What Are You Doing for Labor Day?

Nothing like planning for the last summer holiday before the first is even behind us.

In addition to its ever popular Oyster Riot, Old Ebbitt Grill is launching another annual soiree - its First Annual Labor Day Block Party, to be exact. From 6-11 PM on Saturday, September 5, the swath of street in front of the historical restaurant (and down the street from the White House) will be roped off for food, libations, and live blues by Mudcat and headliner Bruce in the USA, the #1 Bruce Springsteen tribute band. Wonder if Obama is a Boss fan...

Pre-sale ticket price is $65 ($75 after July 31), which includes admission to the event, five of Ebbitt's classic menu items (think crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, bratwursts & burgers), and five drinks.

For more info or to purchase tickets, visit http://www.ebbittblockparty.com/.

Brainfood Grill-Off - Tickets Still Available

Attention all food lovers: there's still time to get your tickets to tomorrow's Brainfood Grill-Off.

Brainfood, a DC-based non-profit that uses food and cooking to teach healthy living and life skills to DC youth, is hosting its third annual competition tomorrow, June 11th, at the Decatur House from 6:30-9:30. This is a high spirited event in which top local chefs - including Tony Chittum (Vermilion), Cedric Maupillier (Central Michel Richard), Shannon Overmiller (The Majestic), Bryan Moscatello (Zola), and The Next Food Network Star finalist Teddy Folkman (Granville Moore's) - will team up with amateur cooks and Brainfood graduates to compete against one another in a grilling showdown. In addition to the grill-off, there will be hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and a live auction. Tickets are $75, all of which goes to Brainfood's after-school and summer programs.

Celebrate Spring at Poste

FINALLY. The chill of winter is (slowly) dissipating, the flowers are blooming, and (yay!) restaurant patios are opening once more. Why not thank the good earth for the return of spring with a garden party at one of the best restaurants in town?

On April 22 - Earth Day - Poste Brasserie will officially re-open its popular courtyard, dubbed "The Garden," with an outdoor soiree honoring FRESHFARM Markets. A $5 admittance fee lets you enjoy wine tastings from regional wineries (Poste is launching an all-Virginia wine list in The Garden - very exciting), cheese tastings from Cowgirl Creamery, a host of tasty punches, and samples of the truffle frites and warm gougeres from The Garden's new small plates menu. The cherry blossoms are great and all, but free food and outdoor drinks are pretty hard to beat.

Calling all Oyster Lovers

It's ba-ack! On Saturday, April 18, Hank's Oyster Bar will hold its second annual Oyster Fest, this time at both the DC and new Old Town locations. From 11 AM - 3 PM, party goers get to enjoy all they can eat East and West Coast beauties (including Virginia's own Rappahannock) as well as fried and BBQ'd oysters, onion rings and fries, and lots of fancy beer. Guests from local oyster farms and beer brands will also be on hand to discuss tasty oyster-and-beer pairings.


Tickets are $65 per person and are available for presale at both locations, or by calling 202-462-4265. Get yours before they're gone!

Slurp Soup for a Good Cause

When chilly weather arrives and gray, icky sweater season is upon is, there's nothing better than a warm bowl of soup after a long day of slushing through the cold. Now, there are no shortage of options around town for this bastion of comfort food, so why not get your dose while also supporting a good cause? For the enitre month of November - National Diabetes Month - the menu at Oceanaire will feature a heart-healthy version of beef barley soup (pictured at right), the proceeds of which will be donated to the Capitol Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) to support research aimed at curing diabetes and its complications.

This is the eighth time that the popular downtown seafood spot has dished out a soup to benefit JDRF during National Diabetes Month. Kudos to Oceanaire and Chef Rob Klink for supporting a great mission with great food.

Calling All Paella (and Freebie) Lovers

To kick off Taberna del Alabardero’s annual paella festival, DC’s premier Spanish restaurant is offering free samples at lunch this Monday, September 15, from 11 – noon.

Reason #38,491 I miss working downtown…

New Heights Bids Goodbye to Wabeck, Welcomes Cox

Popular DC Chef John Wabeck (at right) is stepping down from the executive chef post at New Heights, the upscale Woodley Park restaurant at which he’s been dishing up his unique spin on New American cooking for the past two years. Wabeck is moving on to become the sommelier/mixologist at the soon-to-open Tysons Corner-based Inox, the brainchild of former 2941 chefs Jonathan Krinn and Jon Mathieson.

Taking Wabeck’s place is Logan Cox, returning to DC after a stint in South Carolina at Woodlands Inn and Resort. Before his work down south, Cox worked under celebrated Chef Frank Ruta just one stop up the red line at Palena.

A dual goodbye/welcome party of sorts will be held at New Heights this Saturday, August 9th, during which attendees can enjoy a four course meal prepared jointly by the out- and incoming chefs. Wabeck will take the first and second courses, and Cox will dish up the hors d’ouvres and entrée. Derek Brown, former sommelier at Komi, will offer the cocktail/wine pairings for the meal, and will also feature several gins at New Heights’ bar to start the evening.

$85 includes food and wine/cocktail pairings. For reservations, call 202.234.4110.

New Heights Restaurant
2317 Calvert St NW
Washington, DC

Benefit Dinner at Colorado Kitchen

Fried chicken AND a good cause? Sign me up.

Chef Gillian Clark (at right) of Brightwood’s delicious and quirky Colorado Kitchen will be hosting a Fried Chicken Benefit Dinner on Wednesday, June 25th. Similar to CK’s immensely popular Burger and Fried Chicken Night (which happens the first Tuesday of every month), for just $25 diners get a bowl of soup, that delicious fried chicken, bacon-laced collard greens, cornbread, and even a fancy beer.

Proceeds go to support mental health care for veterans, the Washington Peace Center and the Social Justice Scholarship Fund.

Doors open at 6. Make reservations by emailing david.thurston78@gmail.com.

Colorado Kitchen
5515 Colorado Ave NW
202-545-8280