Happy birthday, Del Campo: Chef Victor Albisu’s South American restaurant celebrates its first birthday with a tango dance party on Tuesday. Stop in between 7 and 10 for dancing, cocktails, snacks, and more. Tickets are $55 and can be ordered by calling 202-289-7377 or e-mailing events@delcampodc.com.
Hot happy hour: Those looking to spice up their Tuesday evening can head to Right Proper Brewing Company for happy hour with locally made Glover’s Pepper Sauce. From 5 to 8 you’ll find wings made with the condiment, samples of hot sauce flavors from chef/producer Jamie Glover, and $1 off all house beers.
Brews and bacon: Love pork and beer? Belga Cafe has a special dinner for you on Tuesday at 6:30, centered on Belgian ales and bacon. Five courses include dishes such as bacon-wrapped oysters and roast pheasant with bacon shavings, each paired with a different beer ($59 per person).
Celebrity chef dinner: The first leg of the James Beard Celebrity Chef Tour dinner comes to Kapnos on Wednesday. Visiting toques including Zahav’s Michael Solomonov from Philadelphia join forces with local notables such as host Mike Isabella and Scott Drewno for the meal. Tickets can be reserved online for $200 per person.
Artistic happy hour: Logan Tavern hosts a “meet the artist” happy hour on Wednesday from 5 to 7, with complimentary snacks and discounted drinks celebrating an exhibit by local artist Heidi Phelps. Sip cocktails inspired by Phelps’s art, such as one made with gluten-free gin and house-made rosewater, as you listen to Phelps talk about her pieces.
Dine out for a cause: The Dining Out for Life campaign returns to local restaurants on Thursday, where participating eateries will donate anywhere from 25 to 100 percent of sales to Food & Friends’s efforts to assist those living with HIV/AIDS. See the full list and the contribution percentages online.
A chef’s charity returns: The eighth annual World Festival from chef Art Smith’s national nonprofit, Common Threads, resumes on Thursday after a two-year hiatus. The event, held from 6 to 9 at the Liaison Capitol Hill, brings together 20-plus chefs and mixologists who create a global spectrum of drinks and eats. Tickets ($150) are available online.
Rockfish roast: Chef Todd Gray and his team launch a seasonal grilling/roasting series at Equinox on Thursday. The theme of the first: a Chesapeake Bay rockfish roast, which begins at 6 with beers and local oysters before the family-style seated dinner. Reservations ($95, all-inclusive) are required.
French Market encore: Georgetown’s annual French Market returns to the Book Hill neighborhood on Friday and Saturday from 10 to 5. The area’s many galleries, salons, and shops will offer specials and sales, while restaurants and cafes offer Francophile fare such as macarons, grilled merguez sausages, crepes, and more.
Restaurant-hop in Bethesda: Restaurant Week returns to Bethesda Row Monday through Sunday. The 16 participating restaurants, including Jaleo and Luke’s Lobster, will offer three-course lunches for $15 and dinners for $30.
Eat more oysters: The seventh annual Oyster Fest returns to Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont Circle on Saturday from 11 to 3. The all-inclusive tickets ($80) allow access to all-you-can-eat raw, fried, and barbecued oysters, popcorn shrimp, bottomless draft beers, and more. Tickets are available online.
Boil more crawfish: The annual Crawfish Boil goes down on Saturday at Pearl Dive, offering an unlimited amount of crawfish and Abita beers. Two seatings—from noon to 2 and 2:30 to 4:30—are available; tickets are $65 for each.
Carb-loaders welcome: Running the Nike Women’s Half Marathon on Sunday, or just really love pasta? Stop by Urbana on Saturday evening for all-you-can-eat pastas made with power veggies such as kale and sweet potatoes ($20 per person). Choices include whole-wheat bucatini with roasted tomatoes and arugula pesto, sweet potato gnocchi with grilled salmon, and kale gemelli with cauliflower and capers.
Spring beer fest: Forget Oktoberfest—Capitol City Brewing Company throws its first spring beer festival on Saturday at the Village at Shirlington from noon to 7. Beer fans can try more than 200 styles of beer from 45 breweries, snack on food from local vendors, and more. Tickets are $30 for drinkers, which include a tasting glass and ten beverage tickets; additional tickets are available for $1 each. Entry is free for non-drinkers and kids.
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.
