Monday, October 11
Join several area restaurants in their effort to support America’s farms during the first Dine Out for Farms week, which runs through October 16th. American Flatbread, Equinox, Tabard Inn and others are donating their proceeds to American Farmland Trust’s programs, which aids and promotes the growth of sustainable farms and ranches. Click here for more information and a list of restaurants taking part.
Nage chef Glenn Babcock shares his fall lineup of dishes for the downtown DC restaurant’s Meatless Mondays, a national program that encourages eating vegetarian for one night per week. The menu includes hearty veggie dishes made with meat-eaters in mind, such as a black-bean-and-walnut burger with avocado, smoked onion, gouda and truffled fries. Lighter options include wild-mushroom baklava with pecans, mizuna, and goat cheese. The regular dinner menu is also available. Call 202-448-8005 for reservations.
The wines and flavors of the Loire Valley are showcased with a five-course dinner at Bastille in Old Town, Alexandria. Guests will sip sparkling Vouvray Brut NV before dining on grilled scallops, local flounder a la meuniere, and other French specialties (click here for the full menu). The dinner, $54 per person (excluding tax and tip) and $84 with wine pairings, is available from 6:30 to 10. Call 703-519-3776 for reservations.
Tuesday, October 12
Baking maven Dorie Greenspan discusses and signs her latest cookbook, Around My French Table, at Borders in Baileys Crossroads. The book ($40)—part recipe collection, part memoir, and part guide to France’s culinary secrets—will be available for purchase. The free event begins at 7:30. For more information, call 703-998-0404.
Wednesday, October 13
Wild game birds are in season, but cooking them can daunting. Old Town gourmet shop the Butcher’s Block offers some tips and recipes for preparing wild fowl, courtesy of chef/owner Robert Wiedmaier. He will explain everything from cooking the meat to preparing accompanying sauces. The event, which is free, begins at 7. Reservations are required; contact Pamela Doherty at Pamela.doherty@braborestaurant.com. Call 703-894-5253 for additional information.
Thursday, October 14
Chardonnay-loving cats may be disappointed, because the tenth annual Wines for Canines and Felines event is about two-legged guests sampling over 100 wines. Maggiano’s Little Italy is teaming up with Paul’s Wine and Spirits for the benefit, which includes a buffet dinner and silent auction. The event, $75 per person, runs from 6:30 until 9. All proceeds go towards the Montgomery County Humane Society, and tickets can be purchased here. Call 202-537-1900 for more information.
If bacon-wrapped pork paired with a bacon-infused vodka martini sounds more like heaven than overkill, 3 Bar & Grill is the place to indulge. Today through October 21st, the Clarendon restaurant will offer bacon tasting menus, bacon cocktails, a bacon-making class (Saturday, October 16), and a bacon happy hour with $3 beers. For a look at the tasting menu, which includes bacon shrimp and grits, bacon waffles, and other porcine delights, click here . Call 703-524-4440 for more information.
Friday, October 15
It may be the “Week of Bacon”, but tonight the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Potato Museum join to celebrate another American staple: the potato. Potato dishes from Peru, Thailand, and the US are on offer in various garden rooms in the Botanic Garden Conservatory, as are potato-derived drinks (think vodka). Guests can also check out the conservatory’s Spuds Unearthed exhibit. The event, $30 for members of the Botanic Garden, $35 for non-members, runs from 6:30 to 8:30. Call 202-225-1116 for more information.
Washington restaurants gather on the Southeast Waterfront for the third annual Night at the Yards, an evening of live music, inventive drinks, a silent auction, and tasty food samples from such spots as Hank’s Oyster Bar, Georgetown Cupcake, and Matchbox. The event, $125 per person, runs from 7 to midnight. Click here for more.
Saturday, October 16
Local, naturally raised beef can be found in various Washington restaurants, and now Slow Food DC and Maryland’s Roseda Farm (15317 Carroll Rd., Monkton, MD) are offering a look at the cows during a hayride tour. Guests will ride into the pastures and learn about farming methods before sitting down to a fire-roasted beef dinner around the campfire. The hayride and dinner, $40 for Slow Food DC members, $45 for non-members, runs from 4 to 8. Reservations can be booked here.
Tips on gentlemanly behavior continue with the second class in a four-part series led by Jason Tesauro, author of The Modern Gentleman. Today’s class, “Craft Beers and Deft Grilling,” is held at Bibiana. Chef Nicholas Stefanelli will show participants the world of microbrews and specialty hard ciders, demonstrate how to butcher and make rubs and marinades, and give tips on cooking over coals. Sample tastes will be handed out. The class, $125 per person, runs from noon to 3. Tickets can be purchased here.
Sunday, October 17
Season finales are always bittersweet, but Bourbon Steak intends to make Mad Men’s wrap-up savory as well. Chef David Varley prepares a retro-inspired dinner with classics like iceberg wedge salad, beef stroganoff with green bean casserole, and old-school cocktails ($8). Dinner, $60 per guest (including tax and gratuity), is followed by a 10 PM showing of the Mad Men finale in the restaurant’s private dining room, with truffle popcorn for those who still have an appetite. For reservations, call 202-944-2026 or email bourbonsteak.was@fourseasons.com. NOTE: The dinner is now full, but you can put your name on a waiting list.
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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.
