Downtown

Scuttlebutt: Huge New Restaurant Coming to 15th and H St, NW Will be a Joe’s Crab Shack? UPDATE: A Joe’s Stone Crab!

By Prince Of Petworth

Screen Shot 2013-04-03 at 9.40.59 AM
15th and H St, NW via google street view

Yesterday the Washington Business Journal broke the news of plans for a huge restaurant coming to 15th and H Street, NW:

“The restaurant is expected to occupy a huge chunk of space, 18,000 square feet, with a total occupancy upward of 800.”

A very good source hears that it’s looking like it will be a Joe’s Crab Shack.

UPDATE: What a difference a word makes – as many commenters already predicted – it’s not a Joe’s Crab Shack but rather a Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak and Stone Crab – according to the Washington Business Journal:

“The District’s version of Joe’s, a popular seafood and steak restaurant with locations in the Windy City and Las Vegas, will seat more than 500, with total occupancy of nearly 800, catering to the office and tourist set alike.”

Retrospect Coffee and Tea Coming to Former Java Green Space Downtown

By Prince Of Petworth

retrospect_coffee_tea_downtown
1020 19th Street, NW

Back in Aug. 2012 Java Green closed at 1020 19th St, NW between K and L. Retrospect Coffee and Tea is coming to fill that space.

Retrospect Coffee and Tea specializes in bringing the best cafe experience. The freshest ingredients are used, and each cup is brewed to order, which results in a coffee and tea flavor which is unmatched. Coffees and teas are complimented by an assortment of soft drinks and snacks.

I’ll be sure to update when we learn an opening date. Think a coffee/tea spot will do well here?

retrospect_coffee_tea_java_green
Looking south toward K Street

Two Persons of Interest Sought in Homicide at 17th and L St, NW on March 21st

By Prince Of Petworth

From MPD:

The Metropolitan Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and locating two persons of interest in connection with a homicide that occurred on March 21, 2013, at approximately 2:39 am in the 1000 block of 17th Street, NW.

The subjects are shown as they walked from their vehicle out of a parking garage, and walked into a nearby club from the sidewalk. The subjects may be operating a black BMW with unknown tags. The vehicle is also shown as it exits the garage just prior to the incident.

The decedent in this case is identified as 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo of Laurel, MD.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. 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.

Mari Vanna Now Open for Lunch

By Prince Of Petworth

Mari_vanna_restaurant_dc
1141 Connecticut Avenue, NW

From a press release:

Mari Vanna will be open for lunch from 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. The three-level Russian eatery, known for its teahouse-meets-Tolstoy ambiance, will offer a $19 pre fixe menu that features customer favorites as well as new items.

Diners will enjoy an entree as well as a choice of soup or salad. Fresh, healthy fare such as Russian Country Salad and Chicken Stroganoff with Buckwheat Pasta and also Russian classics like Olivier salad and Borscht. The kids’ pre fixe menu ($15) features dishes such as chicken kotletki and gluten-free alphabet mac-and-cheese.

Check out the full lunch menu after the jump. (more…)

Man Shot in the Head at 17th and L Street, NW

By Prince Of Petworth


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MPD tweeted around 3am last night:

“2D Shooting //1700 Blk L Street NW //Adult male shot in the head unconscious & not breathing //LOF black BMW w/ chrome wheels //6559”

From CBS:

A witness says the shooting may have been the result of a dispute between patrons of a nearby bar where several NFL players, including Washington Redskins running back Evan Royster, appeared earlier that evening.

Update from MPD:

Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a fatal shooting which occurred in the 1000 block of 17th Street, Northwest.

On Thursday, March 21, 2013, at approximately 2:39 am, units from the Second District responded to the 1000 block of 17th Street, NW, for the report of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they located an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds while sitting inside of his vehicle. Personnel from DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services transported the victim to a local hospital where he was admitted in critical condition. The victim later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The decedent is identified as 24-year-old Paul Aime Tanoh Danzo of Laurel, MD.

The Metropolitan Police Department currently offers a reward of up to $25,000 to anyone that provides information which leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons wanted for any homicide committed in the District of Columbia. 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.

Chef Jennifer Nguyen Coming to Zentan, New Menus Unveiled Late Spring

By Prince Of Petworth

zentan_restaurant_dc
1155 14th Street, NW

From a press release:

Zentan and Kimpton Restaurants are pleased to announce the arrival of Jennifer Nguyen as new executive chef. Chef Nguyen joins the Zentan team with more than 10 years of experience from top kitchens in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Las Vegas, having worked in award-winning restaurants including Chef Masaharu Morimoto’s Morimoto and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. Chef Nguyen plans on taking the next several weeks to settle in to Zentan’s kitchen and Washington, and will unveil her new menus in May. Under the new chef’s leadership, Zentan’s cuisine, while remaining modern Asian in its style, will be strongly influenced by Japanese flavors, representative of Nguyen’s strengths and experience. Kimpton Restaurants also announces that effective March 31, their partnership with Chef Susur Lee and Zentan will come to an end.

Nguyen brings unique culinary skills from her experience at an array of Asian restaurants, specifically in Japanese kitchens all over the country. While working at Starr Restaurant Group in Philadelphia, she trained under Chef Michael Schulson as sous chef at the Pan-Asian restaurant Pod, which was known for its prominent sushi bar program. She soon earned a promotion to chef de cuisine at the esteemed Japanese restaurant, Morimoto. With robust experience in several restaurant kitchens, she quickly landed a job as executive chef at San Francisco’s Ozumo, a Japanese restaurant known for its sushi bar, robata grill and sake lists, and where she also strengthened her skills in kushiyaki and sushi techniques.

A stint in Las Vegas afforded Nguyen the opportunity to cook at Bouchon and Wynn Las Vegas’ Red 8 Restaurant. Her desire to return to the East Coast brought her to Washington, where she brings her Japanese culinary expertise to Zentan. Her experience with sushi, omakase and yakitori programs will shape the new menus at Zentan, while her affinity for Vietnamese cooking and Thai ingredients will inspire the flavors of her dishes.

Founded in 2009, Zentan opened in partnership with Toronto-based chef, Susur Lee. Chef Lee and Kimpton have agreed to end their partnership at the restaurant and Chef Nguyen will now direct the kitchen and menu development at Zentan. More details on her menus will be made available when they are unveiled in late spring.

We previously judged Zentan back in April 2010. You can see their current menus here.

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