amanda mcclements

For today's Halloween edition of Five Bites, new mom Rachel Perrone writes: "I used to be a more serious chowhound, but since the baby I’ve been reduced to an all-caffeine, all-sugar diet to stay awake and functioning." 1. Bibimbap at Adam Express 2. Tacos at El Pollo Sabroso 3. Breakfast bagels at Sticky Fingers Bakery 4. Pumpkin (kadu) at Afghan Grill 5. Yuca con chicharron from one of the little stands outside Sacred Heart Don't be shy, Metrocurean readers! Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to share the dishes and drinks you're enjoying around town. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Rocky Mountain "oysters" at Firefly Looking for a cultural and ... uh ... ballsy way to spend an evening? How about visiting a nice museum exhibit and then snacking on some animal appendages? Dupont Circle's Firefly has taken a cue from a Phillips Collection exhibit chronicling an art installation over the Arkansas River in Colorado to serve — what else? — Rocky Mountain oysters . Chef Daniel Bortnick is preparing the offal item batter-coated, thinly sliced and tossed in General Tso’s sauce ($9). Museum exhibit ticket holders can also score a free cocktail with any entrée purchased. Go for mixologist Alice Gaber’s Colorado Kitty Cat (at right), a riff on the Colorado Bulldog with espresso-infused vodka, vanilla bean syrup, heavy cream and cola. House wine or beer may be substituted. Phillips Collection members will also receive a gratis Arkansas River Pudding, a chocolate pot de crème, for dessert. Firefly 1310 New Hampshire Ave. NW 202.861.1310

Dino's bar Cleveland Park's Dino has always been a great spot for deals, from its Wine Wednesdays to frequent Restaurant Week-style discounts . The Italian restaurant launched a new happy hour promo this week. From 5:30 to 7 p.m. Sunday through Friday, all cocktails and wine are 25 percent off and the bar will offer complimentary snacks like housemade patés and sausages, crostini with various toppings, salumi and cheeses. New beverage director Scott Palmer, who took over for Chris Cunningham after he moved over to Enology , is continuing the bar's cocktail craft with new fall drinks like the Five Families with Maker's Mark bourbon, Amaro Averna, Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth, spice bitters, orange twist and housemade Willett-bourbon soaked cherries and an Autumnal Dark and Stormy made with Gosling's Dark Rum, Velvet Falernum, fresh grated ginger, lime juice and Boylan's ginger ale. The happy hour deal is available at the bar and the tables in the bar ...

Today's bite list is from Katie Kowalski (far right), a recent Georgetown grad. 1. Butterfish with medjool dates and piquillo peppers at BlackSalt ("This appetizer is what I would chose if someone told me I could only eat one thing for the rest of my life.") 2. Moroccan Delight cocktail (Van Gogh mango vodka, mango liqueur, orange, white cranberry juice) at Mie N Yu 3. Salmon bento box tea meal with grapefruit iced tea at Ching Ching Cha 4. Tuna with foie gras nigiri at Kaz Sushi Bistro 5. Bittersweet chocolate ice cream with York peppermint patties blend-in at Thomas Sweet Don't be shy, Metrocurean readers! Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to share the dishes and drinks you're enjoying around town. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Of my absolute favorite flavors, ginger ranks right near the top. So I was eager to learn more about Domaine de Canton , a new ginger liqueur, at its DC launch dinner at Central this week. It's made with baby Vietnamese ginger, Cognac, ginseng, honey and Tahitian vanilla bean, the result being a sweet and distinctly spicy ginger flavor. Central bar manager Justin Guthrie and Derek Brown and Phil Greene of the Museum of the American Cocktail mixed up Domaine de Canton drinks for the dinner, showing off the liqueur's versatility. Domaine de Canton is popping up on cocktail menus at area bars, including Bourbon , EatBar , Urbana and Founding Farmers , and at liquor stores like Potomac Wine and Spirits and Chevy Chase Wine and Spirits. The bottle, above, may just be the coolest on your bar. I'll be drinking it this winter in sparkling wine. For more ideas, check out the recipes on the web site .

Cream of pumpkin soup from the new "Ducasse Made Simple by Sophie" cookbook If you haven't had the chance (or the bank) to dine at Adour , the new restaurant from Alain Ducasse at the St. Regis, check out the new cookbook " Ducasse Made Simple by Sophie ." It contains 100 recipes from the master chef, simplified for the home cook by French chef Sophie Dudemaine. The ingredients are clearly listed down the left side of each page, so you can tell at a glance just how simple each recipe is. Like this cream of pumpkin soup, reprinted with permission: Cream of Pumpkin Soup from "Ducasse Made Simple by Sophie" This is a lovely, bright fall soup. Look for small (2- to 3-pound) "sugar" pumpkin that is ideal for cooking. (The large "jack-o'-lantern" pumpkins are too tough, and have lost their sugar; some have been wax-coated for longevity. Always make sure a pumpkin is suitable for cooking.) To dress this soup up in a variety o...

Jonathan Umbel, the owner of Hook and Tackle Box in Georgetown, is pursuing plans to open a butcher shop and restaurant, reports Missy Frederick of the Washington Business Journal . The shop, probably two years away, is planned for 3249 M St. NW, on the same stretch as Hook and Tackle Box. The Mad Butcher , the concept's tentative name, would sell meat and offer a restaurant. Umbel hopes to put a big-name chef at the helm, according to the WBJ report.

An early morning fire caused significant damage to Ristorante Piccolo in Georgetown. According to a report from WTOP , the restaurant is most likely a total loss. At the recent Taste of Georgetown, the Italian restaurant, which opened in 1986, won best entree for a delicious mushroom ravioli with sage butter sauce.

Granville Moore's moules fromage bleu, with bacon, spinach and blue cheese Metrocurean reader Melina Vissat offers today's bites. 1. Grilled lamb at Cork 2. Moules fromage bleu at Granville Moore's (find the recipe here ) 3. Fried Ipswich clams at Hank's Oyster Bar 4. Vanilla milkshake at Good Stuff Eatery 5. Falafel sandwich at Levante's Don't be shy, Metrocurean readers! Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to share the dishes and drinks you're enjoying around town. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Rappahannock oysters, hot off the grill, on a chilly January night Today's story in The Washington Post on Rappahannock oysters has me in the mood for an oyster roast. The story's author, Melissa McCart , introduced me to Rappahannock River Oysters last year with an oyster gift certificate — a great foodie gift idea. I ordered 250 oysters, and they were shipped right to my front door, alive, well and ready to be roasted. Growing up in North Carolina, I lived for big winter oyster roasts. Guests huddle around a hot grill, cold beers in hand, and wait for the next batch of shellfish to pop open. As a toddler, I allegedly chowed down on those little crabs that live inside oysters, though I can't say I remember. This past January, I threw my first DC roast in the backyard (above), featuring the Rappahannock oysters. We ate a bunch raw, and tossed the rest on the grill. Never roasted oysters? It couldn't be easier. Just place the whole oysters on the grate of a hot grill...

EatBar's Gina Chersevani with Forest Flora, her porcini mushroom cocktail Are those mushrooms ... in a cocktail? Oh yes, they are. A mushroom consommé to be precise, made with Pernod and mixed with Domaine Canton and Bluecoat gin. It's a hearty, warming fall drink I got to try at a recent media dinner at Tallula . And that's just one example of the inventiveness coming out of mixologist Gina Chersevani's mind. The EatBar bar chef is kicking off a series of cocktail classes Wednesday night, starting with "Stocking the Home Bar, The Showdown: Gin vs. Vodka." The classes cost $48 per person (or $220 for all five classes), and guests are treated to cocktails and snacks created by Tallula head chef Andrew Markert. Cocktail students will also receive printed recipe cards and a jar of a housemade bar garnish to use at home. Classes run from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and include: • Oct. 29: Witches’ Brew, Contorted Concoctions • Nov. 12: Thank God for Wild Turkey, Bourbons a...

Chef Emeril Lagasse's new show, " Emeril Green ", has been filming at the Whole Foods Market in Fairfax, and the show is looking for new guests from the DC area. From the casting call: Planet Green is looking for residents in the Washington, D.C. metro area who love to cook but have a tough time making heads or tails of what's in the fridge, or are wondering how to be eco-friendly while still deep-frying a turkey. This is a chance for amateur chefs to receive cooking tips and recipes tailored specifically to their needs by America's most beloved chef—Emeril Lagasse! Discovery's new network is currently casting enthusiastic and fun people with creative and interesting cooking challenges for the all new series Emeril Green, which began airing in July. Metro D.C. residents interested in participating should email their information (name, address, age, and occupation), their culinary challenge, and a recent picture to emerilgreencasting@gmail.com. Participants mu...

Learn to make bhel puri, a traditional Indian street snack, at Indique Heights K. Vinod, chef and owner of Indique Heights , will kick off a three part, interactive cooking class series this weekend, exploring the regional cuisines of India. “Each region has distinct styles and flavors to its cuisine,” says Vinod, a native of Southern India’s Kerala state. “Just as New England has its lobster and Texas has its barbecue, each region of India offers a unique spread of incredible dishes.” The hands-on cooking classes cost $55 each, which includes a three course lunch with wine and recipe cards. The Oct. 18 class will cover Northern India, Nov. 2 explores the cooking of Southern India, and Dec. 3 delves into the street snacks of India, including mini dosas and bhel puri, pictured above. For complete class information, click here [pdf]. Classes run from noon to 3 p.m. Call the restaurant at 301.656.4822 for reservations. Indique Heights 2 Wisconsin Circle, Chevy Chase 301.656.4822

In today's edition of Five Bites, Jackie Whisman confesses she can't go an entire month without the following: 1. Shrimp cakes at Thai Tanic 2. Htipiti (red pepper and feta spread) at Zaytinya (pictured) 3. Peanut butter cookies and cream ice cream at Gifford's 4. Mini trio appetizer — two seared scallops, two mini burgers and two crab cakes — at Matchbox 5. Cheese puffs at Central Don't be shy, Metrocurean readers! Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for you to share the dishes and drinks you're enjoying around town. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com. Photo by Maxwell MacKenzie

Metrocurean's dear friends Nycci (of The List ) and David Nellis, at right, launched their food-focused radio show "Dishing It Out" last week. (Congrats!) Be sure to tune in Sundays at 11 a.m. on 1500 AM, Federal News Radio, to hear the couple gossip about new restaurants, trends and the foodie topics they can't seem to agree on. This Sunday, the show's guests will include Ris Lacoste discussing her upcoming restaurant, Ris , at 2275 L St. NW; Chris Clime, chef de cuisine at the soon-to-open PassionFish , on tailgate foods; and Greg Engert, beer director at Rustico and the upcoming Birch & Barley and ChurchKey , on Rustico's Oct. 18 Oktoberfest.

Tom Sietsema's fall dining guide in The Washington Post just went live online, and the biggest news is that Komi is elevated to four star glory, while Citronelle was docked a star for what Sietsema calls "one of the sorriest service experiences I can recall." Ouch. My favorite Chinese take-out joint gets a whopping two stars, but that's not the only "fast food" on the list. Nando's Peri-Peri , Ray's Hell-Burger and Tackle Box all get two-star shout outs. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Deli fans who bemoan the lack of great sandwich spots in the District should set their sights on Taylor Gourmet , an Italian gourmet deli and market slated to open at 1116 H St. NE this month. Owners Casey Patten and David Mazza grew up around Philadelphia, and when they moved to DC in 2003, the plan for Taylor was born after they realized there weren't any great gourmet Italian markets in the area, Patten says. (Taylor is his middle name.) The retail part of Taylor will offer meats, wine, beer, cheeses, olive oils, vinegars, pastas, fresh sauces and more. All the breads will be shipped from Philadelphia's historic Sarcone's Bakery . "If you have a deli in Philadelphia and want any kind of credibility, you use Sarcone's," Patten says. A 27-seat, counter-service restaurant will dish up sandwiches and hoagies named after streets in Philadelphia and salads named after the city's parks. Take the Race Street, for example, made with Taylor's house-roasted ...

Barton Seaver plates his dish as host José Andrés looks on at the 2007 Capital Food Fight The Capital Food Fight is one of my favorite foodie fundraisers, and this year's event, held Nov. 11 from 6 to 9 p.m., has attracted some major star wattage. Ted Allen of Food Network's "Food Detectives" will co-host the evening alongside event chair José Andrés. Judges include the Food Network’s Dave Lieberman and Chef Rock, winner on Fox’s 2007 Hell’s Kitchen. Chefs David Deshaies ( Citronelle ), Peter Smith ( PS 7’s ), Tony Conte ( The Oval Room ) and Stephen Lewandowski ( Tribeca Grill NY ) will face off to take the championship from last year’s Capital Food Fight winner Barton Seaver. While the cooking battles rage on stage, guests are treated to dishes from 50 of the best restaurants in town. Tickets are $175, and can be purchased at online here . The event is held at Ronald Reagan Building at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. In its fifth year, the Capital F...

Ellwood Thompson's Local Market , a Richmond-based organic grocery store, has officially announced that it will open in the DC USA development at 14th and Irving streets in Columbia Heights. The store wins big points in Metrocurean's book for emphasizing local products found within a 100-mile radius. Look for it to open next year in the fall or winter. Meanwhile, take a look inside the Richmond store in the following video: Ellwood Thompson's At A Glance from Ellwood Thompson's on Vimeo

Himalayan Heritage , a Nepalese and Indian restaurant, has opened its doors in Adams Morgan. The new spot replaces San Marco at 2305 18th St. NW. Check out Prince of Petworth for some interior photos.

This Saturday, I'll be faced with the gluttonous task of tasting nearly 60 dishes as I hunker down for my fourth year at the judge's table at the Taste of Georgetown . The food festival will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dishes from around 30 of the neighborhood's restaurants, including 1789 , Agraria , Baked and Wired , Hook , Mendocino Grille and Mie n Yu , will cost $5 apiece. Or buy five tickets for $20. Beer and wine tastings will also be available. Look for the party on Wisconsin Avenue, between M Street and South Street, and on the lawn of the Grace Episcopal Church at 1041 Wisconsin Ave. NW. And stop by the judge's table to say hello!

October's first five bites come from Amanda Hirsch, author of Creative DC , a blog that "showcases and inspires creative living" in DC. 1. Sizzling shrimp and garlic eggplant from City Lights of China 2. Fatteh Bel Bathenjan (eggplant and chickpeas, topped with toasted Lebanese bread, smothered with warm yogurt and sauteed pine nuts and garnished with pomegranate seeds) from Lebanese Taverna 3. Mushroom and onion pizza from La Pizzeria 4. Organic salmon and avocado hand roll at Sushi Taro 5. Lox and bagel from Bagel City Five Bites is a weekly opportunity for Metrocurean readers to share the dishes and drinks they're enjoying around town. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Bourbon Steak's porterhouse Chef Michael Mina just announced the appointment of David Varley as executive chef of Bourbon Steak , which will open in the Four Seasons in December. Varley cut his chops on the Las Vegas restaurant scene, serving as chef de cuisine at Trump International Hotel, Bradley Ogden and for Pure Management Group. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to sit down with the San Francisco-based Mina while he was in town to chat about butter-poached steak, duck fat fries and the best thing he's eaten in DC. Q: Does DC need another steakhouse? A: I can't justify it until it opens. I think when the restaurant opens people will say, "Wow, it's a great addition to DC," and that's what I'm hoping for. I wanted a restaurant that people could feel was not a special occasion restaurant. The idea for me is that one day you would come and have a salad and a steak, and another day you would come and have tuna tartare and lobster pot pie. Q: ...