What's Happening In Washington, DC: June 8, 2015
Filipino food is hot, hot, hot in D.C. and diners are open to new Peruvian cuisine experiences beyond standard rotisserie chicken menus. Savvy restaurateurs are offering guests special dinners that include a chance to pair each dish with a choice of beer or wine and thus are expanding our horizons. Nothing creates as much buzz or argument as the art of grilling, which is why TV shows, cookbooks, and grilling-centric dinners are all the rage. Just remember to include Dad in all the fun.
The Black Olive Restaurant Hosts Italian Wine Dinner
This Thursday, June 11, from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m., The Black Olive restaurant is hosting a four-course Italian wine dinner that celebrates the wines of Tuscany paired with organic food from Greece. It's sponsored by Wilson Daniels Importers and features the incomparable wines of Tenuta Sette Cieli in Tuscany. The menu includes juicy Greek-style grilled lamb chops, a selection of Greek sheep's milk cheeses, and a decadent chocolate cake, all for the price of $65 per person, not including tax and gratuity. Reservations can be made by calling the restaurant at (410) 276-7141. Opa!
City Perch Beer vs. Wine Dinner
City Perch Kitchen + Bar, the latest addition to Pike & Rose in Bethesda, is hosting their first Beer vs. Wine Dinner on Friday, June 12 at 5:30 p.m. This interactive, four-course dining and pairing competition is designed to settle the debate of beer vs. wine with food. Before each course, executive chef Matt Baker will introduce the dish and then reps from Elk Run Vineyard and Winery and Flying Dog Brewery will share why they think their drink is the better pairing. Guests vote for the best pairing by placing a cap or cork into a bucket and the wine or beer with the most votes wins. The price is $70 per person and reservations may be made by email.
Derek Brown Celebrates Boozy App Launch
On June 14, from 3 to 5 p.m., cocktail maven, boozeman, and sherry devotee Derek Brown is opening the doors to Eat The Rich, Southern Efficiency, and Mockingbird Hill, his popular joints in Shaw. He is helping celebrate the exclusive D.C. launch of Boozy, a new iPhone app designed to help you find the best drinks, happy hour specials, and meal deals. Each location will feature $7 cocktails made with local spirits, $1 oysters, and $5 local wine and beer deals when you download the app, plus the first 60 people who show they've downloaded the app get their first drink gratis.
Kalye Filipino Pop-up Debuts at EatsPlace DC
Just in time for Philippines Independence Day, Kalye is the latest food concept being featured at D.C. culinary incubator, EatsPlace in Petworth. The pop-up is being featured Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13 from 6 to 11 p.m. In addition to Filipino staples like barbecued pork shoulder seasoned with soy, fennel seed, and star anise, there are dishes for the more adventurous such as Walkman, a dish of slowly simmered pig ears and snout, but you may also try boiled fertilized duck egg and sous vide chicken feet. Make your reservations here.
Ocopa Hosts Six-Course Peruvian Tasting Menu
So many fantastic foods (think 4,000 types of potatoes) come from Peru, you'd be crazy not to dine with Peruvian chef Carlos Delgado at Ocopa on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30 p.m. Chef Delgado will host a six-course meal featuring unknown foods of Peru served with pisco and wine for $100 per person, or for $131 you may dine with at the Chef's Counter and get up close and personal with the chef. Buy your tickets in advance here.
Smithsonian Associates Hosts Dinner with Chef David Guas: A Grilling Experience
If your dad fancies himself a real grill master but his culinary repertoire could use some help, consider giving him dinner with local celebrity chef David Guas for Father's Day. The big event is being held on Wednesday, June 24 at the Old Naval Hospital and will include a cookbook signing of David's latest book, GRILL NATION: 200 Surefire Recipes, Tips, and Techniques to Grill Like a Pro (Oxmoor House, 2015). David Guas is owner of two of Bayou Bakery locations and is the host of the popular cooking show, "American Grilled," which airs on Travel Channel. A consummate storyteller, Guas will share tips, tales, and a behind-the-scenes peak of his TV show. Copies of his book may be ordered here.
Summer Whitford is the D.C. City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal and the DC Wine Examiner. You can follow her on Twitter @FoodandWineDiva.