Chinatown

PS7s to become Del Campo South American Grill in Penn Quarter

By Prince Of Petworth


777 I St, NW

From a press release:

Former BLT Steak executive chef, Victor Albisu, announces plans to open his first full-service restaurant, Del Campo, meaning “from the country,” at 777 I St. NW in spring 2013. Inspired by his Latin American roots and travels throughout South America, Albisu is bringing an upscale South American grill to the 5,800 square foot space previously occupied by PS7’s restaurant. The food culture celebrated through asado, a traditional South American grill style and the social gathering during which the barbeque is enjoyed, serves as a backdrop for the agrarian space and meat-driven, wine-centric menu.

“From adolescence, I worked in my mother’s Latin market learning to butcher from Argentineans and Uruguayans. It was from those South American butchers that I came to appreciate the asado as both a cooking style and a day-long gathering to celebrate and enjoy food, friends and family,” said Victor Albisu, chef/owner, Del Campo. “With Del Campo, I want to reinvent that experience by bringing an elevated style of South American grill culture to Washington, D.C.”

A rotating menu of grilled meats from the asado, such as wagyu skirt steak, short ribs, chorizo, blood sausage, and sweetbreads, will also be complemented by crudos and ceviches – a nod to Albisu’s Peruvian heritage – and a vibrant selection of seasonal salads and other composed dishes. The grandson of a Cuban baker, Albisu will also make savory and sweet empanadas. Bread service will feature traditional warm cast iron country bread served with smoked olive oil.

The bar menu will focus on more casual South American street food, including Albisu’s take on the chivito and chori-pan, Argentinean sandwiches; anticuchos, grilled skewered meats; and chicharones, fried meats, both from Peru. A large section of the wine program will focus on South American varietals, and the remainder of the list will include curated selections from around the world. Like the menu, the beverage program will elevate Piscos, Cachaças, and other South American spirits, beer and wine. Traditional Argentinean mate tea will also be available.

The 115-seat dining room will serve dinner seven nights a week, and lunch Monday through Friday. The 50-seat bar will serve coffee and South American pastries by day, in addition to the casual menu of savory snacks and sandwiches. During warmer months, a 40-seat patio will welcome guests to dine al fresco.

Chef Jeff Black, 2012 Restaurateur of the Year, as named by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington, is a partner and investor in Del Campo. While Black will not play a role in menu development or daily operations, he brings 30 years of successful restaurant experience to the project.

We judged PS7s back in Dec. 2009.

New Restaurant, Success, Coming to Mt. Vernon Square

By Prince Of Petworth


917 5th Street, NW

Finally a bit of info about the long vacant space at 917 5th Street, NW just south of K Street. A liquor license application says the space will become a restaurant called Success and it will be a:

“New full service restaurant focusing on local farm ingredients and organic and seasonal ingredients with full bar. Occasional live music. Occupancy load is 130.”


Looking north towards K Street

New Restaurant from owners of Rasika applies for liquor license in former Zola Space

By Prince Of Petworth


800 F St, NW

Back in August we first learned that the owner of Rasika (and others) would be opening a new restaurant in the former Zola space by the Spy Museum at 8th and F St, NW. They’ve now applied for a liquor license which says:

“New restaurant serving American cuisine. Occupancy load is 230.”

Def. looking forward to learning more about this one. Stay tuned.

Del Frisco Steakhouse Coming to CityCenter Downtown

By Prince Of Petworth


City Center Rising Downtown at 9th-11th Street, NW

Last Friday we spoke about the type of retail/restaurants we were looking forward to seeing at the gigantic CityCenter DC project downtown. Last night ANC Rep Rachelle Nigro tweeted a piece of the puzzle:

“Del Frisco Steakhouse coming to CityCenter project”

In June Del Frisco’s Grille opened in the long vacant Les Halles space at 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. It’ll be interesting to see if the Del Frisco’s coming to CityCenter will be a proper steakhouse or a Grille. You can see the Steakhouse menus here. You can see the Grille menu here.

Streets of Washington Presents – Garfinckel’s, Washington’s Fashion Arbiter

By Prince Of Petworth

Streets of Washington, written by John DeFerrari, covers some of DC’s most interesting buildings and history. John is also the author of Lost Washington DC.

The retail enterprise founded by Julius Garfinckle (1874-1936) in 1905 was a relative latecomer to the city’s department store field. Woodies, Lansburgh’s, the Palais Royal, Kann’s, Goldenberg’s, and Hecht’s all were established by the 1890s, making for a saturated and highly competitive market by the turn of the new century. But Garfinckle’s store (he later changed his and the store’s name to Garfinckel) carved out a unique, high-end niche and held on to it for 85 years, cultivating generations of dedicated shoppers who depended on the store for the trendiest and classiest apparel. When Garfinckel’s finally declared bankruptcy and closed in 1990, it was a heart-wrenching experience for employees and customers alike.


The former Garfinckel’s building as it appears today (photo by the author).

Born in Syracuse, New York, Garfinckle went to Colorado as a young man, hoping to strike a fortune in silver mining. Instead he became a clerk in a dry goods store. He moved to Washington in 1899, where he found employment with Parker, Bridget & Company, a prominent fashion-oriented dry goods store at 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. As a buyer for that store’s women’s clothing department, Garfinckle traveled frequently to New York and learned all the ins and outs of the retail fashion industry.

In 1905 Garfinckle set out on his own with the founding of his namesake store, which occupied the bottom floor of a seven-floor building at 1226 F Street NW. With his Parker Bridget experience and contacts, Garfinckle was able to fill his new store with “a carefully selected stock of women’s suits, cloaks, furs, &c, together with imported novelties and specialties,” according to the Washington Post, which observed that the new store’s “popularity is already assured.” In keeping with the expectations of his high-end customers, Garfinckle made sure that each received exceptional personal attention.


Garfinckle’s original store (Source: DC Public Library, Star Collection, © Washington Post).

The Post’s early prediction of success soon came true. Garfinckle’s gradually filled all seven floors of its host building, an odd-looking structure that was originally half-built to allow for future expansion. Within a few years Garfinckle’s booming business led him to take over the two-story space on the corner previously occupied by Brentano’s bookstore and then to build out the missing floors above it.

But even that complete building wasn’t big enough, and by the 1920s, after Garfinckel changed the spelling of his name, he had his sights set on constructing a grand new building better fitting his prestigious business. He began assembling as much property as he could at the northwest corner of 14th and F Streets NW, and in 1928 announced plans for an imposing new 8-story building.

Like many a modern-day developer, Garfinckel immediately ran afoul of the city’s zoning regulations. He had planned for the full 130-foot elevation of his building to extend out to the property line, but new zoning rules adopted in 1927 required a setback for the floors above 110 feet. Protesting the requirement, Garfinckel’s attorneys pointed out that the newly-completed National Press Building, located cater-corner to the site, had no setback. However, that building had been completed in 1927, just before the new rule took effect. When finally constructed, the Garfinckel building dutifully included the required setback.

Continues after the jump. (more…)

Shake Shack Applies for Liquor License at the Spy Museum – Coming to Georgetown too?

By Prince Of Petworth

Back in July I shared some scuttlebutt that a Shake Shack would be coming to the Spy Museum cafe at the corner of 9th and F Street, NW. Shake Shack has now applied for a liquor license with the hours of 11am-11pm:

“A restaurant serving American cuisine specializing in burgers and shakes with a seating capacity of 58 and total occupancy load of 126. Request a sidewalk cafe with a seating capacity of 44.”

And a little more scuttlebutt for ya – I hear they are looking at a location for another new spot in Georgetown as well. Stay tuned. We judged Shake Shack’s Dupont location back in Sept. 2011.

Dangerously Delicious Pies Hope to Open Penn Quarter/Chinatown Location in 4-6 weeks!

By Prince Of Petworth


901 7th Street, NW – actually located on I St just east of 7th

Back in Feb. 2012 we learned that Dangerously Delicious Pies would be opening in Penn Quarter/Chinatown at 901 7th Street, NW. I originally thought they’d be located on 7th Street side but now I realize the space is actually on I St just east of 7th.

In Feb. a Douglas Development press release anticipated an opening in April 2012. That time frame was a bit ambitious but in the interim Dangerously Delicious Pies was able to open a 2nd location in the food court of Union Station.

Now a permit for a prepared food shop at 901 7th St, NW was recently issued:

The folks from Dangerously Delicious Pies tell me that build out should take about 4-6 weeks so they’re hoping to open around Christmas time! Awesome.

Dangerously Delicious Pies also has a location at 1339 H St, NE.  You can see their menu here.


I St. entrance looking toward 7th Street

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