The Latest Dish: Fall Into a Delicious Election Season
By • October 9, 2024 0 715
Matt Baker’s 101 Hospitality (Gravitas, Michele’s, Baker’s Daughter) is slated to open Lucille’s Modern Chophouse in the Kimpton George Hotel at 15 E St. NW on Capitol Hill, where Jeff Buben’s Bistro Bis catered to power brokers for 26 years. An opening late in the fourth quarter is targeted.
Michael Mina’s San Francisco-based Mina Group is targeting the first quarter of 2025 to open Italian-themed Lunara in City Ridge at 14 Ridge Square NW. The group will also operate a Ridge rooftop space. On the Mina roster in this area: Bourbon Steak, Mina Brasserie and Wit & Wisdom.
Dany Abi-Najm (Lebanese Taverna Restaurant Group), Nasr El Hage (Ritz Banc Group) and Nellie Elana Gebrail (private equity) plan to open Barbouzard, a French-Mediterranean restaurant at 1700 K St. NW, where Kellari Taverna used to be. “Barbouzard” translates to “secret agent.” An opening in the second quarter of 2025 is targeted.
Dog Daze Social Club, a dog-friendly restaurant garden, will open later this month in Logan Circle at 1100 Rhode Island Ave. NW, offering a place for dogs and their pet parents to dine, drink and hang out. It will serve coffee and breakfast items in the morning, then pizza, sandwiches and desserts, as well as adult beverages, for lunch and dinner.
Chef Update: Jeffrey Williams, formerly of NOÉ Restaurant & Bar at the Omni Los Angeles, will reign over the kitchen at the InterContinental Washington D.C. at The Wharf, taking the helm where Moon Rabbit and Kith/Kin used to be. Daniel Perron (Charlie Palmer Steak, Trummer’s) and Luca Giovannini (Fiola Mare, Donahue Lounge in Georgetown) plan to open Divino Ristorante Enoteca, a northern Italian restaurant, at 2505 Wisconsin Ave. NW at the Glover Park Hotel, where Casolare used to be, early in the fourth quarter. A 60-seat patio will become a casual wine garden offering snacks and wines by the glass. Divino means “divine” or “of wine,” depending on what language you are speaking.
Quick Hits: Chef Pepe Moncayo will open Arrels, a modern Spanish restaurant, in the fourth quarter in the Arlo hotel at 333 G St. NW. Arrels means “roots” in Catalan … Also in the fourth quarter, La Tingeria will open its third location at Port City Brewing Co., 3950 Wheeler Ave. in Alexandria, Virginia, aiming to create a natural pairing between tacos and craft beer… One more in the fourth quarter, also in Virginia: Sisters Thai will open its fifth metro-area location at 7730 Capital One Tower Road in Tysons.
Just Opened: Michael Rafidi opened La’ Shukran, “a retro-modern late-night” bar, bistro and rooftop terrace at Union Market. Radovan Jankovic leads the beverage program and sommelier William Simons orchestrates the wine program … Now owned by Jonathan Wells, who also owns nearby Club Timehri, a Caribbean-themed night club, Grand Central Restaurant & Bar is about to reopen at 2447 18th St. NW in Adams Morgan … Also in Adams Morgan, Brazilian caipirinha and record bar Cana opened at 2412 18th St. NW.
Ch-CH-Changes: Green Pig Bistro in Clarendon, Virginia, will relocate to the ground floor at the corner of Wilson Boulevard and N. Fillmore, the location of Buena Vida Gastrolounge and its rooftop deck. Both are owned by Fitzgerald Lewis, who also owns Barley Mac in Rosslyn, Crafthouse franchises in Fairfax and Reston, Don Luis in Centerville, Dudley’s Sport and Ale in Shirlington, The Harbour Grille in Woodbridge and Stan’s in D.C., as well as a few Denny’s franchises. Chef Laurence Cohen (formerly of Seamore’s and Truluck’s) oversees the food operations for all of Lewis’s restaurant operations.
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.
