The Latest Dish: New Restaurants Continue to Open in Metro Area
By • January 12, 2022 0 1138
Victor Albisu’s Taco Bamba is ready to take it on the road and across the country. What started in 2013 with a carryout restaurant in Falls Church, now has six locations in the Metro region, with a seventh slated to open in Alexandria, as well as an experienced investment partner, Investors Management Corp (IMC), that has invested in another restaurant operation, Golden Corral.
Renowned Laotian chef, Seng Luangrath, plans to open Padaek, at 2901 S. Glebe Road in Arlington Ridge shopping center in South Arlington, where Delia’s Mediterranean Grill & Brick Oven Pizza used to be. The original Padaek opened in Falls Church in 2017, after Seng converted her Bangkok Golden restaurant into the purely Laotian, Padaek. She also owns Thip Khao in Columbia Heights, which earned a Michelin guide Bib Gourmand designation.
Fight Club will move on down the block and reopen where Hank’s Oyster Bar used to be on Capitol Hill at 633 Pennsylvania Ave, SE. It had been operating as a pop-up in the Beuchert’s Saloon space – both owned and operated by Andrew Markert. Food Fight chef, Bart Hutchins, and beverage director, Mackenzie Conway, are also partners. The renowned comfort food sandwich menu will expand into large plate comfort food dishes like fried chicken, brisket and ribs, as well as desserts, and punches – the beverage kind. A Q2 2022 opening is targeted. But in Q1 2020, Andrew plans to open a fine dining restaurant, Newland, where Montmartre used to be.
Peter Chang plans to open a new Szechuan restaurant in Columbia, Maryland’s Merriweather District in Q4 2022, joining Busboys and Poets, Clove & Cardamom and Baltimore’s The Charmery. Two other new restaurants slated to open in Merriweather District: Toastique, gourmet toast and juice bar, and Po Boy Jim, serving Caribbean fare with Cajun influences. It is owned by Miskiri Hospitality Group, which also owns Creole on 14th in Columbia Heights. A Q1 2022 opening is planned.
Yuan and Carey Tang of Michelin-starred Rooster & Owl are slated to hatch their newest creation, Ellie Bird, at Founders Row in West Falls Church in Q4 2022. The 70-seat restaurant will include some of the go-to comfort food that Yuan and Carey pivoted to, during the pandemic – as well as a kids’ menu. It’s named for their best creation – their daughter, who was born during the pandemic.
On January 5, Kevin Tien and Caleb Jang will open their “Omicron pivot edition” (a takeout version a la Hot Lola’s in Ballston Quarter) of Magpie and the Tiger, where Himitsu was in Petworth. The 22-seat dining room will open for seated service on Jan. 12 serving Korean-American cuisine.
Captain White Seafood City, a landmark at the Southwest waterfront, will move closer inland and reopen in Oxon Hill, Maryland where Pizza Italia and Franks Sports Bar used to be at 6308 Livingston Road.
Linda Roth is Founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates (LRA), a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the foodservice and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR #LindaRothPR or www.lindarothpr.com
