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Presidential Anniversary Dining; 38 Essential Restaurants

This week's top dish from Eater DC, Curbed's restaurant, bar, and nightlife blog...

GEORGETOWN—President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama shared their anniversary dinner last weekend at Bourbon Steak. The restaurant is keeping mum about the details, but the President has been telling a story about it at his campaign fundraisers.

WEST END—Last night was the 37th wedding anniversary for former President Bill Clinton and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, so where did they celebrate? Rasika West End with a pre-debate couples night.

EVERYWHERE—It's time once again for an update to the Eater 38, your answer to any question that begins, "Can you recommend a restaurant..." This time around, there are five additions, plus a switcheroo of sorts for Cava.

EVERYWHERE—Sure, everyone — including Eater — has your hookup for bars that are showing the debates this election season, but what to do if you would like to avoid the debates at all cost? Well, there's a map for that, too.

GEORGETOWN—In this week's edition of The Gatekeepers, Bourbon Steak general manager Mark Politzer shares some of the wild requests dinner guests have made and admits that an Angelina and a Brad both have eaten there, and they may or may not have been a celebrity couple.

GEORGETOWN—Georgetown's classic restaurant 1789 announced an intriguing deal for the month of October: free foie gras for anyone with a California ID, in solidarity with those affected by the state's foie gras ban.

VIDEO INTERLUDEHere's a clip from this week's episode of Life After Top Chef, in which Spike Mendelsohn and Mike Isabella get together to discuss Spike's new Capitol Hill restaurant Béarnaise. Warning: There are stripper poles, involved, though this is totally suitable for work.

COLUMBIA HEIGHTS—As of this week, Columbia Heights has itself a 24-hour diner in The Coupe, which left its soft opening phase to round-the-clock service on Wednesday.

CAPITOL HILL—Eater checks in with Ivan Iricanin, the owner of Barracks Row's forthcoming Serbian restaurant Ambar, to learn new details about the food, the drinks, the space and, oh yes, the dessert bar.

HANGOVER OBSERVATIONS—At this year's DC Central Kitchen Capital Food Fight, José Andrés and Anthony Bourdain once again played hosts, while Padma Lakshmi, Andrew Zimmern and Carla Hall were judges. Here are some of the best jokes of the night.

CAPITOL HILL—Barracks Row is getting a new restaurant in the spring by the name of Rose's Luxury, from chef Aaron Silverman. It's going to have a modern menu with things like popcorn soup and pasta with strawberry sauce.

LOGAN CIRCLE—Former BLT Steak chef Victor Albisu isn't quite ready yet to open Taco Bamba out in its Falls Church home, but later this month he is going to be testing out the menu over at Black Jack in a series of pop-up nights.

MERRIFIELD—Rogue 24's RJ Cooper shares some new details about the restaurant he's opening at the new Mosaic District development — it will be named Gypsy Soul and will not involve any of "that tired 'hipster farmhouse' shit."