The writing at 1310 Kitchen & Bar on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown is on the wall and on the windows. On the windows are writings in white that are quotes from famous people, such as poet Maya Angelou.
The result is a sense of modernity in the air, where good vibes are encouraged through niceties and positivity.
“It will change weekly,” said the new restaurant’s owner and chef, Jenn Crovato, about the decorative verbiage. She wants to catch the attention of passersby with content that is inspirational, positive, fun and, possibly, timely; she wants to get people to laugh or smile.
Crovato takes seriously her role at the restaurant, which replaced Georgetown’s Daily Grill. It is important to her that guests have positive feelings when they walk in the door. For Crovato, 42, not only is the restaurant a newborn, renewing her single-mom role after she has raised her children (the youngest of whom is 17 years old), but the business marks a new phase in her life. “I have the whole rest of my life ahead of me,” she said.
She had no idea that she would be operating the place. At first, Crovato was brought on by Georgetown Inn owner Nayan Patel, with whom she’s worked well in the past, to do a consulting job in affiliation with the hotel. After Patel interviewed a number of restaurant operators, the decision eventually resulted in changing Crovato’s role.
When it first opened in early February, the restaurant only served breakfast and lunch, but it expanded to include dinner service starting March 23.
Crovato said that, for her and Patel, it was important that the restaurant and hotel work together as one. This means making sure that Georgetown Inn guests, who form a significant part of the restaurant’s clientele, are happy. Recently, the hotel displayed a message about welcoming the parents and other family members of recent Georgetown University graduates. This sense of mission extends to the restaurant as well.
The food is on the lighter side. Always seeking to keep the offerings fresh and flavorful, Crovato is preparing to change the menu regularly, creating a spring menu and a summer menu. A particularly successful dish is a kale salad that is vegan-friendly. However, she is aware of client expectations, including the availability of Caesar salad, Cobb salad and especially burgers. When families would come in and then discover that the restaurant didn’t sell burgers, they would leave the place. “It really blew my mind,” she said. So she decided to add a burger to the menu.
Crovato, who moved to Georgetown from Rockville, Maryland, a few weeks ago, has a vision for 1310 Kitchen & Bar. Hoping to make the restaurant a Georgetown institution, she plans to renovate and to host live music events on Thursday nights. “This place has so much potential,” she said.
Chef Jenn Crovato.
