Brightest Young Things

This week we have bad resto names, a not-secret/secret club, Buddah Bar, free $1, Jews and the Irish, new coffee, 24 courses at Vidalia, more Mandu, Serendipity, update on pies, a revamped Madhatter, the $100 martini, Bourdain on DC, whale meat in LA, humane foods, guns and a skinny Idol.

First the local stuff:

• Meat in a Box, Pho Kim, Prego Again, New Big Wong, Pusser's and Sauciety - who has the worst resto name in DC-metro?
• A secret supper club launches, so secret it gets it first profile in the Washington Post before even serving a meal. Is the Orange Arrow pointing at you?
• Buddah Bar update via Ready Set DC, possible April opening.

• Starting Thursday, California Tortilla is making like P. Diddy and dropping money all over town. Look for $1 bills with messages promoting the $5 fiesta combo.
• Star and Shamrock, a deli/tavern, is coming to H Street. The Hebrew/Irish logo is killing me.
• Filter Coffeehouse opens on 20th Street. It has a coffee concierge so I hear.
• Vidalia is starting a new concept, Vidalia 24. 24 courses with beverage for $150.
• Mandu is looking at a second location at City Vista shopping center.
• Rumor is via K Street Kate that we may be getting a Serendipity in Georgetown.
• Dangerously Delicious Pies is having its opening party on Friday. Not 100% on when they open doors for pie though, but we're working on it.
• The Madhatter has new digs and has gone upscale.
• Kellari Taverna has done the impossible in this economy. It has created a $100 martini, made with Louis XIII cognac. I had one the other day but in an Ikea shot glass. Kelly Magyarics got the full portion and a better picture.

• Bourdain on DC to Washington Flyer: "It’s a rapidly improving and expanding situation in D.C. You see chefs opening outposts in Washington. José is getting a lot of traction. The fact that he has so many restaurants doing well in D.C. [says a lot] about what’s going on."

And the round up:

• A restaurant called The Hump in LA has been rumored to be selling whale meat. Naturally the guys from The Cove busted it.
• Civil Eats features a restaurant database that "identifies 150 restaurants in 15 U.S. cities that offer products and menu items created by methods that benefit animal welfare, human health, and the environment."
• Starbucks, the place for guns!
• Ruben Studdard went on The Wendy Williams Show. He got a trainer, became a vegan, lost 100 lbs and looks amazing!