Crane and Turtle Opens Tuesday – Holy Transformations Vol. 27 – Have a Look inside and at the Menu

Finishing touches outside of 828 Upshur Street, NW

Whoa! Crane and Turtle turned out even nicer than the renderings. I had to do a quadruple take when I walked inside. I think you’ll do at least a double take next time you pass the little spot between Dannie’s Carryout and Kilroy’s Cleaners on Upshur Street. Until then you can see in the photos below that it is truly a beautiful transformation.

Here’s how the space looked in 2012:

And they open Tuesday at 5pm!  To start hours will be:
Sun, Tues, Wed, Thurs: 5pm – 10pm
Fri, Sat: 5pm – 11pm
Mon: closed

Check out the menu:

Crane and Turtle Opening Menu (PDF)

More info from a press release:

“CRANE & TURTLE is a chef-driven, neighborhood restaurant that celebrates the marriage of Chef Makoto Hamamura’s great passions—Japanese and French cooking. Located in a cozy commercial building on Upshur Street, NW, the restaurant has been designed by Nick Pimentel to put food and drink at center stage.

Crane & Turtle is a small, intimate space seating 25 inside and 14 outside. The menu features a strong seafood component, marrying ingredients and techniques from Japan and France. The beverage program highlights dynamic offerings from all over the world that pair with the food and celebrate the interplay of cocktails, wine, ciders and craft beer.

Paul W. Ruppert is the operating partner for this new restaurant. Over the course of 20 years, he has created a number of noteworthy restaurants and bars, including Ruppert’s Restaurant, The Passenger & Columbia Room, Room 11, Hogo and Petworth Citizen.

ABOUT THE NAME
Our name—Crane & Turtle—comes from the Japanese fable celebrating friendship, longevity and mutual support. Many years ago during a great flood, water covered the land and the Crane had no place to rest. The Turtle rose from the floodwaters and welcomed the Crane to rest on his back. Years later, there was a terrible drought. Seeing that the Turtle needed help, Crane lifted him up and carried him a long distance to a thriving lake. Wildly different, the Crane and Turtle became mutually supportive and enjoyed a long life as friends.

Chef Hamamura has a personal connection to this classic Japanese story. At birth, his mother was
given the Japanese name Crane and her twin sister became Turtle. Their life-long connection
has influenced his career and encouraged him to look for the harmonies that join disparate things together.”

And here’s a look inside:

Lots more photos of the small but incredibly beautiful space after the jump.

The outside should soon look as sweet as the inside: