GEORGETOWN'S PEACOCK CAFE, popular for weekend brunch, has plans to open up a second location in the heart of K Street sometime in the fall, according to The Post's Tom Sietsema in this morning's Ask Tom discussion at washingtonpost.com. While details with the lease reportedly still have to be worked out, it'll take over the spot currently occupied by Legal Sea Foods at 2020 K St. NW. The move is interesting: Peacock Cafe currently occupies some prime territory on Prospect Street next to uber-popular Cafe Milano. A second location in the D.C.'s corridor of power can't hurt its profile. [Ask Tom/WaPo]
» DEALS: Carnivores love Ray's the Steaks in Arlington. The same goes for the newish Ray's the Classics in Silver Spring.
And meat-lovers online are going nuts over cheap eating specials at Ray's the Classics. "It's fairly insane," says a Chowhounder. Per usual, expect the place to be insanely crowded. [Chowhound]
» PASTA MOB: Sietsema on Vapiano, the new German-owned Italian "fresh casual" franchise:
Vapiano looks a lot like Reagan National Airport the day before Thanksgiving, except the workers at the restaurant are friendlier.Vapiano's current D.C.-area locations are at Wilson Boulevard and Glebe Road in Ballston and at 18th and M street NW in the District. Later this summer: a location in busy Chinatown. [WaPo]
» TRENDS: Out: Mini-burgers. In: Tuna sliders. [Best Bites/Washingtonian]
» ROMANTIC FRIDAYS: Want to enjoy a nice end-of-the-week night in the National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Gallery but don't know where to eat? For $30, you can pre-order a picnic basket for two for Jazz in the Garden from the gallery's Pavilion Cafe. You get hard meats, cheeses, fruit and pate, among other items. Wine is available for an additional charge. Get full details here.
» GIMMICKS: Today at California Tortilla: $1 off if you beat the spunky clerks at rock, paper, scissors.
Photo of Vapiano by Susan Biddle/The Washington Post