This week's top dish from Eater DC, Curbed's restaurant, bar, and nightlife blog...
COMING ATTRACTIONS—Restaurateur Richard Sandoval tells Eater he's planning on bringing Toro Toro, his Dubai pan-Latin restaurant, to DC next year. No lease has been signed yet, but he explains what the concept is all about. It'll be about 13,000 square feet, too.
EVERYWHERE—This week saw the update of the Eater Heatmap, a guide to the restaurants that have all the foodies flocking right now. Added to the list this time around are the Stachowski Market and Deli and Chez Billy.
GEORGETOWN—Much anticipated butcher shop Stachowski Market and Deli has opened in the former Griffin Market space in Georgetown. Owner Jamie Stachowski has been one of the region's best-known butchers and now there's a brick-and-mortar space to find his charcuterie. Eater also has the sandwich menu.
MT VERNON SQUARE—Bad news for those who were looking forward to spending Cinco de Mayo at the forthcoming New York Avenue Beach Bar. Owners say they're not going to be ready in time for the big beach party they were hoping to throw. Eater will be watching the buildout carefully, so do send tips if you see any sand being dumped into the lot.
CLEVELAND PARK—Though it hasn't even been open for a year, the Cleveland Park location of Tackle Box will close after the Bandolero preview run. The owner of Floriana says he's opening a tapas restaurant named Pulpo in the space.
CRYSTAL CITY—Get ready, Virginia, because Spike Mendelsohn is opening the Crystal City location of Good Stuff Eatery on Wednesday of next week. There's a ridiculous video to accompany the announcement.
CELEBRITY CHEFS—Speaking of Mendelsohn, he has now jumped on board the pharma train that Paula Deen started with her endorsement deal for diabetes medication. He's now a spokesman for Dexilant, an acid reflux medication.
FOOD MEDIA—The City Paper announced the hire of a new food editor, Jessica Sidman of Bisnow. Upon Sidman's revelation to Eater that she will not be anonymous, there was some hemming and hawing from other local media about critics and anonymity. City Paper editor Michael Schaffer sets the record straight in an interview with Eater.