Opening/closing news
A new reality: Bachelor Pad 3 contestant Chris Bukowski has tapped Cava and Sugo chef Dimitri Moshovitis to create a menu for a new Washington-area sports bar aimed at the ladies. No, seriously. [Washingtonian]
Awaiting Andrés: Minibar won’t reopen until late October. [WCP]
Sweet news: Dolcezza is building an open-to-the-public production facility behind Union Market. [Washingtonian]
Speaking of Union Market: This weekend marks its long-awaited debut. Here’s our guide to what you’ll find on opening day. [Washingtonian]
Still speaking of Union Market: Crafty Bastards is moving there and will now charge a $10 fee to enter. [PoP]
Expanding empire: Bethesda’s Carole Sugarman sneaks a peek at Chef Geoff’s Rockville, which will start serving September 12, per her post. [Bethesda]
R.J. update: Anna Spiegel checks in with R.J. Cooper, who shares a few more details about his Mosaic District restaurant and plans for another DC project. [Washingtonian]
We call Colonel Mustard: Board game bar the Board Room—featuring vintage Clue games among its collection of parlor diversions—opens this weekend in Dupont. [UrbanDaddy]
Taco invasion: Time to start stockpiling the agua fresca? The Washington Post’s Going Out Gurus bring word of a Washington-area “tacopocalypse,” as evidenced by four new taco spots and “at least two more arrive in coming months.” [WaPo]
Everyone’s an investor: The City Paper takes a look at a growing restaurant-world trend: crowdsourcing startup funds. [WCP]
Know thy pie: Pizza is suddenly everywhere. Todd Kliman breaks down regional specialties. [Washingtonian]
Chef news and staff changes
New York Move: More big news from Chef Geoff’s: the Dining Bisnow newsletter says owner Geoff Tracy and his family are moving to New York City as wife Norah O’Donnell begins a gig at CBS This Morning. How will he run his restaurant empire from afar? For clues, read Todd Kliman’s definitive profile. [BN]
Dinner diplomats: Mike Isabella, Bryan Voltaggio, and José Andrés are among 20 chefs that the State Department has tapped as culinary ambassadors. [WaPo]
Taciturn toque: The Washingtonian’s own Shane Harris profiles press-shy Komi chef Johnny Monis. [Washingtonian]
H &Pizza &Pilla: The Hill Is Home brought news that pizzaiolo Anthony Pilla, originally on board at the forthcoming Ghibellina, has landed instead at H &Pizza (via Eater DC). [THIH]
Ripert’s recruit: Before he scurried off to Le Bernardin for a little culinary boot camp, we gave new Westend Bistro chef Devin Bozkaya the Q&A treatment. [Washingtonian]
New reviews and other items of note
Middling in McLean: The Post’s Tom Sietsema and Northern Virginia’s Stefanie Gans both cracked into Bistro Vivant this week, where they found uneven cooking. [WaPo][Northern Virginia]
Healthy spice: We checked out the Vienna strip-mall spot Turmeric, featuring lightened-up versions of popular Indian dishes. [Washingtonian]
Big moment for brewing: Eater DC has the video of Port City Brewing’s Bill Butcher speaking at the Democratic National Convention. [Eater DC]
Celebrating sauerkraut: At long last, a monthlong homage to the humble kraut, with plenty of videos starring Spike Mendelsohn and friends. [Eater DC]
More whiskey, please: Catoctin Creek announces an expansion. [CC]
Going national: Finally, we would like to offer big congrats to Eater editor Amy McKeever, crack chronicler of DC restaurant news. McKeever has been bumped up to Eater National. [Eater DC]
