Events: Lambrusco Week

August 12, 2014 Russell W. Warnick

Unlike fetch, Lambrusco is happening, at least where The Partisan's wine director, Brent Kroll is concerned. Forget restaurant week, this week it's all about Lambrusco at the meat-centric restaurant in Penn Quarter. Over the course of the week, August 11-17 the restaurant will be featuring seven different "meat-friendly" wines from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.

Each night Kroll and his team will offer a different Lambrusco at $6 a glass, alternatively you can select a flight of three, five or seven Lambrusco and Charcuterie pairings for $18, $27 or $35 respectively. With pairings including a Vecchia Modena from the Chiarli Winery in Northern Italy and a Mortadella from Red Apron (my personal favorite) or a Rossa Viola paired with a Sweet Bologna there is plenty to choose from. And if you get the chance to snag a few minutes with Kroll you'll be a little more the wiser on this underrated wine.

The Partisan, 709 D St, NW, Washington DC (closest metro: Gallery Place or Penn Quarter)

Travel: Raleigh, NC

August 11, 2014 Russell W. Warnick

It was a trip long overdue - visiting a friend who moved back to Raleigh from DC last year, who also shares my passion for good food. So it was Amtrak I went, and seven hours later I arrived (note: don't take Amtrak south, it's late. All. The. Time) at my friends apartment with a cocktail at the ready. Much needed. It was the start of a food filled weekend.

OK, I know what you're thinking, the photo above doesn't really make a good impression, give me a chance. Yes, I did have wine in the parking lot of a strip mall, but it was damn good wine from a store, Wine Authorities, that also serves as a small wine bar, with extremely knowledgeable staff and a huge selection of wines from all across the globe - think of it as a mini warehouse. My friend was throwing a small get-together so it was a great spot to pick up a case of wine, and we tried before we bought. Win win.

Travel: San Francisco

August 7, 2014 Russell W. Warnick

It'd been a few years since my last visit to San Francisco--at a time when my interest in food wasn't as it is today--so before this trip I put out the obligatory call on twitter to solicit where to spend my money. Needless to say I received enough responses to have covered a month of eating out in the city. Sadly for me I only had a few days of dining ahead of me so I had to pick wisely, filtering though neighborhoods, cuisine and must-have dishes.

The hotel was centrally located, just off Union Square, so most places on the itinerary (yes, there was an itinerary, reservations needed to be booked) were within walking distance. Even climbing Russia Hill to reach the top of Lombard Street was easy, gotta check off the SF tourist bucket list. Taking the street car is perhaps a more sensible way to do this, but the boyfriend insisted on making use of our legs. Health nut.

As mentioned, reservations were made for evening meals, it is a major city and I didn't want to be left out in the cold. I only packed one sweater. Foreign Cinema in the Mission District was on the agenda for the Friday, while Zuni on Market Street was reserved for Saturday, more on those below.

Dining: Barrel

August 4, 2014 Russell W. Warnick

6th and Penn will always be remembered for the space where 18th Amendment used to live -- if Barrel wants to change that, they need to create their own mark. Co-owned by Matt Weiss, Mark Mernard and Mike Schuster, Weiss owner of other Capitol Hill joints Union Bar and 201 Bar, while Mernard and Schuster of 18th Amendment, it's off to a good start. Unlike the other watering holes, Barrel is less interns and more veteran staffer -- its focus is more on crafted cocktails and less on buckets of beer. The only Bucket you'll find on the menu consists of an Elijah Craig 12 year aged bourbon, peppered ginger, and bitters martini.

Split into three distinct sections, Barrel features a main dining room consisting of a full-length bar lined with shelves housing bourbons and other specialty liquors, near the back is The Lab which is a place for the bartenders to play around with their craft, while downstairs is the Elixir Bar and Cask Room, an extended space which can be reserved for private events.

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