Lunch, Brunch, Dinner

We run 45 min, goal is 4-5 miles easy pace, everyone welcome

Welcome to Casual Dining Out, the event series where we explore counterserve establishments, food halls, and other venues for quick bites of Asian, "fusion", and other fare! As in the past, the field for these events will typically be limited, so please RSVP quickly if you know you're coming (or drop out quickly if you can't make it to give others a chance). RSVPs will close at 4 PM the day of the event and anyone who drops afterwards may be subject to the dreaded "no show" designation. This edition: Thai delights! [https://www.soulthaikitchenandbar.com/](https://www.soulthaikitchenandbar.com/) As always, a bonus activity could follow if the mood is right. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- If you have Instagram, you can check out our account at asiandiningandadventuregroup for photos and announcements of group outings!

**Are you overpaying** for credit card processing? 💳 Most businesses and nonprofits accept fees as a "cost of doing business" without understanding how they are calculated. Join us for a high-value Lunch & Learn featuring **Daniel Garedew** to learn how to keep more of your revenue. What we’ll discuss: * **Lowering Fees:** How processing rates are determined and ways you can potentially reduce yours. * **Increasing Efficiency:** Using recurring payment plans and QuickBooks integrations to save time. * **Automated Technology:** How Card Updater software fixes expired cards automatically to prevent failed payments. **Stop overpaying and start streamlining your payment systems.** **Event Details:** 📍 **Location:** Founding Farmers, MD 🎟️ [Save Your Spot](https://bnicentralmaryland.com/en-US/eventdetails?eventId=qdlTIXHYJ0xUdNWJEzC83g%3D%3D)

Takohachi is bringing the bites, we’re bringing the vibes 🍣✨ Join us for our March Happy Hour, a fun foodie night all about great flavors, good drinks, and new faces on the Pike! 🍽️ Free appetizers and small bites 🥂 Happy hour drink specials 🗳 Vote on your favorite foods and spots on the Pike 👯 Meet fellow foodies, neighbors, and new friends Whether you’re a sushi lover, a happy hour regular, or just looking for a fun night out, this is an easy way to connect and try something new. 💡 Bring a friend who’s never been to a Pike Happy Hour, we love welcoming new faces! 📍 Takohachi Japanese Restaurant 2501 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA 🕔 5:00 – 7:00 PM 📅 Thursday, March 12 ⚠️ Please RSVP through the official Columbia Pike Partnership link to be counted: https://columbiapikepartnership.app.neoncrm.com/nx/portal/neonevents/events?path=%2Fportal%2Fevents%2F33000 (Meetup-only RSVPs won’t apply for food and capacity). Come hungry, sip something good, and let’s celebrate the flavors of the Pike together 🍣🥂

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

**Note the start time for this location is at 6:30.** UPDATE: we do have enough interest for two teams, so those with priority status have been moved from the waitlist to “going.” If you are still on the waitlist, spots may still open up, if anyone drops out this week. We are back at Solace Outpost for Thursday night trivia! The game starts at 7:00 pm. Right now we are planning on just one team. If we get enough signed up on the waitlist, we may open it up to two teams. Spots are limited, we can only have 7 players. This is a great chance to connect, have some fun, and show off our smarts. Come for the fun, stay for the friendly competition- let's show everyone how SSB does trivia!

Are you interested in learning more about our club? Why not attend a meeting or visit us at one of our upcoming community service projects? We’d love to meet you!

Second Saturdays, [asyouare](https://asyouaredc.com/) from noon 'til 2. Here's the menu: [Click & scroll down a page to see the menu](https://asyouaredc.com/pages/the-space) or at [Toast](https://www.toasttab.com/as-you-are/v3) As you are is a block from the Eastern Market Station on the Blue/Orange Lines.

Walk 3 miles circle followed by brunch.

We run 45 min, goal is 4-5 miles easy run everybody welcome

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **This is a curated, small-group meetup make new friends in Washington.** Each meetup brings together 4–6 like-minded people for casual conversations over brunch. We use the Groupvibe platform to organize and ensure everyone’s a good fit. 👉 **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com](https://groupvibe.com) Once you register, and **buy a ticket or become a Groupvibe member**, we’ll share the exact location and match you with your group. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier \* Matching helps avoid awkward dynamics **Note:** RSVPs here on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. This meetup is organized by **Groupvibe**, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

Join us to enjoy Marcus DC, located in the Morrow Hotel in NoMa / Union Market neighborhood -hailed as one of the area's top dining destinations (2026 Washingtonian 100 Very Best Restaurants List), recognized as America's most beautiful new restaurant of 2025 by Robb Report and recognized for Executive Chef Anthony Jones who was named Rising Chef in the 2025 Eater DC Awards. It features a unique menu blending modern American cooking with Ethiopian and D.C. **The Washington Post** (Sietsema) While a number of dishes explain why Marcus DC is a hard reservation, the most riveting is a shareable entrée that’s the taste equivalent of a three-ring circus. Order Mel’s crab rice, and out comes a round pan of Carolina rice infused with obe ata, a rousing Nigerian red pepper and tomato sauce. The surface of the grains is colored with glossy bell peppers, okra stinging with hot sauce and spidery-looking, tangy fennel. Mounded on top is blue crab finished with béarnaise sauce mixed with uni — rich on rich, the top hat to complete the outfit. Like a proper paella, some bites are crisp, others are soft. Each forkful delivers a riot of flavor. Lucky diners get the bonus of having the largesse presented by Anthony Jones, the restaurant’s executive chef. A son of Maryland, Jones pays tribute to his family’s favorite crab shack, Mel's Crabs, near where he grew up in Calvert County with one of the best dishes now playing in Washington. Yes, I’m obsessed with it. We should all have more obe ata and sea urchin butter in our lives. The man behind the restaurant's name is Marcus Samuelsson, the famous talent behind Aquavit and Red Rooster in New York whose portfolio embraces 15 restaurants. Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, the chef, 54, prefers talking about Marcus DC, set in the sleek Morrow hotel near Union Market. And rightly so: He’s in a hot spot of the best kind now — so much foot traffic! Such an inviting interior! — serving some of the most personal food of his career. He’s supported by a cast of locals, foremost Jones, whose attention and enthusiasm surface in every exchange and every dish. This being the Mid-Atlantic, much of the food originates from the water. Here come slices of fluke arranged in a circle with watermelon radishes and golden plantain crisps, buoyed by a fetching green pond: green apple and cucumber juice, as revivifying as the combination sounds. The kick on the plantains? Berbere, the Ethiopian spice blend. Browned scallops alternate with fleshy mushrooms and pickled white asparagus in another appetizer, this one set against a mole that’s a touch nutty and smoky. The airy-creamy green dollops? A whip of serrano, scallions and more. If you like spice, the kitchen has you covered. Throughout the menu, the kitchen deploys little accents that nudge plates from good to great. “Swediopian” is fusion at its finest: silken cured salmon and charred cucumber around which a server pours goldenberry broth, light yet assertive with ginger, mint and lemon juice. A sail of crisp injera makes for a fun finish. Samuelsson’s restaurants all serve cornbread, although it differs from location to location. For Marcus DC, the tall slices are tinted with blue corn, lashed with honey and presented with yassa butter, a spread of caramelized onion, preserved lemon and Dijon mustard that goes down like sunshine. The combination pretty much sells itself. The most widely consumed fish in Sweden makes another appearance in a select entrée, salmon crisped in the pan and so tender it falls away at the touch of a fork. Glazed with nori and gochujang, the fish arrives on a pale yellow butter sauce that pops with orange roe and gains color with minced chives. More fancies come courtesy of chunks of pickled daikon and little scrolls of sheer daikon wrapped around seaweed salad. Sweden meets Korea meets Japan. The strong ensemble cast reminds of my first dinner, when a server talked up Samuelsson’s far-flung interests. I recall the only continent he left out in his introduction was Antarctica. Just as Le Clou, the newcomer’s predecessor in this space, represented an uptick in French restaurants around town, Marcus DC rides a welcome wave of Black chefs sharing their stories, notably Kwame Onwuachi at Dogon and Eric Adjepong at Elmina. (Gone but not forgotten: Danielle Harris at the short-lived Almeda in Petworth.) As much as the menu, the interior helps tell Samuelsson’s story; the dining room is alive with colors that weave those of his youth with those of his travels. I love the spacious curved booths, the handsome bar and the open kitchen animated by cooks “in the city and of the city,” as Samuelsson puts it. Friends have spotted the top chef multiple times on the Acela en route from New York to D.C. He’s in town a fair amount. Samuelsson might like to know he has a great ambassador in the personable Jones, 36, who previously cooked under his boss at Red Rooster Overtown in Miami and knows his taste and his standards. This isn’t just a fishing hole, by the way. There’s roast chicken on the menu, because a hotel restaurant almost demands it. A glaze of sweet-tangy mumbo sauce brings it home. There’s a pasta, too, tossed with smoked clams and crisp snow peas and showered with pecorino. A meal could be made of the sweet potato, a side dish with star power: The smashed vegetable is made elegant with crème fraîche and shimmering salmon roe. Samuelsson’s secret weapons extend to executive pastry chef Rachel Sherriffe, whose sweet résumé includes Rooster & Owl in Washington and Jean-Georges in New York. At Marcus DC, she seduces diners with an intriguing rice pudding whose crisp notes come from puffed rice and whose green hue and breezy accent stem from Thai basil. An oval of yogurt sorbet and ginger lime jelly add cool and spark to the bowl. (The bite in the jelly? Sherriffe, who plays up savory notes in her handiwork, sneaks cayenne into the jiggle.) A dome of warm plum cake, flavored with almond paste and subtly nutty with teff flour, arrives with a scoop of cardamom ice cream and a crimson pool of sorrel jus that acknowledge both Samuelsson’s background and her Jamaican heritage — “Everything diaspora,” says Sherriffe. Looking forward to sharing this experience with you! ***Check out the menus [here](https://marcusdc.com/marcus-dc#menu)***[.](https://marcusdc.com/marcus-dc#menu) We ask that ALL folks honor their RSVP. If you are unable to attend after sending in a YES, please update your status so that others may join. In the event our group incurs a fee for no-shows / late cancellations, your ability to RSVP for future events will be restricted. Thank you in advance for your understanding. **WAITLIST:** Meetup does not allow a waitlist for paid events. If this event fills and you are interested in adding your name to the waitlist, please send host a message through the app. In the future, we will vary the days of the week and the types of restaurants so that we can attract many different types of diners. Feel free to make suggestions for future meet locations. All diners will pay their own tab. before departing the event. If you are unable to join us in March we hope you'll stay interested and join us for a meal in the future. Looking forward to catching up with you for a fantastic dinner at Marcus!

Padaek is a family owned restaurant showcasing Lao and Regional Thai cuisine. Their new location in Arlington Ridge represents cultures through food, inspired by stories and family recipes from Chef Seng Luangrath's grandmother, aunt, and friends passed along in a refugee camp in Thailand. The integrity of Lao and Regional Thai cuisine is further demonstrated through the homestyle setting and art by a young local artist. Laotian food is similar to the cuisine from northern Thailand, but is spicier and more complex.

Let’s meet up at this popular sushi restaurant in Gahanna. There are cooked items as sushi. Check out the menu: https://restauranttora.com/columbus-tora-food-menu

Get ready for a backyard brunch that feels like summer, smells like heaven, and sounds like a whole vibe. We’re turning the backyard into the ultimate brunch playground with music flowing, drinks pouring, and plenty of food. This is the laugh loud, grab seconds, refill your cup kind of brunch. On the menu, we’re going all in. Fluffy scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, juicy sausage, golden pancakes and waffles hot off the griddle. Fresh bakes like warm cinnamon rolls and sweet coffee cakes that hit just right. And that’s just the start. We’ll have cocktails mixed and ready, juices chilled, sodas on ice, and plenty more to keep the energy up. Think mimosas, good conversation, music in the background, and that perfect mix of sunshine and shade. It’s about warm vibes, real connections, and food that makes you close your eyes on the first bite. Pull up hungry, bring your best stories, and get ready for a brunch that turns into a whole experience.

Sleep in on Sundays. When you've had your fill of pajama-time, roll out and have some tasty brunch with your fellow Humanists!

**Tickets still on sale for Play (posted separately)**