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3607 Georgia Avenue, NW

Good news from the owner of Baba’s Cooking School/EatsPlace coming to 3607 Georgia Ave across the street from DC Reynolds, Milk Cult Sanctuary and Looking Glass Lounge:

“Just wanted to update you that our license was approved!”

Their website says:

“I fully believe you can’t have food without drink*. In fact some of my favorite foods are drinkable (porridge, congee and grits). I have deep respect for the craft and artistry of bartenders, but it’s still hard for me to get behind the term mixologist. Maybe drinkographer will work instead? Foodies get on that!

Restaurant construction not only depends on the physical infrastructure but also business and regulatory frameworks. Definitely work with your community and ANC, hire a lawyer and remember it’s a labor of stupid, crazy love.

* Drinks do not need to contain alcohol — I make a mean mocktail too!”

For those not familiar:

“EatsPlace is a food and restaurant incubator: a community commercial kitchen and marketplace with dining space to host pop-up restaurants and guest chef residencies. We’re opening in Washington DC in 2014. Please join us in making and eating joyful, authentic foods. EatsPlace’s mission is to be an evolving creative enterprise that lives, breathes, and changes according to what’s in season, what chefs are dreaming up and what neighbors crave.”

Stay tuned for an opening this July!


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709 D Street, NW

From a press release:

“On Wednesday, March 12, The Partisan debuts its reincarnation of the meat-centric restaurants that long dominated the dining scene in Washington. The Partisan is both physically and conceptually joined at the hip to Red Apron butcher shop, which opened just two weeks ago in Penn Quarter. The 100-seat restaurant and bar is a collaboration between Nathan Anda and Chef Ed Witt, who blend a whole-animal butcher sensibility and old world techniques with modern American cooking.

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Underpinning The Partisan’s menu is a tireless commitment to sourcing that is at the core of Red Apron’s operation. All of the meats served at The Partisan are sustainably raised –many by local farmers that work with Red Apron exclusively and are Animal Welfare Approved.

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Guests are encouraged to begin with a sampling of Nathan Anda’s handmade charcuterie products presented in the form of a check-the-box, a la carte menu. The rotating selection of approximately 30 items are broken in to flavor categories such as bright, spicy hot, smoky, rich & smooth, herbal & floral, etc. and cover a wide variety from dried salamis, pates, and rillettes to smoked sausages and 15 month-aged culatello. All charcuterie boards are served with freshly baked tigelles and accompaniments.

The Partisan’s main menu eschews traditional order-by-course offerings and is instead broken up by source or animal (beef, poultry, pork, and fish). Each section is composed of dishes in a range of portion sizes, aimed at encouraging sampling and exploration. The opening menu includes dishes such as Bolognese, with housemade pasta, guanciale and heart ragout, and lard toasted breadcrumbs; Braised Spanish Octopus with tomato, oregano, and fingerling potatoes; 120 Day Dry Aged Beef Carpaccio; and Corned Beef Belly with braised cabbage, grated pumpernickel, and pickled mustard seeds.The dishes range in size from small to medium and can be complemented with salads, slaws and vegetable sides.

Some select items are designed for the table to share, such as the Roasted Pig Head served with salsa verde, pickled peppers, and arugula & pig ear salad; the Rotissi-Fried Chicken, a brined and rotisseried chicken that is deep fried and served with honey hot sauce; and the Bollito Misto, a stew of cotechino, smoked heart, belly, pickled tongue, pork bone marrow and tenderloin with calabrian aioli.

To offer a touch of sweetness to the meal, Pastry Chef Tiffany MacIsaac has prepared creative twists on nostalgic favorites like the Snicker’s Terrine with peanut butter cheesecake, peanut caramel and chocolate glaze; Lemon Meringue Pie, a meyer lemon eclair, with torched swiss meringue and graham cracker crumbles and Fried Apple Pie with bacon, caramel, graham crumble, candied pecans and vanilla bean ice cream. A chef’s favorite the Fernet Ice Cream Float with ginger beer, lime zest, Fernet Branca ice cream and ginger molasses cookies is also a tempting finish.

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On the beverage side, The Partisan is tapping the talents of a dream team of talented beverage experts: Brent Kroll, Jeff Faile and Greg Engert, making the 20+ seat bar a destination for wine, spirit and beer drinkers alike. (more…)


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From a press release:

“Top Chef All-Stars Runner-Up Mike Isabella is opening a G location at Nationals Park, home of the Washington Nationals, in Southeast Washington, D.C. this season. This second edition of Isabella’s Italian-style sandwich shop will feature four of G’s top-selling items, including the Chicken Parm, as well as a rotating special, ‘Sandwich of the Homestand.’ G will be located on the Main Concourse in right field near the First Base Gate, behind Section 136.

“People in this town are passionate about their food and passionate about their baseball. G at Nationals Park is a perfect fit,” said Chef Mike Isabella. “We’ll be serving our sandwiches made with the same top quality ingredients and freshly baked bread as our 14th Street location. I’m really excited to bring my best sandwiches to baseball fans. I think the G Chicken Parm is the perfect thing to enjoy while watching a game. ”

Isabella opened the original 14th Street location, G by Mike Isabella, a sandwich shop by day and tasting menu by night, in July 2013. G features classic Italian-American sandwiches along with pressed paninis, wood roasted sandwiches and specials created by prominent D.C. chefs. The menu at the newest addition to the G family will include Isabella’s take on the Italian deli classics, the Chicken Parm and Italian Hero, as well as his meatless Roasted Cauliflower sandwich and The Drewno, The Source executive chef Scott Drewno’s house made kielbasa sandwich created especially for G. Lamb Chili and peanut brittle will round out the menu.

G at Nationals Park will open for the Nationals Exhibition Game against the Detroit Tigers on March 29, and remain open throughout the season.”


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As of 10am Tues. morning the bid on the big Buddha is at $336.

From an email:

“I saw that you reviewed Buddha Bar back in the day and posted about the abrupt closing back in 2012 so I thought I would let you know that we are finally selling the contents of the building for the landlord at rasmus.com.

Everything is still in place at their 455 Massachusetts Ave NW location including the first item in the online auction – a giant 12 ft gold Buddha Statue that is classically representative of the buddha bar franchise. Check it out here.

We are selling all of their stuff from the front of the house like the ornate chandeliers and dining chairs that created that “upscale oriental” ambiance. We are also selling all of their kitchen equipment from rice warmers and wok pans to glassware, tea pots, and bar equipment.

People can go check everything out (and possibly contemplate how to get that giant buddha out the door) Thursday from 12-4 at the Mass Ave location. The online auction starts to close Friday, March 14, 2014 at 2:07pm.”


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401 F Street, NW

From a press release:

“Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue will return to the National Building Museum’s West Lawn. The immensely popular outdoor experience will open Thursday, May 1 and run through Labor Day weekend. In addition to award-winning Texas-style barbecue and ice-cold Shiner beers, the Backyard Barbecue will offer live music from local and touring artists.

The Museum will again host a number of late nights so that visitors can enjoy barbecue and great summer programming inside the Great Hall.

Starting Thursday, May 1st, Hill Country’s Backyard Barbecue will be open Thursday through Saturday from 4–9 pm.”

Unfortunately I’m told plans for a similar set up near Nat Park didn’t work out.


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3103 Mt. Pleasant St, NW

Thanks to @lisaeileenlewis for tweeting us the news on Saturday:

“Lia Cafe opened today in #mtpdc @ 3103 Mt. Pleasant St. NW! Brazilian food/drinks/treats.”

Lia Cafe’s website says:

“The idea behind Lia Café Brazil was to bring a taste of Brazilian culture to the Washington, D.C. metro area. Nestled in the heart of Mount Pleasant’s bustling collection of shops and restaurants, Lia Café Brazil is a wonderful place to relax, and enjoy the company of friends while partaking of robust Brazilian coffee and delicious Brazilian foods.

Need a quick break from the hectic pace of your busy life? Then come inside and immerse yourself in the calming ambience of a traditional Brazilian loja (the Portuguese word for “emporium”), a place where customers are regarded as guests, and shopkeepers are regarded as hosts. Or, if you prefer to be in the open air while catching your breath, we also have outdoor seating for your pleasure.”

Check out their menu here.


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