Save the DC Food Trucks! Deadline is tomorrow!

Reprinted from DiningDC:


Food Truck Enthusiasts all over the Washington, DC area are joining together in an effort to save DC’s Food Trucks and they need your help urgently!
According to the “Yes on Title 24” website, “Some very powerful businesses are lobbying the City Council to prevent us from serving you where you work. The DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), on the other hand, has proposed vending regulations that would allow us to continue to serve you AND allow for a more vibrant vending culture in the District. DCRA needs comments on record for these new regulations, Title 24 of Chapter 5 . It is paramount that you voice your opinion on street vending and food trucks by emailing DCRA at helder.gil@dc.gov.”

Sweet bites Truck. Photo by Lisa Shapiro

Time is of the essence. Comments must be received by Wednesday, August 25th.  If you like your Cuban sandwiches, Lobster rolls, Bánh mì, Pizza slices, and Cupcakes, you best get crackin’! If you want to save DC Food Trucks, Act Now and email City Councilman, Helder today! Click here for a draft email to copy and paste into an email

Green Hour!

I'd like to preface by saying I'm neither hippy nor dippy (okay maybe just a little of the latter). But on the heels of my humane meats revelation and sustainable farming, I think this is a good idea. So come!! There's art to boot? How can you beat this?

The first “Green hour” event is happening this Thursday and next (March 18 and 25) at The Phillips from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. (This is part of a bigger sustainable foods initiative--learn more about it here.)


The Phillips
1600 21th St, NW
Washington D.C., 20009

Thurs. 1/21: HomeMade Pizza Co. Coming to (OUR) Logan Circle Neighborhood

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HomeMade Pizza Company is coming to Logan Circle, and dinner may never be the same! Known for its dedication to fresh, all natural ingredients and at-the-ready meals that customers can feel good about eating, HomeMade Pizza Company has re-defined bake-at-home pizza.   To celebrate and meet the neighborhood, we're throwing a grand opening pizza party on Thurs. Jan. 21 from 3:00-9:00 pm.  More info about the event and HomeMade below - just let me know if you need anything else!     THURS. 1/21: NEW HOMEMADE PIZZA CO. OPENING IN LOGAN CIRCLE       Grand Opening "Pizza Party" for Popular All-Natural, Fresh Pizza Provider     WHAT:      HomeMade Pizza Company’s Logan Circle Grand Opening Celebration   WHERE:    HomeMade Pizza Company, 1522 14th Street, Washington, DC   WHEN:       Thursday, Jan. 21, 3:00 – 9:00 p.m.   ACTIVITIES/VISUALS: HomeMade chefs tossing dough, making pizzas in kitchen Vintage Red Pickup truck out front New DC-area neighbors enjoying complimentary pizza, salads, cookies and ice cream Interviews with founders   HOMEMADE PIZZA IS KNOWN FOR:      Fresh Tastes: Using fresh produce (including local DC fare) like spinach, artichoke hearts or caramelized onions; specialty meats like southwestern chicken sausage and prosciutto; and unique cheeses like Chevre or Fontinella – HomeMade Pizza has something for everyone, including kid-favorite classics like cheese and pepperoni. HomeMade completes its meals with signature salads and sweets – bake-at-home Big Cookies and all-natural ice cream. Easy Dinners: HomeMade’s dinners are quick and easy-to-prepare without compromising quality. It’s ideal for busy people who still want a great-tasting, nutritionally-balanced and convenient meal option -- for workweek dinners, weekend gatherings or everyday fun. HomeMade Pizza Company is an icon in Chicago , America ’s number-one pizza town, where it began 12 years ago, with fans including everyone from five-star chefs to customers with busy lives. Even Oprah featured the unique pies as part of her “Best Pizza in America” special. HomeMade expanded to DC in 2008, and currently has five DC-area stores in the Spring Valley neighborhood, Herndon, Arlington, Chevy Chase and now Logan Circle.

Do Good Feel Good: Friday For Haiti at Local 16 (THIS FRIDAY) PLEASE COME!

This Friday, January 22, one of the U Street area’s most popular restaurant/bars, Local 16, and a local charity group, Do Good, Feel Good DC (DGFG), will host “Friday for Haiti” to benefit Oxfam America’s Haitian Earthquake Response Fund. The cause is especially personal to DGFG because one of their members was born in Haiti and his family is among those in need of help. Below are links to the event’s Facebook page, our Oxfam donation page and the DGFG web page that provide all of the details.

IT'S AN EASY WAY TO HELP.

Extra-Extra: Ris Opens Tonight!

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A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Ris Lacoste (formerly of 1789) at a chef cook-off thing. She's very nice and tremendously accessible...much like the menu for her new restaurant that opens today, Ris. It's located in a great space in the West End...and by the way, our friends David and Laurie Adamson, procured all the artwork. Being billed as an all-purpose-neighborhood hangout, it offers everything from free wi-fi to full-time baristas for your espresso needs, to a fantastic elevated comfort food menu.

And according to UrbanDaddy.com,

"In coming weeks you'll be able to sample Lacoste's breakfast menu, as well as a family-style Sunday supper. But for now, the daily specials, pegged to the day of the week, are always a good bet: Meatloaf Mondays, "Little Italy" Wednesdays, and Saturday means steak and potatoes.




Or what Lacoste calls the "rookie date night" menu."

I can't wait to check it out!

Now here's a good deal (and my pre-birthday) at Dino!

Previously, I talked about how Restaurant Week may not be worth it. Well how about Restaurant Week every week (Sunday through Thursday)? Dino's does that. Three courses, $35 (app, main, dessert with an after dinner drinky poo). But the best part is that most of the menu is open to the promotion. They even have a Menu de la Serra which is $25 for three courses (but the main is a pasta and no after dinner drinktastic). To quote G, "Dino is high on the price-value curve." In EnRish that means, you get a lot for your munny.

G loves it for the FREE corkage (Tuesdays through Thursdays). You just can't beat this deal, especially since the food is quite good! It's just the way I like it for a casual eatery: straight forward, mindful preparation (without fussiness), and nice ingredients!

Last night we went for a little pre-birthday celebration dinner.

So simple and delicious: Grilled romaine topped with lemon and anchovy dressing.

Boar pate and other charcuterie goodness. I think I tasted a bit of anise!

This pickled sweet ginger was TO DIE FOR.

Your basic clam and mussel linguine. Extra garlicky; extra good and lusty.

We brought this Spanish wine.

Hey Ricotta is NOT just for lasagna! This parfait was made of very sweet fresh cream ricotta with grapes! And I even got a little candle (thankfully, there was no singing -- Olive Garden 'tis not).

Even boring and basic tiramisu was well-executed! Yum!

I'm heading to locales unknown this afternoon for a surprise birthday weekend! Can't wait to see what food awaits me there!

Fairwell Gourmet Magazine

Another victim of the economy, Conde Nast decides to shutter one of its most prestigous titles, Gourmet. It's a little bit of a shock since its editor, Ruth Reichl, is such a powerful player in the foodie world. But alas, print media in general has been suffering, and after 25% across the board budget cuts, Conde decided to retire the magazine after a McKinsey study's recommendation. Read more about it here.


The interesting part is that we get Gourmet, Bon Appetit, and Food & Wine. I don't read any of them, preferring to look at the internets. It's probably fair to say that readership and ad sales decline are a result of not only the ailing economy, but also a new generation of media competition.

Where do you go for your food-news and entertainment?

DC's Best Cupcake: VOTE!!

Cari over at NBC reminds me to urge you all to vote for DC's best cupcake at NBC Washington's Golden Local. Will it be the giant dreaminess of Baked & Wired or the twee lusciousness of Georgetown cupcake?

Sidebar: I took a little hiatus from posting, but I assure you, there is a shiiite load of content that I need to unload. See you soon!