Brad Pitt Has Your Secret Shit: Rolling DC

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Now here's something to talk about over brews and the right amount of food in a properly licensed establishment--- I see in the Washington Post that the Mayor's former substitute teacher in school is now (as a civilian not employed by DC) driving the mayor around town and getting millions of dollars for his private business from the mayor's administration.

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 19:11 (fourteen years ago) link

I do not understand how the licensing works for 'restaurants that sell alcohol'--How do they arrive at the percentage of food a place has to sell? How do they decide how many places can only be restaurants with liqor licenses rather than bars with liquor licenses and no food?

The issue is that many bars and nightspots in Washington are operating under restaurant-class licenses, which require businesses to derive either 45 percent of their gross receipts or at least $2,000 per seat in food sales. (The other usual option is a tavern license, which doesn't require food sales. Those are usually limited, though, and some neighborhoods, including Adams Morgan, have a moratorium on issuing new tavern licenses to prevent a buildup of bars.)
(from the Post)

Keep in mind that $2,000 per seat per year is very very little - $5.95 per seat per night will get you there.

And if Bossa is closed, can it only be replaced by an establishment that also has to follow the 'restaurant with liquor license' rules rather than the bar with liquor license and no food rules?

Based on the Adams Morgan license moratorium, yes.

I'm just asking, as I do not know enough about it, but do you think the DC license system is fair and that places in "clear violation" (I read that Bossa claims it came very close last year to meeting the proper percentages) have no reason to complain?

Yes - the business owners know what the license class is when they start the business and what the requirements are. Skirting the regulations here isn't doing the neighborhood any good and heavily contributes to Adams Morgan being the hellhole it is.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 19:36 (fourteen years ago) link

But aren't some of Adams Morgan's problems caused by "taverns" and not just the 2 "restaurants that sell food" that were shut down--Bossa and Bobby Lews?

And isn't the issue in some way just like the issue is/was in Georgetown--too many knuckleheads (from DC, Md, and VA) who drink too much in both types of licensed establishments, and establishments that are happy to sell more and more drinks to people who should be stopping at say 2 drinks?

So hypothetically an "I Died" designed and promoted establishment in Adams Morgan could meet the food and drink rules and help establish a reason to go to that part of town?! They may be wrong, but Bossa claimed it was not so easy.

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:05 (fourteen years ago) link

I'm going to be in DC for about 24 hours next week (one night). Any recommendations for dinner and breakfast/brunch?

Alex in SF, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:06 (fourteen years ago) link

argh, there was an awesome place on U Street that TOMBOT took my brother and me to but I can't remember the name, super awesome brunch spot tho

Unclench, y'all, unclench (HI DERE), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:11 (fourteen years ago) link

oh man where to start.

oh I know: ethiopian (Dukem, Queen Makeda, Madjet).

quincie, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:13 (fourteen years ago) link

speaking of u street brunch, is hominy any good?

W i l l, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:19 (fourteen years ago) link

Ooh I love Ethiopian and SF is weak(er) than some cities on it. Do you have a preference on any of those three (it looks like they are all in the same area)?

Alex in SF, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:19 (fourteen years ago) link

no hominy

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:24 (fourteen years ago) link

I like Dukem in general - solid performer.
Queen Makeda is sometimes wonderful but very quirky and slow.
Madjet I like, but maybe not as much as Quincie does.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:25 (fourteen years ago) link

no hominy meaning you haven't eaten there, or it's no good?

W i l l, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:29 (fourteen years ago) link

But aren't some of Adams Morgan's problems caused by "taverns" and not just the 2 "restaurants that sell food" that were shut down--Bossa and Bobby Lews?

One of the issues is that there are, according to ABRA, 16 places in Adams Morgan licensed as restaurants and operating as taverns - a very substantial total impact. The problem in Adams Morgan isn't that assholes go there, it's that due to the density of the places it crossed the asshole event horizon and attracts those people in general, leading to the marauding hordes looking for anyplace to go. And the places that are supposed to be restaurants are happy to not act as such in order to serve them.

So hypothetically an "I Died" designed and promoted establishment in Adams Morgan could meet the food and drink rules and help establish a reason to go to that part of town?! They may be wrong, but Bossa claimed it was not so easy.

It's not easy to meet the food requirements if you've established an image that doesn't include that, and you have an insufficient infrastructure for it. It's hard for Bossa to sell food because people only think of them as a bar - but that's only because they spent years acting like they were just a bar.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:34 (fourteen years ago) link

I haven't eaten at Hominy but every restaurant in that space has sucked, and their new chef's previous restaurant sucked. Maybe two wrongs will make a right in this case but I'm not spending my money to find out.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:36 (fourteen years ago) link

What's the less fancy Ethiopian restaurant right near Etete and DC Nine on Ninth just below U st. called? I kinda liked that about as much as Dukem.

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 22:30 (fourteen years ago) link

Expo? Axum? There are quite a few on that block!

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 22:36 (fourteen years ago) link

Rolling DC thread, can I beg a favor?

I'm moving to DC in late June / early July, and I'm looking for a place to live with my gf. We have 4 "wants":

1. Close to metro and/or rail lines surrounding DC (within a 10 minute walk to a train, preferably, since I don't have a car)

2. maximum of 45 minute commute into downtown DC (I'll be working at EPA)

3. A small yard would be cool, to plant a garden, but I realize that might be tricky. Maybe if nothing else, access to a relatively close community garden.

4. Under $1250 a month.

Can anyone recommend a neighbor? Or even another city, Alexandria, etc? We visited Baltimore last month to see a friend and weren't that impressed, plus the commute would be on the very edge of what I could handle each day.

ya'll are the ones who don't know things (Z S), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 22:56 (fourteen years ago) link

Can anyone recommend a neighborHOOD?

Although neighbor recommendations could come in handy as well!

ya'll are the ones who don't know things (Z S), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 22:57 (fourteen years ago) link

I'm too new to help ZS, but I'm registering general interest in a drink, maybe when ZS gets here?

ljubljana, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 00:03 (fourteen years ago) link

argh, there was an awesome place on U Street that TOMBOT took my brother and me to but I can't remember the name, super awesome brunch spot tho

Polly's Cafe, perhaps?

Can anyone recommend a neighborHOOD?

Takoma Park, MD (just outside DC) springs to mind upon reading your wants.

phlegm brûlée (j.lu), Wednesday, 27 May 2009 00:12 (fourteen years ago) link

x-post...I think it's Axum that I liked. So many Ethiopian restaurants around there

curmudgeon, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 16:31 (fourteen years ago) link

Okay so I think we are going to try Dukem. Any brunch/breakfast suggestions for the next day? Also anything happening this Tuesday night? Is the Washington City Paper the best place to find events?

Alex in SF, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:00 (fourteen years ago) link

Z S--you maybe could find a basement apt satisfying those criteria in the neighborhoods of Shaw (i'm thinking around 7th St NW, fairly close to U Street, which is a popular nightlife/restaurants/retail neighborhood), or Bloomingdale (farther east+south, less developed, maybe too far from Metro). your commute would be easy. dunno how you feel about basement apartments.

W i l l, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:30 (fourteen years ago) link

the seventh street garden is around there (actually on 3rd st now)
http://the7thstreetgarden.squarespace.com/

W i l l, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 17:31 (fourteen years ago) link

just a warning: community garden space hard to come by these days. the one I'm in has a multi-year wait list!

quincie, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 19:15 (fourteen years ago) link

Oh and what is your crime tolerance? Important question, actually.

quincie, Wednesday, 27 May 2009 19:16 (fourteen years ago) link

dunno how you feel about basement apartments.

I lived in one in Chicago for about a year. The only thing that bugged me was the lack of sunshine. I'd be willing to consider living in one again, though, if the price was right and the location was nice.

community garden space hard to come by these days

Yeah, so I've heard. That's why it would be really nice to have a place with even a tiny yard.

Oh and what is your crime tolerance?

I have a decent tolerance, but my gf would probably prefer somewhere on the safe side. Not a gated community suburb or anything, but being able to walk outside at night to a corner store without fearing a beat down would be nice.

ya'll are the ones who don't know things (Z S), Thursday, 28 May 2009 00:00 (fourteen years ago) link

Okay so I think we are going to try Dukem. Any brunch/breakfast suggestions for the next day? Also anything happening this Tuesday night? Is the Washington City Paper the best place to find events?

― Alex in SF, Wednesday, May 27, 2009 5:00 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Dukem and some of the other Ethiopian restaurants sometimes have live Ethiopian bands on late. White Rabbits, a Brooklyn rock band who Spoon's singer produced, are gonna be at the RnR Hotel that night, thought that place is over in NE. In addition to the City Paper, the Brightest Young Things website lists dc events, as does the Onion's decider column, and on Tuesdays dcist.com and the Washington Post website's Going Out Gurus list recommendations.

Hmmmm, I wonder if there's any reggae happening (dj-wise or band-wise) on U st that night?

curmudgeon, Thursday, 28 May 2009 16:40 (fourteen years ago) link

"I Died" could probably help with DC breakfast/brunch ideas.

curmudgeon, Thursday, 28 May 2009 16:44 (fourteen years ago) link

Lunch places around the Capitol/Museum area would be fine too actually.

Alex in SF, Thursday, 28 May 2009 16:48 (fourteen years ago) link

Live Ethiopian would be great.

Alex in SF, Thursday, 28 May 2009 16:49 (fourteen years ago) link

I think Dukem has live Ethiopian acts pretty much every night, they also serve late so you can catch dinner & music usually around 11pm.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Thursday, 28 May 2009 18:40 (fourteen years ago) link

slim pickings for lunch around Capitol/museums - bunch of hot dog carts, mostly. Mitsitam, the cafeteria in the National Museum of the American Indian is quite good.

Teaism, at 8th & D NW, is pretty kick ass generally.
http://www.teaism.com/Restaurant/PennQuarter7.html

There are a bunch of options heading north on 7th St, Jaleo is probably the best of them fairly close to the Mall.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Thursday, 28 May 2009 18:47 (fourteen years ago) link

Oh noes- just noticed Dukem site lists entertainment every night but Tuesday

http://www.dukemrestaurant.com/events.htm

I bet there must be one Ethiopian restaurant open tonight late with music.

Alex, you can go see Chaka Khan Wednesday afternoon for free if you'd like at Wilson plaza near the Reagan bldg from noon to 1:30

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 2 June 2009 16:19 (fourteen years ago) link

So much rain. When did this place become Seattle.

curmudgeon, Friday, 5 June 2009 13:31 (fourteen years ago) link

argh, there was an awesome place on U Street that TOMBOT took my brother and me to but I can't remember the name, super awesome brunch spot tho

ULAH BISTRO

El Tomboto, Friday, 5 June 2009 16:35 (fourteen years ago) link

I may still be coming to town for baseball con at end of July if UI and family charity keeps me afloat!

Dr Morbius, Friday, 5 June 2009 16:39 (fourteen years ago) link

All right, asking for advice. Do I have more drinks - I guess I am near the breadsoda - or do I go home and watch this C Breillat film (la derniere maitresse - d'Aurevilly, Asia Argento, Roxane Mesquida FTW)

daria-g, Sunday, 7 June 2009 23:41 (fourteen years ago) link

drinks at Bourbon or Breadsoda!

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Sunday, 7 June 2009 23:46 (fourteen years ago) link

Lequel? All right, going to the breadsoda since I haven't been. I guess there is this basketball game so there's some justification for having another glass or two.

daria-g, Sunday, 7 June 2009 23:53 (fourteen years ago) link

who needs justification anyway

mookieproof, Monday, 8 June 2009 00:03 (fourteen years ago) link

I might. It's not football season yet.

daria-g, Monday, 8 June 2009 00:10 (fourteen years ago) link

I'd like to thank all professional sports for making it ok to hang out in a bar. I rarely do fwiw, and I MISS FOOTBALL

daria-g, Monday, 8 June 2009 00:35 (fourteen years ago) link

^ i agree with all parts of this post

twin peaks tuesdays at velvet lounge starting tomorrow. always meant to watch the entire series and this will finally give lazy fond-of-drinking me the proper means to do so

W i l l, Monday, 8 June 2009 15:53 (fourteen years ago) link

There is a restaurant called Confit opening a couple blocks from my place oh shiiiii...

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Thursday, 11 June 2009 17:27 (fourteen years ago) link

i like the sound of that

W i l l, Thursday, 11 June 2009 20:15 (fourteen years ago) link

any lunch recs near dupont circle? on the 18th my band might do some busking over there before the chick hall's gig.

Ømår Littel (Jordan), Thursday, 11 June 2009 20:17 (fourteen years ago) link

Jordan, you should also consider busking at the Wilson Plaze, near the reagon building after the lunchtime gig ends at 1:30; or maybe before it starts at 12; then metro up to Dupont Circle.

Teaism at 2009 R. St is one idea...
What do you folks think of Malaysia Kopitiam, 1827 M St. NW
or the Greek Deli, 1120 19th or more expensive fare such as...

curmudgeon, Tuesday, 16 June 2009 04:00 (fourteen years ago) link

xp - i don't live in dc anymore but malaysia kopitiam was one of my favorite restaurants there. curry gluten, laksa noodle soup, satay tofu... yea it's a really good restaurant.

mark cl, Tuesday, 16 June 2009 12:59 (fourteen years ago) link

Maybe sticking with vegetarian options is the secret to good meals at Malaysia Kopitam - I've eaten there several times and always walked away disappointed, usually due to the low quality meat in the dishes.

Greek Deli is awesome - there's always a line around lunch, but it moves fast. Teaism is a great suggestion, too.

You can also try C.F. Folks, just a basic old lunch place with very good basic food, or Pizzeria Paradiso, or Zorba's for delicious eat in/carryout greek.

sussing out the Slick Hustler (I DIED), Tuesday, 16 June 2009 13:27 (fourteen years ago) link


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