Happy Hour at Tortilla Coast, 15th and P Streets NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Alejandra Owens. You can find her at her food blog, One Bite At A Time. Alejandra also writes for City Eats DC, a Food Network site, where you can book dinner reservations. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @frijolita.
Tortilla Coast announced this week they’ll be open for happy hour – margaritas, sangria, two kinds of micheladas, beer and wine are all on special.
The details:
- Monday-Friday
- 3:30-6:30 pm
- at the bar only
I know, you’re asking: what in the world is a michelada? Our dear fashion friend Khelan is in love with these things, and they are pretty darn tasty, I must admit! A michelada is a Mexican beverage made with beer, lime juice, tomato juice (or Clamato), and assorted sauces, spices, and peppers. Basically, it’s a beer bloody mary. Entiendes? Go get one, it’ll definitely make your day better.
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El Centro DF Margarita. The restaurant opened in May at 1819 14th Street NW. (Alejandra Owens)
From Alejandra Owens. You can find her on Twitter, @frijolita, or on her own food and cooking blog, One Bite At A Time.
I’ll be honest. When I heard about El Centro DF opening up on 14th Street, I had only tempered enthusiasm. With an on-again, off-again Cinco de Mayo opening and a seemingly hastily pulled together opening night event, I thought it would only be fair to give El Centro some time to settle into the neighborhood.
We all already know I have a history for being hard on Mexican restaurants in town, but we also know that I’m not unreasonable as I found an unlikely favorite in La Villa. That said, I made dinner reservations and met a fellow food blogger friend one night last week. Expectations were low, but minds were certainly open.
The atmosphere of El Centro does not disappoint. The main floor is a hustling bustling open kitchen with several large high-top tables and bar style window seating for walk-ins and carryout orders (which can conveniently be ordered until 3 am on weekends).
The rooftop is large, with two levels and two impressive bars to match, and is an ideal spot for these steamy summer nights we seem to be having lately. As a happy hour destination ($5 margaritas and $4 beers), El Centro hits the spot, too. The “Tequileria,” or basement level, is dark, quite deep and seats a surprising amount of people and hosts its own bar. Raw wood tables, roughly finished concrete floors and lots of punctured Mexican tin makes the place feel authentic from the get-go.
Venus celebrates Cinco de Mayo at Hotel Rouge on 16th Street NW. (Photo from Kimpton Hotels)
From Michelle Lancaster. Don’t think this is interesting or amusing? Well, you should have had another margarita. Instead you can tell me thanks, you hate it or give us some tips on Twitter @MichLancaster.
Cinco De Mayo Festivities!
I’m pretty sure that you didn’t miss it, given the size of the crowds at the bars around Dupont. The Obamas celebrated with mexican avocados; a bunch of you made a questionable decision to mix booze and dairy products at the opening of Pinkberry, which opened today as reported by DCist.
El Centro D.F. Opens on 14th Street NW
If you skipped the long line for free fro-yo, of which we already have about 100 options, perhaps you braved the hyped up crowds at El Centro D.F. Tell us how it was! And for the rest of you, shaking under your desk, here’s an oldie but goodie from the Examiner on hangover cures. Or get some hair of the dog at Salon.
El Centro D.F. is the latest addition to 14th Street's restaurant lineup at 1819 next to Black Cat. After much pre-opening publicity, the new Mexican eatery opened on Cinco de Mayo.
Drivers and Cyclists in D.C: Still Could Use Some Work
Greater Greater Washington notes that, despite bike lanes, many drivers and cyclists could use some education to coexist more harmoniously. The tips included in the article are pretty basic manners, which is probably why it is so groundbreaking for the city’s travelers.
