amanda mcclements

Now that there's an official nip in the fall air, it's time to spike the cider. Equinox kicks off its Hard Cider Hour this evening from 5-7 p.m. The deal, featuring cider cocktails, free samples of hot spiced cider and free snacks, will run each Tuesday through Dec. 4. Chef and owner Todd Gray will dish out complimentary venison chili, caramelized onion and fig flatbread, sweet potato potstickers and pumpkin fritters. And for the hard stuff, featured cocktails include the Apple Pillar made with Laird’s Applejack, fresh cider, lemon and orange juices and maple syrup ($10), the Pumpkin Cobbler with cinnamon-infused rum, Laird’s Applejack, hot cider and pumpkin spice liqueur ($10), Falling Leaves with vanilla-infused rum, fresh cider, lemongrass-infused simple syrup, mint and a Laird’s Applejack splash ($11), and the Brown Mary, mixed with pepper-infused rum, cider, Laird’s Applejack, fresh lemon juice and orange bitters ($11). No reservations needed. (Photo court...

After reading about a new restaurant named BarFry in New York and thinking "cool name," I saw this blog post from New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni, who also loves the name. The obvious play on barfly also points to the new joint's tempura-based menu. (A few commenters claim it also makes fun of an Asian accent.) Bruni goes on to discuss a few more New York names he likes — Aureole , Basta Pasta , Al di La . So I got to thinking about our own fair city's restaurant names. The most prominent trend recently has been naming new eateries after chefs' children, like Morou Ouattara's Farrah Olivia . But when you have more kids, you have to open more restaurants. Chef Robert Wiedmaier had Marcel's , little brother Brasserie Beck followed; Cathal Armstrong started with Restaurant Eve , and then came Eamonn's . Arguably unoriginal, addresses seem to be DC restaurateurs other naming obsession. There's 701 , 15ria , 14K , 14U (or "one for...

Metrocurean reader Katie Vlietstra offers the first round of Five Bites to whet your appetite on this dreary day. 1. Shrimp and grits at Creme (for brunch) 2. Mini doughnuts at PS 7's 3. Steak burrito bol at Chipotle 4. Mini burgers at Matchbox 5. Chanterelle-English pea risotto at Sonoma The second serving of bites comes from Peter Ogburn, executive producer of The Bill Press Show . 1. Margaritas with salt air at Oyamel ("Pretentious — yes. Delicious — absolutely," he says.) 2. Tuna tartar sliders at PS 7's 3. Biscuits with pepper jelly at Acadiana 4. Cheese puffs (gougeres) at Central 5. Wild mushroom dosa at Indebleu Have you checked out the Five Bites All Stars , part of Metrocurean's new content? Join the fun and tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjoying around town by e-mailing five of your favorite dishes or drinks and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Despite freaky weather that's switching between tropical humidity and chilly Scottish rains, it is October, and this weekend you can get your autumn on down on the farm at Clyde's of Willow Creek Farm 's fall festival. The Broadlands, Va., restaurant (pictured above) is throwing a party both Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. They'll be dishing out grilled pork loin sandwiches, barbecue beef brisket, bratwurst, hot dogs, apple turnovers, pumpkin cheesecake, homemade pretzels, and candied and caramel apples. And beer. Also on the roster is live bluegrass by Orrin Star, free pony rides, a petting zoo, apple butter demonstration and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. For additional information, call Clyde's of Willow Creek Farm at 571.209.1200.

To raise money for SCAN (Stop Child Abuse Now), the Neighborhood Restaurant Group is throwing an outdoor "Oktobeerfest" party this Saturday, Oct. 27, from noon to 6 p.m. at Rustico . Flowing from kegs will be 10 Oktoberfest beers including Bell's Octoberfest, Left Hand Oktoberfest and Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen. A smoky Schlenkerla Rauch Marzen will also be on offer. All of the group's restaurants — Rustico , Buzz , Evening Star Cafe , Vermilion , Tallula , and EatBar — will be selling food, and the line-up for the day sounds delicious. From Buzz will come bourbon caramel made with Bourbon Barrel Cask beer, Guinness cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, pumpkin ale cupcakes and raspberry cupcakes with St. Louis Framboise. Savory dishes will include bratwurst with sauerkraut, peppers and onions from Rustico, porchetta sliders and macaroni and cheese from Tallula, barbecue spare ribs served with purple cabbage slaw and Vermont cheddar cornbread from Vermilion, goul...

Admittedly, I've been too busy scarfing down delicious pizzas at Comet and entertaining guests with grasshopper tacos at Oyamel to scout out the newcomers in my very own neighborhood. Fortunately, enterprising fellow bloggers are on the case. First up, Renew Shaw grabbed a table at Veranda earlier this week and liked what he saw. The new spot at 11th and P streets Northwest offers a Mediterranean menu with options like pita pizza topped with lamb carpaccio and feta, grilled red snapper with black olive vermouth sauce, and pan-seared sea scallops with squid ink pasta and saffron curry sauce. Meanwhile, Prince of Petworth snaps some shots inside 14th and U street's new Marvin . His mention of a $15 burger sparked a full-on snark fest from commenters . But get this: there's an outdoor bar! On the back of a former Subway ! Now that's an impressive transformation. According to the CityPaper , the name is a nod to owner Eric Hilton's musical role model, Marvin Gaye. ...

It's already a delicious spot for a bowl of pasta, and now Capitol Hill's Locanda is serving up lunch (Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.) and brunch (Sundays from 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m.). I'm looking forward to trying the bomboloni (Italian doughnuts) with housemade jam and a bellini at brunch. Also on the brunch menu: poached eggs with asparagus, pancetta and truffled hollandaise; creamy polenta with mascarpone and fresh berries; and sunnyside-up eggs with sausage and smoked paprika potatoes. You can also choose from heartier fare like a hanger steak, seared tuna with Tuscan bean salad and paninis. Lunch offers a variety of pastas (mint pappardelle with lamb ragu), paninis (mortadella and taleggio), a lamb burger stuffed with goat cheese with mint aioli and more.

Metrocurean has tuned in to the Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef" for the past two weeks to watch local chef Morou Ouattara compete. (Read about week one and week two .) Spoilers ahead ... Maybe Donatella Arpaia has a crush on chef Aaron Sanchez . The third installment of "The Next Iron Chef" tested the chefs' resourcefulness by sticking them with coolers full of "wild" ingredients — chosen in secret by a fellow competitor — that they had to turn into two dishes in one hour with a charcoal grill and limited tools. Our man Morou (at right), despite some tasty looking venison dishes, found himself in the bottom three, along with Sanchez and Gavin Kaysen in what would be a double elimination. Judges Michael Ruhlman and Andrew Knowlton had a spat over which chef's dish was better, Sanchez's or Morou's. The disagreement was ultimately settled by Arpaia, who seemed to ignore the challenge at hand and fall back on personal preference...

Local author and Metrocurean friend Kelly DiNardo offers today's Five Bites. Kelly's new biography about burlesque queen Lili St. Cyr, " Gilded Lili: Lili St. Cyr and the Striptease Mystique ," was released Tuesday — that's the beautiful Lili lounging in bed above. A lively party at Sonoma , complete with a seductive fan dance by Miss Kitty Victorian , feted the new book and author and provided fodder for a potential political scandal . Also check out Kelly's burlesque blog (maybe not at work), The Candy Pitch . Congrats, Kelly! 1. Cheese slice at Valentino's ("Real NY pizza and they're originally from Queens. There's even a miniature Statue of Liberty on the roof," she says.) 2. Anything from the champagne cart at Proof 3. Palak chaat at Rasika 4. Chocolate and peanut butter brownies from Buzz 5. Mushrooms sautéed in truffle oil and topped with Manchego cheese at Creme Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean rea...

Welcome to the new and improved Metrocurean. In an attempt to be more useful to my wonderful readers, I've added some great features and updated the site's look and feel. In the new left-hand column, you'll find: • A regularly updated list of restaurants slated to open in the DC area • A list of recent openings • And Metrocurean's black book, a look at some of my personal favorites and recommendations It's an easy, one-stop spot to keep you updated on restaurant news in DC. There's also an improved search function at the top of the right-hand column. I hope these changes will make Metrocurean an even better resource for hungry readers. So take a look around and enjoy.

Chef Michael Harr of Butterfield 9 has issued a challenge — a challenge that involves free food. My favorite kind. From 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, the restaurant will dish out small portions of the chef's short ribs with truffle grits (above). Head to the bar area for your free serving. The catalyst for the taste-test challenge was a comment from Don Rockwell, who liked the dish but complained that the ribs were cold inside. Harr is fiercely protective of his ribs and wants people to come try the dish for themselves. (Hey Don, think you could also trigger a free tasting of some other delicious dishes around town? Central 's burger? Comet 's pizza?)

Fellow blogger Prince of Petworth sneaks a peek inside The Red Derby , a new bar set to open Tuesday night at 3718 14th St. NW. Check out their all-can beer list here . The web site doesn't have too much information just yet, but I certainly like the sound of Sidecar Sundays .

Spoilers ahead ... I'm sorry to see the ladies be the first ones sent home, but so it goes in the world of macho food competition. Chef Jill Davie packed her knives (oh, wait, wrong chef show ) and went home, which means our man Morou is still in it to win it. The second episode of Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef" aired last night and tested simplicity and innovation. In the first test, the contestants were asked to create a one-bite dish that represented their culinary style. Chef John Besh , who won last week's challenge, got first dibs on ingredients but confidently leveled the playing field by giving up his chance to rush the food table. In what might be the silliest part of the show, the chefs have to fight it out at the table (tiny Davie all but got trampled) leaving Michael Symon and Morou in a tug-of-war battle over a long piece of lamb. Chef Aaron Sanchez nearly pitched a fit when time ran out and he wasn't allowed to finish his shrimp dish. T...

I don't know about you, but when I see a restaurant awning advertising one too many genres of food — say pizza, seafood, Chinese and subs — I get a little sketched out. But there seems to be a workable affiliation brewing between Thai restaurants and sushi joints around town. The U Street location of Sala Thai is adding a separate sushi bar right next door (pictured) that may open as early as tonight. The space looks nice, with a small sushi bar offering stools, a few tables and a discreet doorway leading into Sala Thai's larger dining room. There are plenty of places that serve both Thai food and sushi. But this is the second ownership crossover for separate restaurants I know of: Gallery Place's Sushi-Go-Round and Thai Chili also share an owner. Is it a natural extension of the pan-Asian cuisine Americans have grown to love? Or a path to mediocre sushi?

The first set of Five Bites for this beautiful fall day is from Nicole, who used to work in the restaurant industry. 1. Fish tacos with cabbage and green salsa and cherry mint agua fresca at Taqueria Nacionale (at right) 2. Charred corn ravioli with basil at 701 3. Tobago snapper with almond broth at Hook 4. Spicy popcorn from the bar at Rasika 5. Manchego and apple salad at Jaleo Maddy Beckwith, administrative coordinator for the fabulous FreshFarm Markets , offers the second list. 1. Calamares al tequila (grilled squid with Spanish paprika, olive oil, sherry vinegar and a drop of tequila), which is half price at happy hour along with the best mojitos in town, at Rumba Cafe 2. Fava bean and mint crostini at Locanda 3. Toasted corn nuts at Inti 4. Steamed mussels with fennel and chorizo sausage with Belgian frites at Brasserie Beck 5. Silver margarita made with fresh ingredients at Simply Home Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you...

To sum up a widely gossiped about chef shuffle, Jonathan Krinn has left 2941 with plans to open his own restaurant in Virginia. Acclaimed chef Scott Bryan left New York City's Veritas and is now heading 2941's kitchen for a temporary stint. And Bertrand Chemel, chef de cuisine at celeb chef Daniel Boulud's Café Boulud , will replace Bryan in January, according to Wednesday's New York Times . Tongues were wagging last week over the chef moves, and various sources ( Eater , Don Rockwell ) were buzzing that Chemel would be Krinn's permanent replacement. Rumors confirmed, a lot of talent is flowing down the East Coast our way. Under Chemel, Café Boulud earned three stars from the Times ' Frank Bruni in August, and Bryan was a Food&Wine Best New Chef in 1996. Bryan also got his start with DC's own Bob Kinkead. And Krinn is sticking around to open a new spot with chef de cuisine Jon L. Mathieson , according to The Washington Post 's Tom Sietsema . In ...

Give the people a great view with free food and they will come. And so it went at Charlie Palmer Steak 's month-old Thursday rooftop happy hour . Not surprisingly, the event has been so popular that the restaurant is implementing a reservation-only policy as of this evening. So here's the new deal to get on the roof: Starting the Monday before each happy hour, call the restaurant at 202.547.8100 and make a reservation. Walk-ins won't be admitted. And note that the attire is business casual. Maybe it takes away the spontaneity of a last-minute happy hour plan, but look on the bright side: It shouldn't take as long to get a drink and there'll be more free food for everyone! The happy hour takes place each Thursday from 5-9 p.m. on the roof of 101 Constitution Ave. NW. The deal is scheduled to run through Thanksgiving.

This Saturday's annual Taste of Georgetown will bring together more than 30 of the neighborhood's restaurants and wine providers, along with children's activities and music provided by Blues Alley . The food festival will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dishes from spots like 1789 , Agraria , Hook , Mendocino Grille and Mie n Yu will cost $5 apiece (buy five tickets for $20 or an unlimited VIP pass for $100). A wine pavilion will offer red and white wine tastings by Bacchus Wine Cellar, the French Wine Society and Potomac Wine and Spirits. And get this: wine tastings are free! A panel of judges (disclosure: including yours truly) will award prizes for the best appetizer, entrée, dessert and display. And having tasted every dish for the past two years as a judge, I can say with all certainty that there will be some delicious finds out there. Look for the party on Wisconsin Avenue, between M Street and South Street, and on the lawn of the Grace Episcopal Church at 1041 Wiscons...

Spoilers ahead... A bloody battle played out last night on the premiere episode of Food Network's " The Next Iron Chef ." And our hometown ambassador, chef Morou Ouattara of Alexandria's Farrah Olivia , made quite a first impression. Like that kid in school who slammed his pencil down when he finished the test first, making everyone around him feel the heat, Morou left the other seven competitors in the dust in two challenges — at least according to the clock. Unfortunately, his samurai knife skills didn't help him win this round. But he survives to compete another day. In the first of two challenges to test speed and artistry, the contestants were given 15 minutes to complete various knife tasks like deboning a chicken, fileting a whole salmon and slicing a daikon so thin you could read a newspaper through it. Morou ran circles around the competition and finished with three minutes to spare, leaving New Orleans' John Besh shaking his head with an incredulous ...

Fellow blogger Anthony DeAngelo of Apples and Bananas sends in today's first set of Five Bites. 1. Margherita pizza at 2 Amys 2. Three mini burgers at Matchbox 3. Oysters (any variety) at Old Ebbitt Grill 4. Pho No. 12 at Pho 75 5. The Grog at PX Tom Seltz of Arlington offers up the second helping of bites. 1. Grilled dusty pork at Basil Thai (plus, you can run over to Dolcezza for some world-class gelato) 2. Delhi pista korma at the Delhi Club 3. Filet Van Hertekalf at Belga Café (filet of venison with sweet potato, pomegranate sauce and a foie gras crème brulée) 4. Chocolate bombshell at Café Divan (a baseball-sized ball of vanilla and chocolate ice cream with a cherry in the center, cut into sections with crushed pistachios and a berry coulis) 5. Zucchine Ripiene alla Ligure at Bebo Trattoria (baked zucchini filled with Ricotta cheese, marjoram and basil) Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to tell Metrocurean readers which dishes you're enjo...

Put the frozen pizza jokes on the shelf. Wolfgang Puck's soon-to-open restaurant The Source is shaping up to be a serious contender on the D.C. dining scene. First there's a chef with a great résumé at the helm. Executive chef Scott Drewno worked for Puck at Chinois and Spago in Las Vegas for six years and most recently did time in Manhattan at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Vong and Stephen Hanson’s Ruby Foo’s . Then there are the cool culinary toys the 32-year-old chef has at his disposal, including a traditional Shanghai-style wok range, a custom steamer and wood-burning oven. And The Source will join other successful area restaurants (like Palena and Restaurant Eve ) that offer two concepts—and price points—under one roof. The Source's ground floor will be occupied by a casual bar and lounge, serving Puck's signature wood-fired pizzas and small plates such as prime beef sliders with smoked onion marmalade and white cheddar. A selection of sake will be available by...