Eataly Closes in on a Space!

Washington's relationship with Eataly has been a roller coaster ride.  Back in July, we reported that Eataly was coming to town.  September brought us the news that it wasn't - that proprietor Mario Batali simply couldn't find the right space.  Well, we're back with more news now: Eataly still wants to come to DC and has narrowed the search to three or four locations.

We don't have info on where these locations are - just that they are in the District proper - but we do know that Batali has upped his request to sixty thousand square feet.  New York's gargantuan establishment is only 42,500 square feet (plus the 4,500 square foot beer garden).  DC's Eataly could well eclipse New York's in size and potentially popularity, given the response we've already seen to the idea.

Jonathan O'Connell at Washington Post's Capitol Business has the full story here, which reports that we can expect Batali to choose between the locations in the next sixty days.  We'll be keeping an eye out around here for Batali and crew.

New Year's Eve in Washington, D.C.

With all there is to do for the holidays, New Year's Eve plans usually fall to the bottom of the barrel.   But it's time to start thinking about it before things sell out!  We know, for example, that the party at Church Key is sold out.

We thought it'd be helpful if we compiled a list of parties in the area for you to choose from for New Year's Eve.  If you know of others, please leave them in the comments section!  Here is what we have come up with:

- The Downtown Countdown.  The classic huge party being held this year at the Washington Hilton.  More details here.

- New Year's Eve at George.  A younger crowd in a fairly small space - but being around the young keeps you young.  Go party at George.  More details here.

- Make the trek to National Harbor for the largest party at the Gaylord Hotel featuring 15 party areas, 5 dance floors, live bands, and DJs.  More details here.

- You're going to dress up and pretend to be James Bond anyway, so you might as well go to Washington Plaza Hotel's 007 Party.  More details here.

- James Bond isn't cool anymore and you want to pretend to be a member of the Mad Men cast?  Fine.  Go to Hudson.  Details here.

- Most convenient is the pricey (starting at $195) party at the Newseum.  the party will feature food by Wolfgang Puck and music by Round Midnight and DJ Scientific Beats.   You can also stroll through all the exhibits.  Details here. 

- The rooftop of the W is sure to be fun, albeit crowded, and even more expensive ($200).  Details on that event are available here.

- Lower key events include the party at Public in Dupont Circle.  Open bar only lasts from 10:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m., with happy hour prices before that.  But tickets are only $80.  More details here.

- The classic event at the Kennedy Center, featuring guitarist Pepe Romero and the National Symphony Orchestra followed by dancing and a balloon drop.  More details here.


Don't forget your drinking vitamins, patches, drinkin' mate, and hangover cures.  You'll thank us later.


Happy New Year's!

Restaurant Week

The details on DC's restaurant week have been released.  Two things you need to know:
1.  Restaurant week is now January 9-15, not the week after as they had indicated earlier (though, as you may recall, many extend the discount to the week after anyway)
2.  All of the participating restaurants (and reservation links) are available here.

Get booking!

Free Dinner at Graffiato

Want to win free dinner for 2 at Graffiato?

To enter, book a reservation for two at Graffiato for any future date on CityEats.com (remember, that's now the only place you can book online reservations for Graffiato).  Include "Gratis Graffiato" in the special request field of your reservation.  You'll automatically be entered into a drawing and Graffiato might pick up your bill.  Graffiato will be selecting one winner per day.

Free prosecco on draft is never a bad thing... until the next morning.

Plans for the Mass Court Restaurant Fall Through

Sad news, Mass Courtians: plans for the Italian restaurant Caldo, which we reported on back in October, seem to have fallen through.

The folks over at the great MV Triangle Blog have the full story.  In short: they just couldn't get everything done in the time frame they wanted to get it done in.  Chef Alfio still plans to open his other restaurant in just four weeks: Zuppa Fresca, in the Loree Grand Building in NOMA over at 3rd and K NE.

Niceties for Nachos

Tomorrow (Thursday) from 11a-2p, Austin Grill will be hosting a toy drive for Dreams for Kids' Holiday for Hope - which is the largest toy drive in the United States.  If you bring in an unwrapped toy or make a donation, you'll receive one free appetizer!  Doing good can taste good too...

Grand Trunk: ALSO open 24/7!

Much has been made of The Hamilton being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (for the record, they'll be closed on Christmas Day, though).

Well, Penn Quarter is going to be graced with two 24/7 restaurants come this winter:  Grand Trunk, the "South Asian American fast food" restaurant at 7th and Indiana announces "THAT'S RIGHT FOLKS, WE NEVER CLOSE!"  


Grand Trunk is expected to open later this winter.

The Hamilton Gets Ready to Open

Long-awaited 24-hour restaurant and live music venue The Hamilton has indicated it will open on Sunday, December 18th.  The Washingtonian got an early look yesterday - you can check out their slideshow here.

It's apparent that the 37,000 square foot restaurant is from the Clyde's Restaurant Group, borrowing some design elements from Clyde's and Old Ebbitt Grill.  The Hamilton has an avian flare, with authentic Audubon paintings from Chicago's Field Museum, among other interesting touches.

The website is still not all the way there yet, but there's a lot more to see.  The menus will be posted here shortly.  More importantly, The Hamilton has already booked live music.  Check out their schedule, and if anything catches your eye you can buy tickets here.

The staff (300 members strong!) is busy training now.  We're looking forward to checking it out once it opens.  OpenTable shows the first reservations as Tuesday, December 20th, but we have to imagine the first day or so is a "soft opening" and not booked solid, particularly since the restaurant seats eight hundred people!

(UPDATED 12/8 to reflect the opening getting pushed back from December 15th to December 18th)

Winter Restaurant Week

The dates for Winter Restaurant Week have been announced - January 9-15, 2012.

Penn Quarter houses many of the hottest reservations, and though participating restaurants haven't been announced yet (they'll be announced here), might we suggest squatting on something on OpenTable if you're absolutely dying to try it at a discount?

UPDATED 12/9 to reflect the new dates.

Del Frisco's Grille Coming to Penn Quarter

A new restaurant has set its sights on Penn Quarter - Del Frisco's Grille, which will take the old Les Halles space at 12th and Pennsylvania.  The concept is a bit more casual and about half the size of the Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse you may already be familiar with.  The chain is relatively new (New York got the first one back in August, and Dallas quickly followed) but the menu reveals most of your old standbys, with a few standouts like ahi tuna tacos, clam flatbreads, and veal meatloaf.  The steakhouse will of course be offering several cuts of meat as well.

The idea for each Del Frisco's Grille is to be "wine-centric," according to Del Frisco's Restaurant Group's CEO Mark Mednansky.  Indeed - the New York location offers 700 wines.  Cheers!

The restaurant hopes to be open by next summer, and we'll be keeping an eye on it.

Minibar for New Year's Eve

No New Year's Eve plans yet?  Still haven't gotten that coveted reservation at minibar?  If you and five friends are each willing to pony up $350 (or more), we might be able to help.

Head on over to eBay, where Jose Andres is auctioning off all six seats at the table on December 31st.  You and five pals will ring in the New Year in style starting at 8:30p - if you can front the cash.  Bidding starts at $2012.00, and one lucky soul (who obviously got their Christmas bonus a bit early this year) has already opened the bidding.

Six seats at minibar usually run $900 total (not including alcohol, tax or tip), but the listing promises "special touches unique to New Year's Eve."  While we appreciate that Andres is donating any amount above the $2012 listing to DC Central Kitchen, by our math, that means Andres owes you and your guests $1100 of these special New Year's treats.  Here's the kicker - we know it's not alcohol, since Andres explicitly notes  that "an extensive wine and cocktail list is available as an additional purchase."

The auction ends December 9th at 10:58a.

UPDATE: The reservation for six went for $2,037.00.

Presented without comment: Minibar gets $337.50 a head ($2012.00 total) to serve New Years dinner (with no drinks, so unless it's a teetotaling New Years celebration, likely much more); DC Central Kitchen, which is listed as benefiting from the evening gets $25.

At the Market

It's a beautiful day for the Penn Quarter FRESHFARM Market.

As always, the market is open from 3-7p today.

You can check out the vendor map here to see who's selling today.

We'll point out that Anchor Nursery, out of Galena, Maryland, has seasonal wreaths, swag and pine roping.  Also in attendance is Red Apron Butchery, which was just nominated for the "Good Food Awards" for their Creme de Cochon.

Additionally, teens from the New Community for Children will be on hand, selling herbal soaps, lotion bars & salt scrubs (all handmade by the teens).  Proceeds will benefit the New Community for Children and City Blossoms, an urban gardening organization for children.

Happy Birthday, Madame Tussaud

Madame Tussaud would have turned 250 today - and the folks at her eponymous museum want you to celebrate with her.

Today, you can tour the museum for only $13 (usually $21) -- and on the odd chance today is your birthday, you'll get in for free.

One sculpture you won't see at the museum itself is William Shakespeare -- but he's not far.  As of yesterday, the old bard is keeping watch over Sidney Harman Hall in celebration of another event - the Shakespeare Theatre Company's 25th season.