Dinner Bell: August Food Events and Specials

You're staring at those cans of tuna on your pantry shelf along with a freezer full of boring TV dinners, when it hits you that maybe it's time to get out of the house and let someone else awaken your palate. I wrote about this over at We Love DC a few days ago, but here's a cross post about where you can take advantage of dining out in DC.

Food Specials: 

If you're craving cold beer, hot crabs smothered in Old Bay seasoning and a wooden mallet (you have had a rough week after all, couldn't hurt to crack a few crabs), head to Bar Pilar. For $60 you get a dinner for two consisting of 10 steamed crabs and two side dishes. I'm a fan of Justin Bittner's potato salad as well as their roasted potatoes with aioli. While it's not included with the crab dinner, definitely get the slow-roasted pork shoulder on toasted, crusty bread. Slow roasted pork. Carmelized outer coating. Need I say more?

While Café Saint-Ex is undergoing a kitchen expansion, you can still head to 14th street for their "pop-up patio picnics" featuring burgers, sausages, classic picnic sides of potato salad and grilled vegetables, as well as "poptails," aka boozy cocktail popsicles. The kitchen's expansion is said to be completed in four weeks.

You're tired of the Georgetown scene in the summertime, clogged with tourists waiting to shove cupcakes they've seen on TV in their faces. Frankly, I don't blame you. But here are two reasons why you should check out G-town this month:

1. "Dog Days of Summer" at Bourbon Steak - Pay homage to some local DC food and order a Red Apron Butchery hot dog and a DC Brau American pale ale for $7. The dogs aren't on the menu, so consider yourself in the know now, you hip city-dweller, you.

2. 1789 Summer Special - One of my favorite restaurants in the city. Think it's just reserved for a special night out or when Obama feels like taking a foreign dignitary out for dinner? Think again. From now until September 15 on Sundays through Thursdays, you can get a three-course dinner for $40. You can request a coupon online or mention the deal to your server.

Food Events:

Pig out literally at Bourbon Steak's second annual pig roast on August 14 from 12-3 PM. Chill on the restaurant's patio while you eat homemade bratwursts, sausages, carnitas and more. The restaurant will have a taco stand and their pastry chef Brenton Balika is carrying the pork theme through dessert with ice creams and pies with "pork-filled garnishes." Tickets are $35 for just food or $50 for food and drinks, and you can order them by calling 202-944-2026. They'll have you wee-ing and wah-ing all the way home.

Oyamel is hosting its 4th annual squash blossom festival until August 14. Don't miss their light summer squash soup with corn, tomatoes, squash blossoms and mexican cream, as well as their squash blossoms stuffed with goat cheese. And if you're looking for an unusual cocktail, try their "Maria Bruja" which is a blend of zucchini, avocado juice, milagro blanco and mezcal served with a squash blossom chip in a salt-rimmed glass.

Take a bite: www.bonappetitfoodie.com.