fast casual

Cava Grill coming to “Shaw’s hip epicenter at The Shay” this Fall

By Prince Of Petworth

the shay
8th and Florida Ave, NW

From a press release:

“The latest restaurant group to join Washington, DC’s thriving Shaw neighborhood, Cava Grill is thrilled to announce a fall 2016 opening in Shaw’s hip epicenter at The Shay building. The 2,500 square foot space will place focus on the local community with art and lifestyle events hosted throughout the year. Cava Grill’s Shaw location will make 20 locations by fall, with eight coming this year including Silver Spring, Dupont Circle, four Northern Virginia locations and a second location in Los Angeles, CA.

Cava Grill’s new Shaw location will feature the restaurant’s signature health-conscious fast-casual Mediterranean fare and afresh look, with an expanded open-kitchen layout; local beer and wine on tap; new menu items including seasonal vegetables roasted in Cava’s new stone-fired ovens, and rotating seasonal soups, juices, and teas made in-house daily; deeper relationships with local partners like Whisked!, Gordy’s Pickle Jar, and RunningByrd Tea; and additional community initiatives representative of Cava’s commitment to innovation, evolution, and attentiveness within fast-casual dining.”

Get Ready For the News That Will Overjoy Half the Readers and Infuriate the Other Half – Chipotle Coming to Columbia Heights!

By Prince Of Petworth

Back in February we learned that the restaurant, Royal Blue, would not be coming to 3113 14th Street across the street from the DC USA mall.

Well, Chipotle has signed a letter of intent to take over the spot and details are being worked out with the lease. I’m not sure when they’ll be able to open but hopefully in a few months. I think this is great news. I seem to recall there are lots of Chipotle fans out there. I know the Chipotle in Woodley Park always seems to be crowded. So what do you guys think – do you like the addition of Chipotle to Columbia Heights? Man, I can’t hide it, I’m pretty psyched!

UPDATE: This location will be serving beer.

Judging (Fast Food) Restaurants – Panda Express

By Prince Of Petworth

Our discussion on Columbia Heights development got me thinking about Panda Express. The last few weekends when I’ve walked through Columbia Heights near the metro (14th and Irving), Five Guys, Pete’s and Potbelly’s have all been packed. But Panda Express always only has a handful of customers. As far as fast food is concerned, it’s pretty decent. I mean it’s no Szechuan House for sure. But as far as fast food is concerned are there any Panda Express fans out there? Or if you’re getting fast food are you always going to hit potbelly’s, Five Guys, or grab a slice of pizza at Pete’s?

What’s Your Favorite Fast Food?

By Prince Of Petworth

I know so many people who are Chipotle devotees. Of course, I’m a well known Taco Bell fanatic. So what’s your poison when you just get that fast food craving? McDonald’s? Chipotle? Taco Bell? Wendy’s? Chik Filet? Arby’s? Does Potbelly’s count? Chop’t? I thought this would be an interesting question given an earlier post…

First person to spell out Arby’s gets a free PoP t-shirt.

Deceptive Signs

By Prince Of Petworth

I never realized that there were two separate signs for Taco Bell and KFC on 14th Street. I got really excited for a second when I noticed it. You see I’m of the old school who remembers going into a Taco Bell and eating Taco Bell. Now I go in and see KFC choices and I’ve never been good at ordering, anyway, but I hesitate and usually order a chicken snacker instead of my beloved meximelts and it ruins the experience. Damn the pictures of those snackers look good. Why can’t they have more pictures of meximelts? Alas, Taco Bell and KFC are still combined, sadly, on 14th Street. Um, that’s all I have to say about that.

It’s a Christmas Miracle!

By Prince Of Petworth

My prayers have been answered. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, that is one weird word to type out, but an apt one for how I am feeling. The Taco Bell/KFC has reopened on 14th Street just south of U Street. Thanks to a reader for alerting me. You will not be dissapointed when you go back. The basic layout is the same but the look is rather futuristic. It feels like at least 2009 in there now. The chairs are a nice silver and some of the walls are painted a nice shade of fire engine red. To top it off the staff now sport fresh new red shirts with sweet racing stripes down the arm. All in all a much cleaner feeling than before.

Now for the food. I started with a beef meximelt. At first I was very frightened because the meximelt was not on the menu but, remember this tip, just ask for one and they’ll make you one even though it’s not written on the menu. I had a fountain Dr. Pepper which nicely complimented the hot sauce on the meximelt. For the second course I had another meximelt. Why mess with perfection right? To top it all off I had a Nachos Supreme. It was perfect. The cheese to meat to beans to sour cream ratio was spectacular. It was as though an artist crafted this particular plate of nachos. Despite the fact that I felt rather ill a couple hours after consumption I still highly recommend you make the trip and don’t forget to ask for a meximelt.

Good God No!

By Prince Of Petworth

So I’m craving my weekly meximelt when I pass this sign on 14th St. The Taco Bell sign has been obliterated and apparently so has the dining room. I thought the dining room was perfectly fine, I think I’d be happier if there was a sign saying “kitchen being remodeled”. At any rate we are fixing to have the nicest T Bell dining room in town…I just hope they finish soon. Damn, where else is there a Taco Bell in DC?