Blue Duck Tavern chef Brian McBride's shad roe. Photograph by Darko Zagar.

Everyone seems to be in the mood for springtime delicacies shad and shad roe (aka "Maryland Caviar"). Counter Intelligence tells you where to find it. Todd Kliman tells you where not to get it. And Blue Duck Tavern Chef Brian McBride tells you how to make it...

...There goes the neighborhood, again: The saga of Dr. Dremo’s Taphouse, Courthouse’s funky little divebar that could, is over. Elm Street Development has bought the site and plans to turn it into condos. Dremo’s owners say they’ll keep the billiards-and-beer spot going until early 2008--when the real estate company is expected to get the necessary construction permits--then look for a new space...

...And it looks like another saga is coming to an end: After a protracted battle with a neighborhood church, Vegetate in Shaw is finally cleared to get a liquor license...

...The Eighth annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival is at the Reagan Building this weekend, and local chefs are demo-ing it up on the culinary stage. On Saturday, Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar, Stephen Hunter of Aria Trattoria, and Barton Seaver of Cafe Saint-Ex appear. On Sunday, you can watch Noriaki Yasutake of Perry’s, Jeff Black of Black Salt and Black Market Bistro (among others), and Jamie Stachowski of Restaurant Kolumbia. Tickets to the walk-around wine mega-tasting and demos are $65 per day. Click here for more...

...What do the following restaurant review descriptions have in common?: "Trout a la green plague," "The fish on the Key West Platter tasted like old ski boots," "Were [a crab and brandy soup] found today in a canister buried in the Iraqi desert, it would save Tony Blair's skin.” They all inspired lawsuits from angry restaurateurs...

...R.I.P. Starland Cafe. The Palisades spot has closed.