Potomac’s Flaps Closes After 23 Years; Le Pain Opens

IN THE NEWS: ConnectionNewspapers.com’s Potomac Almanac reports the scheduled Oct. 30 closing of Flaps Restaurant after 23 years in Potomac. … The Washington Times’s Corinna Lothar reviews Proof (775 G St. NW, 202/737-7663). washingtontimes.com … Washington Times’s Tim Carman reviews Hong Kong Palace (6387 E. Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, 703-532-0940). washingtontimes.com … Washingtonian.com’s Erin [...]

‘Gourmet’ Lauds Eve, CityZen, Inn at Little Washington

Gourmet magazine’s October 2007 issue features a guide to “America’s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurants.” gourmet.com:
RESTAURANTS WITH FARM CONNECTIONS: 2nd Street Bistro, Livingston, MT; Amherst Chinese Food, Amherst, MA; Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN; Crook’s Corner, Chapel Hill, NC; Eve, Alexandria, VA; La Provence, Lacombe, LA; Lantern, Chapel Hill, NC; Pacific’O and I’o, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii; Tree House [...]

FarrahOlivia Chef to Compete on ‘Iron Chef’

IN THE NEWS: Food Network’s new show “The Next Iron Chef” kicks off at 9 pm EST/PDT Sunday, Oct. 7 as eight chefs compete from across the country compete to join the ranks of legendary Iron Chefs Bobby Flay, Cat Cora, and Mario Batali. The eight competitors: Aaron Sanchez, chef-owner, Paladar and Centrico, New York; [...]

Matchbox to Strike Up Another Location

IN THE NEWS: Metrocurean.com reports that Matchbox plans to open a second restaurant on Barracks Row in a former vending warehouse sometime next year. … Blogger Counter Intelligence reports on the expected early November opening of Vinoteca (1940 11th Street NW) in the former La Casona spot. melissamccart.wordpress.com … The Washington Post’s Walter Nicholls looks [...]

Kinkead’s Colvin Run Tavern Closes

IN THE NEWS: Metrocurean.com notes the recent closings of chef Bob Kinkead’s (also of downtown’s Kinkead’s) Colvin Run Tavern (on Sept. 1), The Fractured Prune in Dupont Circle (which will relocate to 39-A Maryland Ave. in Rockville), and Yin Yankee in Bethesda … The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema gives one and a half stars to [...]

Hudson, Cork Wine Bar Set Openings

IN THE NEWS: Metrocurean.com reports that Cork Wine Bar is set to replace the recently shuttered Sparky’s on 14th Street about the end of the year, and Hudson is slated to open in the former David Greggory space at 2030 M St. NW in late September. … Prince George’s County native Athena Ware Hernandez, her [...]

Post Dining Critic Lands National Award

IN THE NEWS: Best newspaper restaurant criticism first place award winner Gail Shepherd of New Times Broward/Palm Beach, runner-up Tom Sietsema of The Washington Post, and third place winner Besha Rodell of Creative Loafing in Atlanta have been honored by The Association of Food Journalists in its 2007 awards competition. They received their awards Aug. [...]

Grapeseed to More Than Double Size

IN THE NEWS: The Washington Post’s Candy Sagon gives two and half stars in reviewing American Flatbread Kitchen (43170 Southern Walk Plaza, Ashburn, VA.). … Tom Sietsema has a first bite at Rock Creek at Mazza (5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW) and reports that the chef/owner of Grapeseed (4865 Cordell Ave., Bethesda) expects to start work [...]

‘Bon Appetit’ Spotlights Komi’s Recipes

Bon Appetit magazine’s September 2007 Restaurant issue features three finalists in a list of quintessential versions of six American classics: pizza, steak, tacos, hamburgers, fried chicken, and ribs. Winner will be announced on the Food Network on Aug. 18 (Good Eats with Alton Brown, 6 and 10 pm CDT). The finalists:
PIZZA: Pizzeria Bianco, Phoenix; DiFara [...]

Revamped Spezie Attracts Ex-Tosca Chef

IN THE NEWS: The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema gives two stars to Las Canteras (2307 18th St. NW, Washington, DC) and has a first bite at Station 9 (1438 U St. NW), while Walter Nicholls talks crabs with chef Andrew Evans of the Inn at Easton in Easton, Md. … Sietsema reports, “When it reopens [...]