Washington D.C.

Dining News Elsewhere: Obese Americans, Ramsay Loses His Number Two

2009-11-20T17:23:00Z

– By 2018, 43% of Americans are expected to be obese. [NYDN]
– Gordon Ramsay has lost his right-hand man. [Bloomberg]
– The Senate is considering requiring beef to be tested for E. coli. [NYT]

– Top Chef contestants aren't being paid for the TV dinners that feature their faces (and recipes). [Time]
– First canned pumpkins, now an Eggo shortage looms. [NYDN]
– The art of complaining to a restaurant. [Guardian]
– A modest proposal for fixing restaurant and bar smoking bans. [Eater]
– Related: the science behind banning smoking outside. [Time]
– Ever wonder what it would be like to cook dinner for Thomas Keller? [Esquire]
– Talking cooking with Coolio. [Fork in the Road]
– NBC's newest cooking show, United Plates of America, will give away a four-restaurant chain. [Reuters]
– Hey, so, while you eat that sushi, this guy here is going to swallow a sword. [WSJ]
– Starbucks continues to roll out its unbranded coffee shops. [Diner's Journal]
– If New York loses its lawsuit, Tavern on the Green will become Tavern in the Park. [Crain's]
– Restaurants embrace Twilight. [NRN]
– Martha Stewart is not a fan of Rachael Ray. [ABC News, via EMD and GS]
– The Rolling Stones, the wine. [Examiner]
– Pork belly and other over-served dishes. [Between Meals]
– Students arrested for not paying their tip. [Philly]
– Plastic wishbones: what will the kids fight over? [SE]

Filling Up After the Turkey

2009-11-19T22:36:00Z

Perrys

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

The day after Thanksgiving – aka Black Friday – is traditionally devoted to bargain shopping and turkey sandwiches. For a different bargain, head to Perrys, the eclectic Adams Morgan bistro, which will be getting into the holiday spirit with dining deals offering a culinary change-up of tastes. Over the weekend (November 27–29), dinner guests can select three small plates – think almond soup, salmon tataki, scallops with romesco sauce and lamb confit – and a dessert for $26, or choose from its regular à la carte menu. On Saturday, November 28, a lunch deal offered from 11 AM–3 PM, which includes a choice of two tapas plates plus dessert for $15, will ensure you have plenty of funds left for shopping (202-234-6218; reserve online).

The Passenger Arrives

2009-11-18T19:07:00Z

Tom Brown and Derek M. Brown, co-owners of The Passenger

Photo: Jim Webb

The Passenger, a hip, laid-back drinks destination, arrives tonight in the former Warehouse Theater bar space near Mt. Vernon Square, where quaffers can sip a customized cocktail (there’s no set list), beer or offbeat wine and sample snacks like a panini or kimchi hot dog; low lighting, exposed brick and old-timey booths create a transporting vibe, abetted by arty photos of fleeting movement; coming soon: a re-created dining car at the rear, plus a ‘lab’ for co-owner/mixologist Derek Brown.

1021 Seventh St. NW; 202-393-0220

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The Passenger

Photo: Jim Webb

Dining News Elsewhere: Koodies, Samuelsson Goes to Washington

2009-11-18T17:23:00Z

– Marcus Samuelsson will be working the kitchen at Obama's first state dinner. [Obama Foodorama]
– The fight for Cadbury intensifies. [WSJ]
– Chipotle sets its sights on London, Europe. [NRN]

– Costco drops Coke. [AP]
– Related: Coke bottles, 1899–1986. [Pixdaus]
– Milk producers wish they could sell their product "raw." [NYT]
– Hooters is having trouble in Vegas. [Eater]
– A canned pumpkin shortage looms. [Diner's Journal]
– Putting things in perspective with the Fat Map. [HP]
– Jamie Oliver wants to help you find a date. [Marketing]
– A Shake Shack in Boston looks increasingly possible. [GS:B]
– What a $20 Thanksgiving feast from Walmart gets you. [The Awl]
– A word we'd like to quickly forget? "Koodie." [SE]
– Foods named after people. [Mental Floss and Cakespy, via SE]
– They found water on the moon...can you drink it? [Slate]
– Making mushrooms with coffee grinds. [Chronicle, via Coldmud]
– Making art with meat, some wires, a videocamera and a stove. [EMD]

Lighting Up the Holidays

2009-11-17T20:12:00Z

Some of last year's Christmas decorations

Photo: courtesy of the hotel

Christmas seems to come earlier every year. No sooner is the turkey off the table – or the Halloween candy finished, for that matter – than the holiday season kicks into gear. However, for a more reasonable holiday season kickoff, head to the Fairmont Hotel on December 1, when the spectacular tree lighting will fill the West End courtyard with shimmering Christmas trees, glimmering lights and over 30 animated reindeer. The Georgetown Visitation Madrigals will sing holiday classics, Santa will make an appearance and there will be complimentary cookie decorating and refreshments. There is no admission charge, but guests are asked to bring an unwrapped gift for Toys for Tots, an organization that gives them to needy youngsters (5–6:30 PM; 202-457-5019).

Getting Into That Beaujolais Spirit

2009-11-16T17:37:00Z

Photo: courtesy of FI:AF

Celebrating the release of the new Beaujolais vintage on the third Thursday in November is a Gallic tradition that local party-goers and wine buffs have long embraced. Here are some ways to partake in French savoir-vivre.

November 18: At Bistrot du Coin, dinner reservations are already sold out, but the real party begins around 11 PM at this Dupont Circle Gallic stronghold. Expect free-flowing Beaujolais Nouveau after midnight (202-234-6969).

November 19: The French Embassy hosts a fete populaire with wine, a buffet campagnard (rustic fare) and live music. Beaujolais Nouveau will be poured, along with other vintages, spurring bidding at a silent auction of French art (6:30–9:30 PM; 4101 Reservoir Rd. NW; $60 per person; for tickets and more information, click here).

November 19–21: Throughout the weekend, in addition to its usual à la carte menu, Old Town's Bastille pairs the new vintage with a three-course prix fixe dinner featuring options such as coq au vin, entrecôte Beaujolaise or salmon with lentils ($39 per person, with glasses of Manoir du Carra production for $8.50 and bottles for $29; 703-519-3776; reserve online).

November 19–25: Mon Ami Gabi will offer Beaujolais-inspired dishes and several Beaujolais Nouveau selections – to invite comparisons – at its Bethesda and Reston bistros.

November 20: L’Alliance Francaise holds its annual Beaujolais Nouveau wine and cheese party – noted for its rollicking French music and welcoming bon vivant atmosphere – from 6:30–9:30 PM (2142 Wyoming Avenue, NW; $25 members, $35 non-members; 202-234-7911).

Dining News Elsewhere: Buzzy Booze, Subway in the Sky

2009-11-16T16:51:00Z

– The FDA is targeting caffeinated booze. [WSJ]
– Meanwhile, its efforts to ban eating raw oysters didn't work out so well. [NYT]
– Burger King franchisees lose 10¢ for every $1 double cheeseburger sold. [NRN]

– A special Subway franchise is set to rise up with the Freedom Tower in New York. [NYP]
– U.S. chicken production is set to fall for the first time in 36 years. [Reuters]
– Champagne sales are a bit flat these days. [NYT]
– Musicians do covers of other bands' hits, why shouldn't chefs cover other toques' recipes? [Guardian]
– Pinkberry's further expansion plans include Boston, DC, New Orleans and Mexico. [Eater]
– Why we read cookbooks. [The New Yorker]
– Want a new drug? Synthetic alcohol isn't out of the question. [Scotsman, via ColdMud]
– Just when we've gotten used to twist-off tops, get ready for wine in a plastic bottle. [Stuff]
– Things a restaurant patron should never do. [Applesauce]
– Related, 10 dirty restaurant tricks. [Slashfood]
– Peace through hummus. [Economist]
– Hard to turn down a "love dessert" made with passion fruit and...Viagra. [NYDN]

Outtake of the Week

2009-11-13T22:50:00Z

Authenticity has never been more perfectly faked.

This Bud's for You

2009-11-13T22:00:00Z

Willow's Kate Jansen with buddy Suzan Basoglu

Photo: courtesy of Best Buddies

On November 17, a star-studded roster of pastry talents, led by Roland Mesnier (ex White House), Michel Richard (Citronelle, Central), Cathal Armstrong (Eve), RJ Cooper (Vidalia) and Kate Jansen (Willow), will each team up with a “buddy” to create and serve a spectacular dessert at a walk-around tasting benefit for Best Buddies, an organization that creates opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Savory hors d'oeuvres, cocktails and wine will also be served, and while eating, guests will be able to check out the auction items and chat with chefs and buddies (7–10 PM; $100 per person; Audi of Tysons Corner, 8598 Leesburg Pike; click here for tickets and more info).

Dining News Elsewhere: Drink Preferences, Raw Oyster Brouhahah

2009-11-13T17:13:00Z

– A whole lot of info on what diners like to drink. [R&I]
– Should the FDA try to prevent you from eating raw oysters? [NYT, Slate]
– Burger King franchisees are suing over $1 double cheeseburgers. [Miami Herald]

– Meanwhile, McDonald's plans for the future. [CNN]
– The backlash to the list of waiter no-nos is on. [XX, Server not Servant]
– How to act around a celebrity chef. [Atlantic]
– The U.K. now has its own version of the Food Network. [Eater]
– Related: Emeril Lagasse is planning a prime-time variety show not on the Food Network. [ABC]
– Mario Batali makes his film debut in The Fantastic Mr. Fox. [WSJ]
– Heston Blumenthal plans a wildly expensive Christmas dinner for a TV special featuring ambergris, aka whale vomit. [Sun]
– Jamie Oliver has seen a backlash for the salt content of his pasta sauces. [Guardian]
– Cooking With Coolio, the cookbook, is now on sale. [EMD]
– Remembering New York City's 1935 ban on baby artichokes. [Diner's Journal]
– Don't be embarrassed to dine out alone. [Between Meals]
– Raising a vegetarian child without the conflict. [LAT]
– Can drunken fruit flies help cure alcoholism? [Wired]
– Looking to find free grub for the rug rats? Try here. [Kids Eat For, via SE]
– Deep-fried turkey disasters. On video. [EMD]

RIS Rising

2009-11-12T23:17:00Z

Ris Lacoste

Photo: courtesy of the restaurant

If all goes as planned, Ris Lacoste’s long-awaited, signature dining venue, RIS, should be open in the West End by November 30. Designed to encourage frequent visits from the neighborhood, the moderately priced menu will feature homey rotating specials: Monday brings meatloaf; Tuesday, Paris bistro fare; Wednesday, spaghetti and meatballs; Thursday, signature rack of lamb; Friday, seafood, with guest oyster shuckers; and Saturday offers “Date Night” with steak and potatoes and crème brûlée. Sunday brings a family-style supper, consisting of whatever mom (Ris, that is) feels like making.

The space will offer various settings – cafe, bar/lounge, informal and formal dining areas – that flow gracefully from one to the other, as well as a sweeping patio and private rooms. Its sophisticated design features slate and granite, a marble-topped bar, art glass, chocolate-toned wood, buttery leather sofas and comfy booths. Check Twitter for updates on the opening (2275 L St. NW; 202-730-2500).

Outtakes: Cruise Lines Edition

2009-11-12T22:28:00Z

Each time we perform a survey here at Zagat we inevitably find ourselves with a slew of amusing outtakes that aren't quite fit for print. Which doesn't mean they aren't entertaining. Here are a few of our favorites from our just completed Cruise Lines survey:

A conga line is not conducive to good digestion.

No activities for anyone who isn't an alcoholic seeking random sex.

They cater to the newly wed and nearly dead.

Great if you like hairy chest contests.

A rust bucket filled with rowdy people.

The more you booze, the better you cruise.

Bathrooms so small you have to sit on the toilet sideways.

It does attract a crowd – it's called ‘God's floating waiting room.'

Dining News Elsewhere: Arby's Troubles, Food-Fight Arrests

2009-11-11T17:01:00Z

– Trying to save New Orleans' po' boys. [NYT]
– 25 children were recently arrested in Chicago for...a food fight. [NYT]
– The recession has been especially hard on Arby's. [Slate]

– Meanwhile, Uno Express has opened 160 locations in the past 15 months. [BG]
– Consumers expect to spend less on dining out next year. [NRN]
– Starbucks tries a new look out in London. [BrandRepublic, via Eater]
– Obama's pastry chef, the "Crustmaster." [AP]
– Top Chef contestant Dale Levitski takes over Chicago newcomer Sprout. [GS: C]
– Despite being an international restaurateur himself, Gordon Ramsay blasts international restaurant chains. [Daily Record]
– The Food Network seeks America's worst cooks. [Variety]
– Related: What Would Brian Boitano Make? gets picked up for a second season. [EMD]
– Health-wise, is chocolate milk the new red wine? [NYT]
– Related: finally, a scientific reason why red wines (mostly) don't go well with fish. [Economist]
– Actually? French women do get fat. [Reuters]
– Why must restaurant websites be so terrible? [Between Meals]
– An undrinkable beer from the Hindenburg disaster is up for sale. [NYP]
– A tofurky-flavored soda? [SE]

A Foretaste of Thanksgiving

2009-11-11T15:19:00Z

On November 19, enjoy a traditional turkey and trimmings dinner (without those pesky relations), accompanied by a variety of wine pairings, at the third annual "Uncorked Thanksgiving Wine Dinner." Held at Clyde’s of Gallery Place, the dinner benefits So Others Might Eat’s efforts to help poor and homeless people. Wine guru Dave McIntyre will guide the tasting of three white and red choices, which will be available for purchase in case you want to take some home for your own Thanksgiving feast. The evening begins with a sparkling wine and appetizers, along with a silent auction at 7 PM; the seated dinner starts at 7:45 PM ($100 per person; reserve by November 16; for information and tickets, go to http://uncorkeddc.org/).

A Taste of Red Curry

2009-11-10T21:57:00Z

A lovely Italianate building in Alexandria's Old Town provides a dramatic backdrop for the modern Asian fare at Red Curry, which draws inspiration from the cuisines of Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam; its proprietors, the Tongrut family of the nearby Mai Thai, have outfitted the huge-windowed, street-level room with a red-glowing sushi bar, while upstairs silk-upholstered booths and a 25-ft. ornamental ceiling add pizzazz.

100 King St., Alexandria; 703-739-9600

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