The Latest Dish

Chef Ryan Ratino, formerly of Ripple, is due to open his own shop, Bresca (honeycomb in Spanish, and, yes, there are beehives in his future), by October on 14th Street NW on the former first floor of Policy Restaurant & Lounge. Entrances are separate. Ratino’s style falls under the heading of “bistronomy” — avant-garde cooking rooted in French technique but served bistro style. The main dining room will seat 58, with a 12-seat bar. Ratino plans a rooftop herb garden that will double as a lounge. Juan Coronado of nearby Colada Shop has collaborated with him to design the cocktails, with a nod to things apicultural (related to beekeeping), including a “Dihedral” cocktail made with beeswax-infused tequila reposado. He had me at tequila reposado.

Quick Hits: Danielle Poux has targeted October to open Danielle’s Desserts downtown at 1130 Connecticut Ave. NW. The new store will be triple the size of the original store in Tysons Galleria … Glory Days Grill has signed a lease to open a new restaurant at Nursery Landing on West Nursery Road near BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport by spring 2018. This will be the company’s seventh location in Maryland.

Turkish journalist Emel Bayrak plans to open Café Georgetown at 3141 N St. NW near Paolo’s by the end of the third quarter. Bayrak, who covers the White House beat, has a personal reason to get into the business: she is a Georgetown resident. She intends to host and stream interviews at her shop, which will feature coffee from La Colombe and a wine bar. Sounds similar to what CNN producer Carol Joynt did at Nathans and the George Town Club.

Ashish Alfred will open a new steak concept on the first floor of his 4935 Bar and Kitchen on Cordell Avenue in Bethesda. George’s Chophouse will serve steak and feature a raw bar. The second-floor space at 4935 will continue to be a venue for special events and receptions. Alfred, who also owns and operates Duck Duck Goose in Bethesda, named George’s after his late brother. He plans to open another Duck Duck Goose in Baltimore’s Fell’s Point area. 

Just Opened: Arlington’s Epic Smokehouse guys, Joon Yang and Wayne Halleran, opened American Prime in Tysons Corner at the end of June … Across the Pond has opened in Dupont Circle where Mourayo used to be … The legendary Addie’s in Rockville reopened Aug. 22 at a new location in the Park Potomac Development, not too far from the original location on Rockville Pike, which opened 22 years ago (the opening date in Potomac was chosen with this in mind).

Openings Update: City Winery is slated to open in Ivy City late in the fourth quarter … City Tap House Dupont is set to open toward the end of the third quarter.

Linda Roth is president of Linda Roth Associates, a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Reach her at
linda@lindarothpr.com.