The Latest Dish: Restaurant Resiliency
By • March 13, 2024 0 1213
Johnny Spero’s Reverie, at 3201 Cherry Hill Lane on the south side of Georgetown, will be reborn after being repaired and renovated following the 2022 fire. The 16-course tasting menu ($255 per person) reflects tastes from where Johnny has traveled and lived: Nordic countries, Japan and the Chesapeake. The new design has fewer seats (36) than the pre-fire Reverie. Reservations will be accepted starting around the time you read this.
Patrice Cleary of Purple Patch has opened Joia Burger at 3213 Mt. Pleasant St. NW, where Taqueria Nacional used to be. Seating 10 inside and 21 outside on the patio, it features comfort food — burgers (American wagyu beef or vegetarian bean), fries and ice cream (purple ube soft-serve) — as well as a kids’ menu.
Lots of new restaurant openings: Sakaki Izakaya opened at 3227 Washington Boulevard in Clarendon … Tiger Dumplings opened next door at 3225 Washington Boulevard, serving food from northern China … Chris Zhu opened Han Palace in Georgetown, expanding the Han Palace empire (Tysons Corner, Woodley Park and Barracks Row, plus China Garden in Rockville) … NYC fast-casual Dig opened in Bethesda Row at 4733 Elm St. There is also a Georgetown location … Fresh Baguette opened #6 in Cleveland Park at 3412 Connecticut Ave. NW … California-based Dog Haus opened at 1837 M St. NW, where a Chipotle used to be. Its sister operations are in College Park, Bethesda and Gaithersburg … Thompson Restaurants opened its fourth Makers Union in Cathedral Commons at 701 Newark St. NW … Plantish, an all-day wellness cafe specializing in healthy food and beverages, opened in Navy Yard next to the Bullpen at 1 M St. SE … Mood Swings Food Hall opened at 1625 First St. NW, serving soul food — for now, as the food type is voted on by its social media followers. It’s owned by Taj Sohal and her mom, Anju Gill, who also own Glassey Indian restaurant.
Looking forward to: Ski Johnson’s planned Fabulous jazz lounge at 2406 18th St. NW, where Felix restaurant used to be … Fogo de Chão Brazilian steakhouse plans to open at 698 Maine Ave. SW in the Wharf’s Phase 2 development, where Philippe Chow and Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen opened … Saied Azali plans to reopen the space that formerly housed Mintwood Place on Columbia Road NW in Adams Morgan. Stay tuned.
Linda Roth is the founder and CEO of Linda Roth Associates, a D.C.-based public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the food service and hospitality industries. Follow her at: @LindaRothPR, #LindaRothPR or lindarothpr.com.
