Capital Spice

 At 10pm on a recent Saturday night, the dining room of Marvin is a bumping, raucous playroom. Barely more than a week later, the crowd at Sunday brunch is the same crush. In the immortal words of Fats Waller, this joint is jumping.

Marvin is named after DC’s native son Marvin Gaye, who keeps an eye on diners like a benevelont, goovy Buddha from a giant painting on the north wall. Marvin’s atmosphere is speakeasy chic, with simple wooden chairs, exposed light bulbs and faux gas lamps by the bar. The proprieters clearly put thought and effort into generating a specific vibe for the restaurant and the energy continues into the waitstaff who are friendly, familiar and enthusiastic (although our brunch server crossed the line into frantic from time to time). 

The kitchen serves up a combination of American Southern and Belgian food, the latter an ode to Gaye’s self-imposed exile in Ostend, Belgium but also a pretty nice fist-bump to the success of Belgian restaurants in DC.

Food experiences after the jump! (more…)

Click on the image to go to our Google Map that locates all of the restaurants participating in Alexandria's Inaugural Restaurant Week.

Even after all of the festivities surrounding today’s Presidential Inauguration finally draw to a close and the District’s bars and restaurants revert back to their standard operating hours, local foodies will have a reason to celebrate: in an effort to lure diners across the Potomac, 30 Alexandria restaurants have come together to offer Alexandria’s Inaugural Restaurant Week.  The best part: the deals run through Sunday, so you can still take the opportunity to enjoy Restaurant Week prices without having to compete with visitors for a reservation.

The participating restaurants have taken an interesting, two-tiered approach to their promotion.  Most restaurants are offering a traditional Restaurant Week-style special: a three course, prix fixe menu for $35 per person.  But some of the more casual options among the participants have opted for an even more budget-friendly deal: dinner for two for $35.

A run-down of participating restaurants and some tried-and-true advice for restaurant weeks after the jump. (more…)

With a little less than an hour to go before the DC episode airs on the Travel Channel tonight at 10 PM, it’s time to announce the winner of our “No Reservations” contest.  We asked you to let us know where you would take Bourdain for a drink, and you rose to the challenge!

We were really impressed with the level of creativity and thought that went into the submissions we received – clearly Capital Spice readers know their way around the DC drinking and dining scene.

Generally speaking, entries tended to take one of two approaches – you either wanted to wow Bourdain by taking him to places that featured good food AND quality beverages, or you wanted to expose Tony to the stripped-down, diviest bars that DC has to offer.  Somehow, I think he’d approve.

From category one, the best of the best:

• A recent mixologist cocktail party, featuring a make-your-own champagne cocktail bar (this one came with a back-up: the outdoor bar at Johnny’s Half Shell, noted for “the best vodka gimlet in the history of mankind.”)
• Brasserie Beck for mussels and lots of beer (this entry deserves props for suggesting an Ethiopian place like Etete, especially since Bourdain visits Abay Market in the episode).
• Blue Duck Tavern, “mainly for their handcut BDT triple fries” and a bottle of Bordeaux.  Bourdain and Bordeaux?  Yes, please!

From category two, some of the best neighborhood joints:

• Cantina Marina “for a refreshing bucket of beers and some fish tacos.”  The Marina was cited as “distinctly ‘the Real DC,’” and this entry also gets props for accurately predicting one of Bourdain’s stops (the Maine Avenue Fish Wharf).
• Tiffany’s Old Town Tavern for live bluegrass on a Friday or Saturday night.  Telling it like it is, this entry treated “only Yuengling on tap, and really crappy food” as a badge of honor while giving props to the bar’s great atmosphere.
• Dan’s Cafe.  Anyone familiar with this Adams Morgan legend can immediately picture Bourdain sitting down with his own bottle of booze and the mixer of his choice in this dive bar’s dive bar.  This “hole in the wall that has never changed” is definitely a unique experience that Tony would not soon forget.

But the winner of the signed poster suggested something even better – a truly under-the-radar spot on its most off-beat night.  In her own words:

“I would take Mr. Bourdain for a drink at Jimmy Valentine’s Lonely Hearts Club, preferably when Wasteland is running, which is the last Friday of every month.  This place has no signage outside and the window is blacked out and the place appears to be shut down from the outside, but once you walk in, you feel the energy in all the red lighting.  The place has the most interesting and unique decor and is so very comfortable. On Wasteland night, the music is Goth Rock, Darkwave, and Gothic Ambient, which seems to fit the overall decor so well.  This place is one of DC’s best Dive bars and yet also remains one of the least known.”

Congratulations to DMC in DC for her excellent suggestion.  To us, it’s the perfect blend of insider and outsider, and exactly the kind of place that Bourdain would revel in.  We’ll be sending an email shortly to arrange delivery of the signed poster.

If you haven’t heard about Jimmy V’s, don’t feel too bad.  They’ve been building a quiet following from their nondescript location on Bladensburg Road just north of H Street, NE, for about a year and a half now.  Want more information?  Check out Frozen Tropics, a blog that focuses on Trinidad and the greater H Street area.

And thank you to all of you who took the time to send in your recommendations.  With any luck, the powers that be over at the Travel Channel’s headquarters in Silver Spring will print out a copy of this post and offer it to Bourdain the next time he’s in town so he can check out your suggestions.  We’ve definitely added some new spots to our “must try” list thanks to your help!

Welcome to a very chilly but very excited Capital Spice Weekend Odds & Ends. Let’s get this party started.

DC diners should be eagle-eyed in the coming Friday nights. The President-Elect Obama openly discussed his interest in continuing “date nights” with his wife on Fridays in local DC restaurants. They already celebrated Mrs. Obama’s birthday at Equinox.  (Her birthday is the 17th, the celebrated on January 15). 

Obama is also making the rounds with friendly dinners with conservative columnist George F. Will at the writer’s home in Chevy Chase.  

Cristeta Comerford remains White House chef. Meanwhile, Obama Foodorama has a great piece with former White House chef Scheib and ponders why the American public (and media) is so obsessed with what the Obamas eat.

Where to stalk celebs during the Inauguration.

The Going Out Gurus compiled a list of where to get breakfast before the Inauguration.

DCist got an early look at the Punch Club.

Get your foam finger ready because the USA is poised to topple Italy as the most wine consuming nation in the world.  

More after the jump! (more…)

Click on the image to go to our Google Map that locates all of the establishments offering extended hours during Inauguration Weekend.

When we put up our Google map featuring ABRA’s original list of 213 restaurants, bars and clubs that will be keeping additional hours starting tomorrow, we mentioned that there were 73 additional establishments whose okays were pending.

Pending what?  Approval from their local Advisory Neighborhood Committees (ANCs) and Citizens’ Associations, with whom they have voluntary agreements limiting their hours of operation.  In most cases, the neighborhood groups were willing to play ball – this map includes more than 55 new listings.

As Jule Banfield mentioned over at the Washington City Paper’s City Desk blog, more than 30 of the additions are located along the 18th Street corridor in Adams Morgan.  The rest are scattered throughout the city, with two on the H Street Corridor (Sticky Rice and Palace of Wonders), one right near the Capitol (Good Stuff Eatery) and many more in Northwest.

But not every establishment that was on the ‘pending’ list we saw last week was approved.  The fifteen who didn’t make it – and what that might mean for a certain ping pong and pizza place’s inaugural party – after the jump. (more…)

With all eyes on Washington for the inauguration, the Travel Channel couldn’t have picked a better time to air the new episode of No Reservations that Anthony Bourdian filmed here in DC last July.  As promised, we’ve been sorting through the rumors about where Bourdain ate and who he hung out with – and I have to say, our commenters got his itinerary pretty well mapped out!

In advance of the episode’s airing next Monday night, the folks at the Travel Channel reached out to us with a few goodies to share – including a clip of the scene in Ben’s Chili Bowl and a poster signed by Bourdain himself.  Want to win it?  Enter the contest at the end of this post.

Sure, Bourdain hit Ben’s Chili Bowl (he even acknowledges that just about EVERY food and/or travel show that has ever done a piece on DC has pulled up a stool at their iconic counter), but he did it in the company of one of DC’s premier writers: George Pelecanos.  Pelecanos’ love for Ben’s is well-known, and Nizam Ali couldn’t help spilling the beans about their visit when we sat down to talk about Next Door back in December.

Check out Bourdain in Ben’s and the inside scoop on where else he’ll be chowing down after the jump.

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As millions of visitors pour into DC this weekend, they’ll have a lot on their agendas. Goal number one? See the brand new President with their very own eyes. After that it’s all probably gravy. Hard-core foodies will be seeking out unique DC dining experiences (our tips are here). Others may want to add to their list of first hand brushes with history, which is what we’re all about today. The beauty of living and eating in a city like DC is that your very table could bear witness to some amazing history. Would you like to slug a beer in the same booth where JFK proposed to Jackie? We’ve got you covered. Want to chow down on a burger in a restaurant where the bathroom window turned into a major Cold War PR debacle? Check.  Ever think you’d have a spicy tuna roll in the same building John Wilkes Booth conspired to assassinate Lincoln? You can. Read on!

Wok N Roll
Before I go any farther, I want to share an important DC visitor tip with you: There are no good Chinese meals to be had in DC’s Chinatown. Really. Mike and I have eaten at Wok n’ Roll in Chinatown several times and it is at best serviceable. BUT this post is as much about historic dining opportunities as it is about food. Wok n’ Roll, a Chinese/Japanese restaurant, is in the very same building where the plot to assassinate President Lincoln was hatched by John Wilkes Booth. Back then it was the Surratt boarding house owned by Mary Surratt, who was later executed for her involvement in the assassination.  The photo to the right shows the original boarding house and how it appears today. Wok n Roll has a sushi happy hour for those looking for a dining bargain.

Wok n Roll
604 H St NW
Washington, DC 20002

More dining tips for history and trivia buffs after the jump!

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If you’re a foodie making your way to Washington for President-Elect Obama’s inauguration next week, you’ve probably already seen plenty of suggestions on the best of the best restaurants here in DC – Komi, CityZen, Citronelle, Minibar.

Rather than wasting your time with gushing descriptions of places that have been completely booked for a month or more, we’re here to help you seek out a few foodie experiences that are representative of Washington’s dining scene.  While you’re here, check out:

• Ethiopian cuisine – The Washington area is home to more than 200,000 Ethiopians, giving us the largest Ethiopian population in the United States.  And Ethiopian cuisine, with its injera bread and complex spices, is an experience not to be missed by true foodies.  For an authentic taste of Ethiopia, check out one of the numerous restaurants clustered along 9th and U Streets, NW.  Popular choices include Dukem, Madjet and Zed’s, but we can personally vouch for the great flavors at Etete.  Their kitfo - a spicy minced beef dish served raw, medium, or well done – is a great introduction to the heat of most Ethiopian cuisine, and it is complemented nicely by tej, a traditional Ethiopian honey wine.  Most of the Ethiopian places in Washington will accept reservations, but you should also be able to score a table if you walk in.

Etete
1942 9th Street, NW
(202) 232-7600

• Local, sustainable, organic, farm-t0-table - Is anyone surprised that food and politics mix here in the nation’s capital?  One of the biggest trends on the DC dining scene lately has been a push for more ethical dining options.  At places like Restaurant Nora, which has been serving primarily organic cuisine for more than a decade, this is hardly news.  But for many other restaurants the move to sustainable seafood, locally (and humanely) raised meats and in-season vegetables is a revelation that local foodies have been quick to embrace.  Pass on the Chilean sea bass and seek out a sustainable alternative at restaurants from Dino to Hook.  For a taste of the farm-t0-table scene, check out newcomer Founding Farmers - a restaurant whose commitment to sustainability carries through to its efforts to earn LEED Gold Standard certification.  For the inauguration, their ‘bar chefs’ will be mixing up a number of signature cocktails – including an Obama Sangaree made with Courvoisier Exclusif, Dry Sack sherry, Cointreau Noir, fresh squeezed lemon and orange juices and simple syrup.  Even better – visit the vendors in the East Hall and on the farmers’ line at Eastern Market this weekend and cap off your experience with blueberry pancakes or a crabcake sandwich at the famous Market Lunch.  The crowded space is a favorite among regulars that is not to be missed.

Market Lunch
East Hall at Eastern Market
225 7th Street, SE
(202) 547-8444 

More recommendations for authentic DC foodie experiences after the jump. (more…)

So who are we trying to kid? We all have the best intentions when midnight rolls around and merry dreams of how fantastic we’re going to look on this date next year because THIS year is the year we really get it together. And hey, that’s awesome. We believe it every year, too. But sometimes you just need to let loose. Everything in moderation, including moderation, right? So if you feel yourself about to slide off the wagon, you may as well do it right. Here are three suggestions from a pair who have fallen off several wagons. We’ve got your cravings covered – meats, pasta and chocolate. Read on!

Fogo de Chao
All-you-can eat usually translates to mediocre quality food but that’s not the case with Fogo de Chao. This traditional Brazilian churrascaria (which is apparently Portugese for “gorge yourself from meat on a stick”) is located in downtown DC. The carne keeps on coming as long as your two-sided disk is flipped to the green side. The term steakhouse is a bit of a misnomer here. This is more of an upscale free-for-all than you’d find at a Ruth’s Chris. There is plenty of steak but you’ll also find pork, chicken, lamb and other red-blooded assortments mixed in alongside multiple sirloin offerings. The drinks are strong and wine is plentiful. Be warned: It’s a fine line from gluttony to phyiscal illness. If you aren’t careful your new resolution might be “Avoid the meat sweats.”

Fogo de Chao
1101 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004

The next two resolution busters are after the jump! (more…)

<<Update 2:53 – The Washington Post’s Reliable Source is now reporting on Obama’s visit, as well.  They’ve got some additional details and a photo.  Check it out.>>

Sharp-eyed patrons at Ben’s Chili Bowl may have noticed a change to the “Who Eats Free at Ben’s” sign during the election season, when Nizam Ali and his family added “The Obama Family” to the sign that had previously only named Bill Cosby.  But when I sat down with Nizam to take a first look at Next Door, he admitted that the family had not yet paid a visit to Ben’s.

Today President-elect Obama put the sign to the test, showing up for lunch with Mayor Adrian Fenty and surprising everyone at the counter.  They sat at table five in the main dining room, for those who may want to check for crumbs that Barack Obama himself may have touched!

According to Nizam, Obama ordered a chili half-smoke with mustard and onions and a sweet tea.  When he received his order, he asked for (and received) shredded cheese.

And although the staff was quick to point to the sign and offer Obama the free meal they promised, he insisted on doing his part to help stimulate the local economy.  He paid with a $20 bill that the Alis are planning to frame and hang in Ben’s.  Obama was also generous with his time, stepping behind the counter to pose for pictures with staff and generally showing the kind of love for a DC institution that we hope is a sign of good things to come for Washington under the new administration.