High on the Hog

Mark your calendars BBQ lovers, because one of the best weekends of the year is only a month away!



The 16th annual National Capital Barbecue Battle, presented by Safeway will be held on June 21st and 22nd on Pennsylvania Ave. NW between 9th and 14th St.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for kids, and include a great deal of free BBQ samples and live music on three different stages.

What will make this year's competition different, is that we'll see members of the Kansas City BBQ Society duke it out against the Memphis in May (I only wish North Carolina had reps here) to see who is the national BBQ king.

New Thai Restaurant Coming to Dupont

Walking past Dupont Circle today I noticed a sign next to Julia's Empanadas annoucing the arrival of a new restaurant - Pasara.

There's currently a Pasara in Alexandria (which I know nothing about); whether or not it's the same restaurant/concept I haven't the slightest clue.

Either way, it's great to see a new restaurant option in one of DC's best neighborhoods.

IHOP Coming to DC

Feel like Washington DC is missing that one place that's open 24 hours and has sub-par food and horrible service? Well that void is about to be filled...with pancakes, glorious pancakes!



According to an ad on craigslist (it's amazing what you can find while you're desperately looking for a job), IHOP will be opening up a location in Washington DC and is now hiring for all positions.

So far the pancake giant has about a dozen restaurants around the city, but none actually within its limits.

So if you're looking for some spare cash, or just an endless supply of syrup and coffee, this just might be your day.

Washingtonian's 100 Best Bargain Restaurants List Out

There are very few times each year that I actually buy a magazine, but the Washingtonian's Best Bargain issue is one that I always get.



Looking through this year's issue, it looks like my home of Arlington is well represented, as such restaurants as Bangkok 54, Cafe Pizzaiolo, Delhi Club, El Pollo Rico, and Eleventh Street Lounge, along with many others made the list.

I'll post a link to the full list once it's up - but for those of you who have your hands on the hard copy already - how many of the restaurants on the list have you visited? Any surprises? Any restaurants that you feel should have made it, or shouldn't have?

Food Day: The Secret is in the Sauce Edition

Happy Food day folks, here's what's going on in the world of food today:



Sun, Fun, and BBQ: With the big holiday weekend upon us, a lot of food sections are weighing in with some great BBQ articles. From the WaPo and the NYT, to the Arizona Central and Dallas Morning News, you'll find some great ideas for some tasty BBQ this weekend.

After Mondavi: With the death of vino legend this LA Times article asked the question, who will take the standard of the California wine industry?

Store Brand Savings: Find yourself saving money by switching to store brands? You're not the only one according to this Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article.

Chip Picks: Trying to decide which chips to buy this weekend? This San Francisco Chronicle article ranks the best BBQ chips according to a recent taste test. The winner? You'll just have to read to find out!