Business Ins & Outs: Arcay Chocolates, Kyojin, Clare V.
By • July 31, 2023 0 2121
In: Arcay Chocolates Open on O
Talk about a sweet story — and people and place.
Arcay Chocolates opened on Friday at 3211 O St. NW, the former site of the cat cafe, Crumbs & Whiskers. The bright, airy building is completely renovated with a front counter as you enter and a meeting space on the second floor.
Anabella Arcay de Berti is the award-winning artist with the chocolates and the murals around the shop. Her husband, Dario Berti, is the CEO of the business. He tells us their chocolate machine is coming to Georgetown this week.
They add: “With more than 15 years of experience, we offer an exquisite range of chocolate bonbons, bars and confitures. … Arcay Chocolates is a piece of art you can eat. Each chocolate bonbons box is filled with a variety of exquisite flavors from our award-winning collection. All of our products are handmade in small batches at our chocolate studio in La Cosecha, a Latin American gastronomic hub in the heart of D.C.’s Union Market District. Learn more about our flavors.”
In: Kyojin Open at Cady’s Alley
The upscale Kyojin had its soft opening last week at 3315 Cady’s Alley, where the late, great L2 nightclub used to be. The 130-seat Japanese restaurant is brought to you by Jeff King and Peter Kannasute, of Yume Hospitality Group, which also owns Arlington’s Yume Sushi. The expanded space will allow for a sushi bar (advanced level prep sushi) and sake tasting counter as well as a dining area that features Kannasute’s specialty omakase menus. They’ve tapped Andrew Lamkin, from the Graham Hotel on Thomas Jefferson Street, to be mixologist.
Kyojin is open for dinner from Wednesday through Sunday. More seating, more days and a complete menu will be added over the next few months. The space was designed by Miami-based Francois Frossard Design.
Seasonal special, scallop with mango tobiko. Courtesy Kyojin.
In: Say Cheese! Now at the Graham
Business owner Suzy Nabil opened a new place for serving her grilled cheese sandwiches, salads and soups. It’s a soft blue, white-tiled annex to the Graham Hotel at 1071 Thomas Jefferson St. NW, which formerly housed the Curios shop. The 2900 M project forced the neighborhood favorite Say Cheese!, formerly at at 1132 29th St. NW, to move because of reconstruction that will begin at the southern side of the 2900 block of M Street NW. The bistro closes at 4 p.m.
Coming: Clare V. on Wisc.
The Los Angeles-based Clare V. — founded by fashion designer Clare Vivier in 2008 — will be setting up shop at 1238 Wisconsin Ave. NW, once the site of the trendy Tramps Discoteque. Expect hip handbags, accessories and apparel — with a nod to the brand’s vintage resale items as well as its EMC donations, “Every Mother Counts.”
