amanda mcclements

Metrocurean has learned, thanks to the reporting of publicist Linda Roth Conte, that Francesco Ricchi (at right) plans to open a seafood restaurant in the former Signatures space on Pennsylvania Avenue. Also on board, according to Roth Conte, is chef Enzo Febbraro of Filomena , who is expected to head the new kitchen. D'Acqua has been mentioned as a possible name for the new spot. Ricchi holds an important place in the history of D.C.'s Italian dining scene. He opened Bethesda's Cesco Trattoria with Roberto Donna, I Ricchi in 1989 with his then-wife Christianne, who still runs the restaurant as chef/owner, and shaped the tiny Etrusco in Dupont Circle. If things move ahead as planned (and you never know in the restaurant business), the space tarnished by lobbyist Jack Abramoff's criminal activities could once again house a serious restaurant.

If you're anything like me, you love keeping track of who's opening what restaurant and when. (That must be part of the reason you read this blog). Here's a by no means official list of some spots on Metrocurean's radar that are expected to open this fall. Bastille : Expected to open Sept. 5, this joint venture from former Aquarelle chefs Christophe Poteaux and Michelle Garbee will feature "updated Franco-Mediterranean cuisine" and a carefully selected wine list. 1201 N. Royal St., Alexandria BLT Steak: Chef Laurent Tourondel (at right) will enter the D.C. market with this modern spin on a traditional steakhouse. In his chat today , the Post 's Tom Sietsema updates us with a projected November opening. [Post's Weekly Dish] 1625 I St. NW Cafe Bonaparte: See Monday's post . Comet: This Ping Pong-themed pizzeria from chef Carole Greenwood and James Alefantis (of Buck's Fishing and Camping ) should open in the next month. The sign from the o...

Omar Popal of Georgetown's charming, family-run Cafe Bonaparte tells Metrocurean that his family plans to open a second restaurant in Adams Morgan at 1847 Columbia Rd. NW, currently the home of the minimalist lounge Mantis . The Bonaparte spin-off will offer a menu similar to its older (but much smaller) sibling, with crepes, a Bonaparte burger and French-inspired dishes. The space will be completely remodeled to echo the stylish European feel of the Georgetown cafe -- but it will be "a sexier version" of Cafe Bonaparte, Popal says. Like Mantis now, the new restaurant will have two distinct levels: the upstairs will offer a low-key spot for dinner and drinks, while the basement, boasting a more modern design, will offer its own menu of small plates, livelier music and, possibly, a Champagne bar. There's also a roomy patio facing quiet Mintwood Place. Popal said he hopes the makeover of the space will be complete this fall, with a late October opening mentioned. He al...

Raise your hand if you rolled your eyes when you read that the 36 Hours in D.C. travel feature in today's New York Times recommends heading to Café Milano to gawk at Washington celebs. (OK, if you haven't read it yet, check it out, then come back and raise your hand.) It's an undisputed fact that politicians and the assistants for real celebrities, say Brangelina , see Café Milano as the only place to see and be seen. But a more informed breed of famous person is staking out uncharted territory in our fair city and venturing away from the sheltered and beautiful corner of Prospect Street. OYA and IndeBleu have flexed their celeb-magnet muscles with guests like Patrick Ewing (saw him with my own two upward-cast eyes at OYA) and Prince (at IndeBleu), just to name two. These final slow days of August seem like the perfect time to break down the celebrity spottings by restaurant in the nation's capital. So gossip away in the comments. (Hearsay is welcome. Extra points ...

Next Tuesday, Aug. 29, marks the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's devastating hit on the Gulf region, and Share Our Strength has organized a nationwide event, Restaurants for Relief , to raise money for rebuilding efforts. Dine out at one of the participating restaurants , and a portion of the proceeds will benefit hurricane recovery. Of note, The Capital Grille restaurant group is donating $25,000, and the family of restaurants that includes Evening Star Cafe , Vermilion , Tallula and Rustico will donate 100 percent of proceeds from special dishes (like Evening Star's jambalaya) that night. Also check out Kim Severson's article in today's New York Times that documents some of the struggles restaurant owners and chefs in the region are facing. (Photo from New Orleans by Metrocurean, pre Katrina.)

Actually, to say skyr is here is to imply that I know when it arrived. Truth be told, I just noticed it for the first time at Whole Foods. And after being sold on the merits of the traditional Icelandic treat by guests at the ambassador of Iceland's home last year, I was eager to see what all the fuss was about. Described as a fresh cheese, skyr tastes more like yogurt and traces its roots back to the Vikings, though I have to wonder how far back the handy little collapsible spoon packaged on top goes. I picked up the vanilla version (pictured), which is sweet enough to eat as dessert. Despite being fat free, skyr is incredibly creamy — you'd swear you could be eating full fat yogurt. The texture is a little like strained Greek yogurt meets panna cotta. In case you missed the start of the Icelandic invasion, which has thus far brought Viking beer, lamb and smjor (butter) to U.S. shores, check out this Metrocurean post from last September and this New York Times article . Skyr...

The highly anticipated second restaurant from chef Cathal Armstrong, Eamonn's A Dublin Chipper , has entered soft opening mode this week as it gears up for a more official opening this weekend. The raves have already started over on donrockwell.com. Read more details about the new spot here . PX , the speakeasy-inspired bar upstairs, won't open until next week, when mixologist extraordinaire Todd Thrasher will unleash his latest concoctions on the thirsty public.

Later this week, the opulent Taberna del Alabardero will celebrate its summer Flamenco festival with a special menu offering 12 tapas and music and dancing from renowned Flamenco performers. The party starts Thursday and runs through Saturday, with seatings at 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. The menu, priced at $60 per person, will include fried Guernica peppers, classic croquettes, serrano ham, rice pudding and chocolate mousse, to name a few. And don't forget about Taberna's bargain happy hour deal, which I wrote about here . From 3 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, chef Santi Zabaleta's tapas are half price, and sangria is available for $3 by the glass and $12 for a pitcher. That means you can score a dish of marinated mussels with a creamy sherry vinegar and olive oil emulsion or a plate of grilled housemade chorizo for just under $4. Taberna del Alabardero 1776 I St. NW 202.429.2200

Restaurant Week wraps up Sunday — officially at least. But there are plenty of places that opt to keep the party going into the slow month of August, for better or worse. In case you missed out this week — tales of the good and the bad are all over the place — here are some spots that will keep the three-course $20.06 lunches and $30.06 dinners a little longer. Please add others you know about in the comments. * Butterfield 9 : Lunch and dinner through Aug. 27. * Charlie Palmer Steak : Lunch and dinner through Aug. 26. (The prix fixe lunch deal is available all year.) * i Ricchi : Lunch and dinner through Aug. 31. * OYA : Through Sept. 9. And don't miss the $20.06 wine pairing OYA is offering.

Here's a great video of some amazing barista work posted on Yahoo. I've heard the folks at Murky Coffee are serious about their espresso skills. Know of any area baristas with a creative hand?

Each year The Washington Post 's Best Bets contest draws the ire of locals when the inevitable inclusion of a large number of chains makes us feel like we live in Anytown, USA. And each year, the Going Out Gurus who maintain the washingtonpost.com's City Guide hear from a host of whiners (Metrocurean included ) about the winners. This year, however, they've added value to the contest by giving us their personal favorites — an expert take, if you will. It's an extremely handy list , including such under-the-radar gems as Levi's Port Café for barbecue and Crème Café (pictured) for new restaurant. Also helpful is the "guru's pick" designation on the readers' choice lists, which points out where the gurus and readers agree. The additions seem like their way of saying, "yes, we know the prevalence of chains on these lists bites, but hey, we're not the ones voting for them." The guru's list also adds nice diversity to the whole Be...

Duffy's Irish Restaurant and Pub is adding Sunday brunch to its pub fare repertoire this weekend. Highlights include $3 Bloody Marys, an Irish breakfast that includes Irish sausages and black pudding (aka blood sausage), and for a Southern twist, grits. Brunch will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Duffy's Irish Restaurant and Pub 2106 Vermont Ave. NW 202.265.3413

"Eat local" is becoming a common mantra for chefs, and in these final days of summer, it's the perfect time to savor the bounty of local farms. In that vein, chef Robert Weland of Poste Moderne Brasserie leads a small group of diners to the nearby Penn Quarter FreshFarm Market every Thursday (this week excluded) to forage for local ingredients. After an educational walk through the market, everyone heads back to Poste, where Weland prepares a multi-course meal using the ingredients, paired with biodynamic wines. The market dinner costs $65, including wine. Call 202.783.6060 for more information. Think of it as a final homage to summer. Poste Modern Brasserie 555 Eighth St. NW 202.783.6060

Thanks to my parents' green thumbs, I now have sitting on my counter a giant box of heirloom tomatoes, eggplant, habaneros and green peppers — but a manageable amount to consume in a reasonable amount of time. But of serrano peppers, there's a serious surplus. We've used them in guacamole and sauteed them with garlic and other peppers. Anyone have any other good suggestions for using up a serrano surfeit? (Photo by Metrocurean.)

Who said August was a slow month around here? The restaurant rumor mill is spinning out of control with competing stories and unofficial news: What's happening to Galileo ? What about Andale ? Oyamel ? Palena ? With two competing dining chats going head -to- head to break news, readers are left to sort through the hints, clues and supposed facts for themselves. Complicating matters is the fact that restaurant owners don't like talking about big decisions, especially when they involve leases, which could fall through at a moment's notice, turning a once likely rumor into a scrapped plan. So we get a bunch of people floating around with information, who may be unable to discuss it depending on how much they respect the wishes of said restaurant owners. It's enough to make a restaurant lover/gastronaut/foodie/whatever's head spin. Here's what we know (or at least what we think we know, and then there are things we don't know we know, but that's getting int...

The owners of Mendocino Grille and Sonoma are planning to bring a new concept to Bethesda Row as part of the development's expansion , slated for completion in the spring of 2008. Pacific will be the third restaurant for Elias Hengst and Jared Rager, and executive chef Drew Trautmann (also of Sonoma and Mendocino) will oversee the new kitchen as well. The formula will stay true to the group's successful restaurants, showcasing "superlative seasonal cuisine, simple, timeless design, and exceptional service in a true neighborhood restaurant," Hengst says. Like its wine bar siblings, Pacific will offer more than 40 wines by the glass. The list will focus on hard-to-find selections from California, Washington, New Zealand, Australia and Chile, following the "Pacific" theme. The bar will feature a custom Winekeeper system, like the one behind Sonoma's bar, ensuring wines will be served at the appropriate temperature. Unlike its older siblings, however, Pa...

Metrocurean would like to extend a warm welcome to the Cookthink blog , the predecessor to Cookthink , a user-friendly recipe Web site slated to launch this fall. Brys, a co-founder of the site and personal Metrocurean friend, is based here in D.C. and has already offered up some great posts with recipes, like this one for market slaw. Meanwhile, the other half of Cookthink, Chip, is thinking about going on the 100 Mile Diet . Check them out and watch for news of the Cookthink launch.

Bedrock Management's plan to transform the Source Theatre on 14th Street into Standard Bar and Grill has been withdrawn, The Washington Post reports . A nonprofit group has purchased the building with plans to turn it into an arts center. In related news, Bedrock is planning a new billiards spot at 714 Seventh St. NW.

The rumor that A.V. Ristorante Italiano , the venerable Italian restaurant that opened in 1949 at 607 New York Ave. NW, is closing has been floating around for a while, but it appears to be official now. FreeRide draws our attention to an item buried at the bottom of a Washington Post column reporting that developer Douglas Jemal bought the lot occupied by A.V. with plans for offices and retail space. The well-worn and well-loved restaurant won't close until October 2007, according the column, but it's sure to stir up some sentimental nostalgia. If ever there were a restaurant caught in time, this would be it. Their white pizza is damn good, but the creepy Gothic fireplace in the main dining room looks like it hasn't been dusted in 50 years. But that's part of the reason people, including Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia ( see DCist ), love it so. It's old school Italian through and through. This Washingtonian piece does a nice job with the history of A.V. ...