Cap Hill is percolating on over to its new coffee shop, Peregrine Espresso, the coffee shop formerly known as Murky Coffee. And guess who else was there? Mr. Murky himself, Nick Cho, who was locked out of the place back in November on account of about $427,000 in unpaid D.C. taxes. Peregrine’s owner (and former employee of Murky Cap Hill) Ryan Jensen says Cho came by Saturday to check the place out. Cho also stopped by pre-opening when Jensen got a delivery of mugs meant for his former boss (who still owns and makes national headlines from Murky Coffee in Arlington).

Jensen showed him around the new/old place, no hard feelings. “On some level there were a lot of dreams he had for this place, things that we wanted together…like streamlining this place and getting shiny new equipment, so he was happy for us,” says Jensen, who’s added some shiny new equipment, along with a new counter, cooler, and a newly designed interior with the help of local artist Amy Herbert.

The new look certainly distinguishes Peregrine from its shabby-chic predecessor, but Jensen and the four other Peregrine staffers who are Murky holdovers aren’t trying to distance themselves entirely from their alma mater. “Nick invested a lot into his employees,” Jensen says, adding that, in many ways, Cho was a father-figure to Murky’s baristas—a father who didn’t pay his taxes, but still.

—Rend Smith

Last week, Prince of Petworth reported on the closing of Mayorga Lounge in Columbia Heights. Owner Mark Ko wrote in to PoP to offer up his new plans for the space. Quoth Ko:

Though I’m sad to part from Mayorga Coffee I am excited about our new restaurant/bar. We’ll have a sushi bar downstairs in the 14th Street entrance and still have our Korean menu offerred throughout our space.

Today, Mayorga Coffee, LLC released an official comment on the lounge’s closure. The Rockville-based coffee importer, it seems, wasn’t complicit with Ko’s abrupt switch from espresso to sashimi. Writes Mayorga Coffee President Martin Mayorga:

It is unfortunate that Sonic Boom has chosen unilaterally—and we believe in violation of our contract—to change its business from a coffee lounge to a sushi restaurant. We are heartened by the many customers who have expressed their appreciation for and enjoyment of Mayorga Coffee. While we share your concern that the neighborhood is losing an important, locally-owned small business, the simple fact is that we did not operate this store and had nothing to do with its abrupt closing.

Mayorga added that he and the company “look forward to announcing exciting new locations soon.”

Photo by FreeWine.

The Maryland Renaissance Festival. I’ve never been to one. Growing up in Oregon, I just couldn’t stomach all the earnest ladies in waiting and jousting knights. But I’m gonna brave Maryland’s version. Hopefully this busty Valkyrie will be back.

People are lining up for free Chop’t salads at the chain’s new location at Metro Center. My advice: tell them to stop chopping half way through. Otherwise you end up with lettuce pudding. Yuck.

SaraH caught this pre-lunch hour shot of the line:

A word of advice to businesses around town: If you want a fluff piece from the Washington Post, throw an anniversary party for yourself.

For proof, just look at Ben’s Chili Bowl, that mainstay/institution/staple of Washington, D.C., on the historic U Street corridor.

The popular greasy spoon was founded in 1958. Which means that in 2003, Ben’s had been around for 45 years. Cause for celebration: The biz threw a party, and the Post responded with a showcase piece on all the fanfare.

Five years later, of course, Ben’s hit its 50th anniversary. The biz is throwing a party, and the Post responded with a showcase piece on all the fanfare.

The articles bear some things in common: They were both splashed huge on the front of the Metro section; they both ran on August 21; and they both spread the common wisdom about Ben’s (historic eatery, great food, loyal clientele, famous people go there, slice of real D.C., community, blah).

At this point, any self-respecting alt-weekly blog writer would spout off about how pathetic this all is, how all the fuss over Ben’s just highlights how starved D.C. is for authenticity on all levels, how lame the Post is for not checking its own archives, and so on.

But let’s not take that route in this instance. It’s Olympics time, after all, and all that matters at this point is who’s better. And so, let’s vote on which version of the Ben’s Chili Bowl anniversary story was the better one. Instead of forcing City Desk readers to slog through both pieces, though, we’ll abridge them for you, category by predictable category.

The race for the gold starts after the jump.

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Blogger Jeff Simmermon, whose recent disagreement with Murky Coffee in Arlington and its iced espresso policy grabbed headlines, has turned his attention toward more weighty matters. Simmermon is using his blog, And I Am Not Lying, to raise money for the family of Marisol Caceres, the 12-year-old girl found strangled in her Northeast home.

The blogger  knows the victim’s stepbrother, Jose Andrade. In an Aug. 6 post, Simmermon tells how he interviewed Andrade in 2006 “about a walkout he and YARG [Youth Action Research Group] put together at his high school to support a just immigration reform.”

The writer took an automatic shine to the worldly teen:

Not only was he the most thoughtful, intelligent, precocious and wise 19-year-olds I’d ever met - he may have been one of the wisest human beings I’d ever met. Once he opened up to me a little, he was this busted fire hydrant of knowledge about philosophy, classical music, video games and maybe jazz, too. The only organ bigger than Jose’s mind is his heart. I remember a lot of late nights at our friend Danielle’s place, him telling me about growing up in Columbia Heights while I made us dinner.

Though he didn’t know Marisol personally, Simmermon says he “saw her effect on Jose, and I could feel his love for her just pour out of him when he told me how smart she was, how kind and giving she was even as such a little girl.”

After a few more earnest words, the blogger asks his readers to dig deep into their pocket: “Marisol’s family needs money now. They need it badly.” Among other things, the family needs money to move: “Imagine having to come home to that same apartment every night.” A PayPal “Make a Donation” button appears toward the end of the post.

Via e-mail, Simmerman says that the last time he checked, which was Monday, readers had ponied up $2,000.

He adds that the donations aren’t the only positives being generated by the post: Marisol’s relatives and friends are connecting with each other in the comments section. Particularly moving is a note of support written to Jose Andrade, and left by his evidently estranged father, Jose H. Andrade Sr.:

Son You may not want to read this but I hope you do, I want you to know that I LOVE YOU with all my heart and I wish you would let me help you, you are not alone just open your heart and let me in.

your friend talks very nice about you, so I know you have a big heart Henry jr. I always wanted to be part of your life and now more than ever, son life is short lets not waste more time. I can not fix the past but the future can be better. We remember Marisol when she was little and we know how much you love her. Tell you mom and your sister that we’re very sad for your lose and that we’re HERE to help this is my email andrade***** I LOVE YOU Darling, Sabrina y Kevin.

—Rend Smith

Just Asking: Which prolific local blogger is also an accomplished break-dancer? Spotted doing a perfect worm on the floor of a bar that would give it all away if I said the name.

Dino in Cleveland Park (3435 Connecticut Ave., NW) is, like, the Michael Phelps of Restaurant Week, truly unbelievable and smoking the competition. Really, you say? Can Dino be that good? Can Dino be completely and utterly peerless?

Tell me about the menu: Everything’s on it, Phelps Phans, not just three paltry dishes for each course. The only up-charge is for some ridiculously large steak. If you want some ridiculously large steak, why are you at a “rustic Italian” joint in Cleveland Park? Why are you not home watching Michael Phelps listen to his iPod?

Rather stay home and watch Michael Phelps listen to his iPod while Rowdy Gaines endlessly oogles him? Restaurant Week at Dino is Restaurant Month, through the end of August. Phew! Phelps!

How about the booze? Wine list is large. It’s on a clipboard. There’s another edited, annotated version for non-sommeliers. It includes clues like “explosive” and “bracing.” So does Rowdy Gaines when he’s oogling Michael Phelps. Go with wine, which comes in a 5 oz. or 8 oz. pour. I started with a G&T while waiting for a friend and it was just shy of $11. It was “bracing” and all, but not worth $11 and not worth missing Michael Phelps swim a 200 IM heat, winning while still conserving energy.

What if I like cheese as much as I like Michael Phelps? You’re totally in luck. Instead of the graham-nut apple crumble topped with black peppercorn gelato, you can get a selection of cheeses for your third course. But why would you want to? Only Frenchies do that and did you see the way Michael Phelps‘ relay team SMASHED the Frenchies in the 4 by 100? Because Rowdy Gaines did and he thought it was AWESOME. U-S-A!!! U-S-A!!!

Can I have some more booze please? Yes, yes you can and—get this—it’s free! Dino, in an unprecedented RW move, offers a complimentary pour of dessert wine, grappa, or (for the non-boozer) limoncello. Michael Phelps would order the limoncello, Rowdy Gaines? Total grappa guy. You decide.

So how’s the food? O-M-G!!! O-M-G!! It was like Michael Phelps did a flipturn in my mouth! Get the caprese salad. The heirloom tomatoes are gold-medal contenders right now. By next week, they may be only bronze, but next week Michael Phelps will be the greatest human being of all time and you can again leave the house.

The owners of Peregrine Espresso are really excited about opening their Capitol Hill cafe–which’ll occupy the space vacated by snake-bit Murky Coffee.

In an August 8 Web posting, the caffeine impresarios wrote, “We got our patio furniture in yesterday and we’ll be putting it out on weekdays for your sitting pleasure. Come try it out. The wireless is working, too, so if you are bored at your home office and want a free place to perch for awhile, stop on by.”

But this morning, at around 11:30 am, the front of Peregrine Espresso–while tendering a wireless signal that, tested on a MacBook, came in strong and clear– was empty of patio furniture.

When asked about the disappearance of the trendy gray chairs and tables, owner Ryan Jensen responded, “False promise, I know,” and explains that he’s had to put the furniture away until next week, because “we are working on the floor in the shop and those two are related somehow to each other.”

Jensen adds that he hopes to have Peregrine up and running in a couple of weeks but also says that there are “still a lot of loose ends, so no promises at this point.”

At least the store appears intent on delivering on its name: On Monday the shop’s La Marzocco GB5 4-group espresso machine was installed.

For those of you looking for gainful employment, the independent coffee shop is currently hiring. For the most part, the three-and-a-half-page employment form–available online–is pretty basic, though you should be prepared to speak to this rather fussy prompt: “Describe your favorite coffee beverage/origin/brewing method.”

–Rend Smith

Recently, I was lucky enough to get a hold of a copy of Missy Chase Lapine’s new cookbook,The Sneaky Chef: How to Cheat on Your Man (In The Kitchen): Hiding Healthy Foods in Hearty Meals Any Guy Will Love. The book is a guide for women to sneak yucky health foods onto their man’s plate, because men can’t stay healthy unless a conniving woman tricks them into it. (Want that Vulcan Molten Chocolate Cake, Man? Prepare to stomach a few cups of pureed baby spinach leaves. Gross!) Kathleen Ryan O’Connor of The Journal News says the book “appears to have struck a cultural and medical chord.” Chef Daniel Bouloud calls it “A brilliant and timely concept.” An excerpt:

There is a distinctly masculine quality to chewing or gnawing on foods like meat, which accounts for the fact that when you ask most men where they want to go for dinner, they answer “a steak house.” They also like to crunch, as on potato chips or hard pretzles. Alfalfa sprouts and yogurt just won’t do.

A woman, on the other hand, might have just this for lunch. She tends to choose more delicate foods, which men typically call “chick foods.” That is: The proverbial quiche*, salads, broccoli florets, and cottage cheese.

Throughout the book, Lapine regards men as dumb, lazy health hazards. To Lapine, men are like children—and they should be treated as such. As for the woman, her role is to care for these man-boys; by cooking “sneakily” and “cheating” on “your man” in the kitchen, women are able to imagine a sort of transgressive power over males while still staying faithful to the marriages that require them to perform all the cooking, care-giving, and whatever other bullshit wives are supposed to do. But the book is not sexist, writes Lapine:

You might wonder why I’m addressing this whole book to women. Early in the process of writing this book, someone accused me of being sexist for just that reason. It was a man, and he thought I should direct the book to either spouse who wants to cook healthier for the other. Why would I assume that the wife is cooking for the man or that creating a healthy diet falls only on her shoulders? … How I wish he were right. But traditionally, and still today, women are usually the caregivers of the family.

Boo.

In the book’s introduction, Lapine tells the stories of several women stuck in relationships with men who hate eating right. Instead of turning to Lapine’s book, they should probably just listen to me. No sneaking necessary, promise! Let’s take a look.

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Every once in a while the Metropolitan Police listservs provide some sweet relief from the usual reports describing beatings, homicides, muggings, robberies, car thefts and car vandalism. The bad news: dessert crimes seem to be up in the third district. The good news: they don’t appear to be affecting the dessert supply in the area.

An assault occurred on the 3200 blk of 14th St Nw at approximately 2:55 pm on 8-6-08. Complainant reports unknown suspect entered his place of business purchased some ice cream. Suspect then wanted to exchange the ice cream but complainant refused and suspect threw the ice cream at complainant hitting him in the face. Suspect is a black male 20 years of age.

A theft occurred on the 3500 blk of 14th St Nw between the hours of 7:10 am on 11:00 am on 8-4-08. Complainant reports suspect entered his place of business and took a bag of cookies and left without paying for item. Case closed with the arrest of Michael Germain.

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Holly Hughes, editor of the much-loved Best Food Writing anthologies, has discovered what we here at City Paper have known for some time: Tim Carman is doing great work when it comes to telling food stories.

We also have to agree with Hughes that Carman’s Young & Hungry column in defense of fat and the processed food he dares to love is among his best. “Fat’s What I’m Talking About,” which ran in the March 28 edition, will appear in Best Food Writing 2008.

Here’s a sample:

Ever since that Crisco cookie, I’ve reconnected with some of the foods, or some of the places, I used to like before I felt the need to squirrel away my pedestrian eating habits. You know what? I still really like the Burrito Supreme at Taco Bell, particularly when the pimply kid pumps the sour cream evenly across the beans, shredded lettuce, cheddar cheese, ground beef, and diced tomatoes. I also can’t believe how much I drool over the crumbly biscuits at Popeyes; they’re even tastier after you slather them with strawberry jam squeezed from a packet. And I swear that some days the cracker-crust pizza at Stained Glass Pub in Silver Spring tastes better than any of those boutique pies—especially when you can play Buzztime trivia while eating.

The book, out in the fall, compiles the best writing from newspapers, magazines, and, in recent years, blogs. Past editions have included well-known food writers Ruth Reichl, Jeffrey Steingarten, R.W. Apple, Calvin Trillin, and Todd Kliman (former columnist at City Paper and current dining editor at Washingtonian), among others. We’re delighted that Carman, who has been writing the Y&H column since March 2006, is in their deserving company.

Yesterday, my friend informed me of a blog entirely devoted to cake decorating disasters. My first thought was meh, sounds amusing. I will be sure to check that out. Now, I have to say: I greatly underestimated Cake Wrecks, which has wiggled its way into my heart as the greatest food blog of all time. From naked babies with Mohawks riding carrots to dead dolphins, these cakes’ decorations continue to confound and delight. Anyone sitting in front of a computer—that’s all of you!—should stop whatever you are doing and visit this site now. If you can’t, however, here is a teaser, which explores a definite theme on the blog: fertility-related cakes. Read the rest of this entry »

My good friend, roommate, and I decided to check out Commonwealth, the new restaurant in Columbia Heights, last night, and though many of the menu items were unavailable, we ended up having a pretty good meal. Our server was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu, though it was obvious the kinks with the service haven’t been ironed out yet. Thank goodness we weren’t in a hurry, and all three of us are pretty patient. The restaurant was out of most of the beers I wanted to try, so I settled on a monkey ale, and it was pretty good. The highlight of my meal, though (besides the company), was the roasted trout with stuffed bread and butter. I was warned that the fish would come with its head and tail still on, but I was up for something new. Boy, was it delicious (and expensive)!

I know Ruth said she’d probably wait until sweater season to sample the entrees, but I’ll be headed back to try a new dish.

Yesterday afternoon, I was called upstairs to the production room to try a couple cupcakes an account executive had picked up from Baked & Wired, a bakery near the Shops at Georgetown Park. I guess someone up there had read my previous post about Cakelove and knew I’d be interested in a tasty treat. For sample were the carrot cake cupcake, a chocolate cupcake with mocha frosting, and, er, one other variety I can’t remember at the moment.

By the time I got up there, most of each cake had been eaten, but it looked to me (judging by the wrappers) that Baked & Wired’s goods are slightly larger than Cakelove’s concoctions. And in this case, bigger is definitely better. The cakes were that perfect consistency (not too dense, not too crumbly), and the frosting was delicious. The type of frosting you’d eat out of the container while watching a rerun of your favorite show. If that’s what you’re into.

I didn’t have a whole cupcake, so I think it will be necessary to try a (much) bigger sample before giving this shop a true recommendation. I mean, it’s only fair. And wow, look at that: Baked & Wired is open till 7 p.m. on weekdays…just enough time after work to cruise down there on my bike. Hmm.