•It’s been an eventful week in restaurant news. First, Restaurant K by Alison Swope in downtown DC closed its doors after just ten months of business. McCormick & Schmick's, which owns the spot, blamed the tough economy, saying that they'll "reallocate its resources to our core McCormick & Schmick’s branded establishments" (which include a McCormick & Schmick's seafood restaurant a block away). As for veteran chef Swope, the current plan is for her to join the group's culinary development team.
The K Street restaurant always had an easier time filling the bar with tie-loosening lawyers and lobbyists than the cavernous dining room. And for good reason—the prickly pear margaritas were tart and strong, and the happy hour menu was cheap and tasty. Still, we'll miss the Southwestern-accented breakfasts (where else are we going to get a huevos motulenos fix?) and Swope's terrific braised pork shank with lemon popovers.
•A few days later, chef Gillian Clark announced that her beloved Brightwood spot, Colorado Kitchen—where diners wait out the crowds for housemade donuts and cornflake-crusted pork chops—is slated to close. No word of a final date yet, but Clark tells dining editor Todd Kliman: “It's a-coming.” Prince of Petworth informs us that the restaurant will be auctioning off some of its wares online on Monday, July 7. The inventory list will be posted here on Tuesday, so check back to see if you can score a memento from the restaurant's collection of kitschy bric-a-brac. In the meantime, head over while you still can for a last taste of Clark's stellar fried chicken. Let’s hope it makes its way onto the menu at her still-yet-to-open Post Office Tavern in Silver Spring.
•A week after the City Paper publicized the heated tensions between owner Jonathan Umbel and ex-chef Richard Bechtold over at Georgetown’s Tackle Box, Hook and Tackle Box’s posterboy chef, Barton Seaver, announced his own split with Umbel's Pure Hospitality. Chef de cuisine Josh Whigham, who came with Seaver from Cafe Saint-Ex just over a year ago, will take over as top toque.
•Summer is officially here, humidity and all, and the beer popsicles at Alexandria's Rustico have gained legal status just in time. After the icy treats were smacked down by the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control last season, two local representatives sponsored a bill to defend Virginia’s right to beer pops. They're now available through September in flavors like framboise, cherry-kriek, peche, and chocolate-stout.
•In other frozen treat news: Mr. Yogato, a new frozen yogurt spot, opens today on 17th Street east of Dupont Circle. With Tangysweet serving up swirls of tart yogurt across the circle, neighborhood fro yo fans have much to cheer about. Mr. Yogato’s cutesy website promises “originial soft” and “original tangy” yogurts in addition to rotating flavors. Mojito or Kahlua, anyone?
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