curiouskitkatt

A second roll out should be a charm, or so that is what Lidl is hoping for in this expansion. Does anyone recall shopping at these stores back in 2015 when they opened in Arlington? Press_Release___2019_Store_Expansion_FINAL.pdf

Vist Bucks County partners with several local breweries to introduce the Bucks County Ale Trail Passport

AMEX had acquired reservation platform RESY, Fast Company.com

When I saw Laura Hayes say “ Why did I not know of this?” I shreaked. @Shaho posted about this last yr. Thank you for posting on Twitter. We all know we as a forum bring value , and sharing our discoveries online and linking it back to this platform is a way to spread the importance of Donrockwell.com. Tell your friends about us. Its free to join, and you never know where it may lead. I have made great friendships & have gained extraordinary insight not only on food & beverage , but so much more. Thank you to everyone who contributes ! I am grateful. I can honestly say Don is grateful as well. If one or any of our posts has helped, we all have done well. Grateful, kat

The one under $100- Hot Pot

Dynamic Partnership between Samuel Adams & Dogfish Head valued at $300 million

How does 5/26 look ? Its a 3 day weekend, so Im 100% available

I proposed a dinner back in February. Only one person mentioned they were interested. I'd be interested in as well, but for transportation challenges. it would need to take place on Sunday for me to attend, but by all means I am happy to plan it for the rest of you if you are interested in a weekday outing.

Zahav is the best restaurant in the country at the 2019 James Beard Awards!!, Eater Philly

If you make your way in toward Jersey anytime soon, I may recommend Crayola Factory in Easton. And as far as places to eat, there are some great spots in Easton Public Market, and a quaint downtown.

So I finally had the chance to swing into the Bourse, and my only suggestion is to come with friends so that you can try an array of choices from the numerous food options. I have been curious to try Lalo. Reposting from @PhillyGrub: Lalo: Neal Santos, Jillian Encarnacion and Resa Mueller, the industry veterans behind Pelago, a hospitality group specializing in Filipino-inspired restaurant pop-up events, bring the Philippines to The Bourse with Lalo, a fast-casual concept with a focus on Filipino comfort food. Named after the Tagalog words for grandmother and grandfather, Lalo is inspired by the approachable and friendly spirit of Filipino lutong bahay (Filipino home cooking). The menu will rotate seasonally, but highlights will include Inihaw and the Kamatis Salad. Lalo will also serve San Miguel beer and a selection of craft cocktails. All of the Filipino recipes are sourced from Jillian’s grandfather who sold Filipino-style BBQ sandwiches and skewers from a small cart parked right across Independence Mall for three decades. I am happy to report the dish I had from Lalo was delicious. I chose to have the Lechon Kawali, a crispy pork belly, garlic rice, tomato & pickled red onion, bagoong soy-vinaigrette with the addition of a soft boiled egg. I have not had too many Fillipino dishes, but my introduction outside of having the Lumpia Rolls at Corduroy, was a success. It makes me hungry to try more of it. The next time I go I will enlist company as to be able to sample more of the offerings. One aspect that I did notice about this particular food hall were the number of bars stalls that were present. I guess this provides an optimal location for happy hours. The space is gorgeous and located in high traffic tourist part of Philly, so I imagine it will be successful. With the re-imagined space now open for just over 6 months, I learned from one of the vendors, they are rapidly changing to meet the grab & go convenience aspect that the guests seems to be wanting. Makes sense. There are several offices nearby, so ready to go food is what is sought out. 10/10 would definitely return.

I can't help but feel validated . If its wine-in-a -can is good enough to be served by the hands of Thomas Keller, as well as Nomad, its safe to say that it has arrived. I also believe the future of beverages, all together, will be easily portable. The wave of cocktails packaged in a can is gaining momentum.

Are Mocktails Gaining Momentum in D.C.? , Laura Hays for Washington City Paper. Great read. I am not sure if it's a part of my getting older, but I enjoy a less spirited drink more often then one containing alcohol. Venturing to a place that has non-alcoholic choices is a something I look for more and more in my exploration of dining establishments. With the surge of the popularity of fermentation and kombucha drinks, as well as house made tinctures, i would think places would create more drinks that are non-alcoholic.

Andiario, has anyone been, and what are your thoughts? I have a resy to dine here on my birthday. I have heard rave reviews, but nothing widely published outside of Philly.

OMG. I had not thought of that, but that just made my day. I havent booked my stay yet, but now I will plan on being there during Woodstock. SWEET!

I will be travelling to Penn Yan, New York and am looking for recommendations for places to see and eat. Thank you in advance! Of course the more quirky, the better.

I have not had the chance to try Hattie B's but I will say I enjoyed the Horse Inn's Music City Hot Chicken. It is so good, I often order one for now, and another for later. A Martins sesame seed bun holding together the tastiness of a seriously HOT chicken thigh coated in a breading that has notes of both sweet & spicy, piled high with a creamy cabbage slaw with bits of blue cheese. It has become my favorite on the menu when it is available.

Tapas for Teachers

Press release: Peacock Cafe Owners to Open New Modern Persian Restaurant Vintage78 This Spring The new P Street eatery from brothers and co-owners Chef Maziar Farivar and Shahab Farivar will offer innovative new spins on classic dishes Washington, D.C. (April 19, 2019) -- The owners of beloved Georgetown mainstay Peacock Cafe are excited to announce the debut of their new modern Persian restaurant, Vintage78, opening this spring (2100 P Street NW). Co-owners and brothers Chef Maziar Farivar and Shahab Farivar are finally bringing the flavors of their native Iran in a first-of-its-kind in Washington Persian restaurant boasting a modern setting and a full-service wine and bar program. “After being invited to cook Norouz (Persian New Year) dinner twice at the James Beard House and having the State Department tap me to join the Diplomatic Culinary Partnership as well as the American Chef Corps certainly inspired me to finally open my own Persian restaurant,” says Chef Farivar. Vintage78 -- named for the year the brothers came to the United States -- will offer a full menu of authentic flavors, ingredients and dishes, such as dolme (stuffed vegetables), kufteh (meatballs) and a variety of khoresh, a traditional Persian-style stew served with rice. Chef Farivar will also put his own upscale spin on the standard rice-and-kabob meal, using the highest quality meats and presenting the dish with an “upside down” rice timbale featuring a golden crust saffron yogurt bottom for a bit of panache. The new restaurant’s decor will also be a mix of the traditional and the modern, with a homey, lived-in feel accented with glass, chrome and repurposed wood sourced from a turn-of-the-century house built in 1908. The 3,000-square-foot venue seats 75 guests in the dining room (including 25 in the private dining room) and about 28 guests at the bar and in the bar area. “We’ve been restaurant owners for nearly 30 years and have always wanted to open a Persian venue,” says Shahab. “So we finally decided as established owners that it was time to tap into our heritage and commit to promoting modern, innovative Persian cuisine.” Vintage78 will be open Monday-Sunday for weekday lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. For more information, visit www.vintage78dc.com. ABOUT VINTAGE78 Vintage78 is Washington, D.C.’s only modern Persian restaurant with a full-service wine and bar program. Co-owners and brothers Chef Maziar Farivar and Shahab Farivar are established restaurateurs with nearly 30 years of culinary experience in D.C. and best known for their Georgetown favorite Peacock Cafe.

Looks like someone is a fan of the return of the Voltaggio Brothers

Any updates on what Frank Ruta is working on?

Just moved to Philly? This is your food and drink bucket list by Danya Henninger via Billypen.com

New Chef's on the Block , review by Tim Ebner, Washington City Paper June 2017 Has anyone seen this?

Ekiben does it again. One of the best pop ups I have been to yet. I went to one last year that was hosted by Steven Chu's Pops, who is lovingly referred to as Poppa Chu. I attended a pop up last year that I still think about. That family can cook. On Friday I attended a collaborative pop up hosted by both Blacksauce Kitchen and Ekinen titled, "A Chicken Box, Part 2." It was not scheduled to open until 4, but I had been informed that lines started forming as early as 2:30, and I was not surprised one bit. I ended up pulling up at around 4:30, and the line was already near 30ish deep. So what did I get? I chose the BBQ ribs, shrimp potato salad, chicken fat fried rice , and to make for a sweet finish I opted for the lemongrass sticky buns. 45 minutes later, every second was worth waiting in that line. The ribs were tender and lacquered with sticky soy goodness. The shrimp potato salad was chucked with fat sweetness of the crustacean and slight unexpected heat from jalepeno. From this point forward, I may want to seek out chicken fat fried rice. I had an idea it was gonna be tasty, but damn. The schmaltz added a layer of richness that just made this fried rice so gosh darn delicious, and to guild the lily, a sprinkle of furikake was dusted all over the plump grains of rice. For the sweet finale, the lemongrass sticky buns brought it home. Just wow. I have always thought Cinnabon reigned supreme, but there is a new contender in town. I wish I had ordered a whole pan of those buns. The soft texture of the dough topped with the perfect honey caramel made this one of the best bites of the pop up. Unreal. The only unfavorable bit I can add is that I can't POP into Ekiben for a replay of all of this goodness. Not to worry, I am certain at their next pop up, they will manage to pull of another success cause they certainly are not a one hit wonder. Pop star, kat