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Food politics, in recent years, has mainly been a preoccupation of the left. We liberals thrill to Morgan Spurlock’s cinematic pantsing of McDonald’s and Eric Schlosser’s searing indictment of big agriculture’s labor practices. It’s Democratic political spouses who make politically tinged culinary waves with things like Michelle Obama’s White House vegetable patch or Theresa Heinz Kerry’s suggestion that Missouri farmers go organic. If there are right-leaning counterparts to Northern California chef Alice Waters, I haven’t heard of them. (Ted Nugent doesn’t count.) But now it seems the battle is joined: A forum hosted by the conservative/libertarian America’s Future Foundation focuses on the threat to your kitchen that comes from every right winger’s favorite foe: government. As it happens, you don’t have to be an Ayn Rand devotee to know that the food bureaucracy, which brought us the food pyramid and the morphing definition of school-lunch vegetables, is a target-rich environment. And even if you disagree with the presumed answer to one of the event’s questions (“Should we really be thanking our gustatory government guardians for bravely defending us against the dreaded Pink Slime?”), there’s no avoiding a central truth on the agenda: that Uncle Sam, for better or worse, shapes what you eat. “Get Government Out of the Fridge” begins at 6:30 p.m. at The Fund for American Studies, 1706 New Hampshire Ave. NW. $5 for nonmembers. americasfuture.org. (202) 331-2261. (Michael Schaffer)
MUSIC
OK, so maybe a talk about food policy isn’t your bag. Fortunately, cool kids, you have options. Like Free Energy at DC9, Eleanor Friedberger at Black Cat, Unknown Pleasures DJ night at Little Miss Whiskey’s, James Iha (with Fountains of Wayne) at 9:30 Club, and Tittsworth at U Street Music Hall. See more in our music listings!
THEATER
In this week’s paper, Trey Graham praises the awesome trippiness of Basil Twist’s Dogugaeshi at Studio Theatre (shown above). It’s only here until Sunday—-get your tickets now. And while you’re at it, make time to see the campy yet touching Arias With a Twist at Woolly Mammoth.
EAT THIS
Maybe you missed your last shot to preview Top Chef alum and recent City Paper cover boy Mike Isabella‘s forthcoming Mexican restaurant Bandolero. Here’s to second chances. Tonight, the Graffiato toque kicks off another series of pop-up dinners at Tackle Box in Cleveland Park. Choose your own gustatory adventure from a sprawling menu of taquitos (crab, tuna, or beef), tacos (octopus, asparagus, suckling pig, others) and even more stuff (empanadas, enchiladas, nachos, etc.). My advice: Do not pass up the sopes. The five-course tasting menu is priced at $65, including tax and gratuity. Cocktails are extra. Make reservations here. Also: walk-ins are welcome to dine at the bar. Even if you can’t make it tonight, the pop-up continues somewhat sporadically through May 5. Bandolero at Tackle Box, 3407 Connecticut Avenue, (202) 289-3600. (Chris Shott)
Photo by Flickr user stephen-oung used under a creative commons license.
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