New York City-based Nieuw Group will open Proper 21K in early April at 2033 K St. NW (hence the “K”) near Washington Circle. The first Proper 21 opened on F Street NW in Penn Quarter in 2016. In Manhattan, the company owns and operates Manhattan Proper and Proper West.
Common Plate Hospitality’s Urbano 116 will open a second Mexican restaurant in the Mosaic District in Fairfax, Virginia, at 2985 District Ave., where Brine used to be. A third-quarter opening is planned. The company’s first restaurant, in Old Town Alexandria, is in menu-renovation mode, preparing to offer more Tex-Mex dishes. Common Plate also operates Mason Social and Augie’s Mussel House and Beer Garden in Alexandria.
In 2022, Boston-based Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse will make its debut in the D.C. metro area in Reston, Virginia, with an 11,000-square-foot restaurant at 1902 Reston Metro Plaza. This classic American steakhouse, which first opened in Boston in 1985, also has locations in New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles. Founding Farmers, Sweet Leaf, Matchbox and Big Buns Damn Good Burger Co. are also slated to open at Reston Station.
Sébastien Giannini
Chef Update: Sébastien Giannini has been named executive chef at The Four Seasons in Georgetown. He was previously at The Watergate Hotel and, before that, The St. Regis … Chef Adam Howard has joined Occasions Caterers. He was formerly with Blue Duck Tavern at the Park Hyatt.
D.C. landmark Ben’s Chili Bowl will open a location in Horseshoe Casino’s Marketplace food hall in Baltimore by the end of the first quarter. That will make six locations, including stalls at FedExField, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Nationals Park. Ben’s will be joined by Philadelphia-based Tony Luke’s sub shop, Lenny’s Deli, Piezzetta Pizza Kitchen and Guy’s Bar-B-Que Joint, a concept from “Food Network” host Guy Fieri.
Japan-based Kura Sushi and its U.S. subsidiary in Irvine, California, are slated to open their first D.C. outpost at Gallery Place at 614 H St. NW. The conveyor-beltthemed menu has about 140 items. Kura currently operates 400 restaurants in Japan and 24 in the U.S., in seven states. Up to nine are expected in this region.
Just Opened: Glover Park’s Xiquet opened at 2402 Wisconsin Ave. NW, above Slate Wine Bar, serving distinctive Spanish cuisine from Danny Lledó’s hometown of Dénia, Spain, a coastal town not far from Valencia … Malaysian restaurant Makan — brought to you by chef James Wozniuk, formerly of Maketto and Spoken English, and bar manager Kendrick Wu — opened in Columbia Heights above The Thirsty Crow, where Meridian Pint used to be … Tiger Fork owners Will Fung, Greg Algie and chef Nathan Beauchamp have opened Hei Hei Tiger in the Urbanspace food hall in Tysons Galleria in Virginia.
Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the hospitality industry. Follow her on Twitter at @LindaRothPR or visit her on the web at lindarothpr.com
