Nightlife in Potomac

At Quench, Chef Ed Hardy and barman Matt Allred aim to live up to the hype stemming from the Favorite New Restaurant and Best Cocktail Program awards they earned from the Restaurant Association of Maryland. They, along with their team of chefs, go beyond simply making food and mixing drinks—they prepare artful dinner specialties and unique, out-of-the-box cocktails. Though their meal creations arise out of seemingly simple ingredients—local produce, house-ground meats—the team crafts wildly creative send-ups of typical pub fare in addition to traditional comfort foods. Short ribs are braised for days, bacon is cured in-house, and fresh ground lamb meatballs fill out the seasonal risotto with fresh local ramps. Quench also plates healthy fare such as edamame hummus served with local cucumbers and apples and a fresh and locally caught fish of the day, all complemented by inventive cocktails. The seasonal dessert menu of house-made ice cream sandwiches and rhubarb cobbler round out the dining experience.

The drinks, with clever names such as Sex in the Burbs and Django Juice, draw on a palette of blood-orange juice, house-made foams, and uniquely infused spirits. Mixology classes prepare students to delight party guests, and Quench also hosts events such as Saturday and Sunday brunches scored by live music and scratch-made weekday lunches.

Inspired by early 20th century chili parlors, Hard Times Cafe aims to preserve the tradition of delectable, hearty fare served in a friendly, lively community eatery. Elevate taste buds to new heights with an order of legendary grilled wings in one of five flavors, including original Texas, chili-lime, honey-barbecue, and eternity ($8.99 per order). Hard Times Cafe serves four distinct varieties of chili. The authentic chili mac is served over spaghetti with your choice of accouterments ($7.49–$8.89). Burgers, sliders, and chili dogs are easily transportable by hand or hovercraft, and savory steaks and other suppertime favorites provide more refined nourishment options. To reward you for your literary prowess, every Groupon reader who texts HTCGRP to 59925 gets an additional coupon good for one order of bar nachos. Combine this offer with a Groupon, or save it for a subsequent visit.

Novelty shirts airbrushed with bikini-clad bodies provide the convincing, if temporary, illusion of fitness. Find a more permanent fitness solution with today's Groupon: for $45, you'll get an introductory package of Pilates classes from American Dance Institute, a $144 value. Your package includes one private session, one equipment class, and two mat classes. Check out American Dance Institute's schedule for class times.

American Dance Institute's professionally trained instructors undergo more than 600 rigorous hours of training and at least one hour of cat-sitting before they're allowed to teach. The friendly and motivational guides are adept at adapting their workouts to benefit all levels of fitness, from UFC champs to relatively inanimate tree moss. Your private lesson gives you one-on-one access to one of the fitness gurus for a workout fashioned to meet your body's needs and help you reach your personal goals.

The equipment class will teach you to use each of the specialized Pilates machines, which will help you perfect your form in each exercise and extend the benefits beyond what you can do with your body alone. Equipment classes are great for beginners just learning Pilates, and classes are limited to four students, so you'll get plenty of attention. Mat classes offer a series of challenging exercises that don't require any props or equipment (oversized sunglasses, invisible dog leash, etc.). Offered in a group format with no more than 11 students, your mat classes will teach you the skills you need to work out in your cramped apartment or stay fit while traveling.

Pilates allows you to build a rock-solid body without turning into Rocky; strength comes through endurance and repetition rather than pumping pounds of kilograms of iron. Weak backs and flimsy core muscles benefit from the slow but steady regimen. By learning how to move your body using an efficient range of motion, you will leave your session walking taller and less prone to injuries not sustained from lightning. Perhaps the best benefit of all is the buddy-system-style workout built into Pilates. Your motivation comes externally, from cheerful instructors and friendly classmates, rather than from bitterly chanted mantras and tyrannical resolutions.

Reviews

Though there are few online reviews, two Yelpers give American Dance Institute a perfect five stars:

• The instructors are really attentive to the details - my form and sense of breath have dramatically improved in the short time I've been there. I look forward to every [Pilates] class, they're so much fun and so challenging. – Jessica S.
• The building itself is immaculate, spotless, and clean. The dressing rooms, and restrooms are impeccable. Its [sic] not an intimidating atmosphere at all… – Kat S.