Cherry Picks: In honor of the Cherry Blossom Festival held from March 31st through April 15th (www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org), local chefs are finding creative ways to give diners an edible preview of the summer fruit. At Bangkok Joe's, cherry-tamarind compote will accent roast quail, a salsa and a Napoleon dessert in a special three-course menu; a cherry-infused butter will flavor salmon and braised cabbage at Oceanaire; and Maestro's new pastry chef, Tom Wellings (ex Eve), will garnish a frozen cherry timbale with fromage blanc, kirsch cream and candied blooms.
Throughout the festival, the Willard InterContinental will offer a formal cherry-themed afternoon tea amid hundreds of live blossoms and the soothing sounds of a live Kyoto player in its Peacock Alley space (daily from 2:30–5:30 PM; $37 per person; 202-637-7350).
Passover Dining: Local restaurants are celebrating Passover with an array of special menu items. On April 2nd and 3rd, Felix adds Jewish comfort classics like gefilte fish, latkes and brisket to its regular bill of fare. Rosa Mexicano serves specials like beef tongue simmered in a Veracruz sauce of tomatoes, olives and roasted peppers, accompanied with matzo-potato fritters, from April 2nd–7th. And from April 2nd–10th, Tragara presents artichokes, roast lamb or chicken with tsimmes and a harosset-flavored ice cream made with dates, raisins, cinnamon and nuts as part of an à la carte menu of kosher-style Sephardic dishes.
Bastille: Now serves Sunday brunch; the à la carte menu reflects France's North African culinary influences in choices like calamari beignets with a sheep's milk yogurt harissa dip, complemented by more traditional dishes such as vol-au-vent of oeufs brouillés (scrambled eggs served in a puff pastry shell) and moules marinières with pommes frites. All selections can be ordered as part of a three-course $19 prix fixe menu ($25 with a glass of wine or a mimosa).
Dogfish Head Alehouse: A Falls Church clone of this microbrewery's Gaithersburg outlet expects to open later this spring – what Northern Virginia hopheads save on gas, they can spend on beer (6363 Seven Corners Shopping Center).
Eleventh Street: Chef Anthony Burrell (most recently of Viridian) is upgrading this neighborhood watering hole's edibles with cheese and charcuterie plates as well as New American mini-entrees like smoked pork belly with cabbage and a tuna-and-scallop tiradito (Peruvian ceviche).
Firefly: A successor has not yet been chosen to replace chef John Wabeck, who recently left this Dupont Circle New American; meanwhile, its recently inaugurated happy hour (Monday–Saturday from 4–7 PM) offers consolation in the form of $7 featured wines and cocktails, charcuterie plates and truffled frites.
Johnny's Half Shell: Weekday power breakfasts with a New Orleans flavor – think beignets, grits and grillades (Creole sauced beef), as well as bacon and eggs – are now being served in its handsome quarters (and private dining rooms) just steps from the Capitol.
100 King: Under new management, this big-windowed, Old Town people-watching paradise now serves an American brasserie menu of pastas, salads, sandwiches, grilled fish and steaks, with some 20 by-the-glass wine choices, in its recently redecorated ground-floor dining room, and beneath the elegant chandeliers upstairs.
Ray's the Steaks: This perpetually packed, no-reservations eatery plans to move to larger quarters at the Navy League Building (2300 Wilson Blvd.) in Clarendon, where it will expand its wine list, along with its table space; expect a move by year's end.
Sushi-Ko: "Kappo Koji" is a reservations-only, kaiseki-style deal in which chef Koji Terano cooks as he wishes for two to four customers per seating (about $60 per person).
Taberna del Alabardero: Saffron, Spain's treasured spice, is the focus of chef Santi Zabela's inventive six-course tasting menu, available throughout March at lunch and dinner. Kicking off with savory smoked saffron ice cream served with a crispy saffron cracker, the menu moves on to foie gras, langoustine and monkfish preparations that use the radiant flower, and ends with a sexy, white-chocolate, spice-infused lollipop ($78 per person, with an additional cost for wine pairings).
Vegetate: Organic wines, beers and cocktails now accompany its contemporary vegetarian cuisine and live DJs; drop by on Wednesday nights (7–9 PM) for $1 sliders and happening sounds in the upstairs lounge.
Vermilion: Arriving in mid-March, new chef Anthony Chittum (ex Notti Bianchi) will give the Modern American menu a twist of his own with dishes like his signature ricotta gnocchi and Alaskan sablefish with celery three ways.
Viridian: New chef Michael Hartzer (fresh from Ray's the Classics, and before that Citronelle) is artfully plating his seasonal Contemporary American fare – picture bold stripes of colorful sauces – as befitting his new gallerylike venue.
Wasabi: In May, this Golden Triangle storefront is opening "WasabiSito," a takeaway (and delivery) shop in Arlington (3129 Lee Hwy.) offering its Latin–Asian fusion cuisine in a quick, casual, self-serve format.