Anxo will bring Basque ciders and snacks to Crane and Turtle in May

Anxo chef Alex Vallcorba prepares pintxos during a cider dinner at Crane and Turtle in October 2015. (Photo by Farrah Skeiky)

Anxo, Washington's first dedicated cidery and Basque restaurant, continues to move toward an early summer opening. The building it will occupy at 300 Florida Ave. NW has been unoccupied since the mid-1960s and has needed some work.

While we wait, Anxo is hosting its biggest pop-up yet, taking over the Crane and Turtle space in Petworth for 10 nights, beginning Wednesday, May 4. This is a chance for Anxo's new executive chef, Barcelona-born Alex Vallcorba, to show off his pintxos, or small plates, including cod fritters in a traditional vizcaína sauce, and stuffed squid on a bed of ink sauce, sherry vinegar and caramelized onions. "I love the simplicity of the plating-- three or four ingredients in one dish that speaks for itself," Vallcorba said in an email. "It's about spending time taking care of the ingredients."

Beyond food, the focus will be on ciders and wines from the Basque region, but there will be ciders from around the world, with a menu that "will change frequently, if not daily."

The pop-up will be open from 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, between May 4 to May 15. The only way to make reservations is to call Anxo at 202-810-2696 between the hours of noon and 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Walk-up seating will be available at the bar and on the patio each night.

After its run at Crane and Turtle, Anxo will return to Colony Club for one final Basque-style party called Txotx on Sunday, May 22, with music and free-flowing cider from a barrel on the patio. After that, you'll have to wait until the full bar opens.

Crane and Turtle, 828 Upshur St. NW.
Anxo, 300 Florida Ave. anxodc.com. 202-810-2696.