**** Volunteers Needed! Give back to the group by hosting your own smaller events [dinners, happy hours, brunches, lunches. etc]. Join our Event Host program (http://www.meetup.com/theweeklydinner/messages/boards/thread/7348404). ****

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==> This event is a Members-Only event [No Guests Allowed]. Besides, membership is free ;-)

==> NEW MEMBERS or 1st TIME EVENT GO-ERS, if you have questions about the group, RSVPs, or the overall dining event process, visit our FAQs (http://diningout.meetup.com/149/messages/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1650845) and our No-Show Policy (http://tinyurl.com/5byotq).

==> RSVP Cancellation Cutoff for this Event is 10 am Wednesday, 1/15. [Late Cancel (http://tinyurl.com/5byotq) applies after this]

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Winter Restaurant Week [RW] is back in DC!:
Learn more about DC's Restaurant Week (http://www.ramw.org/restaurantweek/)

* Officially runs Jan 13 - 19 [some places will extend the deal beyond these dates]
* 3-course fixed-price dinner special for $35.14 [not including drinks, and our required 30% tax / tip]

So, the minimum cost for the deal is $47 [drinks, wine/beer, and any extras items are additional and still factors our 30% tax/tip]

→ By attending the event, each member agrees to this $ minimum. CASH PREFERRED PLEASE!

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SPECIAL RULE for RSVPing to ANY RESTAURANT WEEK EVENT:

Members can ONLY select ONE RW event to RSVP for (RSVPs may be adjusted by Orgs if needed)

From past experience, there's too many members that want to attend our RW events ... & we'd like to provide more members a chance at attending

Please be considerate & only RSVP 'YES' for one RW event

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Many of you that have attended my events know I rarely consider non-metro friendly venues. Well, there's always exceptions haha. We're going to sample great neighborhood Italian at Al Dente. (upper NW DC Foxhall neighborhood).

http://photos2.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/b/b/a/600_320743962.jpeg

--> Rated Top-100 in 2013 Washingtonian 'Very Best' Restaurants (http://www.washingtonian.com/restaurantreviews/100-very-best-restaurants-2013-al-dente.php)

FOOD: Italian using fresh, local ingredients. Chef Roberto Donna has had a long career in the DC dining scene, having some of the best restaurants back in the day (ah Galileo how I miss thee). At Al Dente he has differing experiences within the restaurant (a la carte main menu, a standard tasting menu, family-style menu, and a very exclusive 3.5 hr 4-person rotating tasting menu called Roberto's 4). But this is RW, so we're dealing with the main dinner menu for this event.

Expect in-house pastas to be the star here. You'll find very good secondi (entrée) dishes -- various meats like lamb, fish, steak, chicken -- as well. And you'll find various antipasti and small plates for starters. Save room for dessert (http://aldentedc.com/media/docs/Dessert_Menu.pdf) though, that features a gi-normous Tiramisu.

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Winter 2014 RW Menu -- Open Menu!

--> REVIEW MENU: Sample recent Dinner Menu (http://aldentedc.com/media/docs/Dinner_Menu.pdf) (PDF) Dishes always subject to change

Very generous FULL menu is available, choose any starter / entree / dessert on main menu. This is how RW deals should be imo (I've ranted about this before), Al Dente 'gets it'.

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SPACE: Neighborhood restaurant but with an interesting / little funky style

==> Minimum cost for the deal is $47. Tax/Tip combo is our standard /required 30% for upcharged or additional items like wine, coffee, cocktails, etc.
==> Visit Al Dente's website (http://aldentedc.com/) for more information.

+++++++++

==> Tax/Tip combo is our standard 30% [see the FAQs (http://www.meetup.com/theweeklydinner/messages/boards/thread/1650845#20412090) for more details]
==> No Guests [have your friends join, it's free!]
==> Limited to 10 slots

See you there!

JoeN

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CLOSEST METRO: Tenleytown BUT with bus connection (Red Line). OVER 1 MILE WALK from metro. Al Dente is about 3 blocks from American University.

There is a connecting bus from the metro walking distance (http://goo.gl/maps/cqunc) (map) OR be enterprising and take the AU shuttle buses at the metro to campus then walk (AU shuttle is technically meant for students, but they never check ID ... cough lol). Driving is recommended! (PLEASE CONSIDER IF SIGNING UP)

For directions using the Metro, try using the Trip Planner at the WMATA website (http://www.wmata.com/tripplanner_d/tripplanner_form_solo.cfm).

Parking: Free validated paid garage parking lot (after 5pm) in the shopping center where Al Dente is. Otherwise street parking on New Mexico or the adjacent neighborhood (not impossible).

Need to Contact the Restaurant? [i.e. confirm location, notify to the group if running late, etc.]. Text on your phone to 466453 (GOOGLE) and type the restaurant name + the city/state in the message body. Google Business Services (http://www.google.com/mobile/products/sms.html#p=default) will text you back with the address and phone #!

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1. Limited to 10 slots.

2. If you RSVP "YES" please make sure you can definitely make it. With 3,800+ members and limited seating, we cannot afford no-shows. It's unfair to the other members who would like to attend and also to the organizers who have to explain to the restaurant why the reserved # of guests didn't show (can damage our reputation). No-Show rules apply (http://tinyurl.com/5byotq).

3. Event already full?, waitlist for the event!. Use the Waitlist option (the Organizer for each event will enable this as needed). Also, check back regularly as attendees have been known to cancel up to Noon the day of the event.

4. Billing (add 30% tax/tip to your bill). Remember, include the required 30% for tip / tax in addition to the food / beverages you order as defined in our FAQs (http://diningout.meetup.com/149/messages/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1650845#2991513).

5. NEW MEMBERS or 1st TIME EVENT GO-ERS, if you have questions about the group, RSVPs, or the overall dining event process, visit our FAQs (http://diningout.meetup.com/149/messages/boards/view/viewthread?thread=1650845) and our No-Show Policy (http://tinyurl.com/5byotq).

JoeN

DC Metro Dining (aka The Weekly Dinner)

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