RSS FeedFoodie Radar: Spring 2013
Here are a few foodie finds on our radar:
J&G Patio Party J&G Steakhouse (515 15th St. NW) , April 24, 6pm-9pm, opens their patio with complimentary bites and $5.15 cocktails from their Spring menu
US Botanical Garden (Independence Ave. and 3rd St., SW) Explore African culinary and medicinal plants in a walking tour of the Conservatory on Thursday, April 25 at 12pm
Acadiana (901 New York Ave., NW) will be offering a low country boil cooking class this Saturday, April 27, 1pm-3pm. Other classes are being offered once a month throughout the Summer.
Hill Country Barbecue will be offering cookouts featuring crowd favorites on Friday and Saturday nights on the west lawn of the National Building Museum (5th and G Sts. NW) May 3 – August.
Just beyond the ‘hood, Anthony Bourdain stops in at DAR (17th and D Sts., NW) on May 13 as part of his Guts & Glory tour.
There have been a number of newly opened eateries summarized below that we can’t wait to try, and several more opening soon:
Recently Opened:
Astro (1308 G St., NW)
Dangerously Delicious Pies (675 I St., NW)
Azur (405 8th St., NW)
Del Campo (777 I St., NW)
Opening Soon:
Early May – NoPa Kitchen + Bar (800 F St., NW), a French-American brasserie inspired restaurant from Ashok Bajaj and the Knightsbridge Restaurant Group
Early Summer – Casa Luca (1099 New York Ave., NW), a family-inspired Italian restaurant from Fiola’s Fabio Trabocchi
TBD – Red Apron Butchery – with two other storefronts now opened, we’re waiting to see when the finishing touches will take place on the Penn Quarter location. Anyone have any insider info?
Any other openings we’ve missed, let us know.
NoPa Restaurant Kitchen & Bar Gets Nice Awning (800 F St NW)
PQ Living reader Jason sends in the above photo and word that Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Group is making good progress on its newest restaurant, NoPa Kitchen and Bar (800 F St NW). NoPa’s construction permits showed up in the Washington Business Journal in late March and they’re wasting no time executing on the buildout as seen in the photo after the break where you’ll also find a link to indoor renderings.
Knightsbridge owns and runs a number of popular restaurants in Penn Quarter and downtown DC such as Rasika, 701, and Bibiana. From the NoPa awning, it looks like another brunch option will be available soon.
Thanks Jason! (If PQ Living readers have tips or photos they want to send in, send them to: pqliving [at] gmail.com)
Azur Opens!
Chef Frederik de Pue’s newest restaurant Azur (405 8th ST NW) opened in DC this week, and we were there on Wednesday for a sneak peak. The party on Wednesday included a live painting performance by French pop artist Franck Bouroullec, who painted an upside-down portrait of the chef. We stopped by again yesterday and the bar had a good crowd.
While the layout hasn’t changed much since it’s Cafe Atlantico days, the former Minibar is now a raw bar and the space looks great, open and an overall very cool vibe. We can’t wait to check this place out for a full meal.
History on Foot: Rhodes Tavern
- While walking to a meeting the other day, we noticed this plaque noting the former site of Rhodes Tavern at 15th and F Sts. NW. According to the plaque:
- The original building was erected in 1799 and opened as a tavern in 1801 by William Rhodes
- Washington’s first ‘Town Hall’ occurred here in 1801 and White House architect James Hoban was among the citizens who gathered to petition Congress for representation
- Throughout its history, the building was a polling place (First City Council election, 1802), a boarding house used by members of Congress (1807-1814), home of the Bank of the Metropolis ( 1814-1836), home to Riggs Bank (1840-1845), and site of the Washington Stock Exchange (1881-1884).
- From 1909-1914, this was the site of the National Press Club, where visitors included Presidents Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson.