amanda mcclements

Concrete details about Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper , the highly anticipated fish and chip shop from the owners of Restaurant Eve , are starting to take shape. The new restaurant, which is located just three blocks from Eve in Alexandria, is slated for a mid-July opening, with July 17 mentioned as a target date. Chef Cathal Armstrong, his wife, Meshelle (pictured), and partner, sommelier and "liquid master" Todd Thrasher are cooking up a two-pronged destination: The main floor will house the 20-seat "chipper" while the upstairs will be home to PX , a social club modeled after an old speakeasy, complete with a covert entrance marked only by a blue light and a buzzer. On the menu at the chipper will be fish fried in a secret batter, a bunless "burgher" also fried in batter, bangers, "da bits" (which are described as crunchy fried remnants), fried Mars bars and doughnuts. To adorn the fish and chips, homemade sauces, dubbed "The Secret Seven,...

First comes news that we'll soon get to customize our doughnuts, and now it's baked potatoes. The ever-diligent readers over at Gallery Place Living report that Potato Valley Cafe is coming to the Penn Quarter neighborhood near the Clara Barton building. According to the company, building the potato works like this: "You take an Idaho Potato and oven roast it so it's crispy on the outside. Add a drop of butter and spice. Then you get to choose one of our 20 unique fillings. To make it even better we add shredded lettuce, vegetables, and imported Danish roasted onions." The owner's plans to open a D.C. branch of his Annapolis shop were mentioned in a Washington Post article last year: "Owner Andy Ekbladh says potato cafes like his -- where you can top a baked with a myriad of concoctions -- are quite common in his native Sweden. Their 20 toppings include garlic butter with cheddar ($4.75); curry dressing with pineapple and greens ($4.55) or the Jamaic...

The Post's Tom Sietsema breaks some exciting news in today's dining chat : Washington, D.C.: Has Stoney's ever reopened? My grilled cheese patience is running thin!! Tom Sietsema: News flash: Stoney's is re-opening, across from Whole Foods on P St. in Logan Circle, in the P St. Bistro space. Look for an end-of-July launch date. Whoo-hoo! The popular dive bar closed not long ago, leaving a hole in its fans' hearts. Meanwhile, P St. Bistro seemed to struggle in the short time it was open. Last time I walked past, the hostess was forlornly picking her nails in boredom, while crowds overflowed from neighboring Merkado , Halo and Logan Tavern . I'm with Tom on the "whoo-hoo."

If you had visited Black's Bar and Kitchen in its previous life, you probably wouldn't recognize the above picture of the new and dramatically different space. All decked out in sleek blond wood and clean lines, the restaurant will quietly reopen tonight, accommodating guests with reservations only. Metrocurean had a chance to preview the space and some of the food at a party last week. The biggest standout was the Black's corn dog. Made with delicious boudin blanc fried in corncake batter, it's a far cry from its traditional frozen brethren. Read more about the extensive renovation here . Owners Jeff and Barbara Black are also the proud parents of Blacksalt , which just took home the RAMMY award for best new restaurant on Sunday night. Black's Bar and Kitchen 7750 Woodmont Ave. Bethesda, Md. (Photos by Jennifer Lust.)

Blame it on the rain (or lightning to be more precise) but Metrocurean headquarters were zapped and rendered Internet-less, so my congrats come a day late. But you can check out FreeRide's take on Sunday's raucous restaurant awards here , along with a full list of winners.

After losing its original chef just days before opening, Agraria Restaurant bounced back quickly, naming Ricky Moore executive chef today. Moore was most recently executive chef at Parrot Cage Restaurant in Chicago, but he's cooked locally at Equinox , Galileo and Vidalia . He'll take over the kitchen at Agraria in mid-July. His attitude toward cooking seems to fit Agraria's mission like a glove. "I am a chef that enjoys seasonal, flavor-driven food. Simple, delicious ingredients are the star of the dish," the chef said in a release.

Fresh off a three-star review from the Post's Tom Sietsema, 1789 chef Nathan Beauchamp will begin offering a three-course menu for $35 July 1. The summer special will run through Sept. 13. To take advantage of the deal, go to the Web site to download the offer on or after July 1. Currently on the summer menu are Maine diver scallops with polenta, pickled rhubarb, baby leeks and abalone mushrooms; Kirobuta pork chop with sour cherry, bacon 'clafoutis,' Swiss chard and bourbon; and the signature rack of Colorado lamb with Grafton cheddar galette, creamed spinach and natural jus. (Photo: Marissa Rauch Photography)

Metrocurean would like to extend sincere condolences to the Nardelli family and the Tune Inn after Monday's passing of owner Tony Nardelli, which Roll Call reported (subscription required) Tuesday. I had the pleasure of interviewing Tony and his daughter, Lisa, for a story I wrote in Roll Call a year ago about the bar's history. For those of you who have never experienced the Tune Inn (and there are a few ), the dive bar has a long and colorful history that has made it a fixture in Washington. After Prohibition ended in 1933, the building housed one of the first bars to open in the District, according to Tony. The Tune Inn has been in the Nardelli family's hands since Tony's father, Joe, took over management of the bar 1955. Five years later, he bought the bar at 331 Pennsylvania Ave. SE from his debt-plagued boss. Tony told me that as the area struggled for an identity, the Tune Inn “was always a neighborhood bar without a neighborhood.” From my Roll Call story, whi...

During its short-lived existence, Café Collage , pictured here during happier times, served flavorful cups of Ethiopian coffee in an art-filled rowhouse next door to Café Saint-Ex on T Street. Opened by two childhood friends who grew up together in Ethiopia, the coffee shop was the fulfillment of a longtime dream of business ownership. But before long, while the owners were applying for a liquor license, they were shut down for not having a fire escape. Neighbors also protested the license. The sign and the owners have remained in the year or so since the café closed — a sad reminder of the sometimes harsh reality of running a restaurant. But according to a post card, Café Collage is trying to stage a comeback ... with your financial assistance. There will be a fundraising event at U Turn (1942 11th St. NW) on June 26 at 7 p.m. "We ask your help in reviving a home for arts and genuine Ethiopian coffee," the flier states. The money, it says, will be used to construct a fire e...

Touting its Kansas City steaks and New England lobster, Jimmy's On K Street opens today at 1700 K St. NW. The restaurant takes its name from Jimmy's Harborside Restaurant in Boston and is apparently a new concept from the owners of McCormick and Schmick's , though the Web site makes no connection to the seafood chain. Back in September, when covering the lease agreement for the space, the Washington Business Journal reported that M&S would "test a new high-end restaurant that will serve 50 percent seafood and 50 percent steak to D.C. power brokers." Claiming to be the only place in Washington to carry Old K.C. Branded Kansas City Custom Dry Aged Beef, the restaurant offers plenty of meat entrées including a 22-ounce cowboy ribeye and sliced Kansas City steak with a truffled demi glace. The extensive menu also offers about 14 seafood entrées and three different surf and turf meals, including the jumbo version — a 12-ounce filet and 16-ounce Atlantic lobster...

No that's not a third grader's model of Earth pictured at right. It's the Blueberry Hill doughnut from Fractured Prune , the Ocean City, Md.-based doughnut shop, which Friday's Washington Business Journal reports is expected to open in Dupont at 2153-2155 P St. NW in August. Metrocurean caught wind of the unappetizingly named shop's plans to enter the D.C. doughnut market from this DCist post , which digs up the story behind the moniker. The store distinguishes itself from the Krispy competition with its made-to-order, custom doughnuts. Choose your glaze (like honey, banana, chocolate, maple, cherry and mocha), some toppings (rainbow sprinkles, coconut and Oreo cookie, to name a few) and, as if you didn't already have enough sweetness, your sugar, including powdered, granulated and cinnamon. Check out some of the specialty choices here . Would you think me a bore if I confess I'd go for plain Jane? That blueberry one kind of scares me.

Chef Cathal Armstrong of Restaurant Eve chatted with Metrocurean Friday from the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, where he is being honored as one of America's best new chefs. A veritable who's who of the culinary world, from Emeril Lagasse to Daniel Boulud and D.C.'s own José Andrés, have descended on Aspen this weekend for the annual festival hosted by Food & Wine magazine. "The whole town is swamped with nametags," says Armstrong, who was doing a little shopping after appearing on local TV that morning. Today, Armstrong is gearing up for the evening's big dinner, which he and the nine other honorees will prepare. For his part, Armstrong is cooking braised lamb shoulder terrine with roasted leg of lamb. As for the other chefs being honored , Armstrong said the group has definitely bonded—especially on the bumpy flight to Aspen. "We didn't see any of them on our travels, but when we got to Denver and got on the plane to Aspen, there were five...

What people are talking about ... ... Cowgirl Creamery officially opened this week, and I just snagged a sampler bag with the company's Mt Tam, a St. George cheddar, a Point Reyes blue and a handy spreader, along with some Spanish fig jam made with lemon flower honey. The shop is bright and welcoming—and deceptively large given its small storefront. ... ... Blue Duck Tavern in the revamped Park Hyatt (24th and M streets) is opening to the public today and giving new meaning to the overhyped term "exhibition kitchen." This is a kitchen worthy of an art exhibit, all gleaming stainless steel with the monstrous Molteni range everyone's been talking about . Chef Brian McBride's taming that beast with an arsenal of promising dishes: a crabcake any purist would love, hefty fries cooked in duck fat and a perfectly roasted bone-in prime rib. The hotel renovation is impressive as well. ... ... The Post 's Tom Sietsema awards 1789 newcomer Nathan Beauchamp a highly ...

Update: Stop the presses! And press releases! The previously advertised opening date for Black's is now apparently pushed back to June 26 ... probably, most likely. But check before you go, which should be the disclaimer on the end of any restaurant opening news. Check out today's Eating Around post over on FreeRide for the dish on the reopening of Black's Bar and Kitchen . The remodeled space sounds pretty cool as does their new corn dog made with boudin blanc.

We may not get to vote for members of Congress, but at least we can try to get a D.C. representative elected America's hottest bartender. We'll take what we can get. AOL's City Guide has launched a competition to find America's Hottest Bartender, and yes, even people in the District have a voice. Check out the five men AOL chose, including Damion from Clyde's of Gallery Place , Brad from Zaytinya and James from Café Saint-Ex . The ladies include Megan from Cantina Marina , Allyson from Blue Gin and Ashleigh from Eyebar . Who ever said D.C. is Hollywood for ugly people? Come on. Don't see your favorite? List 'em in the comment section. Meanwhile, DC Style is taking votes for the hottest chef, though it seems talent, not looks, is the criteria there. Voting runs through June 30, and the 25 nominees run the gamut from Gillian Clark of Colorado Kitchen to Michel Richard of Citronelle .

I understand that most chefs probably aren't part-time Web designers—they have better things to do, like cook your food—and most restaurants don't bother hiring someone who is. But of all the industries to jump on the "gotta have a Web site" bandwagon, the restaurant industry is certainly lagging behind. The folks on donrockwell.com think so , as do the editors at Bon Appetit . It seems simple enough: Show me your menu or a sampling of what your cooking is like, have your address and phone number on each page, and go easy on the Flash-tastic factor. But alas, it appears some restaurants don't really care that many people these days only leave their computers to eat. Filling the void is a new breed of online restaurant guide that offers actual menus for hundreds of restaurants. MenuPix.com launched a D.C. version in November, and now MenuPages.com is covering the nation's capital . MenuPages, with 1,853 menus and counting, touts its find-a-food search capabili...

Erin Killian at the Washington Business Journal brings us more information on chef Morou 's new restaurant , Farrah Olivia . The spot is named for his 2-year-old daughter but will also get help from Mom, according to the story: Now that he's found the space, Ouattara is nailing down details, including his menu and dishes. He says his mother will be a key taste tester because she regularly eats in both Africa and the United States. Meanwhile, over on the GOG Blog, Erin Hartigan reports on her first impressions of the new Rumberos in Columbia Heights: The restaurant has a spacious bar, and the drinks were delicious. We delighted in watching our bartender mix together vibrant green leaves of mint for our freshly muddled caipirinhas and mojitos. But the food, well, left us wanting more drinks.

When chatters on Tom Sietsema's chat a few weeks ago started arguing over the pronunciation of Les Halles (layz-ahl vs. lay-ahl), I couldn't help but think of all the other rampant mispronunciations out there in restaurant land. (Read a summary of the debate here .) For the record, the Les Halles question was posed just last night to Philippe Lajaunie, owner of the restaurants , at a "diner des amis." Lajaunie says LAY-al, like Sietsema first indicated, but explained that in the 70s, there was a movement to make the liaison between the 's' and the 'h' and it became somewhat acceptable. However, the traditional and historical pronunciation (and therefore in French minds, the correct way) is LAY-al. Ok, moving on, we have the people out there who like to add an 's' to the end of everything. Zaytinya 's, Galileo 's, Zola 's. Then there are the ethnic names that get butchered a million different ways, Rasika being a new example. Here...

Keep your eyes peeled, as early as this weekend, for the opening of Cowgirl Creamery at 919 F St. NW. The shop will offer a selection of the company's award-winning cheeses as well as cheeses from other small producers, and a tasting bar will enable shoppers to sample the cheeses and, later this summer, wines. The Cowgirl cheeses are made in Point Reyes Station, Calif., but the founders, Sue Conley and Peggy Smith (pictured), have plans to source an East Coast dairy to eventually start producing cheeses locally, the company's publicist says.

Agraria Restaurant opened quietly this weekend, offering a limited menu and limited seating as it gears up for summer primetime. Unfortunately, executive chef Paul Morello has already departed. The restaurant's publicist assures Metrocurean that the restaurant is forging ahead: "Fortunately, we have a very strong kitchen team, and have been opened for dinner since Saturday with a limited, pre-opening Bistro menu while we conduct a search for an executive chef." While the kitchen waits for a leader, the bar appeared ready to impress when sommelier and restaurant manager Derek Brown hosted an intimate bar preview last week. The signature martini, made with Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters, was a knockout with its clean, refreshing taste. The drink is served with a tray of pickled garlic, olives and peppers. A cocktail after my own heart, for sure. The Sidecar (Hennessey VS, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup) and Sazerac (Jim...

FishbowlDC has the scoop on The Washington Post 's plans for its Food, Health and Home sections. The three will be rolled into one section that will appear three days a week. According to Fishbowl's account of the Post's Friday announcement: "Each of the three days will be dominated by a 'heritage' theme -- Food on Wednesday, for instance -- that will take up 2/3 of the section's front page plus pages 2 through 6 (Home and Health will be pages 7-8). The mix will be different on the other days. The launch target date is in September." So it's kind of like the Food section will still be around. Sort of. Needless to say, Metrocurean would like to see more food coverage not less. But depending on how the section turns out, this might not be that big of a change. With Food leading the section once a week and additional food coverage backing up the other topics on two other days, we could end up with a net gain. Silver lining? What do you think?

Another Metrocurean random Friday product endorsement ... I've written in this space before about the tactile pleasures involved with the cup of coffee ritual, including the mug vs. paper cup battle and the rousing aroma . To be honest, I consider myself a faux junkie, drinking more for the experience, flavor and smell than the caffeine fix. Really, I swear. My faux addiction ("Seriously, I don't have a problem," she says as her fingers shake over the keyboard) has given way to a second tier dependency on foam. And my faux latte. Since the magic Primo Latte wand entered my life, a cup of coffee without a frothy crown is like Nick without Jessica, popcorn without butter, cornbread without honey—it's just not the same. But for just a few extra minutes and only about $20, you too can experience the faux latte each and every morning in the comfort of your pajamas. (Think about how far $20 will get you at Starbucks.) Read on ... Step 1: Brew coffee or espresso as usu...

FishBowlDC reports today that Washington Post Food section editor Judy Havemann is one staffer on a long list of people taking the early retirement offer. Her last day was Wednesday. The Post also offered its own coverage of the buy-outs Wednesday. There's still no official word on what will happen to the Food section.