amanda mcclements

Washingtonian dining editor Todd Kliman breaks a juicy piece of news this afternoon regarding two of D.C.'s brightest young stars: chef Barton Seaver of Cafe Saint-Ex and Bar Pilar and pastry chef Heather Chittum of Notti Bianche are leaving their respective restaurants for Hook , a forthcoming spot in Georgetown. Kliman reports that the new restaurant will take over the old Cilantro space at 3241 M St. NW. Read more about the new venture on the Best Bites Blog . April is mentioned as the target opening. (Photos from saint-ex.com and gwuinn.com .)

I remember reading about New Yorker Rick Field's pickles a few years ago in The New York Times and making a mental note to track down a jar or two. Being a Southerner, I'm addicted to spicy okra pickles, and I believe I've mentioned here before how much I like salt . Save the occasional magazine endorsement of Rick's Picks , I kind of forgot about them until I spotted a neat line of jars at Whole Foods this week. And I've fallen hard for the pungent and spicy Mean Beans, pickled green beans spiked with cayenne pepper in a dill brine. The Windy City Wasabeans, flavored with soy and wasabi, are tasty, too. Whole Foods also had the Bee 'n' Beez ("turbocharged bread and butter pickles"), Phat Beets, GT 1000s, Slices of Life and Spears of Influence. I always keep a few jars of Talk O' Texas hot okra pickles in the pantry, so I'm eager to try Rick's Picks Smokra (what a great name) with smoked paprika added to the mix. (There's a two jar...

The eighth outpost of Il Mulino New York opens tonight for dinner at 1110 Vermont Ave. NW. The crowd-pleasing, old-school Italian restaurant was born in Greenwich Village in 1981 and is gradually bringing its Abruzzese style cooking to locations across the country and beyond. Signature dishes on the extensive menu include spaghettini Bolognese , rack of lamb, veal chop and the fresh langoustines (pictured above). I checked out the new location last week as a guest of the restaurant, and I predict a potential power spot in the making. From the Old World decor in the dining room (pictured above) to the steep prices (entrees range from about $27-$36) and formal service, Il Mulino is sure to attract D.C.'s power set. Also contributing to the power-spot recipe: the portions are huge, the people-watching is prime, and small touches like complimentary antipasto and grappa make guests feel pampered. Il Mulino New York 1110 Vermont Ave. NW ( map ) 202.293.1001 (Photos courtesy ...

Columbia Heights News reports that De Vinos , the year-old Adams Morgan wine shop, will open a second store, dubbed "d'vines", in the Kenyon Square condo building (pictured). D'vines will offer more than "1,000 wine labels and 240 varieties of artisan and craft beers (plus an exclusive selection of cigars), all hand-picked by the owners and managers, in an appealing and well-laid out, 1,390-square-foot space in the southern half of the building," according to the release posted on the site. The wine shop will join several restaurants expected to open in the Columbia Heights and Petworth neighborhoods, including Red Rocks , a pizza joint at Park Road and 11th Street, The Red Derby , a restaurant/bar at 3718 14th St. NW, Mayorga Coffee , and The Heights at 14th and Kenyon.

Metrocurean reader Marc W. submits a "cheap eats" themed Five Bites list for this week. 1. Suppli a telefono (deep fried rice balls with mozzarella and grana) and a DOC margherita pizza from 2 Amys 2. Ben's original chili half-smoke with a vanilla shake from Ben's Chili Bowl (at right) 3. Cheeseburger and fries from Five Guys 4. Smoked pork spare rib combo from Urban Bar-B-Que 5. Blackened chicken caesar burrito with chips and queso from California Tortilla Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjoying around town. Send your list and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean@gmail.com. (Photo from benschilibowl.com .)

Thanks to the eagle eyes keeping up with permits over at Gallery Place Living, it appears that Maryland-based sports bar chain The Greene Turtle is taking over the prime, but tricky, real estate at the southeast corner of the Verizon Center. The most recent tenant at 601 F St. NW, Drinx , lasted about a year and a half. As Fritz Hahn wrote in a Washington Post story last year, "Restaurants that open inside MCI Center are invariably cursed. Since the arena opened in 1997, it has housed the Velocity Grill sports restaurant and cigar lounge; the pricey Nick and Stef's steakhouse; and an upscale lounge called the F Street Sports Bar . No matter which format they tried, the owners just couldn't lure crowds outside of game day or concerts, and even then, there were always seats to be found." The Greene Turtle's vibe looks more casual than Drinx, which may help them lure more sports fans, but will the neighborhood embrace it?

I missed quite a few exciting restaurant announcements while overseas. Here's a quick summary: * Washingtonian dining editor Todd Kliman says Harvest , the Eric Ripert restaurant planned for the Ritz at 22nd and M streets, is a done deal. The rumors started last May, and Kliman's Feb. 13 chat reports that the restaurant is a go. * The talented team of Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong and Todd Thrasher, who regularly wow patrons at Restaurant Eve , Eamonn's and PX , are rescuing The Majestic from an uncertain fate, reports Washington Post food critic Tom Sietsema in his Weekly Dish . They'll take over and reopen "on one of two dates: the couple's daughter Eve's birthday (March 31) or the third anniversary of Restaurant Eve (April 19)," Sietsema writes. * 21P in Dupont has abruptly closed, according to reports on DonRockwell.com. * Gallery Place Living reports that Rocket Bar , the latest from the owners of Buffalo Billiards , is now open. The addre...

If you head out on the town tonight to celebrate Fat Tuesday (check out events here ), remember that the Crescent City still needs plenty of help, so here are a few ideas: 1. Visit! Tourism helps drive the city's economy, so eat out at as many restaurants as you can afford to. I can't wait to try Cochon (the year of the pig has officially started, after all). 2. Help create playspaces for children through Kaboom.org . 3. Volunteer or make a donation to the Musician's Village . And support music through Music Maker's New Orleans Musicians Fund . Speaking of musicians (shameless family plug ahead), if you do head down to New Orleans, check out my little bro's band, Why Are We Building Such a Big Ship (pictured below), which was recognized by the Gambit as one of the 10 best new sounds coming out of the city. Check out a few tracks and scheduled shows here (says the beaming big sis).

Ah, how many things I wish I had time to eat, but alas, wandering the streets of Paris, with no agenda, foggy from jetlag , nibbling along the way, wasn't a bad way to spend a few days. The best part was tasting the cooking of a few of the great chefs of Paris. The theme of our reservations (unintentionally, but indicative of a trend in France) seemed to be "chefs who've ditched their former fine dining ways." First up was Alain Senderens , the renowned chef who raised eyebrows when he closed his three Michelin star restaurant, Lucas Carton , and reopened as the more modern Senderens in 2005. Highlights from dinner included a luscious piece of foie gras poached in an Asian style broth, a crustless vol- au -vent with crawfish and truffles, and rich ginger and cocoa ice creams. The menu helpfully—and somewhat playfully—offers a suggested drink pairing with every dish, whether a floral glass of Vouvray or Talisker whiskey with water. But for all the attention the ...

To raise awareness about ovarian cancer, chef Ris Lacoste and the area’s most well known women chefs and colleagues will prepare samplings of their signature dishes at the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance’s 2007 annual benefit, “Celebrate Women Chefs.” The event will take place at 6:30 p.m., Feb. 28, at the Ritz-Carlton at 22 nd and M streets. Tickets to the benefit are $250 per person. Proceeds will support the alliance’s work to increase funding for ovarian cancer research and raise awareness about the disease’s symptoms and risk factors. Some of the participants include Nora Pouillon of Restaurant Nora and Asia Nora , Jamie Leeds of Hank’s Oyster Bar , Ruth Gresser of Pizzeria Paradiso , Janis McLean of redDog Café , Heather Chittum of Notti Bianche and Dish , Tracy O’Grady and Kate Jansen of Willow , Naomi Gallego of PS 7’s , Melissa Ballinger of Mia’s Pizzas , Lizzy Evelyn of Café Saint-Ex and Lisa Scruggs of Buzz . More information can be obtained by calling 202....

This week's Five Bites comes from Metrocurean friend Melissa McCart, who writes Counter Intelligence (check out this post reporting the possibility of a second bar from the Raven owners) and contributes to Express . 1. Bourbon Fizz at Dino 2. Chocolate covered homemade marshmallows at Farrah Olivia 3. A pair of briny oysters from Hank's Oyster Bar 4. Charcuterie tower from Central 5. Salmon roe sushi or eel and avocado handroll from Sushi Taro Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjoying around town. Send your list and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean@gmail.com.

Shoppers at the Whole Foods Market on P Street may have noticed that the old Jamba Juice-turned-coffee-bar space is under construction. The store expects to unveil a new sushi bar in that space in March, serving bento boxes and a variety of sushi. Thanks to Michael for the tip! (Photo from wholefoodsmarket.com .)

I'll be heading to Paris for a week, the first time I've been back since working there for a short stint in 2000. Back then, my extremely limited budget kept me on a steady diet of cheap table wine that cost about 75 cents a bottle (oh, the headaches!), warm baguettes, supermarket pasta and the occasional steak frites when I felt like splurging. I'm not necessarily complaining, but I am looking forward to eating in a few real restaurants this time around. Last time I hit the road, your comments provided a wealth of information, so what say ye of Paris, Metrocurean readers? I'm all set on dinner reservations, but I'd love to know your favorite bars for cocktails or wine, a delicious little bakery you fell for, or any other great food finds.

Metrocurean reader Lindsay lets us in on her Five Bites this week. 1. Charcuterie board at Sonoma 2. Grilled burger with cheddar cheese and sweet potato fries at Cafe Saint-Ex 3. O'Berry Juice at the Juice Joint 4. Chicken pot pie at Viridian 5. Swedish meatballs at W Domku Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjoying around town. Send your list and whether you'd like your name and a pic included to metrocurean@gmail.com.

Lucky for romantic types in D.C., we have enough skilled local chocolatiers to make those red, heart-shaped drugstore boxes of waxy milk chocolate all but obsolete. Here are some sources for locally made Valentine's sweets: The Cacao Tree Chocolate maker Sandra Escobar creates delicious truffles with exotic ingredients like Xtabentún (a Mayan anise and honey liqueur) and cardamom. Her Mexican heritage shows through in flavors like Mole made with her 30-ingredient mole recipe and Café de Olla made with Mexican coffee, cinnamon and Kahlúa. Order online by Friday, Feb. 9, for Valentine's deliveries! Artisan Confections 4815-B Lee Highway, Arlington Former TenPenh pastry chef Jason Andelman set up his chocolate shop in Arlington last year. The annual Artist Series offers beautiful chocolates printed with the original designs of local artists. Here's a list of where to find Andelman's chocolates. Online orders for Valentine's Day are still possible with an extra shippi...

My old coworkers and I had been known to cab clear across town to pick up sandwiches from Roberto Donna's occasional lunch grill. Nothing like a good food-fueled field trip out of the office. But when Donna, and his delicious paninis, took up residence in Crystal City at the new Bebo Trattoria , those green-sauce-smothered pork shoulder sandwiches were out of reach for most downtown workers. But no longer. If you can rally the office troops for a group order of $50 or more (that's about seven meatball sandwiches), Bebo will deliver your order to you. Delivery is available Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Order forms and instructions are available here . Orders must be placed before 11 a.m.

It's about 14 degrees in Washington right now. In Lima, Peru, it's 80. Anyone want to go to Peru? Even if you're trapped at your desk, take solace in this little piece of sunny news: Food&Wine reports that one of Peru's best known chefs, Gastón Acurio, plans to open a branch of La Mar Peruvian Cebichería in Washington soon. (No location is mentioned.) It's a concept the chef hopes to roll out internationally in his quest to bring Peruvian cuisine to the world. "The tuna seviche with tamarind leche de tigre (chile, lime, red onion and cilantro) is not to be missed," according to the magazine. The chef owns numerous restaurants in Peru and South America. You can read a translated interview with him here , and check out Acurio giving Anthony Bourdain a tour around Lima in this (long) clip from Bourdain's show "No Reservations" (fast forward to 3:50 to see Bourdain and Acurio meet up):

Author's note: Many of you come to Metrocurean looking for recommendations on where to eat in Washington, D.C., but the blog format can make it hard to find that kind of information. This list of my go-to spots is the first of several that I'll link to in the sidebar for easy reference. Think of them as a supplement to the more comprehensive restaurant guides I already link to. Stay tuned for my special occasion picks and more. The places I turn to again and again all have a few things in common: I can walk to them, the prices are good, and the food is great. Thus this list, though delicious, is pretty much limited to the 14th Street/U Street (perhaps " MidCity "?) neighborhood.* Bar Pilar 1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751 It doesn't take much to make me happy. Set a bowl of olives, some cheese and red wine in front of me, and I'm pleased as punch. In this dark and moody bar, I can find those things along with some of the best small plates in town. I'm a suck...

Although the departure of chef John Wabeck will be a big loss for the Hotel Madera's Firefly , there are new reasons at the bar to visit the cozy restaurant. New floor manager Will Earls is creating a daily cocktail for $7 to feature during happy hour. Watch for drinks made with innovative ingredients like Earl Grey tea and wasabi. The 4 to 7 p.m. happy hour runs Monday through Saturday and offers drinks and snacks, like housemade charcuterie plates, all for either $4 or $7. Speaking of Firefly, the restaurant's former general manager, Derek Brown, is joining forces with the talented Johnny Monis as Komi 's new sommelier. Brown, who was most recently at Citronelle , will start later this month. Congrats to both parties. (And props to Komi's new and improved web site !)

Napoleon is officially open , and the early word on the food from people who ate there last night is very good. The space has changed dramatically from when it housed Mantis . There's a gold pressed-tin ceiling, bare black tables, ornate chandeliers and a sleek under-lit bar. The champagne lounge downstairs has been transformed from the bare-bones basement it once was to a sleek space with couches and its own bar. The lounge also has a separate menu of smaller plates, including boudin blanc with mustard cream ($5.95), lamp lollipops with cilantro pistachio pesto ($7.95) and a petit salmon fillet with spicy melon puree ($5.95).

Fellow blogger Andrew Stover of ChiefWino sends in this week's Five Bites. Stover is also the sommelier at OYA. (That's him at right tasting wine at O. Fournier in Mendoza, Argentina.) Read more about his work with wine in this Examiner piece from Thursday. 1. Bombay burrito at Indebleu 2. Tuna tempura roll at OYA Restaurant & Lounge 3. Charbroiled oysters at Johnny's Half Shell 4. Patatas bravisimas (potatoes, spicy tomato sauce, aioli) at Kyma Restaurant in Annapolis (sister to Mie N Yu ) 5. Pan roasted wild mushroom salad with frisee, applewood bacon and poached farm egg at Circle Bistro Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjoying around town. Send your list and whether you'd like your name and a pic included to metrocurean@gmail.com.

It's February 1. That means there are only 17 more days until a very important holiday. And yes, I can count (on good days), and no, I'm not way off on Valentine's Day. The Year of the Pig starts Feb. 18, the Chinese New Year, giving pork lovers like myself a great reason to expound on the wonders of the other white meat. In honor of the pig, China has released a stamp (above) that reportedly smells and tastes like sweet and sour pork. (Thanks to The Food Section for pointing it out.) As someone who's been known to take down a couple dozen strips of bacon in a weekend, I'll celebrate the year with occasional posts on porcine topics. And I'm sure I won't be alone, as Slate has already pointed out that food writers are, by nature, obsessed with pig. For this inaugural Year of the Pig post, I'd like to mention TenPenh 's porky menu, which will be available from Feb. 19 to March 3. Chef de cuisine Cliff Wharton looks to his Philippine roots for the a...