Dining in DC

Blogiversary Giveaway 3: $100 to The Bombay Club

Lisa Shapiro — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:12:23 +0000

This month Dining in DC‘ will celebrate its 6 year Blogiversary! To prove how much we appreciate our loyal readers, we are offering an entire week of Giveaways! This is the just the third of an entire week of celebratory giveaways! Stay tuned for more Blogiversary Giveaways all week long! You Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win. Please subscribe! Thank you! Giveaway 3: Win $100 Gift Card to The Bombay Club My husband and I have a few things in common besides the love for a good bottle of wine, we share an affinity for Indian food. The Bombay Club (815 Connecticut Ave., NW), located just one block from the White House, is reminiscent of the old clubs of India, a sophisticated jewel in the heart of downtown D.C. Executive Chef, Nilesh Singhvi, serves authentic gourmet regional Indian cuisine, utilizing only the best quality ingredients to create a harmony of subtle flavors. Specialties include tandoori salmon and green chili chicken. The Bombay Club is consistently listed as a top power dining spot and ranked by Washington Post as one of the top restaurants in D.C. This is your chance to experience one of the best restaurants in D.C.! Over the last 25 years, The Bombay Club has had many esteemed guests who have frequented the restaurant including Former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Former President George H. W. Bush, President Nelson Mandela, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, just to name a few. If elite is not politics in your mind, then from the silver screen, notable stars such as Harrison Ford, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell have also been fans of the authentic Indian fare. To celebrate Dining in DC’s 6 year Blogiversary, owner Ashok Bajaj has generously donated a $100 Gift Card! Comment below about why you love Indian food for your chance to win! One Winner will be chosen Monday, June 24, 2012 at 5 PM. Note: You Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win. Please subscribe!

Blogiversary 6,000 Twitter Follower Contest

Lisa Shapiro — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 00:23:43 +0000

This week Dining in DC‘ is turning 6! To prove how much we appreciate our loyal readers, we have been hosting an entire week of Giveaways! In addition, we're hosting a special Twitter Follower Contest! Whomever is the 6,000th Twitter Follower (verified by time-stamped email notification) they will win a Dining in DC Prize Pack! Prizes Include:

$75 Gift Card to Jose Andres' restaurants or ThinkFoodGroup, which is redeemable at any of Jaleo DC MD or VA, Zaytinya, or Oyamel (sorry, Minibar does not apply)
$30 Gift Card to Passion Food Hospitality Restaurants, such as DC Coast, Acadiana, Ceiba, and PassionFish.
(2) $10 Gift Cards to Cafe Rio Mexican Grill (NoVa locations)
More being added daily!

HOW TO ENTER: 1. Login to Twitter: Follow @diningindc 2. Tweet about our daily contest tweet. The message will look similar to this: Help @DininginDC get to 6k followers to celebreate its 6 yr Blogiversary! RT for chance to win a Dining Prize pack! http://ow.ly/m7VCS Spread the word!

Blogiversary Giveaway: Win Tickets for3 to Art and Soul’s Patio Oyster and Pig Roast

Lisa Shapiro — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:50:45 +0000

This month Dining in DC‘ will celebrate its 6 year Blogiversary! To prove how much we appreciate our loyal readers, we are offering an entire week of Giveaways! This is the just the second of an entire week of celebratory giveaways! Stay tuned for more Blogiversary Giveaways all week long! You Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win. Please subscribe! Thank you! Giveaway 2: Win Tickets for 3 to Art and Soul’s Patio Oyster & Pig Roast One of my favorite restaurants in town, Art and Soul (415 New Jersey Ave., NW), located on Capitol Hill, has turned their gorgeous patio into an adult playground for a sumptuous Oyster and Pig Roast. Every Wednesday, starting at 5:30 pm, Chef Wes Morton will serve 3 courses to guests. To start a snack board consisting of pork rinds, pimento cheese, butter crackers, and more. Next, enjoy Roast Heritage Pig and Rappahannock Oysters. Of course, no meal is complete without dessert, house-made creamsicles! Don't forget to try our traditional punch with contemporary ingredients and flavors, made with brewed cherry blossom tea, house sour mix and Hum liqueur. To celebrate Dining in DC’s 6 year Blogiversary, Art and Soul has generously donated tickets for 3 people to attend one of their Wednesday weekly patio Pig Roasts! Comment below about why Oysters and Pig are the perfect combination for your chance to win! One Winner will be chosen Friday, June 21, 2012 at 5 PM. Note: You Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win. Please subscribe! In addition, Dining in DC will offer a special prize to whomever will be our 6,000 Twitter Follower! Good Luck! Art and Soul

415 New Jersey Ave., NW Washington, DC 20001 202-393-7777

website: http://artandsouldc.com

Pizzeria Orso: Foodie Tested. Mother Approved

Lisa Shapiro — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 01:58:46 +0000

It's a constant struggle to choose the perfect place to dine, as a foodie and as a mother. There just aren't a lot of choices that both satisfy my palate and are suitable to take my family (my kids are typical chicken nugget and french fries eaters). Recently, for my sister's birthday, I made the suggestion to go to Pizzeria Orso (400 South Maple Ave.) located in Falls Church, VA. I had to thoroughly convince the birthday girl that Orso offers much more than just pizza, with Executive Chef Will Artley's “fine food done comfortable” with a menu of seafood, meats, vegetables, and house-made pastas. By the end of the meal, everyone at the table was a convert, including my finicky kids (Alex, 9; Marissa, 5). Both gave a two thumbs up! Opened in 2010 in Pearson Square in Falls Church, Pizzeria Orso is a Neapolitan Pizzeria that features an assortment of globally-inspired small plates overseen by the very talented Executive Chef Will Artley, formerly of Evening Star Cafe and recent appearance on the Food Network’s Chopped. Recently named Northern Virginia Magazine's 2013 Reader's Choice Best Of NoVA Awards for Best Chef, Artley creates his masterpieces in the enormous custom-made volcanic brick oven handcrafted by Forno Napoletano for the restaurant, in Italy. Prior to taking the helm at Orso, Artley went to Los Angeles, CA to study under noted pizzaiolo Peppe Miele and received his certification in baking authentic Neapolitan pizzas. True to traditional Neapolitan technique, the pizza dough at Pizzeria Orso is naturally leavened, never refrigerated, and baked in the wood-burning oven at approximately 800°F for 90 seconds. So when you go what should you try right?! Here were some of my memorable bites:

Pork belly ($9) with mushroom ragu and creamy polenta (those who refuse to cross the river won't regret it!),
Brussels chips ($7) with shaved g)rana cheese (you'll wonder how he makes them for life!)
BLT Gnocchi ($10 / $14 spinach gnocchi, truffled-cream, applewood– smoked bacon, tomato (Did you see? Spinach! It's healthy! Eat more!)
Arancini ($8) delicious fried risotto balls coated with breadcrumbs, said to have originated in Sicily in the 10th century. Kids love these, too!
Orso’s 'tater tots' ($6) are a far cry from the tots we grew up at the school cafeteria. Even grown-ups will fight for these.
Pizza Crudo ($14.50) tomato, basil, mozzarella, prosciutto,
arugula, shaved grana (Simple yet heavenly!)
Pizza Toscana ($17) tomato, mozzarella, ham, salami, sausage, pepperoni (Meat-lovers dream!)
Dessert: Lemon-glazed donuts with whipped Nutella mousse.

**On the Kid's Menu: My 9-year old son ordered the cheese pizza ($7) but asked for ricotta cheese! Chef was impressed! He also liked the chocolate chip canoli! My 5-year old daughter, ordered the kid's Pasta, which were shells ($5) with butter and she gave it a thumbs up! They just launched their weekend brunch menu offering House-made Buttermilk ‘Biscuit Board’, Creative Cocktails, ‘McLovin’ & ‘Big Country’ Breakfast Pizzas, Frittata of the Day, Daily Specials, & more! Available on weekends (Saturday & Sunday only) from 11:30AM – 3:00PM, Chef Artley and team will be offering up their regular menu, in addition to, an inventive selection of brunch-inspired fare including a house-made buttermilk ‘Biscuit Board’ of which invites guests to build their own biscuits through an extensive ensemble of toppings including a variety of sauces, cheese, veggies, and meats. Chef Artley said in the release, "In Mississippi with my fiancée while on a trip, I kept coming across a serious Southern staple – the buttermilk biscuit – and thought it would be exciting to find a way to incorporate it somehow on to my new brunch menu. Thus the buttermilk ‘Biscuit Board’ was born! Sounds deee-licious!! Similar to Chef Artley's pizza specials, he will offer 'Frittata of the Day', creative brunch cocktails including a Spicy Bloody Mary garnished with pepperoni and a Screwdriver slushie, breakfast pizzas such as the ‘McLovin’ topped with cream, oregano, chili flakes, sausage, egg, mozzarella, and fontina, or the ‘Big Country’ with cream, ham, bacon, sausage, egg, and maple syrup drizzle, and rotating Daily Specials, to highlight a few. Other Awesome Mentionables: Tuesday: Kids Eat Free! 10 and under get one free item from the children's menu for each Traditional or House Specialty Pizza. • Kids 10 and under • Not valid with any other special offer or advertised coupon • Not valid for cash • Dine in only WINE Wednesday Wednesday: Wine Down Wednesday: Half-Price Wine Night: 50% discount off all bottles of wine • Not valid for cash •Dine in only • Offer valid from 4:00pm to 9:00pm BOGO Thursday Thursday: BOGO: Buy One Pizza, Get one 50% off of equal or lesser value • Not valid for cash • Dine in only • Not valid with any other special offer or advertised coupon Pizzeria Orso 400 South Maple Ave. Falls Church, VA 22046 703.226.3460

First Blogiversary Giveaway: Tickets to the Alexandria Food and Wine festival

Lisa Shapiro — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:25:36 +0000

This month Dining in DC‘ will celebrate its 6 year Blogiversary! To prove how much we appreciate our loyal readers, we are offering an entire week of Giveaways! First up: Two Books of 25 Taste Tickets to enjoy while at the 2nd Annual Alexandria Food and Wine festival, next Saturday, June 22nd 12-5 p.m.

After a successful inaugural year, vino and savory bites will to return to the Carlyle District in Alexandria, VA for the 2nd Annual Alexandria Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, June 22, 2013. The signature event will transform the Carlyle District into a lively festival, complete with live entertainment, a children’s corner, food and wine tasting. Attendees will be able to sample food and wine from a variety of local restaurants and Virginia’s wineries. There is no admission cost to attend; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages ($15 for 8 taste tickets); Wine Garden is $10 per person. This gives access to the wine garden with tasting samples from the wineries. Wine this giveaway and you'll have two whole books (50 taste tickets!)

Attendees will enjoy sampling food and wine from diverse local participating restaurants and Virginia’s wineries. Local participating restaurants, including La Tasca, Walker’s Grille, Clyde’s at Mark Center, Alexandria Cupcake, San Antonio Bar & Grille, just to name a few. Participating restaurants will compete for the title of Best appetizer, Best main course, and Best dessert. The judging panel includes Dining in DC's own, Lisa Shapiro ABC7/WJLA -TV Good Morning Washington News Anchor Scott Thuman, 94.7 Fresh FM Kelly Collis from The Tommy Show, and Molly Ahern from DC foodie site The List Are You On It.

Alexandria’s Food and Wine Festival participating wineries include: Democracy Vineyard, Ducard Vineyards, Athena Vineyards & Winery, Three Fox Vineyards, Lake Anna Winery, The Williamsburg Winery, Cobbler Mountain Cellars, Glass House Winery, Mattaponi Winery, Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards, Cedar Creek Winery, Ingleside Vineyards, Notaviva Vineyards, and Fabbioli Cellars.

Admission is FREE; however, taste tickets are needed to sample food and beverages. Each booklet is comprised of a total of 25 Taste tickets at the price of $20. Each food item costs between 1 to 5 tickets. $10 per person for the wine garden.

To celebrate Dining in DC’s 6 year Blogiversary, The Festival has generously donated Two Books of 25 Taste Tickets to attend next Saturday's family-friendly event! Comment below for your chance to win! One Winner will be chosen Monday, June 17, 2012 at 5 PM. Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win.

In addition, Dining in DC will offer a special prize to whomever will be our 6,000 Twitter Follower! Good Luck!

Thank you to everyone who entered this fantastic giveaway as part of Dining in DC’s 6-YEAR Blogiversary giveaways! There were 19 entries! Out of the 19 entries, using random.org, Melinda C. was chosen at random. Congratulations, Melinda!

Travel to Mexico with Rosa Mexicano’s Art of Mixology Program

Sean O'Brien — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 15:39:25 +0000

Who says you need a passport to travel the world? Rosa Mexicano’s Flavors of Mexico series is back, and this time they are exploring cocktails. Running now through June 30th, The Art of Mexican Mixology program is celebrating Mexican influenced cocktails just in time for summer. Rosa Mexicano's Flavors of Mexico series is a regular program for the restaurant chain, and they frequently showcase different flavors throughout the year (get ready for the Mexican Truffle Celebration in September); however, this is the first time the restaurant has taken to celebrating flavors through the use of cocktails. The menu also features another first: their first frozen cocktail since they premiered their signature frozen pomegranate margarita. The mixology program is the brainchild of Brook Vandecar, corporate beverage director, and Proprietors LLC, a design and consulting studio which focuses on developing engaging and creative concepts for the hospitality industry. The menu is comprised of eight different cocktails, but the frozen bourbon horchata is the most notable and rightfully gets all the attention as ambassador for the rest of the cocktails. Horchatas are one of Mexico's traditional "aguas frescas," which translates to "fresh waters." In Mexico you would likely find a horchata most common being made from rice milk and cinnamon. At Rosa Mexicano they take that a step further by blending together a frozen cocktail comprised of Buffalo Trace bourbon and almond and rice milks. The cocktail is finished off with lime zest and a cinnamon stick. Cinnamon always goes well with bourbon, but the rest of cocktail really goes well the flavors. It is made even better with a side shot of bourbon if your bourbon slushie isn't strong enough. CLASSIC COCKTAILS La Paloma El Jimador silver tequila, San Pellegrino grapefruit, and fresh lime juice. Tequila Sunrise Herradura silver tequila, house-made pomegranate grenadine, fresh orange juice. Mexican Mule Herradura silver tequila, Del Maguey Vida mezcal, Fever Tree ginger beer, and fresh lime juice. Raspberry Lemonade El Jimador silver tequila, fresh raspberry and lemon. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to their national charity partner, Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Root Beer Float Herradura añejo tequila, vanilla ice cream and artisanal root beer. PUNCH BOWL COCKTAILS (Served table-side in a party punch bowl. Serves 4-6) Papaya-Pineapple Punch Mt. Gay rum, Cointreau, Cava, fresh papaya, pineapple, star fruit and lime, with coconut ice. Honeydew Cucumber Jalapeño Punch Herradura silver tequila, Del Maguey Vida mezcal, fresh honeydew, cucumber, jalapeño and citrus. Head on over to Rosa Mexicano while you can. While the program is running nationwide, you won’t have to trek far as Rosa Mexicano has locations in Penn Quarter (575 7 St. NW), National Harbor (153 Waterfront St.), and Chevy Chase (5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW). Sean O’Brien, Men’s Interest Editor is Dining in DC’s only (and therefore strongest and most intelligent) male contributor. Before he became a Daywalker, Sean was a bartender and bar manager for longer than his parents care to admit. A Marylander born and raised, Sean has spent the better part of his twenties exploring and tasting D.C. from every corner. His wish for the world is that every week involve crabs, Saison-style beer, bourbon or Old Bay.

When he is not working or eating, Sean is likely to be found running or hiking around D.C. Follow him on Twitter at @sotweets, but be prepared for sarcasm and snide comments about people who say “YOLO” (You only live once) or “totes.”

Hot Food Trends: Fountains

Lisa Shapiro — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 17:51:54 +0000

If you have ever been to a lavish party, 5-star restaurant or other elegant affair, you might notice that often one of the centerpieces is a gigantic fountain -- not as decor, but as a dispenser of something delicious! These fountains usually feature such fare as champagne or dark chocolate for dessert. Everything seems more fun and better tasting when it comes streaming out of a mechanically operated device. So what is society's fascination with dipping and pouring delicacies from fountains? Seems that we just can't help ourselves when it comes to nostalgic treats and stuff on a stick. Fondue - Hot Pot Anyone? The first huge innovation in the food fountain lexicon probably started with the fondue pot, which started in Switzerland and France as a way to boil cheese in order to dip pieces of bread, meat, and vegetables. This quickly became the national standard for cooking food in Switzerland and became wildly successful in America during the 1970s. Today, you can walk into specialty restaurants and enjoy a romantic dinner over a sizzling pot of cheese and oil. I think The Melting Pot has cornered this market, but other DC area restaurants such as the Palm, Cedar, Del Frisco’s Grille, Willow, Poste, and the Lincoln Restaurant have all offered various dishes with fondue. Cedar offered on their New Year's Eve menu goat cheese fondue. Sounds like it melts in your mouth. At Jack Rose Dining Saloon, coming off the grill are a variety of sandwiches, 'dogs and burgers, like the Chili ½ Smoke with cheese fondue, crema, mustard, pickled onions and ketchup on a brioche bun. Did you ever think a hot dog could come with fondue? At the Palm, on their Prime Bites bar menu, guests can try their Nova Scotia Lobster and Bacon Fondue. Everything is better with bacon, right?! Fountain of Youth Fresh, filtered water is becoming more commonplace in the food and beverage industry as well. Some restaurants and bars now offer a new innovative way to drink fresh sparkling water. A dispensing system makes filtered water from a tap a refreshing new trend in fine dining. High quality water as an alternative to sugary drinks shows customers that you go above and beyond to offer healthy options. Also Boozy soda fountain favorites for grownups are on-trend: floats, shakes, parfaits and smoothies laced with bourbon, peppermint rum, aquavit, Benedictine, or Chartreuse along with flavored syrups. And many upscale restaurants, like Bourbon Steak in Four Seasons Georgetown, are now offering their own artisan sodas using fresh and local ingredients (especially at their bars –Duane Sylvestre at Bourbon Steak is pathing the way). And several bottlers of flavored waters are adding real juice to their products. Chocolate Nothing brings oohs and ahhs like a river of chocolate, making a chocolate fountain often seen as a luxury in many cultures. In America, with the Hershey company manufacturing most of what we consume, we can get chocolate in virtually any gas station or retail environment. Recently, I took my family to the Golden Corral restaurant in order to enjoy a quick and easy meal that would please everybody. If the massive buffet style atmosphere wasn't enough to raise my heartbeat, I saw a giant chocolate fountain in the dessert section and immediately snapped a picture of it. Ketchup The website Gizmodo recently posted an article with one of the most glorious tech innovations of all time. They have created a fountain that spouts out ketchup instead of the traditional chocolate products. Fast food enthusiasts and burger lovers can rejoice in the new convenience it will provide to spreading one of America's most used condiments over food. While ketchup is loaded in more high fructose corn syrup than actual tomato paste, it has its place in the world. Ok, or how about Gravy? (no joke!) Smothered and covered anyone? or how about Ranch dressing? Not only are they massive spectacles of entertainment, food fountains serve as a great talking piece for any catered party or event. From luxurious dining to hamburger heaven, the fountain is a staple of innovative consumption. Party on!

Del Campo: Detailed and Definitely Grilled

Sean O'Brien — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 15:03:47 +0000

The devil is in the details. This phrase played out again and again in my mind over my multiple visits to Del Campo (777 I St. NW), Chef Victor Albisu’s new South American restaurant. The attention to detail, dedication to craft, and planning that went into the restaurant were incredibly evident with each of my visits. Every trip brought a new experience and an impressive aspect of the restaurant. The attention to detail is evident first and foremost in the range of dishes on the menu at Del Campo, which opened in the space formerly occupied by PS 7's. Del Campo is the first full restaurant from Albisu. The restaurant showcases cuisine from all across South America, and features flavors and dishes ranging from Argentina to Peru to Cuba. Albisu’s grill is the unifying influence that brings all these unique flavors together. While I could use a plethora of elegant phrases (word of the date apps FTW) to explain the process, it is best captured with one word: char. Practically everything in the restaurant goes on the grill. Even the bar peanuts, already featuring a flavorful combination of spices, get a quick hit on the grill. The result is a robust smokey flavor that turns a typical afterthought into memorable addition to the bar. Appetizers, varieties of ceviche and crudo, and other specialties comprise a menu that celebrates the grill. The wide array of flavors and options offer something for everyone, from vegetarians (charred beets with boucheron goat cheese), seafood lovers (prawns a la plancha), to meat lovers (Peruvian chicken all day and every day). I was particularly impressed by the Tuna ceviche. I’ve never been the biggest tuna fan, but it with grilled avocado, shallots and pistachio really make the dish pop. As good as the rest of the menu is, the asado board four course meal dominates the menu. Not partaking in the asado at Del Campo is like going to Disneyworld and not riding Space Mountain. Sure you went to a great place, but you missed out the best part. For $77 ($44 for the vegetarian menu), you get to chose from a handful of different meats that are wood-grilled and herb-smoked to order. Try as I might, I couldn't get my eyes of the grilled king crab with smoked caviar and crab mustard and the grilled ice cream. The bar at Del Campo is a star in its own right, and I’m surprised I haven’t had to fight for seats every time I have I have gone. The same level of detail applied to the food menu has been applied to the bar, even to the branded soft leather cocktail menu you are presented with. Maybe I’ve been to too many restaurants where menu design and presentation is a last thought, but I was impressed. They are also offering a summer promotion: ALL DAY Happy Hour on Fridays. While eating in the dining room at Del Campo offers a wide variety of options for diners, the bar menu keeps is simple and succulent. Only handful of ceviches, small plates and sandwiches comprise the menu. The pan con chicharon are fantastic. Thick juicy cuts of grilled pork, pressed into tiny buns with grilled cuts of sweet potato (photographed below). Grilled cocktails punctuate a menu dominated by traditional Latin cocktails (Pisco lovers will be in heaven). The Limonada Sucia (Tito’s vodka, grilled lemon juice, apple wood smoked simple syrup, and lavender bitters) and the Yin and Juice (Hayman’s Old Tom Gin, sherry, grapefruit syrup, grilled grapefruit juice, and orange juice) really stood out. The grilled fruits brought a subtle smokiness that really balances well against the sweetness of the cocktails. The bottled cocktails are worthy of a blog post of their own. While the grill may receive most of the attention at Del Campo, I think the dedication to detail by Victor Albisu and his staff is the true star of the show. Each trip has revealed tiny gems that make the restaurant stand out. From the rustic vibe presented throughout the bar and dining room to smoked olive oil and grilled cocktails, Del Campo shines through the details. Well worth a visit! Sean O’Brien, Men’s Interest Editor is Dining in DC’s only (and therefore strongest and most intelligent) male contributor. Before he became a Daywalker, Sean was a bartender and bar manager for longer than his parents care to admit. A Marylander born and raised, Sean has spent the better part of his twenties exploring and tasting D.C. from every corner. His wish for the world is that every week involve crabs, Saison-style beer, bourbon or Old Bay.

Annual Alexandria Food & Wine Festival Returns

Lisa Shapiro — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 01:47:49 +0000

After a successful inaugural year, vino and savory bites will to return to the Carlyle District in Alexandria, VA for the 2nd Annual Alexandria Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, June 22, 2013. The signature event will transform the Carlyle District into a lively festival, complete with live entertainment, a children’s corner, food and wine tasting. Attendees will be able to sample food and wine from a variety of local restaurants and Virginia’s wineries. There is no admission cost to attend; however tickets are needed to sample food and beverages ($15 for 8 taste tickets); Wine Garden is $10 per person. This gives access to the wine garden with tasting samples from the wineries. Local restaurants will compete for the best appetizer, main course, and dessert. Participating Restaurants include:

La Tasca
Walker's Grille
Clyde’s at Mark Center
Alexandria Cupcake
San Antonio Bar & Grille
Rita's Ice
Trademark,
Theismann's Restaurant and Bar
Wholefoods
Crepe Deli
Railstop Gastro Pub ... and more!

Participating Wineries include:

Athena Vineyards & Winery
Cedar Creek Winery
Cobbler Mountain Cellars
Democracy Vineyard
Ducard Vineyards
Fabbioli Cellars
Glass House Winery
Ingleside Vineyards
Lake Anna Winery
Mattaponi Winery
Naked Mountain Winery & Vineyards
Notaviva Vineyards
Three Fox Vineyards
Williamsburg Winery

This year’s judge panel includes ABC7/WJLA -TV Good Morning Washington News Anchor Scott Thuman, 94.7 Fresh FM Kelly Collis from The Tommy Show, Lisa Shapiro from Dining in DC, and Molly Ahern from DC foodie site The List Are You On It. Children’s Corner: This year’s arts and crafts activities are provided by SCRAP DC. Scrap DC is a creative reuse nonprofit serving the Greater DC area. SCRAP DC volunteers will set up in the Children's Corner with supplies for eco-friendly Make-It Take-It stations. A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit Alive! Inc. - ALexandrians InVolved Ecumenically – an organization of volunteers from more than 40 religious congregations dedicated to helping Alexandrians in need. This year’s festival sponsors includes: City of Alexandria, Carlyle Community Council, Nova Advertising, Post Properties, Ourisman Ford/ Lincoln of Alexandria, La Tasca, Wholefoods Market, Washington Parent Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine and ABC7/WJLA-TV and News Channel 8. EVENT DETAILS: What: 2nd Annual Alexandria’s Food and Wine Festival When: Saturday, June 22, 2013 Where: John Carlyle Square in the Carlyle District of Alexandria. 300 John Carlyle Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 Time: 12pm-7pm Website: http://www.alexandriafoodandwine.com/ Transportation: One block from King Street Metro. Ample garage and street parking. About Alexandria’s Carlyle Community: Alexandria’s Carlyle Community is undergoing rapid change, both demographically and economically. The Carlyle District is one of the newest parts of Alexandria. It is a 76.5 acre development in Old Town Alexandria. This modern district includes a complex of offices, hotels, including The Westin Alexandria and retail space. It is home to U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Federal Courthouse, as well as condo communities such as Carlyle Towers. The dynamic of these balanced uses insure a vibrant environment for office workers, residents, shoppers, and visitors alike. It is conveniently located across from the King Street Metro Station. The Carlyle District welcomes over 10,000 workers and 5,000 residents daily.

Dining in DC Celebrates 6 Years With Week of Giveaways

Lisa Shapiro — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:25:10 +0000

This month Dining in DC' will celebrate its 6 year Blogiversary! I can hardly believe that it's been six whole years! That's older than my youngest daughter! Wow! My very first post ever was June 22, 2007. Check out my old logo below! We've certainly evolved.

See details below about our Week of Blogiversary Giveaways and 6,000 Twitter Follower Contest!

Dining in DC has come a long way since 2007, and I have so many people to thank. I've had so many opportunities, because of the blog's success. It's been like having a child. Proudly, Dining in DC has become part of my identity. As some may already know, in April 2010, I was on national television! Hard to believe that was 3 years ago! I was a blind-taste test judge, along with Carla Hall, for the Travel Channel's show, Food Wars. While it was only about drunken eats, it was still fun! We could not be more humbled to be nominated year after year by our readers for Best Food Blog, like in the City Paper's Best of 2013 Reader's Poll. Dining in DC got runner up (without even campaigning!). I am thankful for these acknowledgements and look forward to another successful year. Speaking of thanks ... I want to thank my contributors! Last year, Dining in DC saw some new faces. After 5 long years, I finally loosed up the reins and let others join in on the fun! An extra special thank you to Sean O'Brien, Dining in DC's "Golden Boy" and Men's Interest Editor for his dedication, creativity, and drive to continue to make Dining in DC fun and interesting. Without him, Dining in DC would have gone weeks without any content at all. He truly pushes me to be better. For that, I owe him more than I can give him. Also, thank you to Ashley Morris who has jumped in often without notice to write a quick post or attend an event in my place. She's also become a friend, someone who I can talk to about life. Thank you to Aparna Krishnamoorthy who has helped to add some spice and variety to the website. I hope each of them will continue to contribute. I'd also like to thank my husband, Ben who has sacrificed many hours so that I may attend media dinners, write blog posts, or attend food events. I would be remiss not to thank my two children, Alex and Marissa for their understanding (even though they may not yet understand). I'd also like to thank all of my fellow food bloggers, who keep me going, keep it interesting, and remind me why we are so passionate about what we do. And of course, thank you to ALL of the Readers, like YOU!! Without you there would be blog. Ok ... well that's not true. We'd still eat. We'd still blog ... but it wouldn't be as meaningful without all of you. And to prove to you how much we appreciate you all, we are offering an entire week of Giveaways! In addition, Dining in DC will offer a special prize to whomever will be our 6,000 Twitter Follower! Stay tuned for the posts about the giveaways! You Must be a Dining in DC Subscriber to be eligible to win. Please subscribe! Here's the rundown from last year's Blogiversary Giveaways, to give you a hint of how it works! Good Luck!