Nine Noteworthy Fall Openings
In honor of today's 9/9/09 date, Metrocurean offers nine noteworthy fall restaurant openings, roughly (and I do mean roughly) in the order of their openings.
1. Bibiana Osteria Enoteca
1100 New York Ave. NW, 202.216.9550
Now open
Ashok Bajaj's first Italian restaurant opened last week in the former Luigino's space. Bajaj (at left) also owns Rasika, Oval Room, Bombay Club, 701, Ardeo and Bardeo. Chef Nicholas Stefanelli, formerly of Mio, Fiamma and Maestro, is heading the kitchen and turning out dishes like bucatini with guanciale, roasted lamb rib eye and shoulder with white beans and escarole, and whole roasted sea bass with rapini and cherry tomatoes.
2. Sou'Wester
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW
ETA: Sept. 14
CityZen chef Eric Ziebold is slated to unveil his new casual Southern restaurant, Sou'Wester, next week. Chef Rachael Harriman will oversee the kitchen. On the new spot's homey Southern-inspired menu: blackened bluefish with Cajun rice, fried chicken with coleslaw, chicken and dumplings, sautéed perch with Old Bay chowder, poached egg with creamed grits and sweetbreads, and sides like beer-battered onion rings, hush puppies with honey butter and tater tots. Look for a cocktail menu based around fruit, herb and spiced nectars, and get more deets here.
3. Eola
2020 P St. NW, 202.466.4441
ETA: mid September
In the former Mark and Orlando's space, chef Dan Singhofen plans to open Eola next week. On the menu: Coho salmon crudo, rockfish with creamy corn, crispy wild rice and heirloom tomato; and pan-roasted Hereford beef with potato confit, porcini and rapini.
4. Masa 14
1825 14th St. NW
ETA: late September
Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Richard Sandoval of Zengo (and more restaurants around the country) are partnering on this 14th Street restaurant. The new 100-seat spot will serve Latin-Asian small plates. Antonio Burrell, formerly of CommonWealth and Vidalia, has been tapped as chef de cuisine. The space will include a 74-seat bar and lounge area and a private dining room.
5. Birch & Barley
1337 14th St. NW
ETA: October
After being plagued by construction delays, Michael Babin and the Neighborhood Restaurant Group are finally seeing substantial progress on Birch & Barley. Chef Kyle Bailey, whose résumé includes Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Cru, will be manning the kitchen. Bailey's crafting a menu that includes dishes such as crispy wild striped bass served with baby fennel, artichoke ragu and olive salt, braised beef cheeks with cheddar grits, parsnip and shallots, and wood-roasted chicken for two with spaetzle stuffing, carrots and sage. Meanwhile, the upstairs will house ...
6. ChurchKey
1337 14th St. NW
ETA: October
Upstairs from Birch & Barley will be a beer aficionado's haven: a 3,200-square-foot beer bar pouring more than 500 beers, with about 50 on draft and five hand-pumped, cask conditioned ales. The list represents 100 brew styles and 30 countries and will be shepherded by beer director Greg Engert (also of NRG’s other beer-centric restaurant, Rustico). Chef Kyle Bailey (see Birch & Barley) is working on a menu split into four sections — Fresh, Pressed, Roasted and Fried — including artichoke hearts with sheep’s milk ricotta and chestnut honey (fresh), spicy hush puppies (fried), truffled grilled cheese with tomato soup dip (pressed), and the wood-fired flatbreads with toppings like port-glazed figs and Gorgonzola crema focata (roasted).
7. Morso
3277 M St. NW
ETA: early October
Chef Ed Witt (Jardinière, Daniel, Il Buco, and DC's Occidental Grill) will be the culinary force behind Morso, a Mediterranean spot serving small plates with a modern Turkish influence. Morso's main dining room will seat 70 or so. The restaurant will also offer a separate area with a few seats and separate menu for take-out.
8. Kellari Taverna
1700 K St. NW
ETA: mid October
An outpost of this New York-based restaurant is slated to open next month on K Street. Kellari specializes in traditional Greek fare and seafood, sourced from Mediterranean and Atlantic coast. The fish is sold by the pound, grilled whole and served tableside.
9. Againn
1099 New York Ave. NW, 202.297.0601
ETA: late October
The first restaurant concept from the Whisk Group, Againn will be a British gastropub featuring an extensive selection of single-malt scotch and beer. The design of the space is in the capable hands of Core, the firm responsible for the look of Comet Ping Pong, Brasserie Beck and Potenza, among others.
And there's a bunch more to come this winter! Stay tuned and remember, you can always keep updated on recent openings and planned restaurants with Metrocurean's Coming Soon and New Openings lists.
1. Bibiana Osteria Enoteca1100 New York Ave. NW, 202.216.9550
Now open
Ashok Bajaj's first Italian restaurant opened last week in the former Luigino's space. Bajaj (at left) also owns Rasika, Oval Room, Bombay Club, 701, Ardeo and Bardeo. Chef Nicholas Stefanelli, formerly of Mio, Fiamma and Maestro, is heading the kitchen and turning out dishes like bucatini with guanciale, roasted lamb rib eye and shoulder with white beans and escarole, and whole roasted sea bass with rapini and cherry tomatoes.
2. Sou'Wester
Mandarin Oriental, 1330 Maryland Ave. SW
ETA: Sept. 14
CityZen chef Eric Ziebold is slated to unveil his new casual Southern restaurant, Sou'Wester, next week. Chef Rachael Harriman will oversee the kitchen. On the new spot's homey Southern-inspired menu: blackened bluefish with Cajun rice, fried chicken with coleslaw, chicken and dumplings, sautéed perch with Old Bay chowder, poached egg with creamed grits and sweetbreads, and sides like beer-battered onion rings, hush puppies with honey butter and tater tots. Look for a cocktail menu based around fruit, herb and spiced nectars, and get more deets here.
3. Eola
2020 P St. NW, 202.466.4441
ETA: mid September
In the former Mark and Orlando's space, chef Dan Singhofen plans to open Eola next week. On the menu: Coho salmon crudo, rockfish with creamy corn, crispy wild rice and heirloom tomato; and pan-roasted Hereford beef with potato confit, porcini and rapini.
4. Masa 141825 14th St. NW
ETA: late September
Kaz Okochi of Kaz Sushi Bistro and Richard Sandoval of Zengo (and more restaurants around the country) are partnering on this 14th Street restaurant. The new 100-seat spot will serve Latin-Asian small plates. Antonio Burrell, formerly of CommonWealth and Vidalia, has been tapped as chef de cuisine. The space will include a 74-seat bar and lounge area and a private dining room.
5. Birch & Barley
1337 14th St. NW
ETA: October
After being plagued by construction delays, Michael Babin and the Neighborhood Restaurant Group are finally seeing substantial progress on Birch & Barley. Chef Kyle Bailey, whose résumé includes Blue Hill at Stone Barns and Cru, will be manning the kitchen. Bailey's crafting a menu that includes dishes such as crispy wild striped bass served with baby fennel, artichoke ragu and olive salt, braised beef cheeks with cheddar grits, parsnip and shallots, and wood-roasted chicken for two with spaetzle stuffing, carrots and sage. Meanwhile, the upstairs will house ...
6. ChurchKey
1337 14th St. NW
ETA: October
Upstairs from Birch & Barley will be a beer aficionado's haven: a 3,200-square-foot beer bar pouring more than 500 beers, with about 50 on draft and five hand-pumped, cask conditioned ales. The list represents 100 brew styles and 30 countries and will be shepherded by beer director Greg Engert (also of NRG’s other beer-centric restaurant, Rustico). Chef Kyle Bailey (see Birch & Barley) is working on a menu split into four sections — Fresh, Pressed, Roasted and Fried — including artichoke hearts with sheep’s milk ricotta and chestnut honey (fresh), spicy hush puppies (fried), truffled grilled cheese with tomato soup dip (pressed), and the wood-fired flatbreads with toppings like port-glazed figs and Gorgonzola crema focata (roasted).
7. Morso
3277 M St. NW
ETA: early October
Chef Ed Witt (Jardinière, Daniel, Il Buco, and DC's Occidental Grill) will be the culinary force behind Morso, a Mediterranean spot serving small plates with a modern Turkish influence. Morso's main dining room will seat 70 or so. The restaurant will also offer a separate area with a few seats and separate menu for take-out.
8. Kellari Taverna
1700 K St. NW
ETA: mid October
An outpost of this New York-based restaurant is slated to open next month on K Street. Kellari specializes in traditional Greek fare and seafood, sourced from Mediterranean and Atlantic coast. The fish is sold by the pound, grilled whole and served tableside.
9. Againn
1099 New York Ave. NW, 202.297.0601
ETA: late October
The first restaurant concept from the Whisk Group, Againn will be a British gastropub featuring an extensive selection of single-malt scotch and beer. The design of the space is in the capable hands of Core, the firm responsible for the look of Comet Ping Pong, Brasserie Beck and Potenza, among others.
And there's a bunch more to come this winter! Stay tuned and remember, you can always keep updated on recent openings and planned restaurants with Metrocurean's Coming Soon and New Openings lists.
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