Cheese fondue pop-ups and whole animal roasts at Garrison
524 Eighth St., SE
Chef Rob Weland’s Capitol Hill restaurant gets in the winter spirit with two special menu offerings, designed with cold weather feasting in mind. Cheese lovers can head in for alpine-style fondue, Tuesday through Thursday, served in the bar or on the patio (weather permitting) for $18 per person; you can also add seasonal veggies or steak tips for an additional cost. Then on Sunday, Weland resurrects a version of his famed “Poste Roasts.” Groups of six-to-ten can reserve a whole suckling pig or goat, roasted and served family-style, alongside dishes like sauerkraut or mac n’ cheese, plus cobbler for dessert ($65 per person); a punch or pre-batched pitcher cocktail can be ordered for an additional $10 per person. Call 202-506-2445 for reservations.
“Long Island red sauce” menu takes over Vendetta
1212 H St., NE
As we reported earlier, H Street bocce bar/restaurant Vendetta is undergoing changes with new ownership. The first shift: a red sauce menu from chef Teddy Folkman, starting this week. Look for classics like mozzarella sticks, chicken or eggplant parm, and a build-you-own-pasta section.
Astro introduces made-to-order cake doughnuts
7511 Leesburg Pk., Falls Church
The Falls Church branch of Astro Doughnuts & Fried Chicken will make made-to-order cake doughnuts in four flavors: cinnamon-sugar, vanilla, maple-bacon, and Nutella. The first 100 customers on Thursday will score a free doughnut for the launch; regularly rounds cost $2 to $2.65. Look for a similar menu to start at the DC flagship in the coming weeks.
Pennsylvania 6 launches Champagne bar brunch
1350 I St., NW
Downtown’s new American spot serves its first Saturday and Sunday brunch this weekend, and goes for an upscale vibe with a Champagne bar. Guests can order three specially-priced bottles of bubbly, ranging from a $25 French sparkling to $65 Veuve Clicquot, which can be mixed with a variety of fresh juices and fruits at a buffet-style setup. Pair drinks with raw bar fare, crab cakes Benedict, or biscuits and gravy.
Vegan “no waste” Buredos are a thing
825 14th St., NW
JRINK Juicery teams up with Buredo for a vegan riff on the shop’s sushi-burritos. The “no-waste” wrap features produce trimmings from the cold-press juice joint, including apple and broccoli, plus butternut squash, edamame, carrot, avocado, wasabi peas, and a sweet-spicy sauce ($10.75). The dish is available starting Monday.
Taylor Gourmet debuts their winter menu
Multiple area locations
Hearty hoagies are the name of the sandwich game on Taylor’s winter menu. Look for eats like a truffle cheesesteak, a Tuscan chicken-barley soup, and the Father Tavlarides, layered with roasted turkey, lemon-tahini spread, and roasted red pepper salad. The latter is is a tribute to Father John Tavlarides, a longtime priest at Saint Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral who recently passed.
Veloce offers $6 pizzas
1828 L St., NW
Chef Ruth Gresser’s fast-casual pizzeria creates a new menu for the New Year, with $6 mozzarella-and-red sauce pies (toppings $1 each), and new house combinations like The Urban with bacon, roasted mushrooms, and arugula ($9).
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.
