Eating Around: Preserve Public Land at Poste

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HOTEL MONACO is one of the city's best public spaces. Remember, the Kimpton-branded hotel operates in the historic General Post Office building downtown, which was designed and built in the 1840s by Robert Mills and expanded by Thomas U. Walter and Montgomery Meigs in the 1850s. The government actually still owns the building, Hotel Monaco is just a tenant. Which is why it might be even more appropriate that the hotel's restaurant, the beautifully designed Poste, is hosting an event next Tuesday to support the Trust for Public Land, the only national nonprofit organization that conserves land for recreation and other public uses.

From 6-8 p.m. in Poste's courtyard garden, there will be a rosé happy hour with noted wine expert Andrew Stover that's open to the public. There'll also be a specialty cocktail from Allison Evanow of Square One Organic Vodka.

» Poste Moderne Brasserie, Hotel Monaco; F Street NW between 7th and 8th streets; Tues. July 10, 6-8 p.m.; RSVP, 202-939-6411 (Gallery Place-Chinatown)

» UPCOMING: According to a sign on its door, the long-awaited wine-centric restaurant Proof will open on Thursday. Look for the place on G Street NW, west of 7th Street. [DonRocks; Proof]

» SUGGESTED: On the south end of Adams Morgan's 18th Street strip, newish Casa Oaxaca has been slowly gaining fans — probably because it eschews the Americanized forms of Mexican cooking and instead shines "a light on a region in Mexico known for its good taste," writes Tom Sietsema of The Post, who recently reviewed the restaurant. There are many hits (chicken-filled tamale, tres moles chicken, grilled skirt steak), but some misses, too (fish dishes), according to Sietsema, who gives the place a respectable two stars.

Casa Oaxaca has also been getting good buzz with local foodies online. One eGullet member says of the skirt steak: "... [G]raced by beans and a red, non-chocolate mole [it] was alarmingly eatable and [I] tried my best not to share." Works for us. Express' profile of the restaurant can be found here. [WaPo; eGullet; Free Ride/Express]

» CHAINS GALORE: Franchises are flocking to Rockville. [WaPo]

» DEPARTURES: On 14th Street NW, Sparky's makes an exit. Tears are shed. [Metrocurean]

Photo courtesy Kimpton