And it has streusel crumbles on top? Hm, Zabar's doesn't have that one in stock now—or ever. But D.C.–based online bakery ShoeBox Oven does. Since pickin's are slim in the District, babka-wise, ShoeBox wants to become the missing Babka Buff. Sure, the Jewish delis out in the Maryland suburbs sell a good standard loaf, but within city limits, selection is limited to Dean and Deluca's one location. Krishna Brown—the aproned, and more oftentimes overalled, lady behind ShoeBox—has been experimenting with recipes lately. At first, people told her babka and danish doughs were interchangeable. But Brown flat-out disagrees. "That's like comparing cat and man," she says. "They may have the same blood, brain and skin, but are completely individual creations." Brown... More

OpenTable's site might be pretty sluggish today. Washingtonians are cramming in last-minute weekend reservations for the 167 spots participating in this year's record-breaking summer edition of Restaurant Week. While the prix-fixe menus are notorious for surcharges, limited selection and only cheap cuts of meat (hello, skirt steak; goodbye, prime rib), Restaurant Week lets anyone feel like a foodie for 30 bucks. Pretty good deal? Not really, according to George Mason University economics professor Tyler Cowen. His popular blog, Tyler Cowen's Ethnic Dining Guide, gives readers the straightforward scoop on foods from at least 75 regional categories mostly in his Maryland-Virginia-D.C. neighborhood. Even during Restaurant Week, Cowen prefers trekking out to Eden Center, a Virginia shopping center nicknamed "Little Vietnam," or... More

Photograph from smwarnke4 on Flickr Is every city tattooed with the new Miller Chill ads? On a bus ride this morning zipping between Union Station and Farragut North—the heart of D.C.'s busy office building district—exactly ten bus stop ads (every one except two) plugged the new beer-cum-margarita drink. The Spanglish is pretty entertaining. "Muy Refreshing," "Viva Refreshing," "a Nuevo Twist on Refreshment" or my favorite, "Beerveza"—but geez. That left only one Rush Hour 3 ad and a few nods to Citibank.... More

Washingtonians are no strangers to canvas bags. Plenty of lobbyists tote eco-chic "Save the Turtles" or "Barack the Vote" sacks on the Metro. But remembering to pack that extra one for the grocery run after work is a whole 'nother story. Annapolis, our Chesapeake Bay-side neighbors to the east, have spearheaded a plastic bag ban, following the lead of cities such as San Francisco, which enacted a ban in March, and Oakland in June. A similar switch in D.C. might take some time. "It's a huge lifestyle change, and a bunch of people just won't remember to bring their own," said Whole Foods Mid-Atlantic marketing director Sarah Kenney. Our minds still think in terms of paper-or-plastic, she said on... More

Before we return you to our regularly scheduled programming, we wanted to introduce you to Erin Zimmer, who will be checking in weekly with notes and news from the greater D.C. area. Welcome, Erin! We're looking forward to your dispatches from the nation's capital. —The Serious Eats Team So maybe Tasti D-Lite isn't always as mouthwatering as the flavor names insinuate. But every once in a while, the ten-calorie-per-ounce fluffiness is Godlike. So why can't cities like Washington be part of the fro-yo fun? Oh wait. Here's a little known fact—even to longtime D.C. residents. We kinda are. Tasti D-Lite actually has a long-lost cousin in College Park, Maryland, at the center of the University of Maryland's campus. It opened... More

Eastern Market, D.C.'s 134-year-old market and historic landmark was devastated by a 3 alarm fire earlier this week. The market is the oldest continuously operating fresh food market in Washington D.C. and home to cheese and fish mongers, butchers, a bakery, produce and flower vendors, outdoor farmers' market and restaurants. A couple of months ago, I visited my friends Shannon and Jason who live a few blocks from Eastern Market, and we strolled through on Saturday afternoon. We grabbed some lunch at Market Lunch, and Shannon and Jason picked up their groceries for the week. It's not hard to imagine what a loss this is to the neighborhood and city, but hopefully only a temporary one as rebuilding fund... More