Seasonal dinner: Glover Park’s Arcuri hosts an autumnal wine dinner on Monday at 6:30. Five courses are paired with vino for $60, and include dishes such as steak tartare with guanciale, butternut squash agnolotti, and roasted turbot. Call for reservations.
Central-ness: Chef Michel Richard’s bistro hosts two events this week. First up: a five-course “leftover turkey” dinner on Monday that’s geared around holiday dishes and the best wine pairings for turkey, stuffing, etc. Then on Thursday is the third annual Beaujolais Nouveau party from 5 to 10:30 with 15 percent off Burgundy wines, by-the-glass specials, live “gypsy jazz,” and a five-course menu. Both are $150 per person.
Eat for good: Help with the Typhoon Haiyan relief efforts while eating sisig, a popular Filipino dish, at Daikaya Izakaya, which donates all proceeds from the sale of the dish to World Food Programs. You’ll find it at lunch and brunch; the former is a donburi bowl with sizzling pork and egg over white rice, while the latter features a braised-pork hash with yuzu and an egg. Donations will be made through December 31.
Farm-to-table book-signing: Forrest Pritchard, the owner of Smith Meadows Farm in Berryville, Virginia, and the author of Gaining Ground, signs copies of his book at Copperwood Tavern on Tuesday from 8 to 10. Get there early, as the first 50 people receive free signed copies.
Holiday baking: Love the idea of whipping up a Thanksgiving pie but daunted about actually baking? Tiffany MacIsaac leads a holiday pie class on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at Buzz Bakery in Alexandria from 6 to 8:30. You’’ll learn to make a craveable crust, as well as specific items like apple pie and savory quiche. Tickets are $85 per person.
New Jewish cooking: Chef Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray sign copies of their cookbook The New Jewish Table at the Daily Dish on Tuesday at 6. Guests are then served a three-course meal based on recipes from the book ($40 per person).
Holiday takeout: You’ll still have to wait until mid-December for Ris Lacoste’s permanent stall in Union Market, but the Ris chef debuts a pop-up holiday stand on Tuesday. You’ll find a number of items meant to make your festive meals easier, from chicken stock to cranberry-orange bread, pies, and Thanksgiving sides (the latter will start on Tuesday of next week).
Gin competition: Fans of the locally distilled Green Hat Gin, here’s an event for you. Five Vinoteca barkeeps compete to make the best gin cocktail on Wednesday during a contest/party from 7 to 9. The $25 ticket price includes tastes of all the boozy creations, snacks, and the chance to hang with “guest celebrity judges” (including yours truly).
Beer gala: Head to Jack Rose on Wednesday for a night of “gambling, games, and giggle juice” at the Samuel Adams Autumn Gala. You’ll find casino games such as blackjack and roulette and an open beer bar with 20 Sam Adams drafts. Tickets are $60.
Brewer meet-and-greet: Rub elbows with Port City’s Bill Butcher during a tapping of the Alexandria brewery’s holiday beer, Tidings Ale, at Red Rocks Bistro in Arlington on Thursday. You’ll also have a chance to fill special Port City growlers and sample new pizzas.
Oysters galore: Oyster Riot returns to Old Ebbitt on Friday and Saturday for an impressive 19th consecutive year. Pick between Saturday “matinee” and weekend-night tickets for downing bushels of bivalves, guzzling beer and wine, and listening to live music ($140 per person).
Dinner with Alice Waters: You’ll have two chances to catch the famed Chez Panisse chef/owner on Saturday. First Politics & Prose hosts Waters at 3:30 for a book-signing of The Art of Simple Food II: Recipes, Flavor, and Inspiration from the New Kitchen Garden. At 7, head to Buck’s Fishing & Camping for another book-signing and dinner. Tickets start at $350, with proceeds going to the Edible Schoolyard Project.
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
