Shaw

1926 9th Street, NW

Good news for Al Crostino fans. And thanks to all who tweeted and emailed the good word. Al Crostino closed at 1324 U Street, NW (to make way for the new JBG project back in November. While Al Crostino has recently been popping up at Den of Thieves – it looks like they’ve found a new home in Shaw. They’ll be taking over the former Cause Philanthropub which closed at 1926 9th Street just south of U Street back in December.

As an Al Crostino fan, this makes me very very happy.

Previous home on U Street:

1914 9th Street, NW

Last week we looked at some menu highlights from Dino’s Grotto now open in Shaw – I had the opportunity to take a taste last week and I’m happy to report it was just as delicious as the original Dino’s in Cleveland Park. They’ve now listed some of their beers and ciders on their facebook page too:

“Taps: Champion Killer Kolch {brand new Virginia brewery} ~ DC Brau Poseidon’s Daughter {black IPA} ~ Atlas Home Rule {IP lager} ~ 3 Star Citra Lemon ~ Lost Rhino IPA ~ Baladin Floreale

Bottles & cans include: Duclaw Sweet Baby Jesus ~ Anchor California Lager ~ Williamsberg Redmarker Ale ~ Del Ducato Verdi Stout and Nuova Mattina

Ciders: Dupont {French}, Crispin {Calif}, Jack’s {PA}”

Today take a look inside the new space – first upstairs:

Lower level:

9th and P St, NW

From Shaw Main Streets:

“MANDALAY RESTAURANT TO CLOSE; NEW ASIAN CONCEPT COMING SOON

Washington, DC’s Mandalay Restaurant will close permanently on Thursday, May 15, 2014, at 8:00 PM. But not for any reason you’d think of.

Aung Myint, chef/owner, is closing the District’s only Burmese restaurant after only eight months due to two deaths in his family causing him to relocate to Burma to manage a family business. “Not only do I have to do this for my family, but there are 600 people who work for the family business. I really have no choice.”

Myint, whose family built and will continue to own the building where the restaurant is located, has chosen his restaurant’s successor, with details to be announced shortly. “It was very important to me to find a new operator and concept that the neighborhood would feel comfortable with, after we were so warmly received by the community,” Myint says. “I couldn’t leave it to a broker after I left the country. The concept will be announced by the new team shortly.”

Mandalay had become a popular neighborhood destination, and was featured in a DC Main Streets Metrobus and Metrorail advertising campaign that can still be seen on the city’s streets. After initially only offering a seven course tasting menu, Myint expanded the restaurant’s offerings to small plates on the ground floor and brunch on weekends. With hundreds of new residents moving to City Market at O and Jefferson Marketplace, Mandalay was set to hit its stride.

Then came the terrible news that two cousins, who ran a 50-year-old family tourism business in Burma, both died of natural causes during the course of a single month. “My family is simply devastated, and no one in Burma is able to step up to the plate and take the reins,” Myint explains.

Mandalay will be serving dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, then closing at 8:00 PM on Thursday for a final staff event.

The original Mandalay Restaurant in Silver Spring, MD, will remain open.”

CityPaper reports that the new Asian concept will be Dim Sum. Updates when they get closer to opening.

Ed. Note: Another popular Burmese restaurant, Burma, closed in December in Chinatown.