Belgian restaurant week: The celebration of Belgian food and culture officially started on Sunday and runs through this week, with special menus and events at Washington’s top Belgian restaurants (check out the official event page for details). Highlights include a seven-course meal at B Too on Tuesday with Belgian beer and cocktails pairings ($150 per person); daily specials at Brasserie Beck and Mussel Bar & Grille locations like all-you-can-eat-mussels ($24 per person) on Thursday; and a Belgian National Day party at Belga Cafe on Thursday (admission is $10).
Chefs as mixologists: Toques like Seng Luangrath (Thip Khao) and Matt Adler (Osteria Morini) come out of the kitchen to mix drinks for Chefs Behind Bars, a fundraising event on Tuesday at the DNV Rooftop Lounge. Head over from 6 to 8:30 to judge the drinks, and help decide who wins. Tickets are $45; all proceeds go towards No Kid Hungry.
Beer and seafood dinner: Maryland brewery Jailbreak teams up with chef Ferhat Yalçin for a four-course pairing dinner at Drift on Seventh on Tuesday. Each course will be accompanied with one of Jailbreak’s summer beers, ranging from The Infinite Amber Ale to Poor Righteaous IPA . The $48 meal includes items like fish ‘n chips, rockfish crudo, and passion fruit-banana mousse. Dinner starts at 7 pm; call 202-350-4350 for reservations.
Hyper-local menus: New Charlie Palmer Steak chef Mike Ellis offers special “homecoming” menus in recognition of his return to the DC area (he originally cooked at the restaurant under Bryan Voltaggio). Weekly-changing lineups will focus on specific areas, like the Chesapeake Bay or Montgomery County, and highlight producers from the corresponding region. View the menus, offered through August.
Poppy’s Pop Up: Beuchert’s Saloon chef Andrew Markert and longtime friend, pastry chef Jennifer Costa, host a “wine and berries” pop-up dinner on Thursday at 7:30 pm. The three-course, family-style meal is inspired by Sonoma County, and is the first of a five-dinner series. Proceeds benefit Mary’s Center. The dinner is $95 per person, and the location will be announced Thursday morning.
Chilean cooking class: Join chef Victor Albisu at Del Campo on Saturday from 12 to 3 pm for a Chilean cooking class and lunch. The demonstration will include dishes like short ribs, spicy chorizo, and cuttlefish ceviche. Tickets are $98 per person, and include lunch after the class with Chilean wine.
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
