It was almost exactly a year ago that we first heard the scuttlebutt, Chipotle could be coming to Mt. Vernon Square. 1045 5th St, NW is looking relatively close to opening.
Chipotle is on a tear. They’re also looking to open up in Cleveland Park and on Barracks Row.
“Dear PoP,
This adorable sign went up this week on 9th Street NW between L and M (it’s right next door to Corduroy). Can you find out the scoop for us? This block is full of boarded up buidlings, so whatever goes in here will be welcome!”
You’re gonna be very happy! The building was bought by the owner of Corduroy and he will be opening a more casual restaurant. It’s going to be called Velour and should be open in about a year. Washingtonian reported:
He [Corduroy owner Chef Tom Power] says he wants to keep the prices low—”nothing over $18 or $20″—on the menu, which will include soups, salads, maybe grilled cheese, pizza, and a lobster roll. The press release quotes Power as saying he’ll possibly serve “things like hot dogs from the New Jersey shore, pupusas, a steak, crispy salmon with refried black beans.”
We re-judged Corduroy located at 1122 9th St, NW back in Dec. ’10.
To the Prince of Petworth Community,
Recently there was a lengthy review discussion of The Heights. We would like to thank all who
shared their comments. It’s important to hear about the components of our restaurant that are well
received and enjoyed as well as those areas in which we need to improve. We would now like to
address some of those areas.The message on the blackening charge has been heard loud and clear. Effective immediately, this
charge is removed, though the text still appears on our menu for a few more days.Sysco is the largest wholesale distributor in America and services virtually every restaurant. We
purchase our basic commodities such as flour, sugar, spices and Heinz Ketchup as well as paper
supplies and cleaning products. They are an efficient partner to most food service companies. While
the Sysco truck does pull up to our door each week, we also have fresh bread, produce, seafood,
poultry, eggs, dairy and meat being delivered daily by small, local companies such as Lyon Bakery,
Profish, Capital Meat and Coastal Sunbelt Produce. We only purchase natural proteins and dairy
items that come from local farms where all the animals are treated humanely.We now own and operate a 13 acre farm in La Plata, Maryland. EatWell Natural Farm has recently
begun harvesting and has delivered over 50 crates of fresh produce to our chefs and restaurants.
The bulk of the growing season still ahead, we expect to fulfill most of our tomato, summer squash,
zucchini, cucumber, pepper and green bean needs as well as some 20 other varieties.Improving our food quality and service has been our top priority this year. We recently installed
professional chefs in all our restaurants to both improve quality and allow our managers to better
focus on service. We have some great team members, many of whom have worked for us for years,
but finding and retaining the best service people can be difficult in our casual segment. Internships
drag away many as does the allure of downtown. These departures occur frequently and the turnover
is detrimental to efficiency. We are constantly evolving our hiring and training methods and seeking
new ways and benefits to attract and retain the best.We believe our pricing fare. We have made many changes over the past few years that are costly;
organic, ethical raised, local products. We have hardly passed these price increases on to our guests
but a grass fed, 9 oz patty, ground daily on a custom baked bun with hand cut fries is costly.We hope, given the opportunity, you will find that we are doing all we can to provide the best food,
service and value. We take our role as a neighborhood restaurant seriously and work hard to offer a
wide variety of food and drink across many different meal segments.Should you have any comments or concerns, I invite you to reach out to me directly.
Kind Regards,
Josh Hahn
CEO, EatWell DC
The Heights, Logan Tavern, Commissary, Grillfish, EatWell Natural Farm
[email protected]
From a press release:
Top Chef All-Stars Runner-Up Mike Isabella will open his first restaurant, Graffiato, in the Chinatown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., on June 23. The no-frills two-story eatery, composed of bricks, cinder blocks, wooden booths and teak composite countertops, is a raw space reminiscent of the Italian bistros Chef Isabella grew up frequenting in New Jersey, yet the menu is anything but traditional Italian fare. Artisanal pizzas, house-made seasonal vegetable dishes, locally procured meats and cheeses and Italian-inspired small plates comprise the menu, which is sourced almost entirely from the East Coast.
Graffiato is a two-story 5,000-square-foot space with industrial finishings. The steel-covered wood oven is the centerpiece of the first floor, surrounded by a cinder-block bar and chairs for a dozen guests to dine while interacting with Chef Isabella and his pizzaiolos. Concrete floors, original exposed brick and barn lights bring an outdoor feel inside. Wooden tables, handcrafted by Chef Isabella and his father-in-law, compliment the wooden booths and the simplicity of the design.
The second floor seats about 100, including a ham bar with a table-height wooden counter for seven guests. Cured meats and fresh-stretched mozzarella are prepared at this station. Unlike a traditional charcuterie bar, the hooks hanging above the counter display various meat cleavers instead of hams.
Looks like some good news for Mt. Vernon Square. The retail space on the corner of the 401 Massachusetts Ave NW (4th and Mass.) will be the home to a new “European Café with wine bar” to be called TEL’VEH. A recent liquor license application says:
New Tavern. European Café with wine bar. Breakfast and lunch with bakery. Small plates during dinner and wine bar, no dancing. Seating capacity is 75. Summer Garden capacity is 40. Total Occupancy Load is 115.
Photo via Barracks Row Main Street
Thanks to a reader for sending the word.
Back in Dec. ’10 we first heard that the Starfish Cafe could be closing. Barracks Row Main Street says they should be open in a month or so as Lavagna Italian Cuisine. I’ll be sure to revisit when they open.
Starfish Cafe was located at 539 8th St., SE.
I just noticed that New Big Wong had applied for a liquor license so I thought I’d check to see if there were any fans. New Big Wong is located at 610 H St NW:
New Big Wong Restaurant welcomes you to a pleasant and memorable dining experience.
We feature authentic Cantonese and Szechuan cuisine. We take pride in serving you the finest Oriental cuisine in the area. Our menu is a suggestion for your selection. The sauce is the magic ingredient, which blends the meat, poultry, seafood, or chicken with fresh vegetables to create unique dishes. Each dish is prepared to order. The spicy dishes are prepared to the degree of your taste. Please notice the dishes offered for the diet conscious – low in sodium and mildly seasoned.
You can see their full menu here.
Any fans?
Ethiopic is located at 401 H St, NE. We judged them with very positive reviews back in Aug. ’10. And the new window make it look a 100 times better. Nicely done!
Aug. ’10
Aatish on the Hill, Fine INDIAN And Pakistani Tandoori Charcoal Cuisine, is located at 609 Pennsylvania Ave, SE. You can see their menus here. Any fans?
Elisir Restaurant is comint to 427 11th St, NW between E St and Pennsylvania Ave, NW (near E Street Cinema.) A recent liquor license application says:
New Restaurant. European flares specializing in the sale of fine Italian food with culinary classes from time to time. Live music or DJ for occasional private parties. Occupancy load is 117. Sidewalk Café 26 seats.
Not exactly sure what “European flares” are but I’m all for fine Italian food and sidewalk cafes so this sounds great.