PoP Pre-Preview: Maple Modern American/Italian Restaurant Coming to Columbia Heights

by Prince Of Petworth — March 13, 2012 at 11:47 pm 27 Comments

3418 11th St, NW next to Columbia Heights Coffee

Yesterday I had a chance to check out the progress at Maple coming to 3418 11th St, NW next to Columbia Heights Coffee. And now I see how they got their name – check out the bar:

The detail is amazing:

So chatting with the owners revealed that they will be opening by the end of the month. They also confirmed that they will be serving modern American/Italian dishes. But what I hadn’t realized was that they have a Enomatic wine dispenser which will hold 8 bottles:

And they’ll also have two beers on tap:

Stay tuned for an exact opening date in the next couple of weeks. How ’bout that bar?

jackbenimble

Love live edge planks!
love it

and an old growth tree meets a timely death.
- mabdc
  
  It’s probably not “old growth” but it was a pretty big tree! Just think of all the young trees that are growing quickly, and happily, due to this large opening in the canopy created by the harvesting of this tree. Gorgeous coutnertop!
- austindc
  
  You can also often get these planks from folks who salvage trees that naturally fall down. Community Forklift sometimes has some nice pieces. I remember seeing a beautiful maple counter in one of the Solar Decathlon houses that was from a tree that blew over in a windstorm.
m

I hope they consider doing one night BYOB, like Mondays or Tuesdays.
- caitb
  
  That is an awesome idea! I’ve got high hopes for this restaurant and the other recent additions to 11th St!
- sunsquashed
  
  Not possible…. DC liquor laws do not permit BYOB (yeah, I agree that this sucks).
  - Zach
    
    [Citation Needed]
    
    Are you telling me what HR 57 and every high end restaurant that charges corkage fees when you bring your own bottle of wine are breaking the law?
    - sunsquashed
      
      OK, I see your point, I think of a corkage fee as being different from a strictly BYOB policy.
  - Anonymous
    
    I regularly take wine to restaurants in DC. There is usually a corkage, maybe they can have Monday $1 corkage.
    - EMM
      
      There are a number of restaurants that have no corkage fee or specific corkage fee free nights. You just have to look and ask. This is the only way I’m able to enjoy a nice dinner every now and again living on student loans.
      - Anonymous
        
        any good spots to recommend?
2b3s

I hope when these few blocks of 11th fill up some of a a few new venues will open up and dsiplace at least a couple of those dozen-or-so 99 cent stores over on 14th.
Anonymous

I love the fact that Columbia Heights/Petworth/Parkview are sprouting up shops and restaurants. Makes so much sense given all the housing that’s sprouting up there too. Now where the streetcar at?!
- textdoc
  
  +1!
- SF
  
  Help push forward the one on H Street first. Any chance of getting one in CH is tied to that success or failure.
ErinC

Wow!! That looks amazing! Can’t wait to check it out!!
homeimprovementninja

Really excited for the way 11th street is shaping up. When I moved here the only place to eat on 11th was El Rinconcito and the chinese takeout restaurant. Now we have RedRocks, Room 11, Meridian Pint, CH Coffee, and soon this place, a mexican place and Tryst. Woo hoo!
cohi13

perfect timing with this post! i just ran by this place this morning and wondered when it was going to open 🙂
bevmo

totally stoked.
nolongernew2ch

Great news, looks gorgeous, and I can’t wait to try it! I just hope quality of food is not an afterthought, and they bring in a good chef, because ultimately inconsistent food won’t overcome a great atmosphere (see Rumberos). If they can just manage to create really fresh, tasty pastas and paninis (keep it simple as there really is no competition in the area for that type of food, particular the pasta dishes) and focus on doing that well and affordably, they will be perpetually packed.
djdc

Looks great. I hope they have spaghetti!
KenyonDweller

Looking forward to it, but please don’t let one of those two taps be Moretti.
tlgeorge

Tiz the end of the month! Any update on opening date?
wittypan

I need updates! How is it?
Bsquared

Went there tonight. The caprese was delicious, with soft Buffalo mozzarella and sweet olive oil. The bruschetta with truffle oil and asparagus was very good, as was the prosciutto with bleu cheese and sweet jam. The aperol spritz was a bit watery, but the red wine from Tuscany I had was very good. The beer selection, while small, is top notch…at least the bottles, as they had only peroni and Bell’s Two Hearted on draft. I wish the prices were a bit lower, but who doesn’t.
tidbits

So are they open on a regular basis now, or just a soft-opening? Noticed activity there recently.

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