Restaurants

Everlasting Life Restaurant to Open Two Locations in Takoma, First Location Opens Later Today

By Prince Of Petworth

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Everlasting Life Vegan Restaurant (formerly Cedar Crossing Tavern) 341 Cedar Street, NW courtesy of Old Takoma Business Association

From a press release:

“Healthy eaters will have two new vegan options available in the Old Takoma neighborhood of Washington, DC. Starting Thursday, February 13th, Everlasting Life Vegan Restaurant will be bringing its plant-based menu, with soulful influences, to 341 Cedar St NW, Washington, DC, steps from the Takoma Metro station stop on the Red Line. The restaurant will feature the same successful full-service lunch and dinner concept with bar and take away options as established at its original Capital Height’s MD location. A second Takoma location, called Sweet Life Bakery, will also open soon .5 block away from the full service location at 6904 4thSt, NW to include 100% vegan baked goods made by Everlasting Life and other local bakers.”

Ed. Note: A resident on the Takoma listerv says that Everlasting Life Vegan Restaurant will open at 2pm today.

Back in Sept. 2013 we first heard Everlasting Life Restaurant & Lounge would be opening up another restaurant in Takoma:

About the Everlasting Life coming to Takoma:

“At Everlasting Life Restaurant & Lounge we fuse flavorful ethnic cuisine with a 100% vegan menu. We aim to consistently exceed your expectations and are committed to setting the standard on what delicious and fresh vegan meals should be. Affordable and convenient, Everlasting Life Restaurant & Lounge seeks to provide value to our customers and employees through our efforts and expertise. Drop by and experience the taste of health with a soulful twist!”

You can see their daily menu here.

Cedar Crossing first opened up in Takoma back in Nov. 2009, I’m not sure the exact date they closed.

Lupo Verde Opening Thursday, February 20th

By Prince Of Petworth

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1401 T Street, NW

From a press release:

“Med Lahlou and Antonio Matarazzo of the Lalou Group are pleased to announce the appointment of Domenico Apollaro as Chef de Cuisine at their new intimate 100-seat Italian restaurant Lupo Verde, located in the bustling 14th Street neighborhood at 1401 T Street, NW, 20009. Lupo Verde will open on February 20th serving dinner nightly, from 5 PM to 11 PM. Guests will also be able to enjoy late night hours Sunday through Thursday, from 11 PM to 2 AM, and Friday and Saturday, from 11 PM to 3 AM. Happy hour will also be available Monday through Friday from 3 PM to 7 PM.

A native Italian and 2001 graduate from the Istituto Professionale per i Servizi Alberghieri e di Ristorazione, in Castrovillari, Italy, Domenico Apollaro is moving to Washington to accept this new position. Prior to joining Lupo Verde, he was the executive chef at Eat’s Easy Restaurante in Milan, Italy. His career also includes working as executive chef at Osteria Vista in Lachen, Zurich from 2011 to 2012. He also served as the chef of the restaurant and garden at Altri Tempi in Marina di Massa and Lucca, Italy. From 2006 to 2011, he owned and operated three restaurants in Villapiana, Italy: Fusion Bar, Café del Mar and Voglia Difrutta. His culinary career also includes working every summer from 1994 to 2001, at the Hotel Hermitage in Portoferraio, Italy. He also cooked in various restaurants throughout Italy and in London, England from 2001 to 2006.

The menu Apollaro will create at Lupo Verde will feature a variety of small plates, house-made charcuteries, cheeses, breads and antipasti. Wood-fired pizzas will also be available along with a selection of paninis and salads at lunch, and house-made pastas, whole roasted fish and a premiere selection of meats during dinner. Customers will be able to purchase 70% of the restaurant’s menu “to go” including 50 cheeses (five of which will be made in-house while the rest will be made from local farmers or imported from Italy) sold by the ounce, two house-made prosciuttos and several other house cured meats. Fresh and dried house-made pastas will be available for purchase by the kilo, along with house-made sauces and rustic house-made breads.

This March, Lupo Verde will begin serving brunch Saturday and Sunday, from 9 AM to 3 PM, and lunch service will also be introduced Monday through Friday, from 11 AM to 3 PM.”

STK Steakhouse Now Hiring – “modern steakhouse and a chic lounge”

By Prince Of Petworth

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1250 Connecticut Avenue, NW

Back in January we noted little progress at STK Steakhouse coming to the former Casa Nonna space in south Dupont Circle. Thanks to a reader for sending word that they’re now hiring for back of the house positions. In the craigslist ad they say:

“STK artfully blends two concepts into one — the modern steakhouse and a chic lounge. The restaurant’s signature DNA includes plaster cast horns, curvilinear black platform seats and a palette of black gloss and cream. A large central lounge is furnished with creamy leather banquettes and textured crocodile tiles, and is surrounded by an elevated dining room for more formal dining. Theatrical lights illuminate each table, while smoky mirrors allow patrons to catch a glimpse of the surroundings while a DJ creates an energetic vibe throughout the entire space.”

STK has also previously referred to itself as having a “female-friendly mindset”.

Possibly the Best Local Ad I’ve Ever Seen – Mexican Cowboy Tamales

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

My friend and I launched Capital Hustle to empower local underserved entrepreneurs in DC. For the inaugural campaign, we are helping Columbia Heights based Mexican Cowboy Tamales. Ofelio Crespo makes delicious homemade tamales and delivers them to one’s home or office.

We shot a western movie trailer style video in Rock Creek Park and on Connecticut Avenue. Ofelio grew up in a ranch in rural Mexico but he says it had been 30 years since he had rode a horse. We also upgraded his website. We hope this helps Ofelio reach new demographics and increase his sales. Someday, I hope his business becomes a household name in DC. For the time being, his tamales remain a hidden gem.”

Check out the menu here.

Union Kitchen Opening Second, Larger, Facility in Ivy City Later this Year

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

“Union Kitchen: Food Incubator will open a second facility, growing the ranks of membership and the impact of the incubator on small businesses, jobs, and culture. Currently working with 55 food businesses in NoMa, Union Kitchen’s second facility in Ivy City will more than triple the square footage and house an estimated 70 additional members.

The incubator provides space for production and opportunities for sales, including driving business to members through catering and providing distribution services. “Union Kitchen is a solution to meet the challenges we faced as small business owners at the Blind Dog Café,” said Jonas Singer, a co-founder of Union Kitchen. “At Union Kitchen, we create community and, through that community, the efficiencies to overcome the growth constraints common in the food industry. The response to Union Kitchen has been incredible.”

Union Kitchen removes barriers to entry by eliminating the need for small businesses to take on debt, purchase expensive equipment, sign a long-term lease, enter disadvantageous distribution contracts, or take many of the other risks that business owners have come to expect as the norm for starting a food business. The new facility will include a focus on providing businesses growth opportunities, addressing the gap that many operators face as they grow from micro enterprises to regional businesses.

Currently, Union Kitchen offers a full slate of business services including catering and distribution, and covers operational costs for its members, including utilities, taxes, cleaning, trash collection, and more. For independent operators, these services are costly and a distraction from focusing on what matters most – preparing their best product and finding more customers. Many operators struggle to expand as they run out of space, making scaling impossible and constricting their ability to grow their businesses, customers, and jobs.

“The last year has been very exciting for us,” said Cullen Gilchrist, Union Kitchen co-founder. “A thriving food scene in DC plays such a huge role in the city’s culture, and it’s something that is incredibly important to us. We think of this new opportunity not just as an investment in our company, but also as an investment in our city.”

The Union Kitchen team – comprised of 13 District locals – plans to open their state-of-the-art facility in late 2014. To learn more about membership, catering, distribution, and other Union Kitchen efforts, visit Union Kitchen online.”

Roofers Union Opens in Adams Morgan, Have a Look Inside and at the Menu

By Prince Of Petworth

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2446 18th Street, NW

A few weeks ago we took a pre-preview of Roofers Union located in the former Reef space. They’ve now opened – here’s lots of details from a press release:

“Roofers Union (2446 18th St NW; 202-232-7663) is now open in the heart of Adams Morgan where Executive Chef Marjorie Meek-Bradley is serving inventive tavern food starting at 5pm daily, alongside an innovative cocktail program and an impressive list of local draft beers and wines.

Just steps from Columbia Road, in a loft-like setting with floor to ceiling windows overlooking lively 18th street, the team behind popular Ripple is dishing up hand stuffed sausages on house made pretzel rolls. Maintaining a menu of sustainable cuisine, Marjorie works closely with Border Springs Farm and Autumn Olive Farms to source whole animals. A variety of sausages including the andouille corndog with cheddar whiz, the spicy Italian with peppers, onions and melted provolone and the chicken sausage with wild mushrooms and taleggio arrive on the table after five days of preparation. Her process begins by breaking down the proteins, grinding, stuffing, and hanging the sausages before they can be loaded with house made condiments or vegetable toppings, served hot with perfectly thin, crisp potato chips. A host of stacked sandwich options like the fried chicken thigh with sriracha honey and the BLT with fried egg on a sourdough bun, elevate classic American food. Not to be overlooked is a delicious assortment of snacks including trotter arancini with garlic aioli dipping sauce, veal sweetbreads po’boy and cauliflower served with mint and pine nuts.

The menu, which has evolved since quietly opening earlier this week, reflects initial customer feedback that focused on the need for an impressive bar program to accompany it. Cocktail master Josh Fatemi masterminded the cocktails ($10-$11), which are named after songs from his favorite bands. A Texas native and longtime musician, Fatemi serves up David Bowie’s “China Girl,” which uses mandarin shrub along with St. George Terroir gin, Zirbenz pine liqueur, lemon juice, Champagne and rosemary garnish. The Radiohead inspired “Punch up at a Wedding” is a spin on classic picon punch and the “I’m Old Fashioned” is named for John Coltrane’s popular record, combining two ageless cocktails, the old fashioned and sazerac using Rittenhouse Rye, spiced gomme syrup and orange oil poured over a perfectly clear, large chunk of ice. Though just opened, the team is already looking to build their small batch bourbon and rye program and will incorporate them into future cocktails.

An impressive 22 taps allow Beer Monger Dave Delaplaine to have some fun with the selection of beers, which includes 10 local drafts ($6-$12) from breweries like 3 Stars, DC Brau, Atlas, Port City, and Lost Rhino. Delaplaine has something for everyone, rotating in some funky seasonal beers as well as two non-pasteurized, non-carbonated cask conditioned ales, as well as gluten free and non-alcoholic options.

Not to be outdone, the wine list is growing daily and features 12-16 wines by the glass ($8-$18) at any given time. Ciders, normally relegated to the corner of the menu, have a place to shine at Roofers Union, which will feature three by the glass regularly.

For this neighborhood restaurant managed by Daniel Lobsenz, everything started with the sausages and was further inspired by the beautifully renovated space, designed by owner Roger Marmet’s wife Betsy Marmet. Named for its gorgeous rooftop deck, opening in March, Roofers Union hopes to provide a sense of community for neighbors and their friends and families. Plans for the future include happy hour and brunch. Reservations are accepted.”

You can see the full menu here:

Roofers Union Menu (PDF)

Huge windows dominate the second floor overlooking 18th Street:

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Lots more photos and the cocktail menu after the jump. (more…)

Tuscana West Closed Dowtown on Feb. 5th after 20 Years

By Prince Of Petworth

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1350 I Street, NW

“Dear PoPville,

Tuscana West closed abruptly last week. Sign on door says they weren’t able to renew their lease…”

Last Wed. they wrote on their Facebook page:

“It has been 20 excellent years, but we will be closing our doors for the last time tonight. We appreciate each and every one of you for dining, laughing, drinking, and celebrating with us over the years! It has truly been a pleasure serving you. Please join us this evening as we bid a final farewell to Tuscana West.”

On Feb. 6th they wrote:

“We would like to sincerely thank you, our patrons and friends, for your continued support. It was truly our pleasure to serve you all for so many great events, lunches, dinners and happy hours.
It’s been fun–we really appreciate your patronage!

Please visit us in our sister restaurants,
RISTORANTE PICCOLO in Historic Georgetown (202.342.7414) and
our newest restaurant, right around the corner on K Street between 15th & 16th Streets, CATCH 15 Restaurant + Oyster Bar (202.969.2858).

Both are open for Lunch, Happy Hour, Dinner and Weekend Brunch

PLEASE COME AND VISIT US!
Providing the same top-notch, friendly and professional service that is our trademark”

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Tuscana West was located across from Franklin Square and near the coming soon Toro Toro from Chef Richard Sandoval:

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To Celebrate 5 Year Anniversary – Taylor Gourmet Offering $5 Hoagies after 5pm

By Prince Of Petworth

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From an email:

“In celebration of 5 years of Taylor Gourmet, we are offering all of our regular sized hoagies for just $5.00 after 5:00 PM. Yep, that’s right. Every regular sized hoagie at all 8 locations is just $5 bucks from 5:00 PM to close!

OUR WAY TO SAY THANKS!

We’ve come a long way in 5 years. From our original shop below our apartments on H Street we have grown to 8 locations in DC, Maryland and Virginia. 5 AFTER 5 of is our way to say thanks to all of our customers who have made our first five years a raging success.”

District Taco Opening Third DC Location in former Cosi space at 20th and M St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

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1919 M Street, NW

Big news for this former Cosi space from Washington Business Journal:

“The chain’s focus for 2014 will be on its breakfast program: expanding the breakfast taco business as well as the coffee business. The new location at 20th and M streets will have a full coffee service with coffee from M.E. Swing and Co.”

According to the report, District Taco anticipates opening here “within the next three months”.

Currently District Taco has DC locations at 656 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE and 1309 F Street, NW.

You can see their menu here.

The 20th and M St, NW location is right across the street from Vidalia:

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