The July Hit List: Tail Up Goat, La Jambe, Tiki on 18th, Peter Chang, and More

With peas, stone fruit, and sungolds in season, dinner at Tail Up Goat feels utterly fitting, with their newly crafted sorta- mid-Atlantic/sorta-Mediterrean menu. Their salt-cod fritters with Zuni onions and smoked cauliflower have returned; that  and the grilled apricot with hazelnut and strawberry crumble, lardo and sorghum molasses, are non-negotiable starters. Next, consider the seared scallops and pine-nut mousse with chili crisp, or yellowfin tuna crudo with charred snap peas, fennel, Sicilian pistachio and basil salsa verde. And we’re not missing out on hazelnut basil Paris-Brest for dessert.

And wines by the glass? As eclectic as they come, with everything from Bugey-Cerdon sparkling gamay, to Santa Barbera riesling and Greek retsina rosé, so take a whirl.

Yes indeed, The Game Sports Pub on 18th street does in fact harbor a bonafide tiki bar and Filipino restaurant upstairs (which also serves outside on their streetery); so basically your summer has a lot more lumpiang and mai tais in store. Grilled chicken inasal and beef tapa skewers are also a no-brainer. And the the spicy sisig — a hot skillet of grilled pig ears, fried pork belly, chicken liver aioli, labuyo peppers and cracked eggs; as well as Jo-Jo’s pansit — a rich bowl of noodles with garlic shrimp, pork belly and vegetables — are among our favorites. And we’re always game for a Fog Cutter, here made with rum, pisco, overproof gin, sherry & orgeat, as well as their perhaps even more lethal Zombie shots. And did we mention the frozen Hurricanes? Those too.

When hunger pangs guide us toward a knockout Sichuan feast, Peter Chang in Arlington is what we crave. Their impossibly crisp, tender and ephemeral dry-fried eggplant spears; and the crispy pork belly, tossed with a scintillating mixture of red and green chiles, Sichuan peppercorn and alliums, are mandatory ordering. If their massive soup dumplings are available, don’t think twice  (although take caution when slurping the broth through its straw). And an order of mapo tofu with beef, oh and the handpulled Grandma’s noodles, dressed in savory hot chile oil, are essentials for the table.

Other must-order dishes include the tea-smoked duck with fried onion straws, and Peter Chang’s seafood in a stone pot — brimming with jumbo shrimp, sliced flounder and scallops, in a soy and curry broth. Oh, and the cumin lamb chops. We’re not good at editing ourselves here. But with the vast range of the menu,  remember that leftovers are way better than FOMO. Better yet, gather more friends, reserve a lazy Susan table, and order everything that appeals.

It’s been a while since we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying cold draught beer seated at the bar (thank you, a/c!), and there’s few places we’d rather be for it than Bloomingdale’s favorite gastropub. Warshore Oysters on the half shell, and iceberg wedge salad, are always a strong play to start. Trust on their colossal fish & chips. Or, the barbecue pork shank with mashed potatoes and crispy brussel sprouts, which makes a fine sunday dinner. Whether you take refuge in the dark and intimate setting inside, or prefer their sunny patio seating, stay hydrated with their strong lineup of saisons, Berliner weisses, New England IPAs, or Narragansett tallboys. And they’re not messing around at brunch either; with choices like the Seven Hills beef, bacon, egg & cheese burger, house-cured brisket & eggs plate, or the honey hot-chicken Benedict, satisfaction is guaranteed.

Perhaps the seminal Neapolitan pizzeria-slash-wine bar in D.C. has resumed dining service. We don’t even mind the dining room’s drone of carb-loaded children being back, if we can once more have a Vongole 1.0 pizza with cockles fresh out of the oven.

Start off here with all things fishy, cured & swiny: Think salt cod croquettes, Sicilian & Cantabrian anchovies with green sauce, house-made mortadella, and Autumn Olive Farms heirloom pork rillettes. Other favorite pies include the Puttanesca 2.0 and Calabrese (continuing with the unapologetic celebration of anchovies); and for meat lovers try the Ripieno Extra, a wood-oven torched calzone stuffed with ricotta, salami, prosciutto, pancetta and tomato. You will drink well, of course: There’s Black Forest pilsener from Rothaus, grower Champagne from Georges Laval, and everyone’s (or at least Action Bronson’s) favorite Sicilian adult juice-box wine, Susucaru.

Few places solve the dilemma of ordering a balanced meal of savory, sweet, and fast-tracked to inebriation, as seamlessly as Boqueria. $49 gets you a brunch paella for two: Catalan roast chicken, piquillo peppers, chorizo, kale and eggs, plus churros with hot-chocolate and dip, and a pitcher of sangria. Or, should you arrive for dinner, you’ll want a vast spread of surf and turf —  jamón & salchichón Ibérico and seared Colorado lamb skewers with salsa verde as tapas, followed by the paella de mariscos, replete with monkfish, sepia, squid, shrimp, clams, and mussels in saffron bomba rice. And happy hour comes daily from 3 to 6 p.m., where you’ll find us knocking back vermouth spritzes and shishito margaritas, with serrano ham & manchego pan con tomate, and patatas bravas.

Something about summertime and classic Roman pastas made with coastal fare are vibing with us. And right on cue, Mailino Mare has reopened for service. Start with cocktails like the Pomelia (Tequila, blood orange, fennel, lime and olive oil), or Birdwatcher Sour (rum, pineapple, vermouth, Campari and lime) to keep your cool. The fried Sicilian sardines with parsley pesto, and charred octopus with fingerling potatoes, are a good call to accompany those drinks.

And beyond the classics, their fettuccine with ruby red shrimp, and the spaghetti with Maryland crab ‘meatballs,’ are choice picks. Also consider the salt-baked branzino for two, and the roasted suckling pig, to make it a complete feast.

For some of the most splendid Persian cooking outside of Tehrangeles, Rumi’s Kitchen in Mt. Vernon Square is the place. For peak summer flavors, start off with a spread of smoked eggplant dip, grilled shrimp basted in garlic and saffron, and their watermelon and feta salad. Kebabs are chargrilled to succulent perfection and generously portioned; especially their bone-in cornish hen, lamb sirloin, and kubideh — made from a blend of ground chuck, brisket, and hanger steak.

And does it count as a Persian dinner without heaps of buttery rice? Try the baghali polo, made with fava beans, garlic and dill, with your lamb dishes; or the shirin polo, with barberries, orange zest, pistachios, and almonds, as served at Persian weddings. Of course, don’t sleep on their robust wine list, which includes some low-key stunners like Domaine Sigalas’ assyrtiko from Santorini, and Ashes & Diamonds’ Napa homage to Bordeaux’s Right Bank.

Call 202-900-9106 for reservations.

Since reopening their doors in May, Shaw’s much adored French wine bar, La Jambe, is showing serious flex from the kitchen, led by chef D’Angelo Mobley. Among their small plates, their beef tartare — made with preserved lemon, yolk fudge, and fried shallot — as well as the poached scallop ceviche, accented with compressed pear and a miso bagna cauda, are musts. For main courses, consider their chichi “haute dog,” a Toulouisan pork sausage dressed with tomato gel, mango mustard, and pickled serrano relish; or their half roasted chicken adorned in a summer dress of preserved strawberries, smoked lime, pickled pearl onions, herbs and frisée.

And then just add a bottle of Corsican rosé, or a white wine from Cassis, grown on the coast south of Marseille, for an ideal summer evening. And finish with a pour from their on point selection of Burgundy-aged Scotch whisky, Martinique rhum agricole, or Armagnac.

When you’re in the midst of sweltering heat, and not compelled to fire up your own stove for dinner, head to Bloomingdale’s trusted HopScotch, an Italian-American tavern from the father-son duo of Tommy (a long time veteran of Old Ebbitt, among other places) and Matt Mazzochi. Their cellar bar is the ideal hangout for escaping from the heat and main-street bustle, and also to watch the baseball game, with a fresh watermelon or grapefruit crush (by the pitcher on Saturday and Sunday nights!).

From the kitchen, their stuffed shells with ricotta and spinach, as well as the chicken Parmesan over spaghetti, their patty melt, and house made mozzarella sticks, are delights. And no doubt, as a Brooklyn native who missed his Junior’s cheesecakes, Tommy makes his own at HopScotch, which we savor with a Black Russian for an ideal dessert combo. No reservations.