Opening in Shaw: Hakim Hamid, Kwame Bissie, Stone Emanuel and Malik Fall will open 1230 Restaurant & Champagne Lounge at 1230 9th St. NW, featuring French-American nouveau cuisine as well as offering over 100 different varietals of Champagne and sparkling wine. Fall will be executive chef. He was most recently executive chef of Ken & Cook in Manhattan’s Bowery neighborhood. Hakim will run the front of the house. He was previously general manager of Oya Restaurant & Lounge. A November opening is scheduled.
Lance Smith and Eric Wildman, both alumni of Carrabas and Grady’s (Brinker International) will open Steelfire Kitchen & Bar in Maplelawn Town Center in Howard County near Columbia, where Wildman resides. The 240-seat restaurant (50 of those are on the outdoor patio) will feature American favorites, including build-your-own hamburgers and salads. Smith most recently hails from Chuy’s, where he managed the region. Wildman also worked
with Houston’s, so both have significant cred. The opening is planned for this month.