Pop quiz: Which seasonal sweet trucks just declared its intention to settle down in Adams Morgan? What Shirlington wine shop just opened up a restaurant and coffee bar? Which Penn Quarter restaurant is now serving food out of sneakers?
Don’t know? Don’t worry. Even the most tuned-in foodies are feeling overwhelmed by all the dining-world happenings. Let’s get you up to speed.
1) Last week’s biggest opening was, without a doubt, Rasika West End. Best Bite’s intrepid writer/photographer team Anna Spiegel and Jeff Martin got restaurateur Ashok Bajaj to give them a sneak peek of some of the new dishes on the menu. You can enjoy those in the book-lined library room or in a jewel-toned booth with street views.
2) Meanwhile, in Shaw, Frederik de Pue exposed the bones of his forthcoming Table to photographer Erik Uecke. De Pue’s restaurant will feature some very cool patio space but don’t expect a bar or a menu. “You can please people with simplicity,” he assured us.
3) The owner of seasonal sweets truck Pleasant Pops announced that he would be setting up shop in Adams Morgan this summer. Pleasant Pops Market & Farmhouse will stock farmers market foodstuffs alongside the fruit and dairy popsicles for which it’s famous. Also: sandwiches.
4) Those of us who like our treats brewed and full of caffeine are pretty excited about the coffee offerings at the newly reopened Curious Grape in Shirlington. If the names Stumptown, Intellingentsia, and Counter Culture send jitters of excitement through your system, this is an opening about which you’ll be amped indeed. We’ll certainly be checking out the food, too. The seasonal menus are designed to pair well with the globe-spanning wine list.
5) Meanwhile, in Penn Quarter, it’s no wonder the newly made-over Jaleo is drawing comparisons to Pedro Almodóvar films. We can only hope that our sneaker full of croquetas will be delivered by Penelope Cruz in a nun costume.
6) Prodigal toque Roberto Donna returned to town recently to serve as executive chef at La Forchetta–a pizzeria and trattoria near American University. The owner told the City Paper’s Chris Shott that the pies beat out those at beloved 2 Amys. Test the veracity of that statement tonight, when the restaurant opens at 5 PM. Meantime, don’t miss our slideshow featuring some of the dishes.
7) Something else you should know: On Friday, the little neighborhood bar that could Boundary Stone rose to the top in Wing Wars, beating out Bonchon for the championship. To celebrate, it’s debuting a new wing happy hour. Starting today, the Bloomingdale watering hole will offer a 50 percent weekday discount on poultry pieces from 4 to 7. Enjoy that.
