Downtown

Free Dunkin Donuts Coffee Thursday Morning at new K Street Location, Possibility of Free Coffee for a Year

By Prince Of Petworth

dunkin_donuts_k_street
1700 K Street, NW

From a press release:

“Dunkin’ Donuts, America’s all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods, and franchise owner Hank Huth, CEO, Quality Brand Capital LLC, have debuted a new Dunkin’ Donuts flagship restaurant in Washington, D.C. featuring a brand new cutting-edge store design. The restaurant is located in the heart of the downtown business district at 1700 K Street, NW.

In celebration of the new K St. location, the restaurant will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10:30am on Thursday, June 27 with Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee Hank Huth, and elected officials from the area. The grand opening celebration will include free coffee from 10:30am – 1:00pm, and a raffle from which 100 lucky customers will win free coffee for a full year.

At the grand opening event as part of the brand’s continued commitment to the Washington D.C. community, a grant of $1,000 will be made on behalf of franchisee Hank Huth and The Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins Community Foundation to the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes, a national nonprofit dedicated to rebuilding the lives of severely wounded veterans. In anticipation of the July 4th holiday, the restaurant is also offering the Stars & Stripes, which is a festive star-shaped red, white and blue decorated donut for a limited time.

The new restaurant features the brand’s new “Jazz Brew” cutting-edge design with a contemporary, modern details and deep rich colors and textures that provide an inviting environment for guests. Highlights include a digital menu board, flat-screen television, free Wi-Fi, a glass partition with LED lights that change hues, tiles and chairs made with recycled materials, and colorful, soft seating where guests can relax with friends, have a business meeting, or work on their computers at mobile workstations. The restaurant is designed to get guests going in the morning and also provides a welcoming environment for guests who are looking to take a moment to relax or recharge. The restaurant also offers a complete menu of Dunkin’ Donuts’ internationally recognized coffee, lattes, donuts and bakery goods, as well as a full catering program to accommodate local businesses. The new restaurant will be open from 5:00am-9:00pm weekdays, 7:00am-7:00pm weekends and will employ approximately 25 crew members.

Huth has opened four units this year in the D.C. metro area alone, and plans to open three more later this year, bringing his total number of D.C. area units to 12 by 2014.”

Random Awesomeness – Tango Dancing at Freedom Plaza

By Prince Of Petworth

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“Dear PoPville,

We bumped into a bunch of folks tangoing on Freedom Plaza last night [after the AFIDocs screening of the fabulous “Muscle Shoals” at American History]. Truly a variety of skills on display. Some were intensely sweaty, many had much of the flourish, few had the basics down, most looked like they were having fun.”

Awesome.

Future Home of an Apple Store in CityCenter DC?

By Prince Of Petworth

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Photo by PoPville flickr user jacquesofalltrades

jacquesofalltrades writes:

“The southwestern-most retail bay [11th and H Street, NW] at CityCenterDC seems to have been designed as an Apple Store-ready space.”

We’ve been hearing about an Apple store coming to CityCenter DC for the past couple of years. Another reader wrote in saying they heard from a realtor it was a done deal. He even heard there would be glass cube like the NYC store. Stay tuned.

DBGB Kitchen & Bar Coming to Downtown DC

By Prince Of Petworth

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CityCenter DC Model

Eater DC shares the news:

“superstar chef Daniel Boulud will open a DBGB Kitchen & Bar in the city.”

Eater also says that Boulud has been negotiating for a space in CityCenter near the Convention Center. Stay tuned.

From Boulud’s website:

DBGB Kitchen and Bar is Chef Daniel Boulud’s downtown place where the French brasserie meets the American tavern. Guests enjoy 12 varieties of house-made sausage, mouthwatering burgers and towering shellfish platters, in addition to seasonal Lyonnais-inspired bistro cooking. For beer lovers, there are over 20 drafts to choose from and another 75 by-the bottle, plus a full wine list. At dessert, dig into the classics: baked Alaska, soufflés and ice cream sundaes. Interiors take their cue from the Bowery’s history as New York’s industrial restaurant supply neighborhood with floor to ceiling shelves stocked with the restaurant’s own tools, tableware and dry goods overlook a partially open kitchen. The sidewalk café, open seasonally, is the perfect spot to enjoy weekend brunch, weekday lunch or dinner in warm weather. The private room tucked away through the kitchen accommodates parties for up to 18 people with a view of all the live action at the stove.

You can see their menus here.

Newton’s Noodles Opening Early July at 1129 20th St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

newtons_noodles_dc
1129 20th Street, NW

In Oct. 2012 we first heard plans for Newton’s Noodles to come to 1129 20th St, NW between L and M Streets. Newton’s Noodles comes from the same folks behind Newton’s Table in Bethesda.

From a press release:

In early July 2013, one of the region’s most popular noodle dishes gets its own restaurant: Newton’s Noodles arrives in Dupont Circle this summer, bearing fuzu, chorks and a fresh take on fast-casual dining. Dennis Friedman, the award-winning Executive Chef behind critically-acclaimed Bethesda eatery Newton’s Table, is spearheading the new concept eatery.

The restaurant marks a stylistic shift from Friedman’s previous fine dining oeuvre, one that adapts and repackages signature menu items from Newton’s Table for a more informal dining atmosphere. The menu will revolve around fuzu, a customizable noodle dish that Friedman developed on his first day as an executive chef – one that attracted a formidable critical and public following when he later brought it to Newton’s Table. Fuzu incorporates diners’ choice of proteins, veggies, toppings, sauces and spice level. Guests can also opt for the Signature Fuzu: shrimp, scallops, chicken, egg, carrots, snowpeas, onions, bean sprouts, scallions, crispy shallots and black sesame. All varieties of the made-to-order fuzu, however, will have one thing in common – all-natural, locally-sourced ingredients prepared at a speedy clip. The fuzu flavor profile exemplifies a sense of balance that Friedman has perfected throughout his tenure at both restaurants, a taste he describes as “the perfect mix of salty and sweet, with a touch of heat.”

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Photo by Len DePas

Newton’s Noodles will also be the first restaurant to premiere a brand-new utensil to fuel the fuzu enthusiasm: the chork, a fork that splits into chopsticks, will accommodate noodle-lovers of varying dexterity. Noodle-free dishes – which include seared ahi tuna bites, coated in black sesame; buttery duck confit spring rolls; sweet, tangy kapow chicken; and beef-filled wontons encased in crispy, paper-thin shells – mirror the complex flavor profiles Friedman has crafted with fuzu. Desserts include the “Pattycake” – Friedman’s wife Patty’s signature rum cake. Eat-in and carry-out dishes alike will be served in signature white-and-green takeout boxes.

Tuna Bites Newtons Noodles
Photo by Len DePas

Modern, sustainable decor throughout the 70-seat interior is a visual complement to the cuisine. All-natural materials like wormy maple wood and recycled leather constitute the walls and furnishings. Above the stained concrete floors, dozens of single lightbulbs and wooden clouds hang from exposed ducting in the open-air ceilings. The expansive layout allows small and large parties to move easily through the space – which also includes a 40-seat patio – and high-tech touches like digital menu boards streamline the ordering process. (more…)

MXDC Cocina Mexicana Opening June 19th at 14th and F St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

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600 14th Street, NW

A new Mexican restaurant, MXDC, is opening in the former Galileo III space at 14th and F St, NW. From a press release:

MXDC, a new modern Mexican cuisine restaurant by Celebrity Chef Todd English, will be open for business on June 19, 2013.

The menu consists of small plates and family-­‐style dishes that offer a fresh perspective on traditional Mexican cuisine elevated by high-­‐end ingredients. MXDC will feature a strong tequila program featuring approximately 100 of Todd English’s favorite tequila’s from around the world, served in imported Mexican glass quartinos and half-­‐liter carafes. The bar will offer tequila tastings, created by Todd English, and accompanied by various condiments, salts and other essences to augment the senses. The two level open interior is a balance between modern and rustic architecture lit by copper chandeliers and brimming with lush accents.

Todd English is a well-­‐known celebrity chef, restaurateur, author and television personality. The Texan-­‐born chef opened his first restaurant in Boston, MA in 1989, and today owns restaurants across the globe. His award winning television show Food Trip with Todd English on PBS allows viewers to follow his adventures around the world as he looks for inspiration for new dishes, menus and restaurants. For MXDC, English was inspired by his love of Mexico, its culture and cuisine.

70 Year Old Pedestrian Hit by Car and Killed in the crosswalk of the 1100 Block of 17th St, NW

By Prince Of Petworth

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From MPD:

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit are investigating a pedestrian fatality which resulted from a traffic collision in the 1100 block of 17th Street, NW.

On Wednesday, June 12, 2013 units from the Second District responded to a pedestrian traffic collision with injury, which occurred at approximately 3:12 pm in the 1100 block of 17th Street, NW. A 2000 Dodge Caravan was traveling northbound on 17th Street approaching the intersection of Desales Street, NW and struck a pedestrian who was walking in the crosswalk. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the pedestrian to an area hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.

On Thursday, June 13, 2013 the pedestrian succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent has been identified as 70 year-old Benjamin Arquines Soriano of Bladensburg, Maryland.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Major Crash Unit is investigating this crash.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the police at (202) 727-9099. Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.

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