It’s torture to be surrounded by bites from the best of DC’s restaurants (and mixologists) when you can’t eat anything. But they wouldn’t reschedule their ritzy “Best Of” party just because I was getting over food poisoning… so I just had to go salivate – and congratulate.
Washington City Paper held its own Best of D.C. Fête Wednesday night at what seems to be the city’s favorite larger venue of late, the Carnegie 
Library. (But don’t go asking a taxi (or any public driving means of transportation) to take you there by using that name. The Library? That’s a Library? No. It used to be the DC City Museum, but good luck finding anyone else who knew that! You can still find a great aerial map of the city in the side room, but I digress….)
The “Best Of” this DC was not to be found in a museum, but rather in an extensive taste test of some 50 of the city’s best restaurants, breweries and bakeries, sprinkled in with some artists and entertainers. The event, as 
usual, coincided with the paper’s “Best of” issue, which gives accolades to just about everything, from Best Sandwich (readers’ pick: Taylor Gourmet) to Best Place to Buy Home Furnishings (readers’ pick: Miss Pixies).
Because these are the types of events where you know you should buy the VIP ticket, the most popular tables started running out of food shortly after the gobs of GA got in. But STK, a steakhouse set to open later this month, served mini burgers through the end of the bash. DCity Smokehouse was also well apportioned — as well as one of the best flavors of the night — filling fans with BBQ and slaw. I’d make a comment on the desserts, but I don’t really remember 
seeing many. *sad face*
A portion of the proceeds benefitting Brainfood made the gourmet gluttony even greater. As did switching up the sounds with different bands every hour or so to keep the dance floor… diverse.
A little bit of everything. And a little bit eclectic. That’s a WCP “Best Of.”
*All images credit Michael Woestehoff, The Ellsworth Agency
