By: Becca

It’s not very often I take free brunches for this blog. I like to be stealthy with my reviewing—snap quickly, judge harshly, and exit swiftly—without making my presence known. I’ve even been known to lie to servers. Upon predictably being asked “Why the massive camera?” I quip back, “Assignment for a photography class.”

But when the great PR champ Jill Collins calls, I cannot resist her charms. Even if she’s luring me to a restaurant that Cori Sue previously had dismissed. It was Jill’s birthday, after all, and so we must celebrate by being spoiled at her favorite restaurant, by everyone—especially its new chef, Aaron McCloud.

Spoiled we were. This review is clearly not unbiased, as we were given the royal PR treatment in Cedar. We got the Cedar-encyclopedic waitress and were checked on frequently by one of the managers. A water glass never went half-full. Having provided that preface, the Mizzou J-school grad inside me prevents me from calling this a review. And so I will simply tell you about my experience.

Cedar is tiny. Jill tried to warn us of this by saying it’s “like a New York restaurant,” where you walk downstairs, underground, to a small room with a few tables and a very attentive chef. Also in the small room, a fully stocked granite bar that has pineapples infusing and mixologists at the waiting.

Indeed, there are only 60 seats in the entire restaurant. You are given the full luxury-in-the-forest experience as you walk down the steps from the entrance on E Street in Penn Quarter. The walls are covered in wallpaper with a big photo of a cedar forest—our feelings on that and the mirrors are being censored. Let’s look past the interior for a second.

The food took us to another place. For some, the pitch is that it’s supposedly like “Ivanka Trump eating in an upscale hunting lodge” (Jill’s words). Cedar’s brunch menu is meant to be rustic, heavy, and full of gourmet meat. I almost wished it were blizzarding outside and we were eating brunch by a fireplace in the cozy space.

We started with cocktails, of course. Tammy and I both had champagne cocktails, of which there are six to choose from. Tammy went for the Snowflake, a concoction of white cranberry juice and champagne, which didn’t taste like cranberry juice at all. She thought she was making the healthy choice; instead she just made the cool-looking and delicious choice.

I had the Stratosphere, which was made with crème de violette and champagne. The color of it was stunning, like a silver grey. It was delicious. Later, we tried the Poodle, made with grapefruit juice and champagne, and the St. Germain, which is made with Elder Flower Liqueur. My favorite was still the Stratosphere.

Eric had The Uziel, which is named after the bar manager’s wife’s maiden name. It was made with vodka infused with grapefruit, lemon, and honey from the bar manager’s family’s beehives in West Virginia. The drink was smooth and didn’t have a bite, which is perfect in the morning. That honey came around to our table again later during brunch.

We didn’t get much farther than that on the cocktail menu. Instead, we ordered coffee, which came in French presses. There was the option of Sumatra (bold), Brazil (mild), and decaf, of course. Cedar’s Bloody Mary is made with house-infused vodka, garlic, jalapeno and habanero. I love that the cocktail menu had so much thought behind it.

On top of our brunch menu, the servers dropped a small card with options for wild game sausage. Our choices: venison with blueberry, wild boar with cranberries, rabbit, and buffalo with chipotle. OK, we’ll try all of them … if you insist.

The buffalo was amazing, the wild boar, so good one of us asked where it came from. “Um, it’s wild, of course, so who knows?” The rabbit, we were all scared to touch. Though I did try a small taste and it was fine.

The best part was that the sausages came chopped in pieces on a cedar plank with four different choices of mustards to dip them in. Those mustards were amazing. The apple mustard was made with white mustard seeds, reduced apple cider, sage and roasted Fuji apples. The bourbon mustard (yes, bourbon mustard!) had brown Indian mustard seeds mixed with white and prepared Dijon, raw bourbon, and a touch of Vermont maple syrup. It was smooth.

The spicy mustard had black mustard seeds, the chef’s hot sauce, which includes pickled habanero peppers, pickled jalapenos, and 16 different spices. Finally, Cedar’s Honey Mustard is made with bar manager’s farm honey (there’s that honey again).

Along with the sausages, we ordered a side of the housemade banana bread, which was served in thick slices, and covered with a sprinkle of powdered sugar. In hindsight, we shouldn’t have ordered this. Even though it was delicious, there was no need to stuff ourselves with bread before the rest of our brunch.

I loved how the dishes were presented at Cedar. If they weren’t on crisp white plates in various shapes, they were placed on the table balanced on cedar or wooden planks. The slices of bread, for instance, were balanced on top of one another on a cedar plank. Light and fluffy, and slightly grilled and covered in oil, the bread was still light and good for dipping, or eating with cheese, which we found out later. It came with delicious butter and house-made jam.

For our entrees, we each ordered the most interesting sounding item.

I ordered the smoked salmon benedict, because I wanted something that had been smoked on cedar, to live up to the name and the hype. The chef came out to our table and told us the story of the restaurant’s smoker. It was his grandfather’s, and it probably 70 years old. It’s tiny, but he smokes many of the menu’s dishes in it.

The chef, we should mention, is brand new at Cedar. Well, a few months new. He started back in December, coming to the D.C. area from various restaurants around the country. The cool part of his story is that he was a child prodigy, an accomplished violinist when he was young, and found his way into restaurants after a chance performance at a restaurant. It was there he decided to jump into the restaurant business, and worked his way up from being a dishwasher.

Cedar doesn’t offer a regular ham Benedict. But that’s okay because the salmon Benedict was delicious, and so the crab cake Benedict must be just as worthy. The smoked salmon Benedict was perched on potato cakes, the perfectly smoked salmon was topped with poached eggs and a delicious caper hollandaise sauce. Probably the most unusual (lumpy, certainly) and strongest hollandaise I’ve ever had.

That hollandaise sauce had such a distinct taste to it, I could barely taste the salmon or the eggs. But it was so great. On the side of the dish was a pile of mixed greens, which was refreshing after the strong hollandaise sauce. It was sprinkled with balsamic.

Jill ordered the braised pork belly BLT, mostly out of curiosity. It was Cedar’s interpretation of a BLT, with braised pork belly, fried egg, smoked tomato, basil aioli, and mixed greens, all inside two pieces of toast. The basil aioli held it together, and the entire sandwich had a mix of tastes once you bit into it.

Eric ordered the French toast, which was supposedly banana nut crunch French toast. We think it was the banana bread, toasted with butter and oils, and given a corn flake trimming around the crust. Delicious nonetheless. It was served with Chantilly cream and maple syrup.

Tammy, much to my dismay, ordered the omelet of wild mushrooms (I hate mushrooms, and I love to try everything on the table). It looked quite plain when it arrived, but it was filled with spinach and cheddar, along with all the slick, slimy wild mushrooms. She cut into it so I could take a photo with a peek of the inside. On the side, garlic roasted potatoes, which were not greasy at all, but rather firm and filling.

There were a lot of dishes on the brunch menu that we wanted to try, but couldn’t, as there were only four of us at the table and our stomachs were already so full. The deviled chicken hash looked interesting (what the heck is deviled chicken hash?). There’s a fried oyster sandwich, which would have been daring. Oh, and Jill really wanted the Hangtown Fry, but we were selfish and wanted the pork belly BLT instead.

Jill wasn’t going to let us leave without trying dessert. We were so full it was painful, but we persevered. We ordered the carrot layer cake, which was served with bourbon sauce and caramel pecan ice cream. We also ordered the coconut tres leches cake, with passion fruit sauce and pina colada sorbet. I tried neither of these. I was too focused on our third dessert dish …

We got the artisanal cheese plate—all five cheeses. It was extravagant and amazing. When the plate was dropped, I marveled at how pretty it was, and then turned my nose up at the smell. Who took their shoes off? Stinky cheese, indeed.

On our plate, there were four American and one foreign cheese (British! From the midlands!), and we were okay with that. Domestic cheese included the San Andreas, a sheep milk cheese from California, a camembert (my favorite) from New York, a Grayson from Virginia, and an extremely decadent “ash” goat cheese.

Our foreign cheese was a blue cheese from Nottinghamshire. It was rich and both moist on the inside and crumbly on the outside. It was during this cheese course that we learned that morning milk and evening milk produces different flavors of cheese. Who knew?

We were so full after nearly five courses of food that we had to be rolled onto the nearby National Mall and to the Tidal Basin, where we plopped ourselves under the Cherry Blossom blooms and admired the sights in gluttonous agony.

Alas, I cannot grade this brunch, because we were given the royal treatment, and that’s just not fair to you, dear readers. But now you know what Cedar is, where it is, who is in the kitchen, what it’s like in the tiny space, and what they’re serving at brunch. No bottomless here. No big parties. Rather, a gourmet, hearty brunch in a cozy little restaurant, served by friendly staff and a very talented chef.

Cedar
822 E St. N.W.
Washington, D.C.
(202) 637-0012

Edited with help from Tammy Portnoy, who loves chefs who can talk a good cheese and cherry, and bakes.

By: Becca

The sun didn’t shine much this past weekend, but hopefully you got to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms nonetheless. Off to the races on this final week of March. Literally …

All This Week

Mon Ami Gabi is celebrating 10 years in Bethesda with a weeklong celebration of events, specials, and toasts. Today is the official birthday party, and each guest who dines there receives a gift card to be used for a future visit. In addition to the all-day soiree, there will be fun happenings through Wednesday. 7239 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814.

Monday

Tonight, Cori Sue will be helping to kick off this year’s Ball on the Mall with the Trust for the National Mall and the L’Enfant Society. The cocktail party at The Federalist will toast to this May’s Fourth annual Ball on the Mall event. Hope you got tickets early; it’s sold out. 1177 15th Street, Washington, D.C. 20005.

Didn’t get tickets? Head to Station 4 for the first of its Monday Night Beer Dinners. Three courses prepared by chef Orlando Amaro, paired with beers, for $30 per person. The pairings include everything from Batch 19 with your entrée to Blue Moon with dessert. 1101 Fourth Street SW, Washington, DC 20024.

Tuesday

Tuesday morning on your way to work, stop by MINT downtown for a quick boxing demo right on the sidewalk. Get in a few sideswipes, grab a five-day free pass for you and a friend, and then head on your merry way. 1001 16th Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20036.

Wednesday

Join the Jeté Society for Beer Ballet and Bubbly to benefit the Washington Ballet. The event lets you go behind the scenes, observing a working rehearsal of an upcoming production in the England Studio Theater. Then, beer and bubbly, of course, with friends and dancers, in the Fannie Mae Gallery. More information here. 3515 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20016.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, the Grille at Morrison House will celebrate with a special happy hour and accessory drive to benefit Dress for Success. Emily Wines, Kimpton’s Master Sommelier, will lead an interactive sparkling wine cocktail demo and will teach participants how to open Champagne with a saber. Chef Brian McPherson and sous chef Stephanie Geist will prepare caviar and blini canapés, and pianist Pat Rohrer and vocalist Krista McClellan will provide musical entertainment. Megan Goffney, executive director Dress for Success Washington, D.C. will speak about the Dress for Success mission and work in the area. She will also be accepting accessories such as work appropriate handbags, closed toe shoes, jewelry, new hosiery and scarves/brooches on behalf of Dress for Success. Tickets are $25. 116 South Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.

Thursday

Urban Chic and Fashion for Paws model Candace Ourisman (and her dog, Levi!) are hosting an after-hours Spring Fling Shopping Party to benefit Fashion for Paws. From 7 to 9:30 Thursday evening, guests receive great discounts, nail polish changes by Nectar Skin Bar, bubbly and treats, and the chance to win a fabulous raffle prize. 1626 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007.

Saturday

We’ll be speaking about our two favorite things—eating and tweeting—on a panel of food writers at the second annual Social Learning Summit, hosted by the American University Social Media Club. Everyone is invited to attend, learn, and ask lots of questions. We love a good panel discussion, followed by brunch, of course. Get tickets (and the full list of events) here.

Saturday evening, head to the Fashion Fights Poverty Dress Responsibly Gala at Artisphere. The three-hour fashion event features a runway show and dance performance, followed by a one-hour live exhibition of models and designs, plus a silent auction of designer items. Tickets are $75, or $150 for VIP. All proceeds benefit FFP programs. Get tickets here.

Sunday

Cheer on Cori Sue and the other lucky runners who managed to snag a bib in the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run. The famous race will circle the Washington Monument Grounds, running under the beautiful cherry blossom blooms. The race has a wave start, but click here to see where you can camp out to cheer. Then, brunch, of course! Recently we’ve loved Pearl Dive Oyster Bar, VOLT in Frederick, P.J. Clarke’s, and Ben’s Next Door.

P.S. We’ve emailed/Tweeted at the winners from our Second Birthday Giveaway. Keep an eye for more giveaways coming soon. Have a great week!

By: Becca

So, GM called. And while I never take free shit for this blog (journalistic ethics and whatnot), when someone is handing over the keys to a brand-new, never-been-driven, cherry red Chevy, no questions asked, I couldn’t resist the urge to pocket them and drive all over D.C. And Virginia. And Maryland. (Insert obligatory note about the great gas mileage, XM radio, leather interior, and smooth ride here.)

The weekend’s plans were then nothing but road trips. First, to Shenandoah to hike Old Rag. Then, on Sunday, we bopped north to Frederick, Maryland, to explore the tiny town and have brunch at its most infamous dining establishment, Bryan Voltaggio’s Volt.

Brunch at Volt was extraordinary. There is no other word for it. It wasn’t just one of the best brunches I’ve ever had in my life, it was one of the best meals I’ve had in my life.

It was the service that did it. Phenomenal service means you’re taken through your meal without ever having to worry or wonder. When the service is that amazing, you don’t even notice it.

There are swat teams of waffle-weilding waiters carefully placing your plates before you. They appear magically, all at the same time. Before every course you suddenly have brand-new shiny silver. Your glass is always full. You have a fresh napkin each time you get up. It’s effortless and easy to slip into being pampered that much.

The fun part is that Volt offers up this amazing service with a bit of tongue-in-cheek. The entire staff, for instance, is decked out in black vests and black tuxedo pants—but with brown Chucks. It’s those little hints of personality that make the place. They make you feel like Bryan himself has given it his personal touch.

When we arrived, we were ushered into a lounge area, with plush couches, coffee table books, flower arrangements, and the bar. Above the bar was a plasma screen showing live video from the ceiling of the kitchen. Before we were even seated, we were gaping, open-mouthed, at that kitchen in action.

And then we were seated in the room that adjoined the open kitchen. And that’s when the conversation began to center around the kitchen activity, which was quite extraordinary. A entire team of chefs, sous chefs, assistants, and servers were buzzing about in their Chucks. Some with Mohawks, some with tattoo sleeves, all of them in epic concentration on the masterpieces they were creating.

There are two brunch menus at Volt—a five-course set menu or a three-couse menu with about six options for each course. Both menu option No. 1 and option No. 2 offered beverage pairings and a cheese course for a bit extra. I, of course, went for the five-course set menu. The rest of my Bitches went for their options, orderings from the three-course menu.

Regardless, we each got twelve courses. There was no stopping it. I think they just couldn’t be rude and serve me more courses than the rest of the table, and so we each got at least five courses dropped before us—and then cheese, and then dessert, and then a coffee cake to top it off.

It all started with the fennel and sea salt bread sticks. Four little bread sticks in a shiny silver cup. After that, a basket of amazing breads and pastries was offered up. Pastries that wouldn’t normally be found in some of the most amazing pastry shops in D.C.—sitting in a basket, just waiting to be chosen. There were chive biscuits, cinnamon rolls, chocolate croissants, French bread with sea salt. Which would you like? They asked. Um, one of each?

We ordered cocktails. I had the Betsy, which was the champagne cocktail but ended up being almost all foam—like a beer with lots of head that never went down. Brooke and Joanna both had bloody Marys, which were obviously not a mix and were perfectly spicy. The servers were quick to bring the accoutrements, such as extra olives.

Eric had a spiced apple cocktail with a lemon peel on top. Very tart, but delicious. We all had coffee—which was served in a French press, of course, with steamed milk. We would have expected nothing less.

Before we even started on our main courses, a gorgeous dish with four macaroons was presented. Perched on little spoons, the pink dollops were just enough for a mouthful. Joanna, being the most adventurous, tried one first, and told us all that we would be surprised. She was right. It melted on your tongue—like a piece of chalky candy—but had a distinct, slightly odd taste.

Where to begin on the food? It’s all a blur of endless, amazing plates. The most memorable taste, in my opinion, was also the most unexpected: the maitake steel-cut oats with sea greens and yeast. Sounds atrocious, right? It was a positively extraordinary, and savory. They cooked the oats into a risotto-type creamy mixture, and topped it off with meaty trumpet mushrooms that looked like tree stems.

I had two salads. Yes, two. The kampachi was super fresh. It was served with blood orange, ginger, and fennel. Not everyone likes bold favors, but the vegetables had a tangy sauce that worked well. I love how Volt serves some of its dishes, including the salads, with a bit of crispy pork on the side. It’s a textural contrast that you can choose to include or leave out if you like.

My second salad was the burrata dish, served with thin slices of country ham, kalamata olives, and basil. The burrata was so creamy it spread across the greens. Brooke spent a good chunk of time marveling at the chefs in the kitchen who were treating the burrata as if it were a gently poached egg. This dish is quite the piece of art.

We each got the ravioli dish, which was actually only a few pieces of ravioli, topped with foam (always with the foam, you crazy chefs). The pasta was filled with goat cheese, and again topped with trumpet mushrooms and parsley root. The goat cheese was the anchor to this dish. We each had mixed feelings about the foam, saying it tasted like different things, but agreed it added a light texture to the pasta.

The sturgeon was a beautiful dish that showed the high points of the fish but didn’t cover up the taste with too many additional flavors. It flaked perfectly onto the fork. It was moist and buttery, and served in a bowl—with a bit of foam, of course. The roasted brussel sprouts and root vegetables (faro, butternut squash) made for a lovely pairing.

Our third (fourth?) course was the lobster omelet. We were all a bit surprised to see a plain omelet with a lobster salad on the side. The salad came with my favorite new vegetable, salsify, which is actually a wildflower (read: weed). There were large satisfying chunks of lobster, so we did not feel cheated in any way. The flavor was perfect for a breakfast item, and the presentation allowed you to mix the lobster chunks with your omelet, or enjoy the salad separately.

There was another omelet on the table, too. The mushroom omelet, which was very rich and made with a lot of butter. The mushrooms themselves almost had the consistency of shredded beef. Filled with gruyere cheese and caramelized onion, this omelet was much heavier than the lobster variety. Plus, the breakfast potatoes it was served with were the most upscale breakfast potatoes I’ve ever had, with a balance of garlic and herbs. Perfectly cooked, of course.

Part of my five-course meal was the beef baby turnip. Three tiny bites of beef tenderloin were surrounded by colorful balls, which I wasn’t entirely sure were turnips, potatoes, chard, or other vegetables. I didn’t care; I popped them into my mouth. The beef was cooked to a perfect pink in the center.

Brooke had hen eggs, which she ordered with beef hash instead of pork belly. When she broke the egg she commented that this is exactly how poached eggs should be cooked. They were creamy and gooey without being cool. When mixed with the hash, this dish is the ultimate gourmet comfort breakfast.

The Belgian-style waffles were stunning, and we were served a double portion. They were a little chewy but crispy on the outside. Topped with cubes of apples, almost like an apple pie filling, they tasted delicious. It was accompanied with amazing fresh whipped cream.

I could not resist ordering the maple glazed bacon doughnuts. I knew it would be too heavy with everything I ordered, and indeed they were rich, but I’m so glad we got them. The three small donuts were perfect to share with the table. They were fresh and warm, and topped with finely crumbled (perhaps shaved) bacon—completely mind-blowing. It was just enough salt to bring out the sweetness of the maple. A slight meaty aftertaste, which was very adventurous for a doughnut.

We started getting delirious when the cheese plate arrived. We were all about to explode from gluttony, but again, the dish was too amazing to resist: five artisan cheeses, big portions, beautiful presentation. Slices of walnut toast were balanced on top of one another on folded napkins. The creamy, pungent cheese flavors—some super stinky, even—were a perfect ending.

Except we weren’t done yet. Apparently we had ordered another dessert dish to share, the chocolate marshmallow. Another piece of art: the chefs had melted a marshmallow and scraped it across a plate of caramel so it became sculpture. It was drizzled with chocolate and little pieces of crunchy peanuts. Served with tiny scoops of ice cream. It was another amazing textural contrast, which this chef does so well.

We ended up spending nearly three hours at that brunch table. It was epic. In hindsight, we should have planned better going into this: fasting all morning and readying ourselves for such an epic meal. We just weren’t expecting it to be so grand; it completely took us by surprise.

Afterwards we rolled ourselves out of the gorgeous restaurant and set off to explore. Adorable Frederick is full of old churches with pretty spires, museums, shops, and bridges over a picturesque canal. We made like a Chevy commercial as we sped out of Frederick and back to D.C., windows down, sunglasses on, completely satisfied from brunch.

The Bitches say: A+ Worth the trip, spend the day in Frederick, prepare yourself and your stomach, and be ready for an unforgettable brunch.

Volt
228 North Market Street
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 696-8658

By: Becca

St. Patrick’s Day broke a few brunch records for me. Those being earliest, biggest, longest, and perhaps rowdiest brunch ever.

It happened like this: The kind managers at P.J. Clarke’s succumbed to my week’s worth of begging and gave me a much-coveted table for that Saturday morning. Even though they were hosting a massive St. Patrick’s Day event, I kept pushing my luck by making it larger and larger until, eventually, I found myself emailing lovely Emily, the manager, that I’m so sorry, but I actually have 20 people coming. Yes, twenty.

No problem! She replied. Life is just so easy when you’re planning on dining at a restaurant full of ridiculously nice people. Her great attitude extended to the hostesses and bartenders, and especially to our two great servers that morning, GeGe and Dan, who were patient and kind to our increasingly drunk, and increasingly rowdy, party.

When we arrived at 10 a.m. (10 am! On a Saturday!) we compared our shades of green attire and ridiculous statement shirts (“Green Shirts Are For Pimps,” ahem, Frenchy), and immediately asked for pitchers of mimosas, Bellinis, and Marys. No can do, they said, claiming it’s the law (really?!), promising us that our glasses would not be empty for more than 30 seconds.

We drank our hardest to make them falter, but GeGe and Dan kept that promise. If my mimosa glass was half-full, and I quickly glanced to the side to chat with my neighbor, I turned back and it was topped off. If someone took their last sip, Dan was pulling the glass from their hands and immediately replacing it with a full one. Amazing. Why can’t every brunch have servers with a full glasses of champagne constantly at the waiting?

The bottomless deal wasn’t just for brunch cocktails that morning, though. Thanks to our luck of the Irish, Guinness and Harp were bottomless, too. The Kegs & Eggs deal on drinks came with your choice of a brunch entrée and side, all for only $35. What a steal. It lasted until 1pm, at which point we waddled off to other watering holes.

Brooke’s sister, Brenda, arrived from running the Rock and Roll Half Marathon, to thunderous applause, and immediately the two sisters slammed Irish car bombs, to even more thunderous applause from all sides of the restaurant.

We chose to be seated in the main level (we want sunlight! and lively people!), but the basement level, known as P.J. Clarke’s Sidecar, was equally as packed with revelers. P.J. Clarke’s is very K Street D.C., meaning, around happy hour it’s full of downtown workerbees, lobbyists, and people generally trying to look important in suits. They all gun for tables in the Sidecar, downstairs, which typically serves a different (and presumably more upscale) menu to those who are lucky enough to snag a spot.

We were quite glad we were sat upstairs, in the end, because traversing up and down those stairs to play some cornhole and get some sunlight would have become tiring. The weather was perfect on Saturday; gorgeous, not a cloud in the sky. The restaurant had set up a big tent over what’s usually its front patio (overlooking 16th Street), and there were high tops, a bar, and cornhole, which we dominated, obviously.

There were also the His-and-Hers Vespas that the restaurant raffled off to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. For a $20 raffle ticket, which bought a spiffy P.J. Clarke’s St. Patrick’s Day 2012 T-shirt that will likely stay in my drawer for the next three years, two lucky people won those gorgeous shiny red and white Vespas. I’m slightly sad that it wasn’t me. I was beginning to day dream about zipping to brunch on a red Vespa. No, really.

Soon a bagpiper arrived and started marching around the restaurant, as we egged him on with our hooting and clapping. Tammy started a GroupMe text to communicate around the enormous table, and we immediately started chattering about what we were all to order.

There were only six options available on the brunch menu that morning (or if you didn’t want to do the $35 deal, you could order from the larger menu), so there were a lot of repeat orders. The crisp apple pancakes were by far the prettiest dish.

A stack of small cakes were piled on top of each other, with sliced apples, whipped cream and cinnamon butter on top. The whipped cream tasted homemade—not from a can or tub. On the side, an adorable pouring cup of syrup. So lovely.

The spinach and coach farms goat cheese omelet was rather plain. It was nothing to write home about, but it was cooked well and had a good amount of spinach. I wished it was slightly more customizable (perhaps some tomatoes, please), and the goat cheese could have been better distributed. But on St. Patty’s day, I am sure the kitchen was working on overdrive.

The Parmesan crusted garden fritatta was the most popular dish on the table. It looked much like an omelet, and was topped with a bit of fresh greens. It had a good amount of vegetables, but was fairly bland. Also, the Parmesan crust was not so much a crust as just a little bit of Parmesan sprinkled on top.

There was a burger option, which lots of people had. It was the morning “Cadillac” burger, served with a fried egg on top. The egg broke apart immediately and was super runny, which kept the burger nice and juicy. It came with bacon, lettuce and tomato.

I had the eggs Benedict, of course. It was served with thick slices of Canadian bacon and hollandaise sauce. I wasn’t that impressed with this Benny, sadly enough. Even after many, many mimosas. The egg was completely overcooked – hard all the way through, not poached. The hollandaise sauce had dried into a crust on top of the dish. The biscuit was just an English muffin, as far as I could tell. Le sigh.

There was also the option to get the country breakfast, with eggs any way you want them, home fries, and choice of bacon or sausage. With your entrée, you could have a side, and choose between three options: smoked country bacon. Chicken apple sausage, and buttered potato home fries. All the bacon on the table was cooked perfectly—just a bit crispy. As for the potatoes, I had one, which burnt my mouth, and then they were given to the general cause of the table.

It wasn’t the food that was memorable at this brunch—but I suppose it wasn’t meant to be. Of the four hours we were there, we only spent maybe 30 minutes devouring the food. Rather, we had a ridiculous amount of fun. As soon as the plates were cleared, we were up, chatting, switching seats, running amok. It was great to have all my Bitches together for one massive brunch. After all, P.J. said it himself, this is the party that was 129 years in the making.

The Bitches say: B for bottomless! Great service, great brunch deal, food was average, but this might have just been because it was a special holiday event. So, try it for yourself.

PJ Clarke’s
1600 K Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.463.6630

By: Becca

Are you Irish? You better be this week. There are so many St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in town, including some fabulous bottomless Irish brunches (hint: I’ll be at PJ Clarkes)! Plus, it’s our Second Birthday on Thursday, and we’ll be giving away tons of great stuff this week to celebrate. Don’t forget it’s also the last week to redeem the 20 percent discount on a one-year membership to One Medical Group. Just click here and use code BWBDC20.

Make it a great one!

Monday

Being a huge McSweeneys fan, I have to support Dave Eggers’ D.C. charity, 826DC, which provides reading and writing tutoring to kids in the D.C. area (if you can’t volunteer, check out the Museum for Unnatural History in Columbia Heights). Tonight, they’ll be pouring Pints to Help Half-Pints: A Beer Dinner Benefitting 826DC at Birch & Barley. The event will feature a five-course tasting menu paired with nine different craft beers by Executive Chef Kyle Bailey and Greg Engert (a recent James Beard Award Nominee!). Tickets are $150; click here to purchase. 7 p.m. 1337 14th Street, NW;

Tuesday

Another great literacy charity will be celebrating Tuesday evening. Join Everybody Wins! DC for its 17th Annual Celebration Gala. Held at the Capital Hilton, the evening will kick off with a reception, silent auction, live auction, and Corporate Leadership Awards. There will also be a student performance, award presentations, and a salute to the Mentor of the Year. The evening will be hosted by David Rubenstein, co-founder of The Carlyle Group, and CNN White House Correspondent & EW!DC Reading Mentor, Brianna Keillar. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, and the chance to support the largest children’s literacy and mentoring program in the D.C. area. Tickets are $150. Get more information here.

Wednesday

It’s spring, which means Fashion For Paws fundraising is in high gear. This Wednesday, get your own gorgeous professional photographs while helping to raise money for the Humane Society of Washington. For a suggested $20 donation, guests at Wednesday evening’s Fashiontographer Party at L2 Lounge will have their image captured by celebrated photographer Walter Grio of Shoot for Change. Two free photos will be available for download, and the first 25 guests will receive a decadent bag of swag. For an additional $10, 15 guests will be able to have their hair professionally styled by Kristy Wang of Nolas Salon. All proceeds will be donated to the Fashion for Paws model fundraising campaign of Laura Swanstrom Reece and Ava Deylami in support of the Washington Humane Society’s event on Saturday, April 14 at the National Building Museum. Click here for more information.

Once you’re styled and photographed, head to Irish Whiskey Public House for the Luck of the Irish Happy Hour hosted by The Madison. The girls will be celebrating with specials on Irish cocktails, beer, and apps. Fifteen percent of the proceeds will benefit No Greater Sacrifice. Click here for more information.

Thursday

Horray! It’s our Second Birthday this week (we’re old Bitches)! This Thursday, we’ll be giving away tons of surprises, so check back and help us celebrate!

Friday

Let the St. Patrick’s celebrations begin! Friday night, The Capital Club hosts its non-traditional St. Patty’s Day Party, the Shamrock Soiree, at a local D.C. drinking establishment (duh). This year the Celtic hooliganism will be at One Lounge Kitchen & Cocktail Bar. The attire? “Euro Leprechaun.” Ha! Tickets can be purchased at the door. Ladies are $10; gents, $20. Click here for more information.

Saturday

Blame it on the luck of the Irish—St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, meaning Washington, D.C., will extend the debauchery throughout the entire day, with most Irish pubs and restaurants opening their doors at 8 a.m. Saturday morning (Fados is opening at 7—yikes!). I’ll be at the city’s biggest and best Irish celebration at PJ Clarkes with 14 of my favorite Bitches. The party 129 years in the making includes a Kegs & Eggs bottomless/endless $35 brunch, Pipes and Drums band, March Madness on six flat screens, traditional Irish fare, cocktail specials, and more (including a His and Hers Vespa giveaway—I will win that Vespa!). I can. not. wait.

Sunday

Recover from the St. Patrick’s Day debauchery with brunch and a nap. We recommend Graffiato, Ben’s Next Door, plus new brunch reviews to come this week, including Bryan Voltaggio’s VOLT restaurant in Frederick, and Pearl Dive Oyster Bar.

By: Becca

Asheville is a frequent pit stop for me, usually for three key reasons: 1. I need some mom time (and some clothes and shoes from her closet). 2. Need to detox. Hike. Get some fresh air. 3. I am driving from the southern part of the country to the northeast, and it makes a convenient and free overnight stop.

That’s what happened last weekend. In an epic road trip from Florida to D.C., we stopped in Asheville for one night. That evening, of course, we went to my heaven on earth: The Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar. It’s a multi-level used book shop, live music venue, and champagne bar that serves you the best bubbly straight to your cozy couch in little book alcoves.

The next morning, before heading off on the highway due north, we headed for Ello, our usual brunch spot, for a quick bite. Ello was packed, every table full. Also packed? Early Girl Eatery on Wall Street. Disappointed, we decided to head to Weaverville for brunch, which is sort of on the way out of town. We were walking back to our car when we passed Table.

Despite the number of times that I’ve been to Asheville, I have to admit, I have never dined in Table before. I’ve always gone for Mela or Bouchon for dinner. But Table always looks cozy and inviting from its windows. The dining room has floor to ceiling glass blocks on one side, high ceilings and beams, and warm wooden floors and lavender walls.

We were a little worried when we walked in and there was only one couple in the entire restaurant. We sat at a sunny table by the windows, and ordered coffee from the very pregnant waitress and the assistant who was trailing her (and training to replace her, we assumed).

The coffee came in all different beautiful vintage mugs and saucers—very cute. The cups, the sprig of flowers, the thick wooden table, and the white napkins made our table a picture straight off Pinterest.

Our immediate complaint was that Table didn’t didn’t serve any espresso drinks. My mom just wanted her usual cappuccino, but all they had was plain coffee. She was slightly miffed.

They do offer a selection of wines by the glass, beers, and spirits, along with some brunch cocktails, all after noon on Sundays (‘tis the law). They also offer a classic bloody Mary, a bloody Maria, and a Kentucky Mary, made with old bourbon. In addition to a mimosa, they also offer barrel-aged negroni, aged 50 days in new American white oak barrels. Everyone say, ooohh.

The service accidentally dropped Laura’s Sunday pastry on the table—we think it was the trainee’s mistake. Before they could say oops, we had gobbled it up. It was a sweet star-shaped croissant with cream cheese. It was warm and fluffy and delicious. Perfect to start.

There were two things grabbing my attention on the menu beside the Benedict: the chocolate chip waffles and the chicken and waffles. Can I combine the dishes? I asked. Pregnant waitress ran off to check. Yes, you can combine. Woot!

The chocolate chip waffle (served as half a waffle with the fried chicken) was fluffy and delicious and packed with big chunks of chocolate. The fried chicken was tasty and easy to pull apart. There was a bit of syrup drizzled over the dish and it was served with some greens on the side.

Mom ordered the Benedict, which is why I didn’t. The house-made biscuits were the best things on the table, as they were buttery and delicious. They were topped with slices of sweet ham, big poached eggs, and hollandaise. A great Benedict, with standout biscuits.

The biscuits were also winners with the gravy, which was made with spices and lots of meat. We love meaty gravy on biscuits. This dish was quite small, and so we ordered it with a side of scrambled eggs, but it was extremely filing, as the waitress warned.

My brother ordered the hanger steak with fried egg. It was cooked perfectly, had lots of juices and flavor, and came with smoked fingering potatoes and chimichurri for taste. He cleaned the plate.

Some other dishes our little table of four didn’t try: shrimp and grits, risotto frittata (with beach mushrooms), huevos rancheros, and an oyster po’boy. Or, for the less adventurous, there’s a simple eggs, toast, and bacon dish.

By the time we left, all the tables were full, and the level of conversation noise was rising. We paid our check, presented in another cute antique cup and saucer, and piled back in the car for the eight-hour drive back to D.C.

The Bitches say: A. Table has a small brunch menu, but it hits all the basics and does them extremely well.

Table
48 College Street
Asheville, NC 28801
(828) 254-8980

By: Becca

There is no better way to celebrate your best friend’s birthday than having an old fashioned Sunday Funday with a big group of friends. Fortunately for Brooke, her birthday coincided with President Abe’s birthday, and so for her celebration we went to the most appropriate brunch fiasco that we could find on that particular Sunday: Lincoln, of course.

We definitely got what we asked for. The Nationals’ mascot (yes, that massive Lincoln head) was parading around the brunch revelers. A performing duo called “The Sexy Man Group” (which was actually a server and a dude on a keyboard) was crooning from the omelet and waffle bar. Hell, we even jumped into the Lincoln-Birthday celebration ourselves by challenging one another to come up with the best Lincoln pickup lines.

Saro: “The Gettysburg Address was short, but let me tell you what isn’t.”

Tammy: “I’m gonna reunite my north with your south, baby.”

Brian: “You must be Seward authorizing the purchase of Alaska … ‘cause I’m experiencing some unprecedented growth.”

Oh yes, it was one of those Sunday Fundays where you’re drunk by 11 a.m. and everyone else is, too. Let me tell you how this happened.

First, they place two massive antique-looking punch bowls on your table, one with crushed orange concentrate, one with pulpy Bellini bits. Then, they start popping bottles, and mixing your punch, and you scoop the bubbly from the bowls in big spoons into your goblets. Oh, it’s glorious. By the end of your brunch you likely have mixed both types of champagne juices together, but that’s OK. No one is looking.

Or, if you’re not into that, there’s bottomless Marys, too. But they’re super spicy. Like, break-a-sweat spicy.

Our server, Dave, was hilarious. Right off the bat, there was no pressure. He made sure we were always set with booze and were having a good time. He chatted with us; he was attentive. We spent three hours with him. I feel like we knew him well by the end of the brunch. We even got his phone number (I told you it was one of those brunches).

I wished there were rolls or some kind of app dropped on the table as we arrived. In fact, Dave took a bit of a minute to get our service started up. We were all starved, and getting tipsy, and so we dove into the menu as quickly as he would allow.

The brunch deal at Lincoln that day was as follows: $36 all you can eat and drink, made-to-order omelet and waffle bar with two sides and unlimited mimosas, bellinis and bloody marys. Or, the a la carte menu, with which for an additional $19 we got unlimited mimosas, bellinis and bloody marys.

Most of us ordered a la carte (picky Bitches). But those few who ventured to the omelet and waffle station got their food fast and early as the rest of us salivated and appeased our empty stomachs with more champagne.

The omelet and waffle station was located at the front of the restaurant next to the DJ and the Sexy Man Duo. The station was kick-ass because there were chocolate chips and fresh fruit. Better yet, you could choose between buttermilk or gingerbread waffles with seasonal berries, New Jersey peaches, cherries, hazelnut butter, whipped cream and an assortment of syrups. The chef-made omelets had a variety of seasonal fillings.

The group was pleased with their omelets and waffles, yet it was strange that certain people got their food right away while the other half of the table had to wait. The trade off for getting your food so fast? A few poor souls heading for those waffles stepped too near the Sexy Man Duo and were accosted by a man in a vest crooning love songs in their ear. Suddenly, everyone in the restaurant is looking at them. They just wanted their waffles, dammit!

Mike was a station guy, but he wasn’t as impressed as I was with the bar. In fact, he thought most of his food was rather mediocre, including the waffle, omelet, biscuit and gravy, and cheese grits. He said the gravy was very tasty, but the biscuit was sweet, which was disappointing. But then again, waffles, omelets and grits aren’t exactly complex.

Mark had the Lincoln Country Breakfast, but substituted the biscuit for butter-and-garlic toast. The eggs were too cooked, and a bit greasy but tasty. The sausage was grilled and had a nice apple taste to it. The two slices of bacon were good, and so were the potatoes. He thought it was the perfect portion. However, another Bitch who had this same dish claimed it average and said that next time he would just go for the omelet bar.

Derek had the steak and eggs with a side of cheesy grits. He says, “The steak was served just how I ordered (medium rare). It was tender and juicy but the taste was so so. It was served on a hash of some sort that was sweet and actually made the steak taste better. The eggs were nothing to write home about. The cheesy grits, on the other hand,  were delicious! They were creamy, perfect consistency, and had great flavor.”

Tammy, who likes anything you can put an egg on, had the breakfast burger. She particularly loves when you can add eggs to burgers, because it’s not something you typically find in the U.S. It was served with an egg, arugula, bacon, and cheddar. Delicious and not too big.

The bananas foster oatmeal did not live up to my expectations. We wanted more bananas foster and less oatmeal. Also, it was piping hot when it arrived, but the dish cooled down quickly. I guess that’s just oatmeal though. I felt pressure to eat it fast, when really I had just ordered it as a side. The bagel dish was the winner of the table—beautifully presented with salmon, eggs, capers, and more.

The Benedict was great. It had a big slice of tomato, and crispy bacon underneath. There was lots of Hollandaise sauce, and even after the last few bites were all egg yoke, biscuit and ham mixed together, it wasn’t mushy and still tasted great.

We shared a lot of other dishes. Like the mac and cheese, which was served in a cast-iron skillet, and was gone immediately. It was listed as a main entrée for brunch, even though it should be under the sides. We weren’t big fans of the thyme potatoes. The cheese grits were good, but the cheese was hardened on top so you had to crack through it. I wished the cheddar would have been mixed in a bit.

We weren’t ready to wrap up brunch when the music jilted to a halt at 3 p.m. We were still raging and boozing and ready to dance to more Sexy Man Duo! They brought Brooke out a complimentary cake with a candle in a jar, without anyone asking for it, which was nice. The cake-in-a-cup was topped with fresh fruit, berries, whipped cream and a candle on top—a thoughtful, delicious gesture.

We ordered her shots of tequila, passed around a bunch of scratch-off lottery tickets that one of the Bitches brought, then snapped photos of our empty bottles of champagne and waddled off into the afternoon. Happy Birthday, Brooke!

The Bitches say: B+ Great bottomless deal, beautiful restaurant space, fun brunch entertainment, but just slightly better than average food.

Lincoln

1110 Vermont Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 386-9200

By: Becca

After a Saturday night running amok on H Street and a Sunday night hosting an Oscars party, I need a few days to recover. So I will be taking it easy at the beginning of this week: a low-key dinner with Cori Sue and Meg of Mimi + Meg and perhaps some time working out at Mint, which is my new happy place. I’ll dive back in on Wednesday. Promise.

Monday

Watched the Oscars last night and decided you need to get to the cinema more? West End Cinema is conveniently showing all the nominated Documentary Short Films through Thursday. Get tickets here.

Tuesday

Happy National Pancake Day, brunch fanatics! For the record, we love the pancakes at Bourbon, Jaleo, Daily Grill and Bar Pilar. If you’re looking to make some yourself, check out our pumpkin pancakes recipe. If you’re looking for some complimentary ‘cakes, IHOP is serving up free flapjacks all day long. There are Columbia Heights and Arlington locations, for deets, check the website.

Wednesday

It’s Leap Day! If you’re a Leap Day Baby, tough for you three out of four years but this year you can get lots of specials and surprises around town. Sprinkles is giving away free cupcakes to Leap Day babies. Z Burger is giving away free burgers and fries, too.

Wednesday night I’ll be at the Warner Theatre to see the fabulous miss Lauryn Hill sing live. Ever since her Miseducation, she’s been on my must-see bucket list (along with Madonna, duh). Get tickets here. I cannot wait.

Thursday

Get ready for spring with makeup tips from celebrity make up artist Annette Queen and accessories from Shayne IndianFashion this Thursday evening at Puro Café. The event showcases the light candy hues and soft palette shades seen on the Spring 2012 runways in New York. Don your mango sorbet attire and celebrate International Women’s Day. There will be delicious mango cocktails and sorbet for all. The event is 6:30 to 10, with the fashion show starting at 8:30 pm. Tickets are $10. RSVP here.

Friday

If you’re dining or bar-hopping around H Street on Friday night, stop in to the Atlas Performing Arts Center’s Sprenger Theatre to join DCypher Dance Presents Access Granted. The high-energy dance show will feature choreography by Laurence Agenor, Jason Anderson, Gary Beauford, Nikki Gambhir and DCypher Company members. Special guest performances by Vizion Performance Team of Howard, Phunktions of UMD, and more! Dance party with DJ RBI to follow. 9:30 p.m. $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

Saturday

Brunch with Taste of the Nation DC this Saturday at Jack Rose. A group of chefs, mixologists and baristas will come together to create everything on the brunch table, all with the united goal to raise additional funds and awareness towards ending childhood hunger in America. Tickets are $45 and are available for purchase here. 100 percent of the ticket proceeds from this event will support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in DC and around the U.S.

That night, head to the annual Brewer’s Ball at the Stars and Stripes Club at Nationals Park. The formal event, a benefit for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, will feature 19 beermakers. But it has a strong local flavor (DC Brau, Chocolate City, Port City and Lost Rhino are all listed as participants) and it’s a rare opportunity to catch brewers in evening wear instead of their usual T-shirts and rubber boots. Tickets cost $115. Check out the Web site for more information.

Sunday

Get your Sunday Funday on. We recently brunched at Lincoln, Ben’s Next Door, Station 4, and Graffiato. Reviews to come this week!

By: Becca

It was an Old Town weekend. After a long night of tapas eating, salsa dancing, and hookah smoking at Las Tapas (a dimly lit, sexy little hole-in-the-wall on King Street), I dragged myself back said neighborhood for an 11 a.m. birthday brunch.

We let the birthday girl, Liz, pick the spot, and she chose the laid-back hideout Chadwicks. But, first, everyone had to find it.

The restaurant is off Union Street towards the water. Its definitely off the beaten path, and as I was directing people to it, I realized I was yelling “Just walk towards the water and the big empty lot!” into my phone from the middle of the restaurant.

It was a cold, clear day. One of those days when there’s not a cloud in the sky but the air is simply frigid. The freezing wind was whipping off the Potomac’s water. I felt bad for my lost Bitches, wandering around the back roads of Old Town looking for this joint.

Brooke and I arrived early, so we plopped ourselves at a big round table on the second floor and ordered what looked like the best option to soak up our headaches—the beef brisket sliders.

Maybe it was our hangovers, or our hunger, but those sliders were delicious. Three bite-sized burgers, thick with meat, and succulent. They were piled high with pulled pieces of beef and covered in sweet barbecue sauce. The buns were slightly toasted buttered brioche, and there was a horseradish aioli on the side. Amazing.

OK. Now that we had some food in our stomachs, we could focus on our surroundings. The restaurant itself is dressed up like an antique ship. It’s all dark wood and nautical-themed knick knacks.

It’s been there since 1967, which isn’t really old compared to the rest of ancient Old Town, but it tries to be—down to the gold plaque by the front door that indicates the high water mark of the last historic hurricane. That would be Isabel in 2003.

There’s a converted alley to the side of their restaurant that they’ve turned into a sun room with tables. It’s got potted plants and windows, and the walls are exposed brick. Like the side room at Columbia Firehouse down the street, it’s a sunny alternative to the dark bar inside.

Sidenote: There’s a sign on the door that says “Sorry pardners. Unless you’re the law, please leave your side arms in the car,” that I found rather hilarious.

The server was laid back, and looked hungover himself. His hair was in a pony tail and he was scruffy. He quickly brought us water and coffee, and then handed us the enormous brunch menu. The menu is huge, really, but well-organized into sections: soups and starters, brunch classics, burgers, sandwiches, salads, comforts, chefs specialties, and sides.

There are some Cajun influences on the menu (the Jambalaya scramble), some Mexican influences (the burrito), even some New England influences (clam chowder—a house recipe for 32 years—and crab cakes). Hell, there’s even bangers and mash from jolly old England and a smoked Scottish salmon bagel from even further north. Either this chef is a worldly man or he’s having an identity crisis.

Once the birthday girl arrived, decked out from head to toe in her favorite shade of purple (really. Even down to the Michael Kors signature bag in purple. Where do you even find that?!), we started popping bottles like a G6.

Chadwick’s has a decent deal for brunch beverages: mimosas, Bloody Marys or screwdrivers for $3 a piece. Or bottles of cava for $9. The cava tasted pretty cheap, though, and on top of my hangover I couldn’t stomach much. But, it was ideal for toasting the birthday girl, Miss Liz.

We ALL wanted the burrito. It sounded perfect: three scrambled eggs with Andouille sausage, onions, cheddar jack cheese and salsa fresca. Then, the server said they were out of the burrito. We all cried loudly. “How do you run out of a burrito? Do you mean you are out of the tortillas? Or are you out of eggs? Because if you’re out of eggs we might be leaving.” and so on went our whining.

In my disappointment I ordered—what else?—the Benny. But this time I went with the steak Benedict, just to mix it up a bit. At Chadwicks they call it the Eggs Omar, and it’s two poached eggs on top of grilled tenderloin steak strips, which are on top of an English muffin. It’s topped with a Bearnaise sauce, which honestly didn’t taste of much. I gobbled up the dish because I was starving, not because it was awesome.

The croissant sandwich was greasy. It had baked ham inside, cheddar cheese, two eggs, and home fries on the side. It was one big plate of grease, and not so tasty.

Liz’s husband ordered off the “comfort” section of the menu and went for the fried chicken. The tiny, pathetic little piece of fried chicken was presented next to a buttermilk biscuit and a small dish of mac and cheese. I laughed pretty hard at this dish. All the pieces were sliding around.

Another Bitch ordered the three egg omelet. Along with three eggs, you get your pick of three ingredients, from peppers and spinach to sausage, bacon, and a variety of cheeses. You can also get toast or home fries on the side, but this bitch got a bagel instead. Meh.

Overall, the food was mediocre but the company made it a fun brunch.

The Bitches say: C. Subpar food, average service, an average drink deal, and a hard-to-find location.

Chadwicks
203 The Strand
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 836-4442

By: Becca

Love is in the air. Or maybe it’s just lots of chocolate and champagne that’s clouding my vision. Either way, I’m OK with it.

Monday

Seemingly answering my prayers, today begins the Week For Chocolate. Over a dozen Georgetown merchants are offering free chocolatey drinks, dessert, and food to badge-holders. Hop around all week and get your fill of cocoa treats from Sprinkles Cupcake, Godiva, Serendipity, Iceberry, and more. The sweetest part is, a portion of every badge sold benefits Leadership Greater Washington. See the full list of merchants here. Get your badge here.

Tuesday

Smoochy, smoochy! It’s everyone’s least/most favorite holiday of the year, ze big V. Still need plans? Whether you’re heading out with friends or looking for a last-minute spot for your sweetie, check out our guide to Valentine’s Day. It has lots of ideas and gifts from our partners in crime.

Wednesday

So Monday you have chocolate, Tuesday a little romance, we think Wednesday you need to top all that off with some champagne. The Roof Terrace Restaurant in the Kennedy Center is hosting a champagne tasting Wednesday evening, featuring hors d’oeuvres, live jazz, and of course bubbly from the house of Laurent-Perrier, sparkling wines from Schramsberg, world-class Proseccos and more.  Reservations required; make them here.

Thursday

Valentine’s came and went, and you had no date you say? Thursday, Hudson is hosting its second annual Valentine’s Day Singles After Party and date auction fundraiser for Fashion4Paws. Some of D.C.’s most eligible will be on the block to help raise money for the cause. Plus, there will be $5 drink specials, palm reading, belly dancing, and more.

Friday

Napoleon Bistro & Lounge is celebrating its five-year anniversary this week by busting out a brand-new menu. The menu features a wide array of creative French petits plats, classic entrees, and a Chef’s daily-changing menu. Check it out here, and make reservations for your weekend dinner.

Saturday

It’s the long weekend, so make it three days of Fundays. We brunched at Daily Grill, Lincoln, Ben’s Next Door, and Chadwick’s over the weekend. Watch for those reviews this week.