Image: Vivian Cherry, Lower East Side (1953).
This week in D.C. dining news, lots of little tidbits. On our website, we added a new spot and checked in on a neighborhood favorite. Finally, we have an assignment for journalists covering the dining world. So read on for our week in review!
Updates to Recommended Restaurant List
Added:
The Duck and The Peach – The spot that pretends to be just a neighborhood spot, but is actually worth a trip across town for.
Revisited:
Banana Leaves – The spot that is a great neighborhood spot in Dupont.
News
The good news first. Nazca Mochica, the great Peruvian spot on P that was forced to close posted a reply to an old Facebook post we had done about them. The reply said they are looking to come back. Following the links back, it appears they have been selling Lomo Saltado sauce and maybe doing a few other gigs to tide over. We wish them well and hope to visit them soon. Hopefully they will be closer than Seasonal Pantry.
The Washingtonian Best of 2021 is up online. It is really a tribute to local businesses.
Washington City Paper did a review of local wine clubs. We love many of these places, but would add that Cork and Fork does a great job too, with variable prices and amounts per month and extra online content with those in the wine community. If you are a wine drinker, consider supporting a place.
Apparently the D.C. media community has agreed to take shifts covering Le Diplomate to ensure that if anything happens at least one – if not more – people with press credentials will be able to provide immediate coverage.
The RAMMYs were last weekend. Congrats to the many winners and nominees. We applaud the adjusted categories that fit the crazy times.
Eater had the story that Jaleo Chrystal City is shutting down. This sounds like a tactical retreat (like the shutdown in Bethesda made way for the Spanish Diner), but as Gabe Hiatt notes, it means we are back to just the original flagship location in Chinatown.
The remnants of what used to be Ari’s empire are collapsing. La Puerta Verde and Dock FC announced they are closing up shop this week. Flagship Acqua al 2 closed last year. Via Ghibellina appears to be the last spot standing in the District.
There is a small-scale producer making watches with food themes. It sounds hokey, but they look pretty cool.
From the bright to the grim: Grubsteet has a story on a bartender that decided to become a mortician during the shutdown.
Finally, in the role of assignment desk for journalists covering the food world (maybe you can divide this one up over a meal at Le Diplomate), we would like someone to explain the economics of investing in restaurants. There are a slew of places about to open. There are a bunch of great places that are struggling. Why is it that it is easier to get money for something new than something already up and running? Is it the taxes? The debt structure? The perception of sunk costs? The vanity of having your own project?
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On the twitters a local meteorologist said no more 90 degrees days for 6 months. We are not so confident that there is not a sucker punch day or two still out there, but, in any case, get out and enjoy the weather. Perhaps with some dining outdoors on a nice evening! We of course can help you find a great place to dine in D.C. Our guide has 300 plus recommended restaurants that you can sort by cuisine, neighborhood, and current operating status (dine-in and/or take-out, etc.) in either LIST or MAP format.
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Stay safe. Be kind. Get the jab, bring proof and a mask. Tip big.