Fishnet becoming Drift on 7th near the Shaw metro – Opening in January

1819 7th Street, NW

Back in July we noted Fishnet had closed their Shaw location and were left with the words “We’ll be back in the Fall with a new accessible, approachable vacation-inspired brand” and:

Now we have Drift on 7th: “Sustainable seafood at an affordable price in the heart of Shaw in Washington, DC”

Lots of details from a press release:

“Ferhat `Yalçın` is excited to announce his new concept Drift on 7th (1819 7TH ST NW) will open January 2016. The new menu will feature sustainable seafood at an affordable price. Painted in soothing blue tones, the design of the restaurant and welcoming service evokes feelings of escape from the hustle and bustle of DC.

Blue catfish, which is considered an invasive species by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, makes an appearance on `Yalçın` ‘s menu. In addition to encouraging the necessary transference of this fish from the bay to restaurant menus, Drift will donate a portion of the proceeds from each blue catfish dish sold to The Wide Net Project.

Other entrees include a rotating catch of the day, prepared and served simply to highlight the fish itself, in 6 to 8oz portions with a lemon wedge and a choice of side. Seafood staples are here as well in the form of fish and chips, Maine lobster roll, PEI mussels, and cedar plank salmon. The Pineland beef burger, also from Maine, offers a hearty land option.

Lobster bisque and seafood chowder make for warming starters. Hake, a cold-water fish similar to cod in its flakey texture, rounds out a shareable appetizer in calamari and hake tots (think fish sticks with a modern twist), as do crab cake sliders and grilled sardines served on sourdough with a black olive tapenade. Raw items include a ceviche with a spicy kick, raw shrimp cocktail with a custom sauce, and tuna tartar. All menu items will be $20 or less, making Draft an affordable choice to dine out a few times a week.

A bar with counter seating for 15 is prominently featured front and center of the restaurant. The cocktail menu will focus on rum based cocktails, some of which lean towards Tiki, and a batch cocktail for groups that want to get into a resort mood. The root beer float features Maine Root soda and vanilla ice cream with alcoholic, vanilla porter optional! Guests can also choose from eight beers on tap, and eight wines, four red and four white, by the glass or bottle.

The casual, full service restaurant will open where Fishnet once was. Since opening Fishnet in 2014, `Yalçın` realized the space and neighborhood is more suited to a sit down restaurant with a relaxed environment than a counter service restaurant with a rushed, on the go atmosphere.”