Eating Around: Never-Ending Pizza Analysis

BACK IN THE DAY, D.C.'s best pizza options fell somewhere between Papa John's and Domino's. Thankfully, restaurateurs in the District have made up for lost time, opening a slew of eateries that serve brick-oven pies — some of which, dare we say it, stack up against what's found in the be-all pizza barometer that is New York City.

Some of the pizza joints may be new, but they've clearly racked up some fans, as evidenced by the comment blizzard that followed a DCist post titled "The Fab Forno Smackdown: Firing Up the Pizza Debate." In the post, writer Jamie R. Liu, who's also an Express contributor, spent a Sunday ranking pies from Comet Ping Pong, Red Rocks, pictured at right, 2 Amys and Bebo — and the winners came out in said order. The results are causing ripples all over the Internet. Expect another online pizza war sometime next year.

» OENEPHILIA: Yes, it's true. D.C.'s wine-bar trend is hitting its peak, marked by this week's opening of Veritas — a Joe Englert joint tucked away on Florida Avenue, just west of Connecticut Avenue. Make your way through any of the 64 wines by the glass, hailing from Australia to Washington and everywhere in between. Next up this fall? Vinoteca, next door to Solly's on U Street NW, and Cork, in the former Sparky's space on 14th Street NW.

» BOUNTY OF THE SEA: Oystermania is in full swing, marked by the 38 minutes it took for tickets to Old Ebbitt's annual Oyster Riot to sell out, the September release of "A Geography of Oysters: A Connoisseur's Guide to Oyster Eating in America," and this week's opening of Hank's Oyster Bar's new outpost in Old Town Alexandria. Also, stay tuned for Jamie Leeds' third venture scheduled to open this spring in Columbia Heights. Will oysters be the name of the game?

Speaking of oyster bars and fish shacks, The Post's Tom Sietsema today served up news on Barton Seaver's next venture in the former Georgetown Bagelry: Tackle Box, inspired by the lobster and clam shacks Seaver toured in Maine this summer. We're a little worried about the name, since tackle connotes bait — something this writer's New England fisherman father wouldn't suggest we eat.

» TO DO ...
Greek Eats: Feast on homemade mousaka, dolmades, spanakopita and baklava with the Ladies Society at the 47th annual Greek Festival at St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church on upper 16th Street NW, this weekend only.

Meet the Chef: Pay homage to Restaurant Eve's owner and chef Cathal Armstrong at the Dupont Circle farmers market this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., where he'll be whipping up something delicious with goodies from the farms.

Feasts: Celebrate the end of Rosh Hashanah at the National Press Club at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 25th with a five-course Jewish-Moroccan feast. Local author Joan Nathan, of "The New American Cooking" and "The Jewish Holiday Cookbook" will be on-hand for a Q & A and book signing. Tickets are $67 for members, $89 for non-members, and include wine pairings.

Photos by The Washington Post's Bill O'Leary and Michael Lutzky