amanda mcclements

Metrocurean is pleased to introduce this new feature, written by my friend and fellow food writer Melissa McCart of Counter Intelligence . Melissa goes behind the kitchen line to learn what's cooking at DC-area restaurants. She explores ingredients, techniques and trends embraced by the city's top chefs. Patrick Deiss heads up the bakery at 2941 Photo by Sara Poole Several bakers shaped baguettes on a huge maple table, patting and rolling dough into form with their hands. The scent of baking bread wafted from big ovens. It was 8 a.m. last Friday morning. I had found my way into the bakery at 2941, where chef Patrick Deiss welcomed me to an impromptu morning of bread baking 101. "The most gratifying, most frustrating part of bread baking is the sourdough loaf,” says Deiss, baker for 2941 under executive chef Bertrand Chemel. “It's like a marriage. You have to work at it.” Deiss was seduced by sourdough in San Francisco, during a month-long session at the San Francisco...

The first-ever Mayor’s Environmental Excellence Awards were announced today, and three restaurants got shout-outs from Mayor Adrian Fenty. Big Bear Cafe , Poste Moderne Brasserie (pictured) and Restaurant Nora all received awards from the mayor. The Fairmont and the Willard were recognized in the hotel category. The awards only skim the surface of what area restaurants are doing to be environmentally conscious, but kudos to the DC gov for pointing out great green businesses. The awards are part of the mayor’s green agenda and "an effort to incentivize growth of local green enterprises, green existing businesses and District government, and train local workforce to fill green jobs of the future," according to a release.

Art and Soul's dining room Add another taker to the family-style Sunday supper trend . Capitol Hill's Art and Soul just added a Southern-style supper on Sundays from 4 to 9 p.m. For $18 a person, you'll get the restaurant's signature fried chicken with sausage gravy, buttermilk mash and greens. For more restaurant deals, click here , and for more DC-area Sunday suppers, click here .

The City Paper 's Tim Carman says Italian chef Roberto Donna is about a week away from signing a deal to take over the old Butterfield 9 space and reviving Galileo . Washingtonian also reports that Donna is promising construction on the space will start soon. Meanwhile in restaurant musical chairs, chef Morou Ouattara is moving ahead with plans to open Kora in the space recently vacated by Donna's Bebo in Crystal City. And good news for fans of Farrah Olivia , Ouattara's current restaurant which was slated to close tomorrow: The restaurant will stick around for now while the landlord decides what's best for the space.

What: BLT Steak will host a grilling class on its outdoor patio where guests will learn to prepare such dishes as kobe flank steak, panzanella (grilled bread salad), octopus, chorizo, bronzino and grilled peaches. Who: Chef de cuisine Victor Albisu will lead the class, offering professional tips and tricks to perfect grilling. When: Saturday, May 16 from noon to 2:30 p.m. Where: BLT Steak , 1625 I Street NW Cost: $100 per person, including lunch. To make a reservation, contact Erica Frank at 202.689.8999 or Erica@bltrestaurants.com.

Nordaq markets its water as a better match for wine Nordaq photo Proving the lengths we foodies will go to to enhance our epicurean experience, a filtered water that sells itself as a better sidekick for wine will make its DC debut next week. "Acidic and harsh, or a good wine? It depends on the water." That's the claim from Nordaq Fresh , a Swedish water filtration system that removes potential wine-wrecking flavors like clay, chalk and chlorine and leaves behind salts and minerals. The company reports that leading chefs and sommeliers say the water enhances the food and wine experience. Proof will join restaurants like The French Laundry and Le Bernardin in offering Nordaq Fresh, which, if the claims are true, makes sense with its wine focus. And because the water is filtered on site and served in reusable bottles, there's an environmental benefit, too. Do you think you'll be able to tell the difference if your wine is paired with Nordaq Fresh instead of DC...

click image to zoom In case you missed last week's Earth Day-inspired Savory Style, check it out here . But as much as I love to shop, the best way to be green is following the "reduce, reuse, recycle" mantra. (Yes, this post is like penance for showing you all those cool things to buy.) This edition of Savory Style pays tribute to that all-important second 'R' — reuse. Clockwise from top left, a few of my favorite ways to reuse items in the kitchen and for entertaining. 1. You know those fancy European sodas that come in those cool bottles with the hinged top? I hoard them, and when I have people over, I fill them with filtered water and stick them in a stainless steel bucket of ice. Who knew water could be so chic? 2. I keep a mish-mash of old jars for flowers, but I love these jam jars for making vinaigrette . Just measure your ingredients into the jar — in this photo waits 1 tbsp sherry vinegar, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp coarse mustard and a pinch of salt and p...

Maryland native Shannon Overmiller, chef at The Majestic , recently received a nomination for Rising Star Chef of the Year from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington. Before assuming top toque duties at The Majestic, she worked her way up through area kitchens including Cafe Atlantico , Tosca and Restaurant Eve . Her rustic American menu includes dishes like Chesapeake Bay-style seafood stew, herb roasted game hen, and meatloaf with whipped potatoes. 1. Shrimp and grits at Acadiana 2. Hummus and Lebanese wine at Layla’s Lebanese Restaurant 3. Fish and chips at Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper 4. Pizza at A la Lucia 5. Chicken wings at Austin Grill Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong , Dani Arana , David Guas , Josh Short , Michel Richard , Haidar Karoum , Ryan Morgan

Today's Five Bites come all the way from Los Angeles, where Wen Ladringan still holds a candle for the DC dining scene and blogs at Floatin' An Air Biscuit . He was born and raised in the DC area, and he says, "Every time I go home I have to be sure to try and indulge in at least one of my favorites." 1. Curry and apple steamed mussels with Belgian frites at Brasserie Beck 2. Mamak Mee Goreng at Malaysia Kopitiam 3. Montado de salmon y queso fresco at La Tasca 4. Washington Apple with Maker's Mark at Maté 5. French Market beignets at Acadiana Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com. Stay tuned at noon for Five Bites from The Majestic's executive chef Shannon Overmiller.

The Kingston Krush, sans alcohol, from "Preggatinis" Photo courtesy Natalie Bovis-Nelsen What: Kimpton’s Hotel Madera and Firefly will host a book-signing party with mixologist Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, author of “ Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be .” There'll be hors d'oeuvres and liquor-less drinks, as well as tips on how to throw "preggo-friendly parties." Who: Bovis-Nelsen, who in a past life was a DC-based blogger, is also known as The Liquid Muse , and her new book offers 75 original drink recipes for the mom-to-be. When: Saturday, April 25 from noon to 2 p.m. Where: Firefly , 1310 New Hampshire Ave. Cost: Free! Space is limited and advance reservations are required. To make reservations, call 202.466.1306 or e-mail rsvp_dc@kimptonhotels.com. Kingston Krush As featured in the CelebriBaby section of “Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-be” by Natalie Bovis-Nelsen, The Liquid Muse 2 1/2 ounces coconut water 1 1/2 ounces açai juice 1/4 ounce li...

Oven-baked crab cakes Metrocurean photo Fellow food bloggers Foodie Tots and Arugula Files are hosting "Blog for the Bay" today to help rally District foodies to support clean water in the Chesapeake Bay and help blue crab populations. To get involved, sign the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's petition to encourage the EPA to clean up the bay here . It's a cause close to my heart, since crab cakes were revered in my house when I was growing up. When I needed to beg a favor out of my dad, “pretty please with crab cakes on top” was how I’d get my way. In honor of today's Blog for the Bay, here's a recipe, adapted from my grandmother, for oven-baked and, most importantly, bread crumb-free crab cakes. These cakes are scooped out like cookies and baked without the need for breading. This recipe makes eight large crab cakes, but you can easily make bite sized versions for hors d'oeuvres. The lemon yogurt sauce is a fresh addition, using one of my favorite multi-tas...

C'est moi, shaking Tom Brown's Truffled Amaro Flip at Proof's World Cocktail Week party last year What: This cocktail party and five-course dinner benefiting the Museum of the American Cocktail will kick off with a cocktail hour featuring passed hors d'oeuvres and five specialty cocktails created just for this event. Proof ’s executive chef Haidar Karoum will prepare a five-course tasting menu that will be paired with five additional specialty cocktails. Who: The city's top mixologists will create cocktails for the evening, including Adam Bernbach of Bar Pilar , Derek Brown of The Gibson , Tom Brown of Cork , Gina Chersevani of PS 7’s , Justin Guthrie of Blue Ridge , Owen Thomson of Bourbon , Todd Thrasher of Restaurant Eve , Chantal Tseng of Tabard Inn , Rico Wisnor of Poste , Jill Zimorski of Café Atlantico and Sebastian Zutant of Proof. When: Monday, May 11, 7 p.m. Where: Proof , 775 G St. NW Cost: $145 per person. Get 'em before they're gone by em...

A huge thank you to everyone who entered to win a copy of local food writer Monica Bhide 's great new Indian cookbook "Modern Spice," which is officially released today. Nearly 50 of you praised the glories of your favorite seasonings from salt and garlic to cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and cilantro. Monica says it was tough to choose a winner, but Eva won her over with this comment: Whenever my aunt visits from Syria, she brings with her a giant bag of Aleppo pepper and even more crushed dried mint leaves. Both are my go-to spices for just about anything. Friends rave about my salad dressing, which is a simple combination of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a sprinkling of the mint and paper, with a quick squirt of lemon juice. It's very basic, but very flavorful and I soak it up in my nightly salad. Plus, it's my mom's signature dressing -- the best type of comfort there is. Congrats to Eva! Please send a mailing address to metrocurean At gmail Dot com and your...

The City Paper 's Tim Carman got his hands on a tasty little packet of info that all but confirms one of the hottest restaurant rumors going: Michel Richard will take over the old Maestro space in the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner. Read his scoop here .

Embedded video from CNN Video FreshFarm Markets gets some nice national ink here on CNN.com .

click image to zoom In honor of Earth Day this Wednesday, Savory Style takes a look at some stylish and eco-friendly items for your home. 1. These gorgeous carafes are made using recycled glass in a furnace powered by wind energy. Off Pitcher , Branchhome.com , $168 2. A spork. Made from organically grown bamboo. Damn cute. Bambu sporks , Greater Goods (1626 U St. NW) , $2.50 apiece 3. I adore the smell of the basil blue sage Caldrea cleaning products, made from plant-based ingredients and essential oils. A little kitchen luxury that makes doing the dishes almost enjoyable. Caldrea Basil Blue Sage dish soap and hand soap, Home Rule (1807 14th St. NW), $9-$12.50 4. Made from renewable and recyclable materials, this wine rack holds up to six standard wine bottles and collapses flat. Six pack wine rack , Elsewares.com , $40 5. The Green Glass Company takes bottles headed for the landfill and turns them into funky glassware. Boylan's and Rolling Rock glasses, Go Mama Go (1809 14th...

Art and Soul executive chef Ryan Morgan, who was born and raised in the Chesapeake Bay area, was tapped by two-time James Beard award winning chef Art Smith to helm the restaurant, which opened in September. He shares his Five Bites here. 1. No. 15 with a side of meatballs at Pho 75 2. Crabs at the Quarterdeck 3. Margaritas at Ceiba 4. Chips and salsa at Guajillo 5. “The Balboa” sandwich (tomato sauce, Genoa salami, hickory ham, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese and onions) at Lost Dog Cafe Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong , Dani Arana , David Guas , Josh Short , Michel Richard , Haidar Karoum

Today's bites are from Rebecca McLean, a recently converted vegetarian who manages special events and recruiting for a law firm. She also teaches spinning classes to burn off all those calories. 1. Roasted root vegetable gratin with crispy risotto croquettes at Vegetate 2. Crispy potato skins (comes with a side of creamy bacon dip) at Bobby Van's Grill 3. House-smoked tofu shepherd's pie with a bucket of chips at CommonWealth 4. Tofu lettuce wraps at Sticky Rice 5. Deluxe wrap (vegetarians can hold the chicken) with avocado vinaigrette at Chix Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com. Stay tuned at noon for Five Bites from Art and Soul chef Ryan Morgan.

Outstanding in the Field's dinner last fall on the banks of the Potomac Metrocurean photo You've probably heard of Outstanding in the Field by now. It's like a traveling culinary carnival, led by cowboy-hatted epicurean evangelist Jim Denevan, that rolls from farm field to field in a sleek 1953 bus. With the help of a local chef and farmer, the group hosts elaborate outdoor dinners in scenic spots across the country. The mission: connect diners to the land and the source of their food. I attended their first DC-area dinner last fall (read my account of the dinner in this Washington Post story ), and it was a pretty magical evening. Set in a grassy cedar grove on the banks of the Potomac, the multi-course dinner featured seafood from host Dragon Creek Aqua Farm, prepared by Anthony Chittum and a team from the Neighborhood Restaurant Group. The bus rolls back this fall with three farm dinners, all set on Ayrshire Farm in Upperville, Va.: • Sept. 5 with Ayrshire farm chefs...

Zola is channeling H&R Block this tax day - do your taxes at the bar and the restaurant will mail 'em. Photo by Teresa Peyri In case you haven't looked at your calendar, it's April 15 and your taxes are due. The good news? Local restaurants jump at the chance to take the edge off with drinks and deals ... and even tax filing. Yes, Zola will actually mail your taxes, paying for the postage, if you complete your forms at Zola’s bar by 11 p.m. They're even providing IRS forms, pencils, envelopes and calculators. The restaurant is also serving a three-course lunch for $20.15 and dinner for $35.15, exclusively at the bar. 2941 has you covered with a trio of drinks priced at $10.40. (Get it?) Sip the Ides of April, made with infused orange cranberry vodka, Cointreau and cranberry juice, the Auditini, a mix of vodka, Godiva dark chocolate and Godiva white chocolate, or a lighter Taxation Libation of Hendrick’s Gin, freshly cut cucumber and tonic water on the rocks. Avoid...

After welcoming a celebrity crowd during the inauguration in January, the Donovan House's restaurant Cha , originally pitched as a Todd English property, has stretched its "soft opening" into April. There's not even a sign outside. Something didn't seem quite right. Then I got a few emails suggesting English had pulled out. When I called the celebrity chef's headquarters about a month ago, a woman who answered the phone said Cha was still a Todd English restaurant and directed further questions to Cha's number. Now, Zagat Buzz is reporting that plans have changed, English is out, and chef Susur Lee of the same hotel group 's Shang restaurant in Manhattan will likely take over. A spokesperson for English confirmed to Metrocurean that he is no longer involved with Cha. During a trip to New York in February, I dined at Shang, where the host greeted us not with a hello but with a full-fledged diatribe about that morning's review in The New York Tim...

Metrocurean is pleased to offer a little contest this week to give away a copy of local food writer Monica Bhide 's fabulous new Indian cookbook "Modern Spice." The cookbook, with mouthwatering pomegranate shrimp on the cover and a foreward by Mark Bittman, dispels myths about Indian cuisine being all about the curry and introduces readers to modern recipes like paneer and fig pizza and salmon with kumquat chutney. There's also a fabulous chapter on cocktails, including Guava Bellinis, a Tamarita, a tamarind spin on the margarita, and Rum and Roses, using Rooh Afza rose syrup. I've always loved Monica's engaging personal essays, which readers will find sprinkled among the recipes. An engineer turned food writer, Monica was born in New Delhi, raised in the Middle East and now lives in the DC area. To enter to win a copy of Monica's book, leave a comment below and tell us about your favorite spice — Indian or not — and how you use it. Monica will choose a ...

click image to zoom My outdoor table has been scrubbed clean after a long winter (and too many roosting birds) and I'm ready to take dinner al fresco. These durable melamine plates by French Bull — perfect for outdoor entertaining— caught my eye. There's a very cool art deco-meets-Mediterranean vibe about the patterns. 1. Regal 15.5-inch round platter , $25 2. Regal 8-inch plate , $8 3. Regal 11-inch plate , $11 Savory Style is a new occasional weekend feature highlighting great style and cool products for your kitchen, tabletop and home.

This week's edition of Chef Five Bites, though he says five ain't fair, comes from Haidar Karoum, executive chef at one of my all-time favorite spots in the city, Proof . 1. Large bowl of #1 pho (tripe, rare eye of round, brisket, soft tendon and flank) with a side of scallions in oil, meatballs and soft tendon at Pho 75 2. Roasted chicken at Palena — "Probably my favorite restaurant in the country." 3. Otoro from Koji Terano at Sushi-Ko 4. Pizza puttanesca at 2 Amys 5. Banh mi #1 with the works at Song Que in the Eden Center Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong , Dani Arana , David Guas , Josh Short , Michel Richard

Sunset over Penn Quarter Photo courtesy Penn Quarter Living The three guys at Penn Quarter Living — known on the blog as Columbo, gpliving and pqresident — offer up some of their favorite neighborhood bites with bonus drink pairings. 1. Arancine risotto balls with King Estate, Domaine Pinot Gris at PS 7's or ensalada de chayote (squash salad) with Cielo Añejo tequila at Oyamel 2. Toulouse sausage special with La Bastide Saint Dominique Châteauneuf-du-Pape at Bistro D’Oc 3. Pad See Ew with a Capitol GT (lemon ginger ice tea) at Asia Nine 4. Sweetie roll with Asahi beer at Momiji 5. Peanut butter pie with coffee and a tawny port at Clyde’s of Gallery Place Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com. Stay tuned at noon for Five Bites from Haidar Karoum, execu...

Yin and Yang, two new custom blended wines for Oya and Sei When it comes to wine, Andrew Stover, the sommelier and wine marketing director for Oya and Sei , is a DIY kind of guy. When he finds a lesser-known wine he likes that he can't get in DC, he jumps through the government bureaucracy hoops and imports it himself. And when he decided Oya should have custom house wines to pair with its Asian cuisine, he headed to three vineyards to create a line himself. The result is a trio of wines: Yin, Yang and the forthcoming YinYang. The first two are available by the glass and bottle at Oya and Sei, while YinYang will only be poured at Oya. You can also pick up a bottle of Yin at Cowgirl Creamery at 919 F St. NW. Stover worked with Stuart Cellars in Temecula, Calif., to create Yin, a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Merlot. “We literally used test tubes and beakers to create the final blend from lots of different varietal wines,” says Stover. For Yang, available thi...

As I tweeted on Monday, the much-buzzed about restaurant in the new W Hotel , helmed by mega-star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten (pictured), will be a J&G Steakhouse . Which is great, because I was just thinking that this city could really use a steakhouse. I kid. But don't get me wrong. I'm sure it will be beautiful, the steaks delicious, the creamed spinach top-notch, and I will eat there. But if there's still time, can we trade you for a Spice Market , Jean-Georges? It just seems that celebrity chefs keep tossing us red meat like we're caged lions, despite the fact that DC shed its steakhouse town reputation long ago. Charlie Palmer brought us Charlie Palmer Steak , Laurent Tourondel gave us BLT Steak , Michael Mina entered the fray in December with Bourbon Steak , and now we're poised to receive Vongerichten's second J&G Steakhouse (the first is in Arizona). We're not alone. In a blog post titled " Why the steakhouse trend passed by San F...

Lia's , the Chevy Chase Italian spot that's part of the Chef Geoff's family , offers a special "twilight delight" menu for $19.95 daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Guests can choose any soup or salad to start, any pasta, pizza, risotto, mussels, chicken or salmon as a main course, and any dessert. Combine that with half-price wine on Sundays, and you have yourself quite a bargain.

This just in: Teddy Folkman, the chef at Granville Moore's , will be one of 10 contestants for the fifth season of "The Next Food Network Star," premiering June 7. You may remember that this won't be Folkman's first Food Network appearance. He handily beat Bobby Flay when the superstar chef challenged Folkman to a mussel cook-off on "Throwdown with Bobby Flay." Folkman's previous relationship with Flay could be a blessing or a curse — Flay will lead the selection committee that decides the contestants' fate. Hope he's not bitter about that mussel battle.

I was blissfully unplugged over the weekend, so here's a look at some news I missed: Pastry chef David Guas, whose Five Bites ran last week, has found a home for his long-planned Bayou Bakery . He's partnering with the owners of the Liberty Tavern and taking over the space at 3211 Wilson Blvd., now home to Murky Coffee , to open the bakery this summer. A native New Orleanian with Cuban heritage, Guas is planning a menu of sweets like beignets, pralines and cakes, along with savories like soups and salads. When Murky Coffee closes to make way for Bayou Bakery, Murky owner Nick Cho will take his coffee operation to Chinatown. Wrecking Ball Coffee will open at 475 H St. NW, according to the City Paper 's City Desk . Also from the City Paper , Tim Carman is reporting that the owners of Teatro Goldoni have a second spot in the works near 19th and I streets.

I guess this is technically the third pastry chef in a row for Chef Five Bites , considering Michel Richard got his start at a patisserie in France at the tender age of 14. Of course, Richard is now known for his great successes at Citronelle and the bustling Central . Here's a look at what the James Beard award-winning chef dines on around town. 1. Côte de boeuf at Et Voila! 2. Ravioles du Royan, mini herb raviolis with Swiss gruyère, at Bistrot du Coin 3. Steamed mussels with white wine, garlic and parsley at Brasserie Beck 4. Ramen noodles at Raku in Bethesda 5. Oysters at Kinkead's Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong , Dani Arana , David Guas , Josh Short

Five Bites takes on a new schedule today, with a reader submission posting in the morning, followed by Chef Five Bites at noon. Fellow food writer and blogger Scott Reitz is up first today. His new(ish) blog District Plates delves into the recipe process with some delicious results. Here are his Five Bites. 1. Lamb ragu with Parmigiana Reggiano at Inox (pictured) 2. Chicken confit salad at Restaurant Eve 's Lickety Split lunch 3. Portabella mushroom sandwich at The Majestic 4. Chicken liver pâté at Palena 's cafe 5. Lamb Kapama at Vaso's Kitchen Check back at noon for five favorites from Michel Ricard. Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

Whether a sign of tough economic times, diners' increasing preference for informality or a combination of both, the luxurious Le Paradou will close at the end of April after five years in business. Co-owner Mike Klein cites the economy and the restaurant's reputation as a special occasion spot for the closing. If you'd like to dine under the enchanting starry ceiling and taste chef Yannick Cam's sophisticated French cuisine one last time, better get your reservations now. Cam's velvety boudin blanc remains one of the best dishes I've ever tasted.

Another sweets savant, Josh Short, offers up today's Chef Five Bites. Short, who just received a Rammy nomination for pastry chef of the year, whips up the delicious goods at Buzz in Alexandria and makes desserts for the Neighborhood Restaurant Group's properties — Vermilion , Tallula , EatBar , Evening Star Cafe and Rustico . 1. Lobster roll from Hank's Oyster Bar in Dupont 2. Sirloin burger at Westend Bistro 3. Moules marinieres with fries and homemade mayo at Bistrot du Coin 4. Over the hedge pizza at Pete's Apizza 5. Champagne Sundays at the Mayflower Previous Chef Five Bites: Cathal Armstrong , Dani Arana , David Guas Five Bites is a place for Metrocurean readers — and now DC's top chefs — to share all the delicious things they've been eating and drinking. E-mail five of your favorites and whether you'd like your name and a picture included to metrocurean AT gmail DOT com.

It's day three of Chef Five Bites, and one of DC's top pastry pros weighs in with his favorites. David Guas, at right, is the chef and owner of DamGoodSweet Consulting and a New Orleans native. Check out some of his delicious recipes here . 1. Sit at the bar at Restaurant Eve and order anything, it doesn't matter! Great service, wine and the food is top notch. 2. A burger made from house-ground skirt steak for lunch at The Liberty Tavern 3. Duck glazed with cane syrup and pepper jelly with collards and dirty rice — Sends me right back home! — at Acadiana 4. Salads and anything I order for dinner, like the hanger steak with frites, at Leopold's Kafe 5. Hands down the best mussels and beer selection in the entire city at Brasserie Beck For this inaugural week of Chef Five Bites, Metrocurean is bringing you a chef's list each and every day. Then, every Friday for the next few months, you can look for Metrocurean's regularly scheduled reader Five Bite...

As I mentioned yesterday , the elegant Taberna del Alabardero , pictured above, is marking a major milestone — 20 years in business. To help celebrate, throughout April the Spanish restaurant is offering more than 100 wines from its award-winning list, regularly priced at $55 or above, at retail cost. That means bottles are slashed by $40 to $340.