Chinatown

700 6th Street, NW

Back in early April we learned the once planned for Townhouse Kitchen and Bar by the Verizon Center would become Penn Commons instead:

“Opening is slated for late summer. The restaurant and bar will be similar to the group’s already successful District Commons restaurant at 2200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.”

Now they’ve applied for a liquor license which says:

“New restaurant serving American food with sidewalk café seating 40 patrons. Total load is 400.”

Wow, didn’t realize it’d be that big inside – looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

I don’t come across too many happy hours from 1pm-9pm – that’s gotta be some kinda record…

Pho DC is located at 608 H Street, NW. Any fans of the Pho? Or the Banh mi spot down below?

777 I Street, NW

From an email:

“Del Campo’s $12 lunch deal

Last year, Del campo launched patio season with its Street Food Fridays promotion. This year, the restaurant is one again highlighting street food with a lunch deal available on the patio and at the bar. Diners can order any of Del Campo’s sandwiches (yes, even the chivito) with a glass of house wine or a beer for $12. The $12 lunch deal is available Monday-Friday from 11:30am-2:30pm.

Argentinian Pizza and the Patio Pisco Bar

On May 21, Del Campo’s wood fired ovens will begin turning out Argentinian style pizzas. The new menu item is a South American favorite that will be a new look for area pizza lovers. The square pies will rage in price from $18 to $22 and feature styles like smoked tomato & mortadella, fugassa (a white pizza with onion, and chorizo & burnt rapini.

Coinciding with the launch of pizza service, Del Campo will be opening a satellite bar on its patio with a focus on pisco. Open on Thursdays through Labor Day, the Del Campo Patio Pisco bar will serve the restaurant’s many excellent pisco cocktails as well as pisco tasting flights that will highlight the breadth and depth of the South American spirit. The Patio Pisco Bar will be open Thursdays from 5pm till close.”

418 7th Street, NW

I know I get exciting by the most routine coming soon signs but this one is especially cool. Back in October of last year we learned about Jose Andres’ new Chinese-Peruvian Restaurant, China Chilcano coming to the former Olsson’s Bookstore space and once hoped for Wagamama in Penn Quarter. Hopefully, China Chilcano will not toy with us like Wagamama…

From the October press release:

“Highlighting the rich flavors, bold colors, diverse textures and unique aromas, the menu will apply time-honored Chinese techniques to Peruvian ingredients. From the classic Peruvian causas or ceviches, to Asian favorites like dim sums and sumais, the dishes will showcase Peru’s multi-cultural influences and ingredients in true Jose fashion.

Building on the success of China Poblano, the restaurant’s working name, China Chilcano, will pay homage to Peru’s celebrated fish stew and one of its more traditional drinks, the chilcano.”

You can read the full release here.

Can’t freaking wait.

looking north toward Verizon Center

looking south toward Penn Ave and Navy Archives

710 7th Street, NW

From a press release:

“hopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, the Southeast Asian restaurant developed by Chipotle Mexican Grill, will open the doors to its fourth East Coast location at 710 7th Street NW, in Washington, D.C, on Tuesday, May 6. The first ShopHouse location in Washington, D.C. opened in 2011 in Dupont Circle (1516 Connecticut Avenue NW) and was followed by the openings in Georgetown (2805 M Street NW) and Bethesda, Maryland (4820 Bethesda Avenue) in 2013.

The menu at ShopHouse is influenced by traditional ingredients, flavors and cooking techniques of Southeast Asia, and the restaurant gets its name from traditional shophouses, a common form of architecture in Southeast Asia in which families live upstairs and operate restaurants or fresh markets on the ground floor. The ShopHouse model closely resembles Chipotle, including a commitment to serving food made with highest quality ingredients from more sustainable sources, preparing food in an open kitchen using classic cooking techniques, and serving customers in an interactive format that allows each individual to pick and choose exactly what goes in to their own order. (more…)