1100 15th Street, NW
From a press release:
“Isla, a luxe ode to island ingredients and flavors with a global vibe, and Goodlove, a stylish cocktail lounge rooted in good music and chic design, are set to open in Washington’s buzzing Midtown Center (1100 15th Street NW) this fall. Both Isla and Goodlove bring a distinct culinary and aesthetic point of view to downtown, with an emphasis on live-fire cooking, exquisite seasonal, soulful fare, and lush, transportive design at Isla, and perfectly executed cocktails and sexy, music-driven vibes at Goodlove.
The 8,000-square-foot Isla, the domain of Executive Chef Lonie Murdock, celebrates the heritage and passionate globe-trotting shared by Murdock and her partner Darren Hinds, a veteran Toronto nightlife impresario and restaurateur. Hinds, meanwhile, takes the reins at 2,200-square-foot Goodlove – which, although just steps from Isla, is a destination all its own, imbued with intimacy, hints of glamour, and most important, a cerebral love for music, from rock to house music to R&B, with DJs spinning nightly.
“On our trips to Washington, we quickly fell in love with the city’s diverse food scene and the energy of its nightlife,” said Murdock, a partner in Toronto-based We Shall Hospitality. “We felt an organic connection to the community here and saw an opportunity to share our own perspective while becoming part of a culinary culture that’s always evolving.”
Murdock’s menu will reflect heritage and modernity, tradition and experimentation. Drawing on her own bicultural experience as the child of a Caribbean mother and Canadian father exposed to a world of cuisines, Murdock has crafted complex dishes that spotlight the beauty of ingredients common to the diaspora, enlivened by open-fire cooking and the playfulness of familiar flavors reimagined. Expect dishes such as the Bone-in Pork Chop, bathed in a spice rub redolent of smoked cumin and surrounded by a tangy green-mango kuchela jus and grilled green mango, all topped with a luscious crab butter.
Goodlove will be a complement to Isla’s elegance, a place for lovers of music and style. Bartenders here will specialize in classic cocktails – and their Goodlove remixes. Goodlove will be the perfect place to enjoy nightly happy hours, snack on small bites from the Isla kitchen, or ensconce oneself with friends for a late night of sipping.”