LeDroit Park

LeDroit Market Building For Sale (Again)

By Prince Of Petworth

ledroit
1901 4th Street, NW

The LeDroit Market just reopened in January. Thanks to a reader for the heads up – that the building for sale again but note “Market has just started a 5 year lease with additional 5 year option”:

“Amazing opportunity to own and live in an historic landmark building. Ledroit Park market is downstairs and luxurious 3 bedroom, 2 bath owners unit with top notch renovations upstairs. This property features a gourmet kitchen, custom master bath, huge deck and a private garage with extra storage. Market has just started a 5 year lease with additional 5 year option. Steps to everything.”

It’s going for $1,799,000.

Another Peek Inside The Royal now Open in LeDroit Park (closed today but open again tomorrow)

By Prince Of Petworth

the royal
501 Florida Ave, NW

The Royal looking good! Thanks to a reader for sending. Please note that The Royal is “closed today, but will be open tomorrow at 7am for coffee, and dinner/cocktails later that afternoon!”

Anyone else take a taste last night?

“The drinks were fantastic. The blue is AGUARDIENTE PUNCH with blackberry, vanilla, cassis, citrus; the orange is ROYAL CUP with ford’s gin, cucumber, strawberry, ginger beer, the martini-style one was PASSION OF THE SPICE with milagro blanco tequila, jalapeno, passionfruit, lime. Innovative cocktails!”

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T-3 Weeks Till The Royal Opens in LeDroit Park – “Shaved ice cocktails will be available year-round”

By Prince Of Petworth

The_Royal
501 Florida Ave, NW

From a press release:

“In just three weeks, DC’s LeDroit Park neighborhood will have an all-day destination for eating and imbibing, as The Royal opens at 501 Florida Avenue, NW, the corner of 5th & Florida NW. A coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and an intimate bar and casual eatery by night, The Royal will be a unique all-day destination for Counter Culture espressos, wood-fire grilled meats, fresh fruit shaved ice cocktails, housemade vermouth on draft and more.

MORNING

The Royal will open its doors early (7 a.m. M-F; 8 a.m. Sat-Sun), offering a full Counter Culture coffee program of espressos, lattes, drip and cold-brew coffee for dine-in and to-go. Morning sustenance comes in the form of freshly baked pastries, breakfast sandwiches and other a.m. fare. A rotating selection of fresh juices will also be available.

ALL-DAY

Come afternoon (starting at 12 p.m. M-F; 1 p.m. Sat-Sun), The Royal will offer one all-day menu, featuring a variety of vegetarian salads, Latin-inspired snacks and meats, seafood and vegetables hot off the wood-fire grill. Chef Lonnie Zoeller will hand-make Beef and Vegetable Empanadas, Cheese Arepas, and Plantains with sweet crema. All snacks may be made vegetarian.

Simple and flavorful salads might include Grilled Avocado with red quinoa/lentils/house vinaigrette, Tomatoes with hard cheese/herbs/garlic/cumin, or Cucumber and Hearts of Palm with apple/lime/chili/red onion.

A focal point of the bar will be the restaurant’s custom-made four-foot wood-burning grill, churning out fresh meats, seafood and vegetables, such as Grilled Squid with smoked tomato/radish/cilantro, Morcilla Sausage made with pork and rice/roasted potatoes/ house chimichurri, Duck Chicharron with radish/lime/hot sauce, and Steak with roasted potato/house chimichurri.

Chef Zoeller will also make a variety of sauces to accompany the dishes, ranging from a house chimichurri, aji Amarillo, house aioli, and family-recipe aji sauce.

BEVERAGES

The Royal will focus on craft cocktails created by beverage director Horus Alvarez. (more…)

Checking in on The Royal coming to 5th and Florida Ave, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

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501 Florida Ave, NW

“ABOUT THE ROYAL:

A coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and an intimate bar and casual eatery by night, The Royal will be a unique all-day destination for morning coffee, leisurely lunch, after-work cocktails and simple yet creative fare. The second project from restaurateur Paul Carlson, the split-level, 45-seat gathering place is expected to open in late spring 2015.”

Looks like they’ll have a sweet roll down window:

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“Mugging in Broad Daylight – with the car moving and me being dragged for about half a block”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Just wanted to share an experience I had yesterday morning and maybe see if anyone else had something similar happen to them recently and remind everyone to always be aware of their surroundings.

I was walking down Elm st NW by Ledroit park at 10:30 AM and a car slowed down right by me. I thought the four guys who were in the car were looking for a parking spot and thought nothing of it. The car sped off in a hurry. Then suddenly, a block later, the car stopped right by me, a man in a ski mask jumped out and grabbed my bag. Since it was cross body bag, he essentially pulled me with him to the car, and I was trying to pull it back, with the car moving and me being dragged for about half a block. Finally my bag broke and I fell and they drove off. I did hit my face on the pavement but am generally fine, albeit shaken up about the incident.

On the bright side, immediately I had about eight people around me calling 911, bringing me ice for my face, and generally trying to help calm me down and take the right steps. Police were there in less than five minutes, as was the EMT. DCPS MPD has been really great about giving me updates on the case. It turns out the car had been stolen (two people got the license plate as it drove off) the night before and I wasn’t the first person they robbed Sunday morning. They have arrested one of the guys and are questioning him about the other three.

So, here is a happy reminder to always be aware of your surroundings. I’ve walked down Elm about a hundred times before, and feel very comfortable in the neighborhood. I’m sure this was a random act and I’m 100% sure these four boys do not live in Bloomingdale/LeDroit park. Big ups to all the wonderful people who DO live in the area (and stayed with me for the two hours I had to deal with cops/ EMT) and DCPS. There are a lot of crappy people in the world but there is definitely more good than bad.”

The Royal: “A coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and an intimate bar and casual eatery by night”

By Prince Of Petworth

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From a press release:

“As Washington, DC grows and expands, residents are more and more looking for their “own” neighborhood spots, and they’ll soon have one. Expected to open in late spring 2015, The Royal will be a classic corner neighborhood joint located in the heart of DC’s historic LeDroit Park neighborhood at 501 Florida Avenue, NW. A coffee shop and lunch spot by day, and an intimate bar and casual eatery by night, The Royal will be a unique all-day destination for morning coffee, leisurely lunch, after-work cocktails and simple yet creative fare.

The intimate and versatile split-level corner spot aims to be a central “hub” for the neighborhood, connecting residents and visitors within a welcoming, accessible gathering space. In the morning, The Royal will boast a full espresso program, brewing up Counter Culture coffee for those on-the-go or looking to spend a leisurely morning, along with breakfast offerings and fresh juices.

Come afternoon, The Royal will offer one all-day menu, described by owner Paul Carlson and Chef Lonnie Zoeller as “our families’ comfort food presented as elevated bar snacks to complement the uniquely crafted cocktail program.” Inspired by both Carlson and Zoeller’s familial ties to Colombia, fresh meats, seafood and vegetables will be prepared on the wood-fire grill and accompanied by an assortment of house sauces.

The Royal’s beverage program will focus on craft cocktails, helmed by beverage director Horus Alvarez. The underlying theme behind the cocktails is simplicity – fresh ingredients, fruits, herbs – used in an array of both classic and signature cocktails. The bar will boast an extensive vermouth selection, featuring a housemade vermouth on draft. Carlson sourced a vintage ice shaver from Guatemala, which will churn the base for creative shaved ice cocktails, available year-round.

The Royal will also offer a small yet well-curated wine list of approximately 8-10 wines by glass, plus some unique reserve bottles and draft and bottled beers. The goal is to offer drinks that are simple, approachable, and affordable. (more…)

“Horrible Traffic in Shaw/LeDroit /Florida ave/Georgia ave Needs a Solution”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Time for Howard University and Washington Metropolitan Police Dept. to review traffic patterns in ‪Ledroit Park‬. The Howard University Hospital parking lot should be opened so the traffic on Florida Avenue can flow better. The time has finally arrived to make modifications in the neighborhood as the exploding growth demands it.

There must be a solution for the terrible traffic congestion on Florida Avenue NW, and converting the Howard University Hospital parking lot into a regular road should help the traffic.”

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