Chef Five Bites: Massimo Fabbri

Massimo Fabbri, executive chef at both Posto and its elegant older sibling Ristorante Tosca, grew up in Monsummano Terme, just 30 miles northwest of Florence, Italy, and landed in DC by way of cooking gigs in Italy and London. This year, he was nominated for Chef of the Year in the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington's annual awards. Here are his Five Bites.

1. Roasted chicken at Westend Bistro

2. Wonton soup at Full Kee

3. Pupusas and tamales to go from El Rinconcito Cafe

4. Le Steak Maison (grilled steak with french fries and Béarnaise sauce) with a cold Stella Artois at Bistrot du Coin

5. Rare burger on a sesame bun with housemade pickles at the cafe at Palena

Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong, Dani Arana, David Guas, Josh Short, Michel Richard, Haidar Karoum, Ryan Morgan, Shannon Overmiller, Anthony Chittum, Jonathan Krinn & Jon Mathieson, Victor Albisu, Vatche Benguian, John Snedden, Nicholas Stefanelli, Travis Olson, Brian Robinson, Cliff Wharton, Alex Bollinger

Five Bites On Friday

To get your stomach rumbling this gorgeous Friday morning, Ellen Fort, who blogs about food and recipes at EllenFork, provides her list o' bites.

1. Green beans and Marcona almonds at Bar Pilar

2. Waffle sandwich with bacon, egg and cheese at Marvin

3. Escarole hearts with hard boiled eggs and anchovy dressing at 2 Amys

4. Dulce de leche gelato at Dolcezza

5. Bone cocktail at Founding Farmers

Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Stay tuned at noon for Five Bites from chef Massimo Fabbri of Posto and Tosca.

DC Lands Two Toques On Next "Top Chef"

Bravo just released the names of the chefs set to compete on the sixth season of "Top Chef," and the line-up boasts two of the DC area's very own talents.

Bryan Voltaggio of Volt in Frederick, Md., and Mike Isabella of Zaytinya will both compete in the show, which plays out in Las Vegas this season. For a little sibling rivalry, Voltaggio's brother Michael, chef de cuisine at the Bazaar by José Andrés in LA, is also in the cast.

"Top Chef" premieres Aug. 26.

Wednesday's Delicious Deal: Hook

Hook's lingonberry linzertorte with taleggio ice cream.

Georgetown seafood spot Hook is now offering a two-course lunch for $19 or a three-course lunch for $24 during the week. Guests can choose any two or three courses from chef Jonathan Seningen’s entire lunch menu and Heather Chittum’s dessert menu, including the fabulous linzertorte pictured above.

The restaurant is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday 11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.

To Do: Hemingway Drinks And Ceiba's Rums

Spirits connoisseurs, mark your calendars. Here are two great tasting events coming up:

What: Celebrate Ernest Hemingway's 110th birthday by enjoying some of the drinks he and his characters imbibed during To Have and Have Another - The Hemingway Bartender's Companion. Phil Greene, one of the founders of the Museum of the American Cocktail, will serve and teach you how to make the Jack Rose (from "The Sun Also Rises"), the Green Isaac's Special ("Islands in the Stream"), the Montgomery Martini ("Across the River and Into the Trees") and more.

When: July 15, from 6:45 to 8:45 pm.

Where: Smithsonian's Museum of the American Indian

Cost: For members of Smithsonian Associates, the cost is $45. General admission is $65. For tickets and more info, click here.

What: Ceiba will host a rum tasting served with a Caribbean lunch. Scott Clime, wine and beverage director for Passion Food Hospitality, will lead the class through a flight of 10 rums from the Caribbean and Latin America, including aged rums and Brazilian cachaça. Clime will also preview housemade bar items like preserved cherries, homemade grenadine and orange and rye bitters.

When: July 11 from 1-3 p.m.

Where: Ceiba, 701 14th Street NW

Cost: $75. For reservations, contact Darnell Howell at 202.222.0987 or Darnell.Howell@dccoast.com.

Metrocurean Turns 4

Metrocurean turned 4 this weekend, and I'd like to say thanks for all your comments and tips over the years, and most of all, thanks for reading.

Chef Five Bites: Alex Bollinger

Chef Alex Bollinger grew up cooking for his family, and after two years in college, he decided to pursue his passion full time and headed to the Culinary Institute of America in 2003. After stints at Aureole and Charlie Palmer Steak, Bollinger was tapped to be executive chef at Urbana Restaurant and Wine Bar in the Hotel Palomar. Here are his bites.

1. Chicken liver mousse at Palena

2. Charcuterie board at New Heights

3. Green curry pork at Thai Tanic

4. Any kind of oyster at Hank’s Oyster Bar

5. Foie gras at Charlie Palmer Steak

Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong, Dani Arana, David Guas, Josh Short, Michel Richard, Haidar Karoum, Ryan Morgan, Shannon Overmiller, Anthony Chittum, Jonathan Krinn & Jon Mathieson, Victor Albisu, Vatche Benguian, John Snedden, Nicholas Stefanelli, Travis Olson, Brian Robinson, Cliff Wharton

Five Bites On Friday

Today's holiday weekend bites are from Chris Holben, the taller person on the right.

1. Arugala pie (Santa Brigida) at 2 Amys

2. Fish tacos at General Store and Post Office Tavern

3. Jerk chicken (dark meat) at Sweet Mango Cafe

4. Gougere at Central

5. Steamed crabs at Cantler's in Annapolis

Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Stay tuned at noon for Five Bites from chef Alex Bollinger of Urbana.

Two New Restaurants Coming From Local 16 Owner And Partners

Metrocurean has received confirmation that Aman Ayoubi, owner of Local 16, is partnering with Eric Gronning of Gronning Architects and Doug Whipple of Whipple Farms on two new restaurants, one at 1832 14th St. NW and another at 3418 11th St. NW.

Though the liquor license applications list Local 14 and Local 11 as trade names, a representative for the restaurants says they have not been officially named. Prince of Petworth has photos of the buildings here and here.

Local 16 is already using organic, heirloom produce from Whipple Farms, and with Doug Whipple's involvement in the new spots, I'd expect a strong farm-to-table connection.

Stay tuned for more details next week!

Coming Soon

The W Hotel's intimate wine bar is just down a flight of stairs
from Jean-Georges Vongerichten's J&G Steakhouse, both opening next week.
rendering courtesy W Hotels

Loyal readers know how invaluable Metrocurean's Coming Soon list is, but if you haven't checked it out in a while, there are a bunch of new additions to the list. Give it a read and impress your friends with your immense knowledge of restaurants to watch. A sneak peek:

• Eola
2020 P St. NW, 202.466.4441
In the former Mark and Orlando's space, Dan Singhofen will open Eola, reports donrockwell.com. A preliminary menu online lists dishes such as Carolina rockfish with creamy corn, crispy wild rice and heirloom tomato and pan-roasted Hereford beef with potato confit, porcini and rapini.
ETA: September

• Hill Country
410 Seventh St. NW
Tom Sietsema reports that Manhattan barbecue joint Hill Country is headed to DC next year. On the NY menu: brisket, beer can game hen, ribs, baked beans, chipotle deviled eggs and PB&J cupcakes. The 250-seat restaurant will also feature live music.
ETA: July 2010

• Plume
Jefferson Hotel, 1200 16th St. NW
Executive chef Damon Gordon, whose résumé includes stints at Alain Ducasse’s Mix in New York City and the Michelin-starred Waterside Inn in his native UK, will preside over the kitchen at Plume in the newly renovated Jefferson Hotel. HotelChatter got a preview of the menu, including steak tartar, chilled tomato consommé and hot passion fruit soufflé. Guests will dine beneath a 1923 vaulted skylight rediscovered during the hotel’s renovation.
ETA: August

Stay tuned for more on next week's huge opening: the W Hotel with Jean-Georges Vongerichten's J&G Steakhouse, plus an intimate and chic street-level wine bar, and Point of View, the gorgeous rooftop terrace and bar (above). The cocktail program was created by Sasha Petraske of Manhattan's famed Milk and Honey and Little Branch and DC's own Justin Guthrie, formerly behind the bar at Central. The menu will feature hits from Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Spice Market and other restaurants.