Zengo Buzz

From the Chinese dragon and drummers out front to the spontaneous singing by Placido Domingo, the opening party for Zengo Monday night made quite an impression. Guests sipped raspberry caipirinhas and cucumber mojitos and sampled sushi, wonton tacos, spring rolls and cinnamon churros, while Domingo and chefs Richard Sandoval and Alan Yu made the rounds.

The restaurant, which opens today, is the topic du jour, as expectations are mixed over whether the chain will reflect the talents of its chefs. Yu, who grew up in D.C. and is a University of Maryland alum, brings an impressive résumé to his chef de cuisine position—he worked under Michel Richard at Citronelle and Jean-Georges Vongerichten at New York's 66.


Word has it that the restaurant is already booked this week, but watch for the takeout window to open up right outside the Gallery Place metro escalator. An odd touch for an upscale restaurant, the takeout window will probably be popular with the nearby office lunch crowd. (Lunch at the restaurant starts next week.)

Check out the menu from the Denver Zengo here, and if you have a chance to go, report back here and let me know what you thought.

(Grainy photos by Metrocurean.)

Comments

Anonymous said…
Link goes to the Denver Zengo menu not the dc one.
10/12/2005 3:11 PM
Amanda said…
Thanks. Looks like the DC site isn't up yet, so I've clarified...
10/12/2005 4:51 PM
Anonymous said…
Richard Sandoval does the take-out window with Pampano (restaurant) and Pampano Taqueria (take out) in NYC, the lunch crowd loves it.
10/12/2005 5:33 PM
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