amanda mcclements

While 2005 brought us a spate of significant restaurant openings, I'm predicting 2006 will be an even better year for food lovers in the District. Some very talented chefs have plans to bring the city some exciting new dining destinations. Here's a glimpse at what we have to look forward to this year, bearing in mind that the license bureaucracy of D.C. could very well push some of these into '07: • Cowgirl Creamery should arrive sometime in the spring, bringing with it the San Franciso-based shop's award winning cheeses including the triple cream Mt Tam, described on their Web site as "firm, yet buttery with a mellow, earthy flavor reminiscent of white mushrooms," and the Red Hawk, "aged six weeks and washed with a brine solution that promotes the growth of a bacteria that tints the rind a sunset red-orange." 919 F St. NW • Michel Richard of Citronelle will open Central by Michel Richard at 11th and Pennsylvania. Word from Tom Sietsema back in ...

As the days of 2005 dwindle, here's a look back at a few noteworthy moments in the D.C. dining scene this year: • A restaurant boomlet on U Street . • The selection of Chef Morou Ouattara to compete on Iron Chef and the subsequent abrupt closing of Signatures . • The Icelandic invasion . • The departure of Chef Ris Lacoste from her longtime post as 1789 's head chef. • Other noteworthy openings: OYA, Hank's Oyster Bar, Dino, Notti Bianche, Acadiana, Willow, Busboys and Poets, Zengo, Open City, Viridian and Rasika. And a few personal food and drink highlights: the mascarpone dates and suckling pig at Komi ; truffle studded sausage over lentils at CityZen ; the warm banana bread pudding at OYA ; Palena 's gnocchi; oysters and the lobster roll at Hank's ; the salt air margarita at Oyamel ; boudin blanc at Le Paradou ; the list could go on but it's time for lunch... Also, take a peek at Erin's best food list and Fritz's best bar/cocktail list on the Post...

Metrocurean will be on vacation for the next week, posting sporadically as inspiring food moments occur. Eat, drink and be merry.

The owners of Mount Pleasant's Tonic will, appropriately enough with their slogan "cures what ails you", open a second restaurant in the historic Quigley's Pharmacy space at 619 21st St. NW. George Washington University, which owns the building, chose the owners' proposal from a handful of others with input from students. According to a press release, the new spot will be an American bistro serving "comfort food with a twist,” including "sloppy Joe's, hot dogs, mac & cheese, vegetarian dishes, lox and bagels, gourmet pizza, omelets, and pancakes." The "decor will capture the history of the building and GW through photos, period elixir and tonic advertisements, and other elements, along with several televisions for viewing Colonials basketball games or other programs," the release states. “GW is a natural fit for TONIC, not least of all because the restaurant ‘cures what ails you’ motto ties seamlessly with the history of Quigley’s...

D.C. is about to embark on its ninth Restaurant Week , and though many of you may consider yourselves Restaurant Week pros by now, please humor me while I give my personal take (self plagiarized from a July post) on how to get the most out of the promotion, in case there are any newbies out there. 1. Choose really expensive places with good reputations. Consider if you'd spend $30 on dinner if it weren't Restaurant Week. If you wouldn't, then who's coming out ahead in the deal? Going to Acadiana or Corduroy , on the other hand, where entrées alone can cost nearly $30...now that's good thinking. 2. Call ahead to make sure the selection is good. There are plenty of places that offer practically their entire menus...and then there are places that offer two choices in each course. Would you like chicken or pasta? That's no fun. 3. Listen out for places that extend the deal beyond the official week. You can then take advantage of the bargain prices without the crow...

After a weekend of recovering from holiday parties and revelry, I figured what better way to start off the week than with talk of yet more places to test your liver's resilience? It appears as if the Cue Bar on U Street between 11th and 12th is now open. I wrote about it back in August but lost hope that it would ever open after the "coming soon" sign was taken down and the place looked abandoned. But lo' and behold, I noticed a chalkboard out front this weekend that proclaimed the place is now open. All I know is that it's a pool hall. Anyone out there know more? The new bar takes the place of Between Friends, which closed last year after someone was murdered inside and after "ANC Commissioner-elect Dee Hunter discovered that the club was operating while bankrupt," according to a DCist post about troubled clubs. Meanwhile, according to washingtonpost.com's Nightlife Agenda , Felix's Spy Lounge is back after an extended absence following a fir...

On Monday, the Bombay Curry Company in Alexandria will be raising money for the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. Dine in for lunch or dinner, and 50 percent of sales will go to the shelter. See what fans of the restaurant have to say about it on donrockwell.com. (That's Banjo at right. He says help the dogs ... and cats.)

The Crystal City outpost of Jaleo has unveiled an in-house wine shop with an impressive selection of Spanish wines. The well-known regions such as Rias Baixas, Rioja and Ribera del Duero are represented along with some rarer selections. Prices range from $10 to $200, and if you want to purchase a bottle for a meal in the restaurant, a $15 corkage fee applies.

I just realized I paid practically the same amount for a large pizza from Coppi's , with salty sopressata, red onions and quality mozzarella and ricotta, as I did for one from Domino's not long ago. I'm just saying... (Really, I don't order Domino's regularly. It was a freak incident, I swear.)

As a guest at a media dinner last night at the new Rasika , I got to check out the gorgeous space and sample a broad range of dishes from menu, which offers authentic Indian dishes "with a modern flair." Owner Ashok Bajaj has recruited an impressive team, including chef Vikram Sunderam, who came from Bombay Brasserie in London, and sommelier Sebastian Zutant, who came from Komi . Our meal started with fabulous palak chaat, a bowl of crispy fried spinach with sweet yogurt and tamarind date chutney. Tender black cod with star anise, dill and honey followed. Next came an array of dishes served family style: green chicken masala, lamb shank roganjosh, sliced okra with dry mango powder, stuffed potatoes with mint and coriander, creamy lentils and cucumber raita. All were fantastic. A fried apple round (apple jalebi) with ice cream and sweet carrot halwa topped off the meal. Zutant, who has a new challenge in pairing wines with the bold, spicy flavors of Indian cooking, said he ta...

Please read this post in Andy Rooney's nasally voice for full effect... Why is it that it's so hard to get coffee served in a mug these days? I realize the trend in coffeeshop efficiency caters to the oh-my-god-my-blackberry-is-so-full clan. I mean who really has time to sit and sip anymore? (In the interest of full disclosure, since I joined the ranks of freelance writers, I am one of those people who sit and drink coffee while you walk by and ask, "Do those people have jobs?") Drinking coffee from a mug improves the tactile experience. I like the weight and the way the mug channels the warmth to your hands gently, without needing a paper sleeve advertising tooth whitening. I like being able to slurp the first sip to make sure it's not scalding hot, which is next to impossible with a plastic lid that delivers the burning liquid right to the middle of your unsuspecting tongue if you're not careful. What gets me even more is when they ask if your order is ...

It's a common question this time of year: Where to eat before seeing a show? Here's a list of recommended restaurants with pre-theater deals by closest theaters. Many of these restaurants could work for numerous theaters, but I bet you're smart enough to figure that out. • Arena Stage Restaurant: 701 (cab or drive; there's nothing worth eating in walking distance) Deal: Three courses for $25.95 (good selection) • Ford's Theatre Restaurant: Bistro d'Oc Deal: Three courses and a glass of California wine for $21.95 (limited selection) • Kennedy Center Restaurant: Marcel's Deal: Three courses for $48, which includes car service to the Kennedy Center. You can also hitch a ride back and have dessert after the show. (good selection) Restaurant: Notti Bianche Deal: Three courses for $35 (limited selection) • National Theatre Restaurant: Les Halles Deal: Two courses for $17.89 (limited selection) • Shakespeare Theatre Restaurant: Le Paradou Deal: Three courses for $...

Thanks to a tip from another Hillite, the rumors can be put to rest: The basement and side bar of Capitol Lounge will re-open tonight. Should be one helluva party for fans of the lounge, which has been closed since it was gutted by a fire in August. I called to confirm the tip, and they said it will probably be another six weeks or so before the main floor opens. For the backstory, click here . Update: A certain multimedia newsman indicates that the taps are flowing at Cap Lounge. Cheers!

It's been a slow news week in the world of D.C. dining, save the controversy over whether anyone is going to eat Butterstick . In less disturbing news, Fogo de Chão opens today. You can check out the prix-fixe, all-you-can-eat menus for $24.50 at lunch and $44.50 at dinner. Meanwhile, Duffy's Irish Pub (see previous post ) seems to have successfully deflected several license protests and had a hearing Wednesday to try to resolve a final protest. And Lima Restaurant and Lounge is hiring staff and should open sometime in mid-January. Update to the update: Lima's Web site now mentions that the chef is Raynold Mendizabal, who was formerly the chef at Pesce, and describes the menu as pan-American with separate ceviche, tiradito and oyster menus. "Latin flavors dominate but don't overpower the menu, they simply touch each dish," the chef is quoted as saying.

Word has it that the new Bourbon, located on the first floor of the Blue Room, is now open. Back in October on the Post's GOG Blog, Fritz Hahn first reported that the owners of both bars had decided to expand the neighborhoodie, Glover Park Bourbon to Adams Morgan.

What people are talking about... ... Several new restaurants are poised to open in the next few weeks, including Rasika (week of Dec. 12) and Fogo de Chão (Dec. 7) of meat on spears fame (pictured). Meanwhile, the new Finn and Porter opened at 900 10th St. NW, and D.C.'s first big bowling alley, Lucky Strike , is now up and running at Gallery Place. (See what DCist had to say about the food and bowling.) ... ... The DC Chefs Magazine , the vision of Citronelle 's Michel Richard, launched this week complete with a picture of Bistro Bis and Vidalia chef Jeffrey Buben and his wife in a tub full of onions. Proceeds benefit St. Jude Children's Hospital. ... ... Starting today, Dino will serve lunch on Fridays and Saturdays from noon to 3 p.m. and brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. On the lunch menu you'll find "panino al verdure," combining squash, zucchini, peppers and goat’s milk cheese on grilled ciabata, along with Dino's crostini, hand-cranke...

Though it'll now be even harder to get a table and enjoy a $9 hot dog , congrats to Creme for the overwhelmingly positive two-star review from the Post. Good food aside, the place has real heart and it's nice to see it get some press.

In preparation for the departure of chef Ris Lacoste at the end of the month, 1789 has selected Restaurant Eve chef de cuisine Nathan Beauchamp as its new chef. Beauchamp has worked under Eve's talented chef/owner Cathal Armstrong and supervised the restaurant's Tasting Room menu, which garnered a "gastronomic epiphany" designation from Tom Sietsema in his fall dining guide. As for Lacoste, who is striking out to open her own restaurant, she said at an AIWF dinner last night that a year from now she hopes to be well on her way to opening. But first she plans to take some much deserved time off, "a minute or two," she joked. When asked if the new spot would be called Doris (that's where "Ris" comes from), she said she hears her name enough during the course of the day so most likely not.