D.C. Food and Booze News

The holiday season is upon us and that means there is a whole lot of food to be eaten and drinks to be consumed. You better get started.

Halloween party recommendations (for you and your pet)

Estadio becomes Espookio

As of last week Estadio is officially Espookie! The tapas restaurant is decked out in Halloween gear and will remain this way until October 31, when the restaurant has it’s annual Halloween bash. Tickets for the party are $31 and include scary sherry floats and bloody bread. Sounds like a bloody good time to me. Buy your tickets here.

City Tap House’s Witchin’ Halloween

On October 27th, City Tap House will be kicking off the Halloween festivities with an open bar from 9-11pm for $35. Because Halloween is the only day you can get drunk and actually get away with being incognito. Maybe.

Howl-o-ween at Radiator

Radiator is hosting the best Halloween party in town this weekend. It’s a happy hour from 2-5pm, for humans AND dogs. Human guests can have sriracha deviled eggs and charred shishito peppers and a cauldron of craft cocktails from the bar team. Canine guests will get a be trick-or-treat goody bags with extra doggy biscuits for the canines in costume. I want to go just to see the dogs in costume.

A Pet Sematary costume contest at Truxton Inn

On October 31 the Truxton Inn will be throwing a Pet Sematary costume contest that includes a complimentary glass of punch for pet owners and bragging rights for whoever wins. These also have a whole bunch of Stephen King-inspired cocktails for Halloween that we tried and we think you should try them too.

How to celebrate National Caramel Apple Day

October 31^st is not just Halloween. It is national caramel apple day and Hank’s Cocktail bar will have a drink called candy apples + razor blades, made with apple brandy, caramel and bitters. I never heard of this day but thanks to Hank’s I will be celebrating it.

Day of the Dead festivities

Oyamel’s Day of the Dead Kick-off party + Dinners

Oyamel’s Day of the Dead Festival is something we look forward to all year. The kick-off party is so epic that I always call in sick to work the next day. There is face painting and mezcal tasting and free-flowing cocktails and food like mushroom tacos and plantain empanadas and heaps of guacamole and a band that encourages people who don’t know how to dance salsa to dance salsa. If you missed the party you are a fool but you can also attend one of the other Day of the Dead Festival events, which include two dinners, a Cocktail Dinner on October 30 and a 3 Stars Beer Dinner on November 1.  The restaurant also has a menu of special dishes available at the restaurant every day until November 4. Not as cool as face painting, but hey, we told you about the kick-off party in our weekly restaurant news column!

Day of the Dead cocktail specials at Buena Vida

Buena Vida has three new Day of the Dead cocktails available from October 29 to November 2. They will be the El Alebrije, made from a combination of reposado tequila, El Silencio mezcal, Amaro blend, and blackberries served in a skull glass; the El Beso del Diablo, the devil’s kiss, which is made from a combination of tequila blanco, agave syrup, lime and sour mix, and the La Llorona, named after the ghost of a woman who lost her children and forever cries while looking for them causing misfortune to those who are near.  This drink is made from a combination of tequila blanco, hibiscus syrup and lime juice, garnished with grasshopper salt air.  Cocktails are priced at $9 each.

Rise to the Roof for Day of the Dead

Starting at 5:00 p.m., on November 2 Radiator will host a Day of the Dead party on their rooftop. Tacos and tequila will be in abundance. No reservations or cover charge required.

Random reasons to drink alcohol

Bentzen Ball + Smirnoff = Support Whitman-Walker and Human Rights Watch

Enjoy a drink before and after each of Bentzen show at these bars and a $1 of each drink will go to our non-profit partners Whitman-Walker Health or Human Rights Watch.

DC Cocktail Week

DC Cocktail week aka the happiest week of the year, runs from Monday, November 12 through Sunday, November 18. On Thursday, November 1 a preview of the drinks available that week at DC restaurants will be held at Wild Days at Eaton Workshop from 5pm-7pm. You can try an unlimited number of drink (yes, unlimited!) from DC Cocktail Week participants Wild Days, The Allegory, Colada Shop, Homestead and Iron Gate, as well as spirits from local distilleries. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.dccocktailweek.com. I feel drunk already.

Seasonal/fun/boozy cooking classes

Celebrate National Pasta Month by making pasta

On October 27th the chefs at Osteria Morini will show you how to make pasta dough, after which you can eat all of the pasta. This sounds like an awesome way to celebrate the best comfort food of all time.

Holiday cooking class at Centrolina

Amy Brandwein is one of the best chefs in the city, and on November 4^th she is not only sharing some of her holiday recipes, she is going to teach you how to make them. For $55 on November 4th you will get to make and eat rosemary sage stuffing, cranberry relish, papparedelle kugel, and apple pie at Centrolina.