EAT THIS } Keswick Creamery's Pimento Cheese

I've long been a fan of Keswick Creamery's handcrafted cheeses, which I usually pick up at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market. (Here's where else you can find them.)

As an NC native who grew up on pimento cheese, I'm newly hooked on Keswick's delightful version. The creamy spread is made with their Dragon's Breath cheese, spiked with jalapeno, habanero and birdseye peppers. It packs a nice kick.

It'll be a go-to hors d'oeuvre for summer entertaining. I'm also slathering it on toast with eggs in the morning, and it would make a mean burger topper.

Where to pick your own berries

I remember fondly being turned loose as a kid, bucket swinging by my side, into orderly rows of strawberry plants on a farm near Durham. My siblings and I would race up and down, hunting for a bright red berry peeking out from the low-lying green leaves.

Finding one as big as my little fist, I'd yell to everyone within earshot, "Come look!" It was a big deal. A huge score. By the end of the pick-your-own outing, we'd have scarlet-stained fingers and more strawberries than we could carry.

If you've never been strawberry picking, this month is the perfect time to try it. Many farms are either already open for picking, or will open in the next few weeks. And plenty are within an hour of DC where you can pick to your strawberry-loving heart's content.

Casual Fall Buffet

Photos by Moshe Zusman

When it comes to hosting a dinner party, I love the casual simplicity of setting up a buffet-style table so guests can help themselves. To give you a little inspiration for hosting this season, I teamed up with two local talents, flower maven Sarah von Pollaro of Urban Petals and photog extraordinaire Moshe Zusman on this photo shoot.

So whether you're hosting a laid-back Thanksgiving feast for 15 or inviting a few friends over on a cold night for a hot meal, here's what you'll need to set the table:

1. Start with a neutral table covering. I used a white linen cloth and dressed it down with a burlap table runner. You could even buy a big piece of burlap at the fabric store and use that for a rustic tablecloth.

2. Go for simple white plates and pop your silverware into a jar for playful presentation and easy access.

3. Add a little fall color with cloth napkins (more chic and more eco-friendly than paper!). My go-to for affordable napkins (and all the great boho prints) is World Market. 

4. For the flowers, Sarah whipped up a beautiful arrangement with flowers you can easily find at the grocery store, including snapdragons and spray roses. Find more tips for creating arrangements on her blog.

5. Finally grab some seasonal produce, like heirloom pumpkins and gourds, to add another layer of color and texture.

Looking for the perfect recipes to serve for a casual fall gathering? Try this delicious menu:

• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili, served with sour cream and cilantro
• Cornbread Muffins
• Mesclun Salad with Glazed Pecans
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Squares
• Vermilion's Falcon Punch

New Openings

Restaurant Watch: We, The Pizza from Metrocurean on Vimeo.

Recent noteworthy openings in the D.C. area ...

NEW • We, The Pizza
305 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Top Chef alum and Good Stuff Eatery owner Spike Mendelsohn has opened We, The Pizza on Capitol Hill. The pizza joint serves pizza by the slice, homemade Italian sodas, gelato and Italian sandwiches.

NEW • Mussel Bar
7262 Woodmont Ave.
Chef Robert Wiedmaier's latest project, Mussel Bar, opened in July in Bethesda. As you may guess from the name, this casual Flemish gastro-pub specializes in mussels and frites, which Wiedmaier does so very well at his Brasserie Beck. The menu features nearly a dozen preparations of the bivalves, including green curry with lemon grass; Delirium fennel, lemon and Stilton cheese; tomato fondue, capers and garlic; and classic white wine with garlic and parsley. Also on the menu: döner kebabs, wood-fired tarts, sandwiches, oysters and a few entrees.

The new Estadio on 14th St.

NEW • Estadio
1520 14th St. NW, 202.319.1404
Proof owner Mark Kuller and his team opened the Spanish-inspired Estadio in July. The menu features bite-sized pintxos, tapas and larger plates, overseen by Proof head chef Haidar Karoum. The choices read like a grazer's dream with a host of Spanish snacks — cheeses and meats, toothpicks stacked with anchovies, olives and chorizo, fresh figs stuffed with cheese and wrapped in jamon, small bocadillo sandwiches with blood sausage, and croquetas in mushroom or jamon. Don't miss the "slushitos," boozy slushies in flavors like strawberry with tarragon, gin and Campari.

NEW • Carmine's
425 Seventh St. NW
The New York-based restaurant has opened its 700-seat restaurant in Penn Quarter. The Italian spot is dishing out eggplant parmigiana, housemade meatballs, saltimbocca and more family-style dishes.

Pizzeria Orso in Falls Church.

NEW • Pizzeria Orso
400 South Maple St.
The team behind 2941 opened this new pizzeria in June. Edan MacQuaid, a trained pizzaiolo who has cooked at DC's pizza standard-bearers, including 2Amys, Pizzeria Paradiso and Red Rocks, turns out traditional Neapolitan pies from a handmade volcanic brick oven that cooks them in 90 seconds.

NEW • Ripple
3417 Connecticut Ave.
Ripple is the result of former TLC head Roger Marmet's longtime dream to open a restaurant. He's assembled a great team, including chef Teddy Diggs, formerly of Blue Ridge, manager Danny Fisher who comes from Cork and Cork Market, and GM Brian Cook, a talented sommelier most recently of Sonoma. Pastry pro David Guas will provide sweets for the restaurant. Open for dinner seven days a week, Ripple serves a menu of locally sourced, seasonal dishes, along with a wine list offering 50 choices by the glass from smaller producers around the world. Read more here.

The new Buddha-Bar.

NEW • Buddha-Bar
455 Massachusetts Ave. NW
The Asian-themed Buddha-Bar, known for its trendy locations around the globe, unveiled its nearly 10,000-square-foot space in May.

NEW • Ted's Bulletin
505 Eighth St. SE
The owners of Matchbox have opened Ted's Bulletin on Capitol Hill. The new spot will dish out American comfort food in a throwback setting — the place will channel the 1920s with Art Deco touches, classic cocktails and a shaketender, mixing milkshakes.

NEW • Lyon Hall
3100 Washington Blvd., Arlington, 703.741.7636
The team behind Liberty Tavern opened Lyon Hall in April, serving brasserie fare like steamed mussels, pan-fried frog legs, sausages, wursts and spaetzle.

NEW • Kushi
465 K St. NW, 202.682.3123
This new Japanese Izakaya-style restaurant opened in March in the City Vista building. Kushi offers up sushi, regional Japanese food and skewers of meat, seafood, poultry and vegetables grilled over open flames. An open kitchen feature grills and a robata fire pit for grilling whole fish and large cuts of meats.

NEW • Zest
735 Eighth St. SE, 202.544.7171
Capitol Hill resident Amanda Briggs opened this American bistro on Barracks Row in December. Signature dishes include a lamb shank with creamy parmesan polenta, candied garlic and 24 hour tomatoes, pepita-crusted pork loin with Yukon Gold gratin, mushroom saute and corn jus, and a warm brioche bread pudding with bourbon praline sauce.

• Againn
1099 New York Ave. NW, 202.297.0601
The first restaurant concept from the Whisk Group, Againn is a British gastropub featuring an extensive selection of single-malt scotch and beer. Executive chef Wesley Morton sources organic, seasonal and certified humane ingredients for his menu, which includes such dishes as cast iron roasted hanger steak with bone marrow persillade; Tamworth pork belly with heirloom apples, cabbage and crackling; grilled rockfish with baked lentils and pork hock; and fish and chips served with mushy peas and sauce gribiche.

• Ris
2275 L St. NW, 202.730.2500
Ris Lacoste, who earned her stellar reputation as former executive chef of 1789, opened her long-awaited restaurant in early December. The new spot offers an American menu, featuring dishes like rabbit stew, lamb shank, Nantucket Bay scallops, grilled octopus, sardines, grilled Portuguese skirt steak and fall vegetable Wellington. Regular daily specials include meatloaf on Mondays and Little Italy on Wednesdays (read: spaghetti and meatballs and pistachio chocolate cannolis). The space holds 240 seats, spread over a bar, café and various seating areas. Come spring, a patio will add an additional 60 seats.

• Screwtop Wine Bar
1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington
Former AOL exec Wendy Buckley has opened Screwtop, a wine bar and shop in Arlington. The retail component offers boutique small production wines, cut-to-order cheeses from around the world, imported and domestic meats and patés, antipasto and other specialty foods, as well as party accessories and custom gift baskets. The wine bar serves 40 wines by the glass, a couple of beers on tap, several craft beers by the bottle, and a menu of cheese plates, appetizers, sandwiches and salads. Screwtop will also host monthly wine classes. Read more here.

• Sou'Wester
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW
CityZen chef Eric Ziebold unveiled his new casual Southern restaurant, Sou'Wester, in mid September. Chef Rachael Harriman is heading the kitchen. On the new spot's homey Southern-inspired menu: blackened bluefish with Cajun rice, fried chicken with coleslaw, chicken and dumplings, sautéed perch with Old Bay chowder, poached egg with creamed grits and sweetbreads, and sides like beer-battered onion rings, hush puppies with honey butter and tater tots. The cocktail menu features drinks based around fruit, herb and spiced nectars. Get more deets here.

For more news on DC openings, click here.

Coming Soon

A regularly updated list of noteworthy restaurants slated to open soon in the D.C. area.

NEW • Virtue Feed & Grain
106 South Union St.
Restaurateurs Meshelle and Cathal Armstrong and mixologist Todd Thrasher (Restaurant Eve, The Majestic, PX and Eamonn’s) will open this casual restaurant inside a historic feed building on Old Town's waterfront. The Irish-American pub menu will feature dishes like pigs in a blanket with housemade pastry, cockles and mussels, and toasties (grilled cheese sandwiches with fillings). Thrasher will be assembling a selection of specialty, on-tap craft beers.
ETA: spring 2011

NEW • Italian Cinema
1404 14th St. NW
According to Tom Sietsema, the creators of the British-flavored Againn, the Whisk Group, will open this upscale Italian restaurant on 14th Street.
ETA: 2010

NEW • Italian Shirt Laundry
1601 14th St. NW
Also from the Whisk Group (partnering with Abdo Development) may come this pizzeria and bakery in the old dry cleaner space.
ETA: 2010

• Bayou Bakery
Location TBD
Pastry chef David Guas (at right) previously partnered with The Liberty Tavern to open this Southern-inspired bakery in the old Murky Coffee space. Plans fell through, and Guas is hunting for new space. We may still see those snoballs, pralines, puddings and hot beignets get their own space yet.
ETA: TBD

• Go Burger
1317 Connecticut Ave. NW
The recent split between chef Laurent Tourondel and business partner Jimmy Haber casts some uncertainty on this planned gourmet burger joint. Stay tuned.
ETA: 2010

• Brixton Pub
901 U St. NW
The team behind Marvin and The Gibson hopes to renovate the long-vacant building at the corner of Ninth and U Streets to open a gastropub serving fish and chips, burgers and other pub fare.
ETA: unknown

• Casa Nonna
1250 Connecticut Ave. NW
This family-style Italian joint, from former BLT Steak partner Jimmy Haber, is taking over the former California Pizza Kitchen space.
ETA: summer

• Cuba Libre Restaurant and Rum Bar
801 Ninth St. NW
As first reported on Metrocurean, Cuba Libre, a Cuban restaurant with locations in Philadelphia, Orlando and Atlantic City, is headed to DC. The 200-seat restaurant, which channels Old Havana circa the 1950s, will serve lunch and dinner, and plans include a large patio. The restaurants are under the culinary direction of chef Guillermo Pernot, a two-time James Beard award winner for Best Chef Mid-Atlantic during his time at Philly's ¡Pasión! and his cookbook "Ceviche: Seafood, Salads, and Cocktails with a Latino Twist."
ETA: September

• Galileo III
600 14th St. NW
Chef Roberta Donna has signed a lease to take over the former Butterfield 9 space and resurrect Galileo.
ETA: unknown

• Hill Country
410 Seventh St. NW
Tom Sietsema reports that Manhattan barbecue joint Hill Country is headed to DC. On the NY menu: brisket, beer can game hen, ribs, baked beans, chipotle deviled eggs and PB&J cupcakes. The 250-seat restaurant will also feature live music.
ETA: summer

• Jack Rose
2007 18th St. NW
Bill Thomas (also behind Bourbon and Breadsoda) plans to transform an old gym into the Jack Rose, a restaurant and bar.
ETA: 2010

• Michel
Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean
Michel Richard will take over the former Maestro space, give it a full revamp and open Michel this fall. Michel will join Richard's other DC restaurants, fine-dining powerhouse Citronelle and the sleek bistro Central. Richard tells Metrocurean that the new spot will be casual but still upscale. Early menu items include wild mushroom pie, steak frites, vegetable tartar and duck with figs and cinnamon. Michel will serve three meals a day, including Sunday brunch.
ETA: fall

• Red Apron Butcher Shop
Location TBD
Michael Babin’s Neighborhood Restaurant Group is close to signing a lease for space for Red Apron Butcher Shop. Butcher Nathan Anda’s fabulous charcuterie is already available at farmers markets and at the group’s Planet Wine shop.
ETA: TBD

• Table 14 (tentative name)
1832 14th St. NW
Aman Ayoubi, owner of Local 16, and partners Eric Gronning of Gronning Architects and Doug Whipple of Whipple Farms plan to open Table 14 by spring 2010. Plans for the new spot include a farm-to-table restaurant serving modern American cuisine with an Italian influence on the main floor; a yakitori grill and bar on the second floor overlooking a green roof and garden space; and a space for events on the third floor with a small roof deck.
ETA: 2010

• Tackle Box
522 10th St. NW & 3407 Connecticut Ave.
Jonathan Umbel, owner of Tackle Box and Hook, is expanding the fish shack concept across the region. Plans are under way for new locations in Cleveland Park and downtown. The original Tackle Box dishes up excellent fried seafood, lobster rolls, fish tacos and other casual coastal fare in Georgetown.
ETA: winter

For more news on DC openings, click here. Have a restaurant you think should be added to the list? Email me at metrocurean AT gmail.com.

Recent Eats

Dispatches from where I've been recently ...

• At a press preview of Café Atlantico's new farmers market dinner menu, chef Terri Cutrino served a multi-course meal including velvety mushroom soup and tender braised buffalo short ribs. She only had a few hours to shop for ingredients right outside the restaurant's front door at the Penn Quarter FreshFarm Market and turn them into dinner. She'll have a little more breathing room to create market menus through the summer — the $45 three-course menu will be offered Fridays, a day after the market.

• I'm becoming addicted to the goat ragu with tagliatelle at Posto, so much so that I've been wooed away from my favorite pizzas (the arugula and prosciutto, and spicy salami with Italian sausage).

• The bar at The Source hosted a little gathering of writers the other week to introduce a new cocktail list. I'll be back for the Blue Sage, a summery blend of Stoli blueberry, sage leaves, lime and sugar.

• Lamb dog. Bar Pilar. Get it while you can. It's a thin, spicy link, created by local biz Simply Sausage, nestled in a nicely crisped bun.

Special Splurges

Metrocurean favorites for a big night out ...

• CityZen
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW, 202.787.6006
Chef Eric Ziebold's food here is at times playful, at times transcendental and most often delicious. A recent meal included a playful elevation of falafel, over-the-top rich Miyazaki Wagyu beef with Siberian sea salt and tempura leeks, and a pre-dessert palate cleanser that deconstructed a pina colada with pineapple sorbet, coconut foam and rum gelee. The dining room feels a little like a lobby, but it's a dramatic space with high ceilings, commanding columns and a shiny open kitchen.

• Komi
1509 17th St. NW, 202.332.9200
The cooking here is unlike any other place in town. Chef Johnny Monis, whose star has risen swiftly in the past few years, creates amazing combinations, like baby octopus over lentils and pig knuckle topped with a quail egg, that may sound odd but make so much sense in the mouth. Much of the food has Greek influences (foie gras baklava, crispy oxtail gyro) thanks to Monis' family ties to the country. Dinner is a multi-hour commitment so plan accordingly.

• Restaurant Eve's tasting room
110 South Pitt St., Alexandria, 703.706.0450
The tasting room at Restaurant Eve, above, reflects chef Cathal Armstrong's commitment to local and sustainable ingredients on his modern American menu. Check out this nifty Post video for a peek inside.

• The Source by Wolfgang Puck
575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.637.6100
Executive chef Scott Drewno leads the kitchen at Austrian celeb chef Wolfgang Puck's first fine dining venture in DC. Hit the attractive and spacious ground-floor bar and lounge for pizzas, crisp wings, and plates of housemade pretzels and sausage. Upstairs in the more formal dining room is where Drewno's talent truly shines on the Asian-inflected menu. Don't miss the crispy suckling pig with plum puree (pictured) or the signature spicy tuna cones.

My Neighborhood Favorites

The places I turn to again and again all have a few things in common: I can walk to them, the prices are good, and the food is solid. Thus this list, though delicious, is mostly limited to the 14th Street/U Street neighborhood.

• Bar Pilar
1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751
In this dark and moody bar, you can manage an affordable meal of small plates paired with a well-priced wine list. Chef Justin Bittner's ambitious market-inspired menu includes the occasional offal dish for the adventurous (veal kidneys and sweetbreads) and favorites like chicken liver pate with grilled bread, crispy potatoes with malt aioli and Spanish white anchovies.

• Cafe Saint-Ex
1847 14th St. NW, 202.265.7839
Bar Pilar's older sibling up the street is my favorite spot for brunch. French toast with a side of bacon is my regular order, but other standouts include a smoked trout plate and the fried green tomato Benedict. Come dinner time, the burger is a good bet, made with local grass-fed beef. A commitment to local farms and sustainable seafood is another reason Saint-Ex is on my list of regular stops.

• Coppi's
1414 U St. NW, 202.319.7773
An urban and organic pioneer, Coppi's has been slinging pizzas on U Street since 1993. My standard order: the soppressata pizza, topped with salami, ricotta, mozzarella, mint, parsley, mushrooms and red onions. And don't overlook the appetizers, including the seared green chard with raisins, hot pepper, garlic and ricotta. Call in a take-out order and if you're driving, they'll save you the quest for parking and run it out to your car.

• Cork
1720 14th St. NW, 202.265.2675
There's often a wait for seats at this personable wine bar. The bar pours about 45 choices by the glass and the bottle list stretches to more than 150 selections. Dishes like duck confit with mushroom polenta, crisp fries with lemon zest, garlic and parsley, and the house-cured trout are all standouts. The team includes husband-and-wife owners Khalid Pitts and Diane Gross, chef Ron Tanaka (formerly of CityZen) and bar man Tom Brown.

• Hank's Oyster Bar
1624 Q St. NW, 202.462.4265
Briny raw oysters and a beach bar vibe. Need I say more? What? Not everyone likes oysters? Or the beach? Well, there's plenty of other draws at chef Jamie Leeds' tribute to her father, like crisp fried calamari and popcorn shrimp, a plump lobster roll on a buttery bun and creamy mac and cheese. I never stray far from the fried foods/oysters combo, but there's a nightly meat and two sides special and usually an interesting fish entree or two.

• Posto
1515 14th St. NW, 202.332.8613
This Italian newcomer, pictured above, is the more casual sibling of downtown's sleek Ristorante Tosca. I love it for the wood-fired pizzas (arugula and prosciutto is my go-to), rustic pastas and bustling vibe.

Great Cocktails

Metrocurean favorites for quality cocktails ...

• Bar Pilar
1833 14th St. NW, 202.265.1751
After helping put PS 7's bar on the map, Adam Bernbach is now at Bar Pilar, crafting great cocktails like the Darkside (Plymouth Gin, Marcarini Chinato Vermouth, Peychaud Bitters and spiced cherries) for one of the city's coolest watering holes.

• Central
1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202.626.0015
It was love at first sip for me with Central's Celery Cup, the brasserie's refreshing spin on a Pimm's Cup. The tall drink mixes Dr. Brown's celery soda with Pimm's, Hendrick's gin and fresh lime juice. Central's cocktail list is small but always creative.

• Cork
1720 14th St. NW, 202.265.2675
This popular 14th Street spot focuses on wine, but don't overlook the cocktails. Tom Brown (formerly of Corduroy) incorporates into the cocktail list by making Colonial-era influenced sangarees and flips with wine as the base His super smooth version of a Rob Roy is made with single-malt scotch.

• Dino
3435 Connecticut Ave. NW, 202.686.2966
Like its carefully tended wine program, Dino's cocktail list is crafted with attention and creativity, under the watch of Scott Palmer. Most of the spirits on offer are artisanal products. New cocktails from Palmer include the Spiced Chianti Fizz with Chianti, warm spices, Acquavite d'Arancia, orange bitters and Fever Tree Bitter Lemon Soda.

• The Gibson
2009 14th St. NW, 202.232.2156
Next door to Marvin (look for the tiny buzzer), this new cocktail den from the same owners mixes excellent drinks. The cocktail list was created by Derek Brown, who after working as a sommelier at Komi and Citronelle has returned his focus to mixology. Call for reservations or you have to wait to get in.

• Proof
775 G St. NW, 202.737.7663
As wine director, Sebastian Zutant's focus is vino but he can concoct a mighty fine cocktail as well. Egg whites pop up in a few cocktails like the Libertini — Kaffir lime vodka, fresh sour mix and egg white. The martini "fixins" list is impressive: kalamata olives stuffed with Point Reyes blue cheese, caper berries, house pickled green beans, and onions soaked in gin, coriander and thyme.

• PX
728 King St., Alexandria
The tiny speakeasy over Eamonn's in Old Town is not only a leader in spectacular mixology locally but nationally as well. Todd Thrasher is the man behind the mixes, and his fanatic commitment to fresh ingredients drives him to do things most bars wouldn't bother with — like making fresh cranberry juice, tonic and cola (adios, high fructose corn syrup). Ingredients brought in from outside are carefully sourced. That egg in your flip, for example, may come from the now-famous Polyface Farm. Make advance reservations and take a few friends — PX is more about sitting back with an excellent cocktail than mingling. It's a classy joint, so dress the part. You can also taste Thrasher's creations at Restaurant Eve.

• Tabard Inn
1739 N St. NW, 202.785.1277
You haven't really lived in DC until you've visited the funky Tabard Inn and sipped a cocktail in front of the fire. Chantal Tseng is the welcoming face behind the bar. Go for a classic gin martini or hot buttered rum.

For more on the biggest trends and innovations, check in on the State of the Cocktail in DC.

Chef Teddy Folkman’s Mussels Recipe

Chef Teddy Folkman’s Mussels from Throwdown! with Bobby Flay

1 pound rope grown PEI mussels
4 tablespoons blended oil (40 percent extra virgin olive oil, 60 percent canola)
1/3 cup applewood smoked bacon, diced
1/3 cup thin sliced shallots
1/4 cup Hook's Blue Cheese, or a similar mild, creamy blue
1/3 cup white wine, preferably a dry Chardonnay
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup baby spinach, cleaned and destemmed
sea salt
black pepper

Heat oil in pan with bacon until bacon is rendered and is slightly browned. Add shallots and mussels and toss ingredients together. Add white wine and lemon juice and toss ingredients together.

When mussels start to open, add half of blue cheese, melting it into the broth. As soon as all mussels are open, toss in spinach. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.

Plate and top the mussels with the remainder of the blue cheese. Serve with a French baguette and frites.

Recipe courtesy of chef Teddy Folkman and Granville Moore's.