One by one, we’re running through the 50 restaurants that made the cut on this year’s Young & Hungry Dining Guide. If you have visited the day’s featured restaurant, let us know what you think. If you’re planning to visit for the first time, tell us about your meal when you return.

Concept is a word that gets thrown around a lot in the restaurant world. I’m not convinced it means squat to the average diner, but without a solid concept, or operating philosophy, a restaurant would remain rudderless, adrift to shift from idea to idea as desperation and past-due bills become a routine part of daily business. Liberty Tavern has one of the tightest concepts I’ve ever seen. It’s regional American as filtered through chef Liam LaCivita’s Italian prism. The concept plays out up and down the menu, from the superb bread basket (which combines New England anadama with Italian feather loaf) to terrific wood-fired pizzas (including one with Vermont white cheddar) to the homemade fettucine with Maine lobster. This guiding philosophy can even be felt in the very space, erected a century ago as a Masonic building, which gives off the friendly neighborhood vibe of a classic Italian trattoria.

 Liberty Tavern, 3195 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, (703) 465-9360

Those with a good set of wheels and an iron stomach can hit not one, not two, but four food festivals this weekend. So why bother trying to sample them all? Well, because in one sweet weekend, you can get a fine overview of the area’s eats.

• The Taste of Wheaton on Sunday is a great opportunity to sample some of the best ethnic eats in the D.C. region. This year, the festival will not only feature bites from a few of Y&H’s favorite restaurants — like Nava Thai and Max’s Kosher Cafe — but also an Ethnic Food and Wine Tasting Pavilion boasting dishes from Latin America, Asia, and Europe. Carla Hall, the near-miss Top Chef whose catering company is located in Wheaton, will also be on hand for the event.
• That same day, you can also wander over to Taste of Arlington. While the city doesn’t have a culinary identity as distinctive as Wheaton’s, Arlington has enjoyed a higher profile lately, thanks to such additions as Liberty Tavern and Eventide, which have gone a long way to rinsing out the chalky aftertaste of those big-box chain restaurants that dominate Clarendon. Sadly, Eventide doesn’t look to be a player in this year’s event, but there are plenty of other tasty options, including Jackson’s Roasting and Carving Co., Yaku, Cafe Pizzaiolo, and Me Jana.

More festival news after the jump.

Read More “Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Appetites. It’s a Food Festival Weekend.” »

According to the New York Times, Americans seem to be coping with the economic downturn by gobbling down obscene amounts of Necco Wafers and other sugary treats. I read this piece with great interest, since my own candy intake appears to be rising. ‘Course, I blamed it on blogging, which is probably worse on your health (and the environment) than red meat.

Reports the Times:

Read More “NYT: Candy Has Become Our Recessionary Pacifier” »

To be fair, The Liberty Tavern, one of my favorite dining spots in Clarendon, did have little dry chocolate mousse cups on their Sunday brunch dessert bar, but the majority of the sweets on the table were commercial candies, including Tootsie Rolls, Necco Wafers, Whoppers, Mary Janes, and, ugh, Pixy Stix.

Read More “Yes, the Economy’s Bad, But Has It Really Come Down to Serving Candy for Dessert?” »