Ave. NW, will offer a three-course, prix fixe menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $30 per person. The menu includes the choice of two courses from the featured menu along with unlimited mimosas for the table. The menu includes Arcuri insalta with honey crisp apple, pecans, dried cherries and sherry; roasted beets with ricotta, hazelnuts and lemon; frittata with red pepper, zucchini and caprino cheese; soft scramble with proscuitto and ricotta toast; and lemon ricotta pancakes with blueberries. Dessert includes a choice of chocolate mousse; Sicilian cannoli; fried apple pie or an ice cream sundae.

Bibiana Osteria-Enoteca, 1100 New York Ave. NW, will serve a three-course, prix fixe menu, which includes a choice of antipasti followed by a secondi and a tasting of Italian desserts to share from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for $50 per person. The menu includes carciofi, shaved raw artichokes, arugula, parmigiano-reggiano and prosciutto; burrata, creamy mozzarella, baby beets and pistachio pesto; torta Pasquale, a traditional Easter pie stuffed with braised kale, cheese fonduta and hardboiled egg; ricotta cavatelli, sheep’s milk ricotta dumplings, morel mushrooms, taleggio fonduta and black truffle; manzo, black angus strip loin, served with fingerling potatoes, pancetta and roasted chanterelle butter; and tonno, grilled Sicilian style yellowfin tuna steak, served with lemon poached baby artichokes and salsa verde. Dessert includes pastiera Napoletana, classic Neapolitan ricotta and barley tart and orange gelato; cannoli alla Siciliana, sheep’s milk ricotta, chopped chocolate, Amarena cherries and pistachios; and bomboloni, chocolate cream filled Italian doughnuts.

Blue Duck Tavern, at the corner of 24th and M Streets NW, 20037, will serve brunch from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. for $110 for adults and $55 for children ages 6 to 12. The three-course, fixed-price menu begins with a choice of starters including seasonal salads, meats, breads and cheeses on display throughout the open kitchen. Entrée choices include Belgian waffle with rhubarb jam, candied pecans, fresh cream and tarragon; duck confit hash with fried duck egg, spring garlic, pearl onions and smoked potatoes; slow-roasted prime rib of beef served with horseradish sauce and natural jus; poached egg with white corn polenta, parmesan, truffles and English peas; and oven roasted rabbit sausage with piperade and house mustard. Brunch concludes with seasonal desserts on display in the pastry pantry.

The Bombay Club, 815 Connecticut Ave. NW, will offer its Champagne buffet brunch this Easter for $28 or $40 with bottomless Champagne from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Highlights include murg zafrani, chicken, onion, yogurt and cashews; saag gosht, lamb, mustard greens, garam masala and ginger; shrimp pepper masala with black pepper, tomato and tamarind; paneer makhni with cottage cheese, fenugreek and cinnamon; and baingan mirch salan with eggplant, jalapeño, onion, tamarind, sesame and peanuts. For dessert, choose from vanilla bean phirni with milk, rice and strawberry; gulab jamun or mixed fruit.

City Tap House, 901 9th St. NW, will celebrate with specials from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. The holiday dishes include a chocolate and caramelized banana crepe served with candied walnuts and mascarpone whipped cream; shrimp and grits with andouille sausage, charred scallion beurre blanc and farm eggs; and house-made ricotta with orange fig jam, thyme and cracked black pepper served with grilled sourdough bread. Brunch prices range from $5-$26. There will be a complimentary dessert buffet featuring a chocolate fountain with fresh fruit and marshmallows, and a selection of seasonal pastries. The Easter Bunny will be making a guest appearance delivering candy children.

Daikaya, 705 6th St. NW, will introduce five fun, flirty egg dishes to its brunch menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. this Easter. The dishes are merengue with seasonal berries; fried jidori egg with caviar and bottarga; onsen tamago Egg with hazelnuts, browned butter and dashi potato; an ambrosia balad; and miso-honey glazed carrots with rabbit sausage. The dishes are priced from $7-$12. For the perfect pairing, try the Sol Invictus, named after the sun god of the later Roman Empire and a patron of soldiers. This cocktail is $14 and is made from a combination of Japanese whisky, Bénédictine, green chartreuse, egg yolk and Peychaud’s bitters.

Drafting Table, 1529 14th St. NW, will offer its regular “Fútbol Weekend Brunch” from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Easter. Guests can watch their favorite European fútbol teams on the restaurant’s four flat screen TVs while enjoying items such as veggie all day, two eggs, falafel, baked beans, tomatoes, home fries and sourdough toast; hillbilly benedict, a biscuit topped with two sunny side eggs and ham, smothered with sausage gravy and hash browns; deep fried cherry apricot French toast with whipped cream; sexy egg sandwich, two sunny eggs, herb aioli, roasted red peppers and arugula, served on toasted bread; spicy BBQ tacos, a choice of chipotle BBQ pulled pork or pan-seared cod served on a corn tortilla with kimchi and cilantro; and the Draftsman burger, a beef burger with crispy blue cheese, apricot chutney, arugula and caramelized bacon-onion jam served with fries. Brunch items are priced from $6 to $14 each. Also, bottomless mimosas are $14 with the purchase of any entrée.

Area restaurants are giving diners the option to skip the cooking for Easter. (Photo: Valour)

El Centro D.F., 1819 14th St. NW and 1218 Wisconsin Ave. NW, will serve its bottomless Mexican brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for $35 per person. Dishes include jalapeño beef and chorizo slider with Chihuahua cheese, avocado, pickled jalapeno and aji Amarillo aioli; buttermilk pancakes with fresh berries, queso requesón and orange tequila marmalade; bacon, egg and cheese tacos served with Chihuahua cheese and scallions; fried egg divorciados smothered in red and green salsa with chorizo and black beans; and a breakfast enchilada with scrambled eggs, morita bean sauce and chorizo. Bottomless brunch drinks include the mimosa, Michelada, Bloody Maria, El Centro margarita and choice of seasonal aqua fresca cocktails. The bottomless brunch menu must be ordered for the entire table.

Et Voila!, 5120 MacArthur Blvd. NW, will offer holiday specials from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. including lobster salad liègeoise with small potatoes, fresh green beans, colonnata and Old Xérès sherry vinegar; braised lamb shank with romaine, gnocchi and artichoke à la barigoule; and skate wing meunière served with crushed potato and ramps. For dessert, guests will enjoy chocolate Easter eggs, chocolate eggs made of brioche crumbs, warm chocolate foam and apricot gelée, served on a nest of rice cooked in milk and pistachio. The dishes are priced from $12-$32 each.

Fainting Goat, 1330 U St. NW, will serve its full selection of seasonal brunch fare from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Selections include goat cheese fondue with Fresno peppers, herbs and grilled bread; avocado toast with pickled onions, togarashi and arugula; chicken hash with sunny side egg, grilled onions and poblano peppers; and eggs in a basket with brioche, Serrano ham and red eye gravy. Add bottomless Bloody Goats or bubbles with a choice of fruit juice for $15 a person.

The Hamilton, 600 14th St. NW, is serving its full brunch menu with Easter specials from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Dishes include asparagus and coddled egg with hollandaise and parmigiano; breakfast sliders, buttermilk biscuits, house smoked ham, scrambled eggs and goat cheese; sautéed calamari with fresh ginger, Fresno chili, rosemary, tomato, served with a squid ink crostini; shrimp and grits, stone ground cheese grits, andouille sausage, spinach, served with a buttery Creole sauce; bangers and mash, English style sausage with caramelized onions, mashed potatoes, duck egg and white bread; roasted artichoke frittata with romesco sauce, pecorino and baby greens; and a breakfast burrito, scrambled eggs, chorizo, beans, cheddar cheese and potatoes, topped with ranchero sauce and sour cream. The Easter Bunny will also make an appearance to give out candy, hugs and provide photo opportunities for young diners.

J. Paul’s restaurant, 3218 M St. NW, 20007, will offer a la carte Easter specials priced from $16-$20 each. The menu includes the JP Scramble, scrambled eggs, spinach, onions, cheddar cheese and potatoes, served with fresh fruit and toast; steak and eggs, an 8-ounce New York strip served with two sunny side up eggs, potatoes and fresh fruit; chicken and waffles; and green eggs and lamb, pan seared rack of lamb, served with a deep fried potato pancake, two over-easy eggs and chimichurri sauce. There will be a complimentary dessert buffet featuring treats including cheesecake, carrot cake, brownies, Rice Krispy treats, a fondue station, easter Eggs, assorted breads and muffins, and seasonal fruit.

Kapnos, 2201 14th St. NW, and Kapnos Taverna, 4000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, are celebrating Easter twice, with brunches and to-go meals for Western Easter on Apr. 5 and Greek Easter on Apr. 12. Both are offering Greek Easter favorites to-go, available for pick-up between 9-11 a.m. on either Sunday. The meals include classic Greek spreads, spanakopita, roasted lemon potatoes and spit roasted lamb, pork and chicken. The meal can be ordered http://kapnosdc.com/assets/Easter-Order-Form2015.pdf online. Ballston’s Kapnos Taverna will offer brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.with a menu featuring Greek coffee waffles and baklava French toast as well as dishes like the smoky crab omelet and scrambled eggs gyro. The full menu is available here.

Lupo Verde, 1401 T St. NW, will celebrate the Italian holiday of Pasquetta, which translates to “Little Easter” and is traditionally celebrated the Monday immediately following Easter Sunday. Throughout Italy, it is customary to go for a picnic with friends on this national holiday. Lupo Verde will celebrate the day before Easter, Apr. 4 from noon-6 p.m. The featured menu is available exclusively on the gated 40-seat patio and includes slow roasted pork and porchetta panini; house-made apple and pork sausages; domestic lamb; spinach and anchovy pizza; and farmers market panzanella salad and house-made pasta. Guests will be able to enjoy a plate of the dishes for $25 per person or $12 for children under 12. Beverages include Montepulciano D’Abruzzo and Falanghina for $9; Peroni Nastro Azzurro and Atlas Brew Works for $6 and bottomless soda/tea for $3.

Masa 14, 1825 14th St. NW, 20009, will serve a prix fixe menu in the main dining room from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for $39. It will include an unlimited selection of brunch drinks such as the traditional Mimosa, Masa Mimosa, lychee bellini, Bloody Mary, bacon Bloody Mary and lemon lager. The menu will feature pork belly Benedict with spicy curry potato cake and chipotle hollandaise; chilaquiles, corn tortillas, chorizo, queso cotija and soft scrambled eggs; smoked chicken hash with caramelized onions, chilies, chipotle hollandaise, yucca and poached egg; fruit and house-made granola with citrus yogurt and blood orange syrup; and crispy smoked brisket bun with hoisin BBQ, pickled onion, toasted sesame and cilantro. The special brunch must be ordered for the entire table. Brunch can also be ordered a la carte from $4-$13 per dish.

Mio Restaurant, 1110 Vermont Ave. NW, will offer an a la carte brunch menu 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Dishes include ravioli de malanga, house-made pasta with taro root mousse, mushroom cream, sautéed mushrooms and truffle oil; pasteles de ropa vieja, stewed skirt steak wrapped and poached in yucca and plantain, served with a spicy tomato aioli; los bennies, poached eggs over toasted Cuban bread with smoked ham, malanga latkes and sofrito verde hollandaise sauce; lechón con pan, Puerto Rican suckling pig sandwich, served with sautéed onions, ajili mojili, mayo ketchup and matchstick fries; and conejo en fricase “jibaro”,rabbit fricassee “jibaro” style “tocino”, served with white rice and root vegetables. Prices range from $6-$26.

Nopa Kitchen + Bar, 800 F St. NW, will showcase garden fresh vegetables, select meats and fish prepared with a touch of French influence from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Easter. The a la carte menu includes slow roasted Berkshire pork belly with crispy West Coast oysters, soft polenta and a maple-ximenez agrodocle; red watercress and spring vegetable salad with breakfast radishes, English peas, rainbow carrots, fennel and egg 63 served with a warm guanciale vinaigrette; slow roasted lamb loin with black garlic gnocchi, feta mousse, rainbow chard, morels and green chickpeas; grilled beef tenderloin and eggs with baby kale, smoked faro, Skuna caviar and truffle crème fraiche; and red beet tagliatelle with snap peas, ramps, pea shoots, smoked olive oil and parmesan. Pastries include cardamom and Szechuan pepper crumb cake with elderflower scented poached rhubarb, lychee ice cream and poppy seed crumble; lime bar with lemon lavender butter cookie, roasted pineapple, kumquats and prickly pear sorbet; and Berliners with chocolate cream and malt ice cream. Prices range from $12-$27 each.

The Oval Room, 800 Connecticut Ave. NW, will serve a three-course, prix fixe Easter menu from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $55 per person or $75 per person with wine pairings. Dishes include English pea veloute with lemon, mint and crème fraîche; Hamachi crudo with avocado, spring lettuces, hearts of palm and a ginger soy vinaigrette; house-made pappardelle with rabbit ragout, peas, chanterelles and marjoram; lemon ricotta ravioli with English peas, spring onions and farm butter; crispy skin salmon with honey cap mushrooms, fava beans, preserved lemon and spring garlic; pan seared swordfish with olives, green almonds, piquillos, green garbanzo humus; roasted organic chicken with cheddar grits, pickled ramps and bacon ravagoté; and roasted leg of lamb with piquillo peppers, favas, lemon and mint. For dessert, guests can indulge in frozen local strawberry soufflé with basil and cracked black pepper; ricotta bomboloni with lemon curd, burnt caramel and bourbon ice cream; and chocolate hazelnut mousse with coffee ice cream.

Restaurants are offering many different cuisines to suit any taste for Easter brunch. (Photo: Fishers’ Tudor House)

Redwood, 7121 Bethesda Lane, Bethesda, is serving an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet for $35 a person and $15 for children from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Brunch will include fresh breads ranging from bagels and croissants, to muffins and a cinnamon bun station; cold Items such as yogurt and granola, artisanal cheeses and charcuterie; hot items including French toast, corned beef hash and fried Brussels sprouts; a variety of eggs and a meat carving station. Add house Bloody Marys for $8 or bottomless mimosas for $15. The full menu is available here.

Rosa Mexicano, with locations at 575 7th St. NW in Penn Quarter, 5223 Wisconsin Ave. in Chevy Chase, and 153 Waterfront St. in National Harbor, will offer a holiday menu of special cocktails and brunch favorites. Kids can enjoy the Mex-a-Mango mocktail with a tropical mix of sweet mango puree, pineapple juice, grenadine and Sprite while adults can sip Bloody Marias with Herradura silver and smoky mescal. Special dishes include Huevos Rosa, sunny-side up eggs, crispy tortilla and refried-chorizo beans, topped with roasted tomato-chipotle sauce, salsa verde, ham, peas and cheese; fried eggs and carnitas hash, traditional carnitas and ancho chile-potato hash topped with fried eggs and pineapple-habeñero mustard jam; Mexico City chilaquiles, a seared ham steak topped with scrambled eggs, corn tortillas and a creamy, smoky chile sauce; and torrejas de miel rellenas, cinnamon-cascabel chile-crusted brioche bread filled with mascarpone and topped with caramelized plantains.

Slate Wine Bar + Bistro, 2404 Wisconsin Ave. NW, is serving a four-course prix-fixe meal for $35 per person with an optional $24 wine pairing. The meal starts with a choice of steamed mussels with white wine garlic or tomato saffron sauce, duck breast eggrolls with chili soy sauce or honey mustard dipping sauce; or pan seared scallops with bacon corn cream sauce served over spinach. The entrée choices include risotto with seasonal vegetables, truffle oil and parmesan; Chesapeake Bay lump crab cakes served with asparagus, French fries and choice of mushroom peppercorn sauce or herb butter; roasted rosemary leg of lamb with seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes; or bistro filet with roasted asparagus, French fries and choice of choice of mushroom peppercorn sauce or herb butter. Dessert includes a choice of Elizabeth’s warm fudge brownie served with vanilla ice cream; Jorge’s tres leches traditional Latin sponge cake with three types of milk, coconut and cinnamon followed by Easter treats.

Sonoma Restaurant & Wine Bar, 223 Pennsylvania Ave SE, is celebrating with a three-course prix-fixe holiday menu from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. for $49 a person. Dishes include warm pea soup, roast lamb loin and seasonal berry parfait. Bottomless mimosas and red and white sangrias can be added for an additional $15. For the Easter menu, click here.

Station 4, 1101 4th St. SW, will celebrate the entire month of April with a five-course prix-fixe tasting menu during dinner service for $75 per person devoted to lamb, which will use the entire animal, from nose-to-tail. Dishes include Colorado lamb tartar with sunchoke and mint; lamb tongue tacos with chermoula and honey; lamb kidneys with shallots, cream and preserved lemon; lamb belly confit with spring peas falafel, yogurt, and quinoa tabbouleh; and Marquez sausage with pomme purée and spring lettuce.

Toro Toro, 1300 I St. NW, will offer Easter brunch from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. for $39 per person. Brunch begins with a choice of Pan-Latin small plates including seasonal salads, meats, a raw bar and assorted breads and cheeses. Next, diners will enjoy Toro Toro’s “Rodizio Grill,” with choices that include picanha steak, chorizo sausage, achiote chicken or chef’s daily selection. Hot sides include papas bravas; tortilla espanola; chorizo and potato hash; chipotle-agave bacon; Mexican-chocolate waffles with Nutella and bananas, as well as chilaquiles verdes. It also includes a Bloody Mary bar, where guests can create their own cocktail by selecting from premium spirits, house-made mixers and a large collection of hot sauces and garnishes. Also available are a bottomless supply of featured cocktails such as the traditional, passion fruit, mango and blood orange mimosas.

Trummer’s on Main, 7134 Main St., Clifton, Va., is offering a three-course prix-fixe menu for $66 per person and $30 for children 12 and under from 11 a.m. -5:30 p.m. that includes seasonally-inspired dishes such as bacon-wrapped rabbit loin with carrot spätzle, carrot-top pesto and rosemary jus; green eggs and Easter ham with fried shallots and pickled ramps; smoked bucatini carbonara pasta with asparagus, caramelized onions and parmesan; and loin of border springs lamb with flageolet bean ragoût, lemon vodka yogurt, gaufrette potatoes and rosemary salt. Guests will finish the meal with sweets such as fried strawberry rhubarb pies with crème fraîche ice cream and carrot pecan cake with citrus glaze, cream cheese sauce and ginger-poached parsnip. The full menu is available here.

Vinoteca, 1940 11th St. NW, will offer dishes including roasted pork and squash frittata with gruyere, potato, scallion and tarragon aioli; duck confit benedict with morbier, hollandaise, rustic bread, frisee and roasted garlic vinaigrette; smoked salmon and avocado tartine with rye, roasted garlic crème fraiche, red onion and caper; and passion fruit sorbetto with chestnut crumble. Boozy brunch beverages include a hibiscus mimosa by the glass or the pitcher, a Bloody Mary with bacon and habañero-infused vodka; and Concerto 43 coffee with Licor 43, Don Ciccio and Figli Concerto liqueur, as well as bottomless mimosas for $18.

Zaytinya, 701 9th St. NW, will celebrate Western and Greek Easter with a prix fixe $35 brunch from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Apr. 5 and 12. Special dishes include spring pea with tzatzki with pistachios, Greek yogurt and mint; mayiritsa, a traditional egg and lemon soup with lamb neck, smoked lamb’s live and caramelized onions; and spit-roasted lamb shoulder hash with avgolemon sauce. New spring dishes include kibbeh nayeh with Lebanese-style Randall Lineback ruby veal tartare, bulgur wheat, radish, mint and pita chips; roasted asparagus with z’atar, labneh and rhubarb puree; and smokded sweetbreads with asparagus salata, Lindera honey vinegar dressing and roasted hazelnuts. New drinks include the metaza fizz made with five year metaxa, lemon juice, orgeat syrup, bitters and egg whites.

Zengo, 781 7th St. NW, will offer its bottomless brunch from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. for $39 per person and $10 per child under 10. Guests can enjoy an all-you-can-eat selection of ceviche, sushi, salads, dim sum and antojitos along with seven distinctive brunch cocktails. Bottomless Brunch must be ordered by the entire table. Brunch includes small plates such as shrimp ceviche with coconut, charred pineapple, red onion, basil and bonito flake; Thai chicken empanadas with chile poblano, oazaca cheese and mango salsa; and achiote-hoisin pork arepas, corn masa, avocado and crema fresca. Other brunch plates include Harris Ranch beef barbacoa hash with poached egg, potato, rajas and caramelized onion; bacon and scrambled egg steamed buns with salsa verde, Oaxaca cheese and house-cured bacon; and Hanoi pandan waffles with strawberry-guava sauce and whipped cream. Bottomless drinks include Bloody Mary, Bloody Maria and sake sangria, as well as traditional, passion fruit, guava and pomegranate mimosas.

A table set for a Passover seder. (Photo: Wikipedia)

Passover seder

BLT Steak, 1625 I St. NW, will serve a special Passover menu from Apr. 4-11 featuring modern takes on traditional Seder foods. The menu will be served family-style both a la cart and as a three-course prix-fixe menu for $60 per person. The first course includes compressed endive with apricot marmalade and sherry ($13) or 62 Degree Farm egg with sunchoke, beet and horseradish ($14), followed by lamb shank with olive, oven dried tomato relish and mint pesto ($48) or black sea bass with cauliflower tabbouleh and green garlic ($42). Sides include braised kale with mint-walnut pest and shallots ($13) and grilled beach mushrooms with sunflower root and thyme ($14). For dessert, there is a macaroon plate ($11) or grilled apple cake with cardamom, citrus and mascarpone ($13).

Logan Tavern, 1423 P St. NW, will host a three-course Passover seder Friday and Saturday at 5:30 and 8 p.m. for $40 per person or $20 for children 12 and younger.Ten percent of the proceeds will benefit The Jewish Food Experience. There is also an optional wine pairing for $25 and outside wine is welcome with a $15 corkage fee. The menu starts with a choice of vegetarian matzah ball soup or butter lettuce salad with roasted pears, spiced pecans and lemon vinaigrette, followed by a second course of red wine braised brisket with potato kugel and roasted root vegetables; grilled salmon with roasted heirloom carrots in za’atar, lemon and herb quinoa; or eggplant parmesan fried in matzah meal with an arugula and fennel salad. Dessert includes flourless chocolate cake, meringues and Macaroons for the table.

Just like 14th Street NW was the hot new destination for trendy restaurants the last few years, it looks like the city’s Shaw neighborhood could be the next restaurant hot spot based on recent announcements.

Several new restaurants will open in the Shaw neighborhood over the next year. (Photo: Reishman Real Estate)

The Shay, a 268-unit apartment building on Florida Avenue between 8th and 9th Streets NW from the JBG Co., will be the new home of Freehand, a restaurant from chef Tim Ma, the owner of Arlington’s Water & Wall and Vienna’s Maple Ave, as well as the second location of Compass Coffee, the D.C.-based coffee roaster and café that opened on 7th Street NW last fall across from the City Market at O development in Shaw. Warby Parker, the maker of trendy eyewear, will join the two restaurants and other retailers at The Shay.

Two blocks away, JBG’s Atlantic Plumbing development will be the home to a new concept from Neighborhood Restauant Group, which also owns Birch & Barley and Bluejacket among other eateries. NRG’s restaurant will likely be Hazel from former Tallula chef Rob Rubba, although that lease hasn’t been signed yet. The owners of Chinatown’s ramen and izakaya restaurant Daikaya, will also open a yet-to-be-named restaurant that will be “a ramen dining room with more variety,” according to a press release from JBG. Atlantic Plumbing is a two-building, 375-apartment development at 8th and V Streets NW.

Atlantic Plumbing is also anchored by a new, six-screen cinema from Landmark theatres, a new version of the indie film-focused theater concept that is just one-fifth the size of a typical Landmark cinema. Other tenants include Declaration Pizza, a new pizzeria from the owners of Lincoln and Teddy & the Bully Bar; Tasty Burger, a Boston-based burger joint; and Bazaar Spices, an independently owned herbs and spice shop that has a stall in Union Market.

The Colonel, a residential development with 70 luxury units at 1250 Ninth St. NW, will include Espita Mezcalería, a Mexican restaurant and mezcal bar from master mezcalier Josh Phillips featuring the lesser-known Mexican spirits and cuisine from the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca. It will be Phillips’ first venture. Also coming to the building will be http://www.buttercreamdc.com/ Buttercream Bakeshop from pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac, as well as All Purpose, a pizza-focused restaurant from Red Hen owners Michael Friedman, Michael O’Malley and Sebastian Zutant in partnership with Boundary Stone owners Gareth Croke and Colin McDonough.

“As excited as I am to be opening my first mezcaleria, I’m even more excited that it will be a part of Shaw,” said Phillips in a press release. “The first time I saw the space at The Colonel, I knew it was a perfect fit for Espita. I think that this stretch of 9th Street and Blagden Alley will quickly become a top dining destination in DC.”

Belga Café and Van Honsebrouck Brewery pair up for beer dinner

Belga Café is teaming up with Van Honsebrouck Brewery for its weekly Tuesday Beer Dinner at 6:30 p.m. on Mar. 24.

Van Honsebrouck Brewery (Photo: Wikimedia)

The weekly event pairs chef Bart Vandaele’s dishes with a selected Belgium brewery to showcase the marriage of Belgium food and beer. The five-course meal is $59 per person.

The meal begins with an amuse-bouche paired with a draft B Too Ale followed by a cherry tomato salad with feta cheese, shallots, garden sorrel and arugula dressing paird with Kasteel Rouge. The next course is smoked duck breast with raspberries, frisee salad and yogurt vinaigrette paired with Kasteel Cuvee du Chateau followed by poached lobster with carmelized salsify, watercress puree and blood orange hollandaise paird with Kasteel Triple and draft Kasteel Blond. Dessert is Belgian profiteroles with bacon bourbon ice cream, Belgain chocolate sauce and whipped cream paide with Kasteel Donker.

Happy 67th birthday, Michel Richard

Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, will celebrate Richard’s birthday from 5 p.m.-close on Mar. 24 with a meu of his favorites. The menu starts with a signature recipe, crab cake on a bed of leek tartare ($20); followed by prime rib au jus with horseradish, baked potato and green beans ($35). The meal will end with sparkling Celebration Cake for two ($15).

Central celebrate Michel Richard’s 67th birthday on Tuesday. (Photo: New York Times)

The three-courses are available either a la carte or as a $65 prix fixe menu. To toast, an optional wine pairing featuring the chef’s favorite, private label Cote du Rhone “Cuvee Michel Richard” will be offered for $35.

“I was inspired the first time I entered a professional kitchen when I was 8 years old”, says Richard. “I may get old, but I never want my food to get old.”

Also, from Mar. 23-29, Central’s sommelier, Andy Powell, will share some of his favorite bottles at special prices in partnership with the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington’s Spring Wine Fling.

First, diners can take 15 percent off bottles of French varietals of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Central’s list of French Burgundies. Or, Powell will select a surprise bottle of red or white wine to pair with your dinner for $40 or $80.

Jack Rose celebrates 2,015 whiskey bottle unveiling

Jack Rose Dining Saloon, 2007 18th St. NW, has spent the last several months increasing their inventory, reaching the 2,000-bottle mark this winter. To celebrate its whiskey collection, it will commemorate the 2,015th bottle with a “2015 in 2015” celebration from 6-9 p.m. on Mar. 25 featuring the unveiling of an exclusively-bottled Jack Rose/Willett bourbon, complimentary whiskey toast and chance to meet Willett’s master distiller Drew Kulsveen along with bourbon historian and author Michael Veach and Flying Dog Brewery’s CEO Jim Caruso.

Jack Rose’s extensive whiskey collection includes several Willett bourbon. (Photo: Jack Rose Dining Saloon/Facebook)

Co-owner Bill Thomas has grown Jack Rose’s whiskies from 1,200 bottles when it opened more than three years ago to more than 2,000 bottles now. New additions include some of the rarest, hard-to-find bottles such as the 1964 Black Bowmore first edition, A.H. Hirsch Blue Wax, Ardbeg Provenance 1974, Old Rip Van Winkle Family Selection 23-year Decanter and some unique prohibition-era releases.

Jack Rose will unveil its 2,015th bottle, an exclusive, one-of-a-kind cask strength Willett bourbon, which will only be available at the bar. The self-named 11-year-old 125.2 proof bottling was hand-selected by Thomas for the celebration. Jack Rose has had a longstanding relationship with the distillery, boasting one of the largest selections of Willett in the region, and Kulsveen will come from Bardstown, Ky. to celebrate the special occasion and meet guests.

Patrons will receive a free taste of the special 2,015th whiskey during a whiskey toast. There will also be food and drink specials throughout the night, including $7 whiskeys, discounted Flying Dog brews and half-priced bar snacks, as well as complimentary hors d’oeuvres from 6-7:30 p.m.

The commemorative barrel will be given to Flying Dog Berwery, which will brew a special Jack Rose-exclusive beer. The Frederick brewery will age one of their craft brews in the used bourbon barrel, which will then be released with a future launch party at the bar.

Also, Veach will sign copies of his book Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage. The first 20 people to purchase his book will receive a special tasting of Veach’s favorite whiskeys.

BLT Steak holds Dad’s Hat Rye dinner

BLT Steak, 1625 I St. NW, is partnering with Pennsylvania’s Dad’s Hat Rye distillery for a special whiskey pairing dinner at 7 p.m. on Mar. 26.

Dad’s Hat Dad’s Hat Rye finished in vermouth barrels, Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania White Rye and Dad’s Hat rye finished in port barrels. (Photo: Dad’s Hat)

Unveiling the restaurant’s new, exclusive BLT Steak-branded Dad’s Hat single-barrel, the dinner will also pair several of Dad’s Hat’s aged ryes with dishes prepared by executive chef Will Artley using wood from the oak barrel and spent grain and barley malt, bringing the whiskey-laden meal full-circle for a “whole barrel” dining experience. Diners will have the opportunity to be one of the first to taste BLT Steak’s recently-acquired and branded single-barrel, hand-picked by the restaurant’s staff while visiting the distillery last year, aged for almost seven months.

Guests will be greeted with a cocktail made with Dad’s Hat White Rye followed by a seated four-course dinner, prepared using ingredients from whiskey production, and paired with one of Dad’s Hat’s signature bottlings.

The menu includes a first course of Magret duck trio with foie gras paté, prosciutto and confit paired with Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania White Rye followed by seared Dayboat sea scallops with vanilla scented celeriac, pickled pear and spiced almond crumble paired with BLT’s exclusive Dad’s Hat Pennsylvania rye whiskey single barrel. The main course is a 60-day dry aged ribeye served with drunk blue cheese butter and paired with Dad’s Hat Rye finished in vermouth barrels. Dessert will be lavender crème brulee and citrus short cookies paired with Dad’s Hat rye finished in port barrels.

Tickets cost $100.

Chefs duel out colon-friendly cuisines at Eat4Life

On Mar. 31, seven area chefs will cook off for colon cancer awareness during the Chris4Life Colon Cancer Foundation’s third annual Eat4Life chef challenge from 6-9 p.m. at Longview Gallery, 1234 9th St. NW.

Chef Scott Drewno from The Source will defend his 2013 and 2014 titles. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The chefs are given a list of approved colon-friendly ingredients to prepare cancer-friendly dishes, providing guests healthy meal options while helping raise funds and awareness for the foundation. Each chef will have a station where he or she can discuss preparation of the item being served and why they choose to cook their particular colon-friendly dish. Guests vote on the winning dish.

For the past two years, Scott Drewno, executive chef at The Source by Wolfgang Puck has won. He will return this year to take on Enrique Ayala, executive chef at Scion Dupont and Scion Silver Spring; Matt Baker, executive chef at City Perch Kitchen and Bar; Carlos Gonzales, chef du cuisine at Taco Bamba; Erick Jiron, executive chef at Crios Modern Mexican; Patrick Robinson, executive chef at Table; and Tyler Scholfield, executive chef at NaiNai’s Noodle and Dumpling Bar.

Nycci Nellis, host of the Foodie and the Beast radio program will be the evening’s emcee. Inspirational speaker Teri Griege, a stage IV colon cancer survivor, ironman tri-athlete and founder of the Power of Hope Foundation, who has been recognized as a leading expert on resilience, will also speak.

Tickets are $30 for food only, $50 for food and two cocktails or $75 for food and all-you-can drink with 10 raffle tickets through Mar. 23. Prices increase to $50, $75 and $100, respectively, from Mar. 24-31.