Latest news with #AnnaSpiegel
Axios
08-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Test Drive: Ambar's unlimited Balkan food
A new Balkan spot in River North is set to reshape your conception of all-you-can-eat dining. Driving the news: Last week, the stylish, upscale Ambar opened its first U.S location outside the Washington, D.C. area at 700 N. Clark St. How it works: Diners pay $27.99 at lunch and $56.99 at dinner for unlimited small plates of more than 40 Mediterranean-style vegetables, dips, salads, grilled meats and seafood, along with hearty stews and flatbreads. You can add a beer or glass of wine for $7. On the plate: Our favorite bites included the mixed mezze platter with freshly baked bread, almond fried chicken on apple slaw, lamb flatbread, braised pork shoulder, roasted trout and piquillo pepper. Two of us were stuffed after 11 small plates. Inside scoop: Our Axios D.C. pal Anna Spiegel tells us that even though Ambar opened in 2013 "and the novelty has worn off a bit," it's still popular, "especially with the bottomless crowd." And by bottomless, she means all you can eat. Get your mind out of the gutter. The bottom line: Between the lovely, comfortable decor, attentive service and delicious food, I can see Ambar becoming a local fave with the city's large Balkan community and beyond.
Axios
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Your D.C. Weekend: Three restaurant weeks, Lunar New Year
Three DMV winter restaurant weeks are overlapping this weekend in the ultimate foodie Venn diagram. Restaurant hopping all weekend long ... while scoring deals on yummy food? Brb — we're grabbing our stretchy pants ... State of play: Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week is currently underway at over 370 restaurants around the region and will run through Sunday. Nom-nivores can snag multi-course noshes for lunch, brunch ($25 or $35) and dinner ($40, $55, $65). And nearly 100 restaurants are offering drink pairings — and even some complimentary drinks (likely at brunch, a great deal in general). Overwhelmed by all the options? Fear not! Axios D.C.'s resident food guru, Anna Spiegel, shared her top picks with us. 🍔 Alexandria Restaurant Week begins Friday and will run until Feb. 9. The hungry can take their pick from over 90 restaurants offering prix-fixe dinner menus for $30, $40 or $50. You can also snag discounts at fast-casual spots like Capo Italian Deli and Toastique during the week. 🍝 Falls Church Restaurant Week also kicks off Friday and stretches until Feb. 9. Get your hands on a restaurant week passport and stamp off eight places for the chance to win a gift card. Food deals vary by participating restaurant, from acclaimed spots like Ellie Bird and Thompson Italian to casual finds like Turkish hit Borek-G. More fun things to do once you're sufficiently stuffed: 🐍 Celebrate Lunar New Year! There are tons of events this weekend (here's our full guide). A sampling: The Fried Rice Collective celebrates Lunar New Year with a collaborative dinner on Capitol Hill Friday with a bunch of top chef talents (reservations $90), or a Lunar New Year tea service on Sunday (1pm and 3pm, $65 reservations). The National Museum of Asian Art hosts two events on Saturday: a free family festival (1-3pm, register here) and a night market held at the Arts + Industries building (3-7pm) with tons of food vendors and makers. The annual DC Chinese Lunar New Year Parade travels through Chinatown on Sunday at 2pm with costumed dancers and a lively firecracker finale. 🚗 For motor enthusiasts, The Washington, DC Auto Show parks itself at the Convention Center, Friday through Feb.9 (tickets $8-$21). 🌳 Last call: The bonsai " Winter Silhouettes" exhibit at the National Arboretum closes Sunday (10am-4pm, free).
