Four seats at a special “chef’s counter” have the best view of Dōgon’s open kitchen. | Matt Dandy Plus new late night cookie spots, early Snallygaster beer festival events, and more intel. Scott Suchman Chef Kwame Onwuachi will be cooking up every course for the Sirius dining experience. A rare opportunity to watch Kwame Onwuachi himself prepare a personal multi-course meal from a perch by Dōgon’s sleek open kitchen is coming to the new Afro-Caribbean restaurant in the Salamander Hotel. The Top Chef star, known for his time at the Wharf InterContinental’s long-closed Kith/Kin and acclaimed Tatiana in NYC, will be serving off-menu courses at a small “chef’s counter” and giving patrons a signed copy of his cookbook (My America: Recipes from a Young Black Chef) for the new dining experience called Sirius. Four diners at a time will be able to enjoy the $225 dinner and optional $75 drink pairing, with limited reservations available through Resy Experiences. Watch Dōgon’s Instagram for when new reservations will drop, with limited tickets only available when Onwuachi is in town. “From the outset, Dōgon was designed to offer this type of personalized chef experience, especially with the open kitchen,” Onwuachi told Eater. “I’m really excited to spend time creating and cooking different dishes for diners at Sirius.” The name honors the West African Dogon people’s detailed knowledge of the star system Sirius, which is made up two separate stars: Sirius A and Sirius B. Their discovery highlighted how the Mali ethnic group’s mathematical and scientific endeavors were hundreds of years ahead of western astronomers. Two Insomnia Cookies open in D.C. this month Late-night “little treat” addicts rejoice, Insomnia Cookies is opening a new location in Navy Yard this Saturday October 12 (1201 Half St SE) and another one in Union Station on October 24 (40 Massachusetts Ave NE). An all-day opening celebration in Navy Yard will include free items and treats. The new additions mark seven locations in the District, all open till 1 a.m. on weekdays and 3 a.m. on weekends. Hiraya’s upstairs rebrands as chef Dungca’s dishes evolve Hiraya The fan favorite chori burger will also be available at a new Little Hiraya stall in Union Market. The space above Hiraya Cafe will still be serving upscale tasting menus and prix fixe dinners, but now it will go by “Kayu by Hiraya,” as a nod to the Filipino word Kayumanggi (which means “brown” or “brown-skinned” in Tagalog). “It needed its own identity,” chef Paolo Dungca tells Eater of the new four-course and eight-course menus he’s offering upstairs. He and his kitchen staff are moving away from “heavy or greasy or fatty” foods and instead applying Filipino or generally Asian techniques to seafood and vegetable-heavy dishes. Instead of serving strictly Filipino food, Dungca says he’s developing a “New American” cuisine that represents a “melting pot of each and everything,” from childhood memories to travel experiences and recipes from his community of friends and family in D.C. Those dishes include roasted squash with caramelized coconut, pumpkin seeds, and hot honey and smoked trout topped with a chili-vinegar aioli. Meanwhile, the bottom cafe will focus on offering even more casual options, cutting out the later happy hour and expanding to a Little Hiraya stall in Union Market sometime in November. A surplus of beer-obsessed events before Snallygaster Neighborhood Restaurant Group A packed past Snallygaster festival. Before D.C.’s “biggest & beastliest beer festival” kicks off this Saturday, there are a few events around town to celebrate different brews. If you’re looking for weekend drinking plans, general admission Kraken passes are still available. Hi/Fi Tex-Mex BBQ is highlighting The Veil Brewing, Monkish Brewing, and Trillium Brewing, along with The Veil’s Mosto Tequila, tonight at 5 p.m. Tastings of the new tequila and specialty cocktails will be served. (2000 Mt. Vernon Ave) The Sovereign, a Belgian-focused Georgetown spot, is showcasing over 20 Belgian-style beers from breweries across the U.S., of course. The sneak peek of the festival is also tonight at 5 p.m. (1206 Wisconsin Ave NW) Celebrate the spooky season at Churchkey, where a “Monster Mash” party will serve over 18 of the national brews that will be at Snallygaster. The event starts at 4 p.m. on Friday (1337 14th Street NW) Taking it easy before a whole Saturday afternoon of drinking? Sample over 24 low-ABV beers at Shelter in the Roost on Friday, with festivities starting at noon. (1401 Pennsylvania Ave)