U Street

Alphonse Italian Market & Osteria Opening in 2-3 Weeks on U Street, An early peek inside

By Prince Of Petworth

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1212 U Street, NW

It’s been a long time since we first heard the scuttlebutt about a new Italian place back in 2012. Alphonse Italian Market and Osteria, from the owners of Russia House and Biergarten Haus, is located at 1212 U Street, NW next to Ulah Bistro by the U Street metro.

I had to do a double take yesterday when I walked by and the front garage door window was open:

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One of the owners gave me a little tour and said they should be open in 2-3 weeks. The downstairs area will open daily at 5am for breakfast then lunch and will transform into a proper restaurant in the evening. The space is still getting finishes touches so it’s a bit hard to envision but there will be lots of counter top/bar seating, booth/table seating in the back.  Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take photos of the upstairs but that will be home to an additional fine dining restaurant space and will host cooking classes from time to time.
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Pizza oven imported from Italy:

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Lots more details as they get closer to opening in a couple of weeks but in the meantime we can appreciate the transformation from the former Twelve12 space:

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Compass Rose opens Front Patio, Launches Happy Hour (late night HH coming soon too)

By Prince Of Petworth

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1346 T Street, NW courtesy Compass Rose

From an email:

“We [Compass Rose 14th and T St, NW by St. Ex] have been able to get our patio open with 10 seats. And most importantly we started happy hour from 5:00-7:00. Details below. Also starting a late night happy hour in the next couple of weeks.

Food and drink specials including our 3 dips, fried baked potatoes, pescaditos, rustico bread with olives and yuquitas fritas all for just $4 each. Sausage dogs for $6! $5 sangria, $1 off drafts and rail drinks.“

Bagels and Bialys Pop Up at Cork Market May 31-June 1 UPDATE: And Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8

By Prince Of Petworth

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1805 14th Street, NW

UPDATE:

“We have been so thrilled with the wonderful response (and many pre-orders) received for this weekend’s Bullfrog Bagels at Cork Market pop up that we will be extending the pop up an additional weekend! Bagels and bialys will be available for pre-order and purchase at Cork Market Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 8. Individuals interested in purchasing a dozen or more bagels can pre-order their desired amount by emailing [email protected] or calling 202.265-2674″

From an email:

“D.C. area residents who crave traditional New York-style bagels and bialys soon will have reason to celebrate. Hand-rolled and boiled bagels and bialys will be the centerpiece of a pop up taking place May 30, 31 and June 1 at Cork Market & Tasting Room on D.C.’s hot 14th Street corridor.

Bullfrog Bagels at Cork Market will offer five bagel types – plain, sesame, poppy, onion and everything – as well as bialys and a variety of house-made schmears. Bullfrog Bagels are the creation of Jeremiah Cohen, former General Manager of the Tabard Inn and artisanal bread evangelist.

“Bullfrog Bagels started in those early morning hours when I couldn’t sleep,” said Cohen. “I rolled the bagels by hand, boiled them in small batches, and then baked them on stone.” He favors his own wild, young levain (a not-so-sour sourdough starter) over commercial yeast, as it gives the bagels a more distinctive flavor and a chewy, but not-too-chewy, texture.

Logan Circle shoppers can get their fill of bagel and bialy goodness beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 30, and at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1. Bagels and bialys will be available until supplies run out. Individuals interested in purchasing a dozen or more bagels can pre-order their desired amount by emailing [email protected] or calling 202.265-2674 and pick them up at Cork Market over the weekend.

Dates: May 30, 31 and June 1, 2014
Times: Beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. Sunday

Offerings: Bagels (plain, sesame, poppy, onion, everything), bialys, house-made spreads (plain, scallion and smoked salmon cream cheese; citrus goat cheese; fresh Vermont Creamery butter)

Price: Bagels and bialys: $1.50 each; free bialy with the purchase of a dozen bagels.
Spreads: from $1.00 to $10.00″

4th Annual Crab Festival at Policy Sunday May 25th

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

“It’s that time of year again! Policy’s pop up crab house for the day.

$45 per person, you can indulge in all you can eat crabs and tradition sides like Hushpuppies, Corn on the Cob, Cole Slaw, Hot Dogs and Policy Wings.

Partnering with Washington DC’s newest craft beer brewery Atlas Brew Works, Policy will serve three of Atlas’s signature brew at a discount price of $5 per pint. The Rowdy Beer is a hop forward rye ale full of flavor, District Common is a quaffable California Common featuring biscuit malt and Czech Saaz hops and the Home Rule, a style-defying India Pale Lager made exclusively with Waimea hops from New Zealand.

To purchase tickets in advance click here. Limited tickets available at the door. Space is limited. First Come, First Serve on Sitting.”

Literary Walking Tour: U Street and the Harlem Renaissance May 24

By Prince Of Petworth

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From an email:

“The Humanities Council of Washington, D.C., and the DC Public Library will present a Literary Walking Tour: U Street and the Harlem Renaissance

May 24 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. as part of the DC By the Book project (dcbythebook.org). Kim Roberts, a historian of DC’s literary culture, will lead the tour meeting participants at the 13th Street entrance to the U Street Metro in Northwest, DC.

Registration is free here.

Authors featured will include Zora Neale Hurston, Jean Toomer, Duke Ellington, Jessie Redmon Fauset, Richard Bruce Nugent, Langston Hughes, Alice Dunbar-Nelson, Edward Christopher Williams, Pearl Bailey, James Weldon Johnson, Alain Locke, and Rudolph Fisher. Participants will tour the U Street neighborhood, exploring locations found in significant literary works. The tour will include several stops featured in the new DC By The Book Iphone/Android app. The app guides users on tours of DC By the Book sites across the city. Download it here.”

Super Art Fight at Black Cat Sat. May 17th

By Prince Of Petworth

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From an email:

“What’s an Art Fight you ask? Featured in the pages of Wired, The Washington Post, and selected as a Hidden Gem by The Washingtonian, Super Art Fight pits two (or more) artists in a unique form of creative combat. Equal parts live drawing event, pro-wrestling and improv comedy, this over-the-top performance is not one to be missed. No two shows are alike! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll definitely have a good time.

The evening will be wrapped with a “Kapitol Kaiju” theme – given that the weekend features the cinematic return of a rather big lizard in movie theaters, Super Art Fight’s Black Cat Mainstage Debut will showcase some of the rosters biggest monsters…and biggest personalities. Event attendees will also be able to take photos in a fun Photo Booth, to remember the night for years to come.

Artists featured on the May 17th Super Art Fight card include Super Art Fight Champion Stompadon (a surreal dinosaur from beyond!), Krod (a crazed creature of unknown origin), the mild-mannered ape known as MeKonga, a lonely luchadore looking for love in El Russo Rojo, and the fan-favorite fashonista Baron Von Sexyful. All bouts are hosted by Super Art Fight co-hosts and commentators, Marty Day and Ross Nover, with live DJing by The Megadrives, and a live music set from Big Country Express.

Super Art Fight’s live event at the Black Cat is on Saturday, May 17th with doors at 9pm, with the show to start at 10pm. Tickets are just $15, and currently available at Ticketfly.com. The Black Cat is located at 1811 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009, and can be found online at www.BlackCatDC.com.”

District Flea “going on hiatus–effective immediately” – Union Kitchen Possibly Taking Over the Space

By Prince Of Petworth

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945 Florida Ave, NW

Thanks to a vendor of District Flea for passing on:

“Eric from Brooklyn Flea here, writing on behalf of Hugh and my partner, Jonathan Butler.

After much deliberation and with much sadness, we are sorry to report that District Flea in its current incarnation is going on hiatus–effective immediately, the Flea is no longer operating, including this Saturday’s market.

We don’t take this decision lightly. We know how much valuable time and effort you have all invested in making District Flea distinctive since last fall, and we are sincerely grateful to everyone who participated, whether once or weekly. We are so proud of the high quality of goods and food District Flea offered, of the professionalism and class our vendors displayed, and of the community spirit the market generated in its short run.

We want to thank Hugh for his Herculean efforts in assembling a world-class destination from scratch within a matter of weeks, and for steering District Flea through its share of storms, literally and figuratively. Thanks Captain Hugh!

In the end, the volume of vendors didn’t support our ambitious business model for a weekly market. We think this location still has a lot of potential, so stay tuned for news in the future.”

Word on the street is that Union Kitchen may take over the space but updates when more info is known.

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