Dupont Standby Rosemary’s Thyme Closes, Leaving a Prime Patio Devoid of Pasta

Thyme to close

Trusty Dupont Circle bistro Rosemary’s Thyme has called it quits after nearly 18 years under the same management. Along with pastas, pizzas, and daily happy hour, Mediterranean dishes included fish, Turkish kebabs, and flatbreads. A tree-lined patio was a popular spot for al fresco brunching. The owner confirmed the “fast” closure in email to Popville, writing that “I will do some other location or always want to go culinary school i don’t know yet. All I know time has come to make some changes in my business life.” They also promise that “good local people” will be replacing the restaurant.

Big beer bet on the Nats

Virginia’s Devils Backbone is betting big on the Washington Nationals winning the World Series. As part of a friendly wager with with Houston’s Karbach Brewing, the losing team will brew the other team’s beer and sell it in their pub, with all profits going to a local charity of the winner’s choice (Blue Ridge Area Food Bank for Devils Backbone; Astros Foundation for Karbach). If Devils Backbone wins, Karbach has to brew Earned Run Ale (ERA) in shark costumes with Nationals shirts over them. If Karbach wins, Devils Backbone has to brew Crawford Bock in astronaut costumes with Astros shirts over them. In addition, the losing team’s GM will fly into the winning team’s brewery and buy, deliver, and serve the brewery staff their local state’s favorite hamburger (Five Guys for Devils Backbone; Whataburger for Karbach). Both breweries have been acquired by Anheuser-Busch in recent years.

New jerk on H Street

Howard University-born food truck Jerk at Nite, which livens up 9-to-5 lunch crowds with with loud reggae music and jerk-everything dishes, will soon live up to the hours its name suggests. Its first standalone location is “coming soon” to H Street NE, per its website. Modern Jamaican offerings include shredded jerk chicken tacos and nachos, wings, oxtail, and jerk sauteed salmon. A Popville tipster spotted signage up at 1100 H Street NE.

NYC takeover at Jack Rose

West Village whiskey hot spot the Spaniard is making a pit stop in D.C. as part of a roving U.S. tour this fall. On Thursday, November 14, the bar will pour cocktails at Jack Rose — the go-to Adams Morgan whiskey bar readying to welcome sister spot Imperial down the street. The tour’s timing coincides with the one-year anniversary of Compass Box’s Story of the Spaniard whisky release — a malt whisky blend, aged in Spanish red wine, sherry, and virgin French oak barrels. Special cocktails will include a Manhattan with Averna amaro and orange bitters; the “Fast Buck” with lime, ginger, P.X. sherry, and Peat Monster; and a shot-and-beer combo.

Cakes for Gaithersburg

Lil’ Cakes & Creamery opened a 1,200-square-foot location last week at Gaithersburg Square (488 N. Frederick Avenue). Along with cupcakes and 50 ice cream flavors made on-site daily, the sugary lineup includes cake-n-cream cups, cookie sandwiches, cake pops, cake push pops, macarons, milkshakes, cupcake milkshakes, cake jars, ice cream tacos and cookies.