405 8th Street, NW
Yesterday the Washington Post reported:
“Less than a year after he transformed his struggling Penn Quarter seafood restaurant into an ambitious market and bistro called Menu MBK, Frederik de Pue closed the operation on Saturday, apparently at the demand of his partners who were looking for a higher return on investment.”
Menu MBK opened up in the former Azur space (previously Cafe Atlantico) back in January. Updates when we learn what’s coming next.
801 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
@PlanBBurgerDC reveals the good news for Penn Quarter folks:
“Grand Opening November 3rd. Are you ready to eat some meat DC?!”
Plan B Burger Bar is located in the Navy Memorial Plaza by the Archives-Navy Memorial metro stop. Their website says they offer beef, burgers, bourbon and beer. You can see their full menus here.
La Colombe’s Blagden Alley Spot, technically 924 N Street, NW
Exciting tweet from @nevinmartell:
“Head’s up coffee lovers! @LaColombeCoffee will open a new cafe w/ a cupping room at 6&I NW early next year.”
Also happy to see @LaColombeCoffee retweeted it.
La Colombe opened their first DC location in Blagden Alley back in February next to Rogue 24.
901 9th Street, NW
From a press release:
“City Tap House, the craft beer-focused restaurant located at 901 9th Street, NW, 20001, is please to host a special evening with Dick Cantwell, co-founder of Elysian Brewing Company, based in Seattle, Washington. Elysian has brewed over 350 craft beers since the brewery opened in 1996, and has been a pioneer in the craft-brewing movement throughout the Pacific Northwest. On Monday, October 20th, seven City Tap House draft lines will be dedicated to Elysian’s popular pumpkin beers including Night Owl Pumpkin Ale; The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale; Dark O’ the Moon; Punkuccino; The Lost Abbey Sardonic Pumpkin Dark Wit; The Gourdfather, as well as Hansel & Gretel. Prices range from $6 to $13.
Additionally, City Tap House has purchased a 250-pound pumpkin from Nalls Farm Market in Berryville, Virginia, which will be hollowed out, filled with beer, and tapped just like a keg for this special night.
Monday, October 20th from 5 p.m. to Close.”
707 H Street, NW
@WeinDC tweets us the scene from Cava’s new Chinatown location just after 1:30:
“Maybe I will go tomorrow”
Ed. Note: Today is community day – “Community Day tradition from 11am to 2pm, where lunch (rice bowls, salads, pitas) is free, with an encouraged donation to one of their local non-profit partners.”
604 H Street, NW
Thanks to a reader for sending the good news:
“Noticed a construction crew installing the refurbished gate the other day in Chinatown. What do you think of how it turned out?”
From DCCAH:
“DC Commission on Arts and Humanities removed the gate in April 2014 for restoration. The ornamental artwork was in severe disrepair and posed a safety hazard to adjoining businesses and the general public.
The Dragon’s Gate was created by Atlanta-based artist Andrew Crawford in 2007— as way of camouflaging and beautifying an otherwise drab alley corridor that housed trash bins and served as a service entrance. A conservator will restore it, and the goal is to return in in 2015.”
Awesome and ahead of schedule too!
707 H Street, NW
Finally got an opening date for the Cava coming to the former Capital Q BBQ space. From a press release:
“Cava Grill is excited to announce the opening of its sixth location, in DC’s
Chinatown neighborhood at 707 H St. NW, on Tuesday, October 14. The first opening of its fall expansion, Cava Grill Chinatown will open with new menu items, enhanced design features, deeper relationships with local partners, and additional community initiatives representative of Cava’s commitment to innovation, evolution, and attentiveness within fast-casual dining.
Cava Grill is inviting the Washington area to celebrate its newest location with their Community Day tradition from 11am to 2pm, where lunch (rice bowls, salads, pitas) is free, with an encouraged donation to one of their local non-profit partners. 100% of donations will benefit MicroGreens and City Blossoms, both of which champion healthy eating in the DC community.
In Cava Grill’s newest partnership, with local DC dough baker Optimal Grains, pita will be made from scratch and baked fresh in Cava’s new stone-fired oven – a feature being added to all locations this fall. This new pita is preservative free and made from organic flour. Other additions for all new locations will include local beer and wine on tap; an open-kitchen layout; engaging information on allergens, nutrition, and sourcing partners; rotating seasonal menus with soups, juices, and teas made in-house daily; and featured items from local partners Whisked!, Gordy’s Pickle Jar, and RunningByrd Tea.”
Next door to the also opening soon Potbelly:
801 9th Street, NW
Cuba Libre opened at 9th and H St, NW back in 2010.
From a press release:
“Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, located at 801 9th Street, NW Suite A, next to the new City Center, is pleased to announce the appointment of a new executive chef, Matthew Zagorski. He will spearhead the kitchen in Washington, DC bringing the flavors of Old Havana and Cuba’s culture to the District, and will work under the direction of two-time James Beard award-winning Chef-Partner Guillermo Pernot.
Matthew Zagorski joins Cuba Libre DC after training at the restaurant’s flagship location in Philadelphia under celebrated Concept Chef Guillermo Pernot. In his new position in the nation’s capital, Zagorski will showcase an imaginative Cuban menu. It will feature a mix of robust and soul-satisfying dishes of beef, poultry, pork and seafood with exotic fruits and vegetables, herbs and seasonings that are based on the culinary traditions of Cuba’s storied island, recognizing the diversity of the Cuban people. Through the new menu, Zagorski will reach beyond the dominant Spanish influence to represent the native Tainos, as well as the African, Asian, and Haitian-Creole peoples that have inhabited Cuba for centuries.”
From an email:
“I’m hosting a fundraiser happy hour to benefit the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. This is my tenth year doing the walk in memory of my mom, whom my team is named after – Nancy’s Nineteen!
Thanks to @YashaMoz for tweeting us:
“@PoPville Sign at Chipotle in Chinatown [7th and G St, NW], currently closed.”