Author: James Jarvis

A new Korean coffee shop is drawing long lines in Ballston

By James Jarvis
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A Korea-based coffee chain quietly opened its first permanent U.S. outpost in the Ballston neighborhood last month, drawing long lines and rave reviews.

Gute Leute Coffee Bar, located at 800 N. Glebe Road next to Mussel Bar & Grille, held its soft opening on Saturday, Dec. 23.

Although Gute Leute translates to “good people” in German, the coffee chain was conceived in Seoul, South Korea.

The cafe’s menu offers a variety of teas and coffee drinks, including espressos and lattes. A unique highlight is a weekend-only, three-course tasting event, available only with a reservation.

Dubbed the “Omakase” coffee experience, which translates to ‘I leave it up to you’ in Japanese, customers who book online can savor a variety of seasonal espresso drinks, including the Pine Cone, served in a sour sugar-rimmed glass, the Granita with lemon sorbet, and the Gute Leute, a blend of cream and cookies over a butterscotch base.

Sang Moon, a Fairfax resident and co-owner of Gute Leute, told ARLnow he was one of the original investors of the coffee chain back when it first opened in Seoul in 2021. Five Gute Leute stores are currently operating in Seoul, according to Sang.

After working with company’s corporate headquarters for years, Sang said he approached the CEO about bringing the concept to the U.S.

“It was a little bit unique,” he said. “We have nothing similar here.”

At the behest of the company’s CEO, Sang and his business partner, Sean Moon, conducted multiple market tests — pop-up cafes — in New York City last year.

“It was very successful,” Sang said.

Having successfully demonstrated the viability of the concept in the U.S. market, Sang was given the green light by the Gute Leute CEO to open his own franchise in Arlington.

It appears to have been a good decision so far: over the weekend the cafe’s Instagram account warned of 20-45 minute waits for coffee due to a “surge of customers.” That’s despite opening with little fanfare during the holidays, on the “quiet” western side of Glebe Road, where businesses have struggled in the past.

Despite complaints about the wait, online reviews have raved about “some of the best coffee” in the D.C. area.

While Gute Leute currently only offers coffee, Sang says the plan is to add pastries to the menu soon.

“Right now, we’re trying to focus on quality and service,” he said. “But we plan to offer croissants, breakfast sandwiches and pastries.”

Before Gute Leute, Sang operated the Korean fried chicken restaurant Noori Chicken in Annandale, which closed last week. He also co-owns the quick-serve Courthouse restaurant Bibimix with Sean, who himself owns the Korean bakery Paris Baguette in Fairfax.

Gute Leute joins a growing list of coffee options in the Ballston area, including the upcoming Roggenart Bistro & Café, the outdoor stand Ballstonian, and Slipstream, near the intersection of Wilson Blvd and Glebe Road.

Hat tip to John Peck

Washington-Liberty HS to serve as community service hub during MLK Day

By James Jarvis
MLK Day of Service 2023 Volunteer Arlington W-L High School (via Volunteer Arlington/Facebook)

An Arlington high school is once again gearing up to become a hub for community service activities on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

On Monday, Jan. 15, from 8:30 a.m. until noon, Washington-Liberty High School will host various in-person volunteer opportunities, such as a donation scavenger hunt, SNAP ambassador training and the assembly of winter hygiene and safety kits, organized by nearly a dozen local nonprofits.

In addition to in-person projects at the school, there will be several virtual and off-site options, including restoring Potomac Overlook Regional Park, the Long Bridge Connector Trail clean-up and Culpepper Garden clean-up.

Organized by Volunteer Arlington, a collaboration between the Leadership Center for Excellence and Arlington County, the MLK Day of Service event — now in its seventh year — aims to promote civic engagement during the federal holiday, per the organization’s website.

The event was held online for several years during the pandemic, but shifted back to an in-person setting at Washington-Liberty High School last year.

Participants are encouraged to sign up in advance through Volunteer Arlington’s website, with registration available until tomorrow — Thursday, Jan. 11. However, walk-ins are also welcome, with check-in starting at 8:30 a.m.

The first 750 volunteers to sign up also get a free shirt.

Post check-in, participants will be ushered into an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. Following the ceremony, volunteers will proceed to their chosen service projects. Volunteers opting for off-site projects will need to arrange for their own transportation to each location.

While the event officially concludes at noon, some projects may go over.

The following opportunities are currently accepting volunteers, per the website.

Photo via Volunteer Arlington/Facebook

It’s already Mardi Gras season for Bayou Bakery in Courthouse

By James Jarvis
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Mardi Gras is already in full swing at Bayou Bakery in Courthouse.

From now through mid-February, people can indulge in the bakery’s King Cake, as well as a King Cake-inspired daiquiri, and donuts that look like mini King Cakes.

In keeping with New Orleans tradition, the café and bakery at 1515 N. Courthouse Road kicked off its pre-Lenten festivities on Saturday: the Feast of the Epiphany, commemorating when three Magi visited Jesus after his birth. It will last through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 13, a day of feasting before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.

To mark the festive season, people can order a King Cake for $50, made with the bakery’s signature Creole cream cheese, cinnamon and white icing. It is festively finished with the Mardi Gras colors of gold, green and purple, representing power, faith and justice, and a plastic baby, according to a press release from the bakery.

There is also a daiquiri inspired by the traditional cake made of vodka and Bailey’s Irish Cream. For early birds, the bakery is also selling vanilla and cinnamon “Li’l KC” donuts, which are first-come, first-served, and only available on Tuesdays starting at 9 a.m., now through Tuesday, Feb. 6.

For those wanting to fully embrace the Mardi Gras spirit, Bayou Bakery offers a “Mardi Gras in a Box,” available for in-store pickup. The $150 box includes a King Cake, beads, masks, boas, doubloons, Pat O’Briens Hurricane Cocktail Mix and a mystery game.

The Bayou Bakery King Cake, the Mardi Gras in a Box and catering requests must be ordered 48 hours in advance.

Mardi Gras season at Bayou — owned by celebrity chef and New Orleans David Guas — will appropriately conclude with a party and even more cake.

“On Fat Tuesday, Bayou Bakery will be hosting an evening Bayou Gras party [ticketed] and will also have a variety of specials to celebrate Mardi Gras — like King Cake by the slice,” a PR rep said.

Chicken + Whiskey in Clarendon has temporarily closed due to ‘lackluster sales’

By James Jarvis
Chicken + Whiskey in Clarendon (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Chicken + Whiskey in Clarendon “temporarily” closed last week, leaving its future uncertain.

Situated at 3033 Wilson Blvd, the D.C.-based South American rotisserie chicken and whiskey bar concept made its debut in the Northern Virginia dining scene last June.

Since its opening, however, the Clarendon outpost — one of four Chicken + Whiskey locations in the D.C. area — has experienced “lackluster sales,” according to a press release.

“Rather than continue to absorb dramatic financial losses throughout the typically slower winter months, the company has decided to conserve its resources, close the doors, and re-open at more appropriate time,” the company said in the release.

Co-owner Desmond Reilly said the Clarendon location’s failure was surprising.

“We thought Clarendon would love our Peruvian Chicken concept,” he said in the release. “We are going to rethink our product offerings and hopefully come back stronger than ever!”

Led by Chef Enrique Limardo, also the head chef at Immigrant Food and D.C.’s Seven Reasons, the restaurant chain serves Peruvian-style chicken, arepas and sandwiches and has a full cocktail and whiskey bar.

Limardo also co-founded the newly opened restaurant Surreal — described as an  “elevated diner” concept — in Crystal City.

Chicken + Whiskey is managed by SRG Concepts, which also operates several other restaurants in D.C. and Maryland, including the Vietnamese street food restaurant Doi Moi, The Walrus Oyster & Ale House and Bennie’s Pizza.

Bennie’s Pizza is also “temporarily closed” for the holidays and is working out some “culinary details” before reopening, according to the restaurant’s Instagram.

Within the last few months, Clarendon has seen the closure of a handful of other businesses, including Mediterranean restaurant Cava Mezze, the international bakery Le Pain Quotidien and outdoor goods store Orvis.

Though located at an address across from the Clarendon Metro station, Chicken + Whiskey is in the rear of the building, fronting N. Garfield Street in the former Hunan Number One space. Another restaurant in the same building but closer to the Metro station, Bar Ivy, closed just over a month ago.

Hat tip to @SCG703 and various other tipsters

Local golf pro named regional PGA Golf Professional of the Year

By James Jarvis
Local professional golfer Jay Dufty (middle) was named Golf Professional of the Year by the Middle Atlantic section of the PGA (courtesy of the Middle Atlantic PGA)

Local golf professional Jay Dufty has been honored with the Professional Golf Association’s (PGA) highest regional distinction.

Dufty, the golf director at the Washington Golf & Country Club in North Arlington, was named PGA Golf Professional of the Year by the Middle Atlantic section of the PGA (MAPGA) last week.

The award is given based on criteria such as overall performance, professional image, commitment to the MAPGA, leadership qualities, promotion of golf, and the ability to inspire fellow professionals, per a press release.

A PGA member for over 25 years, Dufty was one of 13 golf professionals from Virginia, Maryland and Delaware to receive an award. He resides in Sterling.

It was Dufty’s father, a college wrestling coach at the University of Minnesota-Morris and a passionate golfer, who sparked his son’s interest in golf at a young age. While in high school, he worked under and was mentored by Larry Murphy, the head PGA professional at the time, per the release.

Encouraged by Murphy, Dufty joined the PGA Golf Management Program at New Mexico State University. Post-graduation, he accepted an assistant role at Blueberry Pines Golf Club in Menahga, Minnesota, and in 1997, became the club’s head professional, achieving PGA membership a year later.

Before his current role at Washington Golf & Country Club, Dufty managed various high-end golf facilities for two decades, including 15 years with the Tournament Players Club (TPC) Network and a 12-year stint as the Head PGA Professional at TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm in Potomac, Maryland.

Dufty has been honored with several awards, including the Bob Metz First Tee of Montgomery County Award in 2013, the MAPGA President’s Award in 2014, the TPC Network Head Professional of the Year in 2014, the MAPGA Private Club Merchandiser of the Year in 2018 and the MAPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award in 2020.

He also serves on multiple MAPGA boards and First Tee of Montgomery County.

BikeArlington revives ‘notorious’ bicycle tour amid high demand

By James Jarvis
2015 Notorious ARL Bike Ride in Rosslyn (courtesy of BikeArlington)

After a four-year hiatus, BikeArlington is reviving its 18-mile bicycle tour showcasing Arlington’s most “notorious” historical sites this Sunday.

However, there is currently a waiting list.

Initially launched in 2015, the Notorious ARL Bike Ride aims to educate residents about Arlington county’s most infamous figures and places, while also helping people build confidence doing longer rides.

While on the tour, participants will visit notable places, including the spot where ex-spy Robert Hanssen collected a trash bag filled with $50,000 from Russian agents; the former workplace of Lorena Bobbit; and the famous Rosslyn parking garage where the informant “Deep Throat” met with Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, who reported on the Watergate scandal.

Guiding the tour is longtime Arlington resident and former BikeArlington staffer Henry Dunbar. Having previously led three Notorious ARL Bike Ride in 2015, 2018 and 2019, Dunbar is set to guide his fourth tour on Sunday, Jan. 7.

Cyclists will meet at Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center at 4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive at 1 p.m. The tour is expected to last about three hours, concluding at around 4 p.m.

In 2020, Dunbar put the tour on “pause” after the onset of the pandemic, citing health risks and a desire to promote shorter, beginner-friendly rides.

“This particular ride is now 18 miles long, with several hilly sections, so it tends to attract riders who are already riding,” Dunbar told ARLnow.

The tour was brought back after repeated calls for its revival.

“So, I asked Henry if he’d be willing to lead it again this year and he said he would,” WalkArlington and BikeArlington’s program director Mary Dallao told ARLnow.

While the tour largely follows its original format, Dunbar said he has introduced minor changes to the route. Dallao emphasized that participants should be comfortable with hilly terrain and cycling on busier streets.

Although the current tour is fully booked, Dallao confirmed there is a waiting list. Dunbar said he is open to the idea of another extended tour later in the year, but made no firm commitments.

Rice Crook in Ballston Quarter Market has closed, but several new eateries are moving in

By James Jarvis
Rice Crook in Ballston Quarter has quietly closed (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Fast-casual Korean restaurant Rice Crook has quietly closed its location inside Ballston Quarter Market.

The restaurant, a creation of noted local chef Scott Chung that was known for its customizable rice bowls, moved into the food hall at 4238 Wilson Blvd in 2019. Now, all that remains is a sign above its former stall.

There was no closure announcement on the restaurant’s Instagram page and Chung did not respond to a request for comment. Chung also owns Bun’d Up in Westpost (formerly Pentagon Row) and, in a spare room of that restaurant, a speakeasy-style bar, restaurant and mahjong hub called Sparrow Room.

Ballston Quarter General Manager TaVida Rice confirmed the closure is permanent and revealed several forthcoming additions to the food hall.

Japanese crêperie T-Swirl is set to open this spring and D.C.-based Dumpling District is slated to open in the fall. Hal & Al’s BBQ, which serves halal brisket sandwiches, ribs and mac and cheese bowls, opened last month.

Korean BBQ restaurant Top Pot, meanwhile, is set to open in a restaurant space along the Glebe Road side of the mall, next to Chick-fil-A. And laser hair removal company Semper Laser is slated to open this spring in the mews area near Lenscrafters, Rice said.

None of the new businesses will take over Rice Crook’s former spot, and the shopping center is still looking for a replacement, she noted.

Hat tip to Jason Gooljar

Crumbl Cookies sets sights on early 2025 for new Pentagon City store debut

By James Jarvis
Sign for new Crumbl Cookies store in Pentagon City (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Crumbl Cookies has its sights set on opening another location in Pentagon City, but the scent of freshly baked cookies might not fill the air for another year.

The new Pentagon City cookie outpost will be located on the ground floor of the 11-story, 253-unit Milton building at 1446 S. Grant Street — the second apartment tower in the multi-phase Pentagon Centre shopping center redevelopment.

Currently, a “Coming Soon” sign adorns the storefront window.

“The Pentagon City store is currently still in the early stages of construction,” Beth Baty, a Crumbl spokeswoman, told ARLnow. “It is tentatively set to open sometime in December 2024 or January 2025, although that is subject to change depending on construction times and supply chain.”

This expansion comes on the heels of another Crumbl Cookies set to open in the Lee Harrison Shopping Center, along Langston Blvd, later this year.

Crumbl, known for its elaborate designs and flavors, such as confetti milkshake and blueberry muffin, initially planned to open the Lee Harrison location this past fall. Baty confirmed the opening was rescheduled for this February or March.

Crumbl will join at least three other businesses at the base of the Milton building: Yunnan by Potomac Noodle House, Sparkle and Pop Nails and First National Bank.

That leaves space for two fast-casual restaurants and one full-service restaurant, according to a leasing map.

Hat tip to @CartChaos22202

Le Pain Quotidien in Clarendon has closed

By James Jarvis
Le Pain Quotidien on Clarendon Blvd (staff photo by James Jarvis)

Le Pain Quotidien in Clarendon closed its doors over the weekend.

A notice on the doors of the bakery, located at 2900 Clarendon Blvd near The Crossing Clarendon shopping center, confirms the Arlington outpost of the international chain closed on Sunday.

“We’ve been lucky to call Clarendon our home for years and humbly thank our guests for helping us build a community in the time we’ve spent in this space,” the notice says.

Known for its assortment of baked goods, breads, salads, sandwiches and beverages, Le Pain Quotidien operates about 50 locations nationwide, including what are now six in the D.C. area. The Clarendon Blvd location was the only one in Arlington.

A representative from Le Pain Quotidien declined to provide details about the closure when ARLnow visited today (Tuesday).

Within the last few months, several other businesses have also closed nearby, including Mediterranean restaurant Cava Mezze and outdoor goods store Orvis.

Falls Church to host inaugural restaurant week this month

By James Jarvis
The Falls in Falls Church (courtesy of Proxima Communications)

Falls Church is gearing up for its first-ever restaurant week later this month.

Starting on Friday, Jan. 19 and concluding on Sunday, Jan. 28, over 40 Falls Church eateries, including The Falls — sister restaurant to Clarendon’s Liberty Tavern — along with Thompson Italian and Borek-G, plan to offer discounted dishes and three-course meal deals.

“Its goal is to promote and increase visitors to restaurants and businesses within the City of Falls Church and increase awareness and consideration of Virginia’s culinary experiences,” according to a press release.

Below is the current list of participating restaurants.

While The Little City is planning its first restaurant week, neighboring Arlington has, of course, had one for awhile — most recently held this past October.

The event is sponsored by the Falls Church Economic Development Office, Virginia Tourism Corporation and the American Rescue Plan’s Tourism Recovery Program.

San Antonio Bar & Grill to close in Crystal City after 30 years

By James Jarvis
San Antonio Bar & Grill in Crystal City (courtesy of Edwin Magne)

After a three-decade run, the San Antonio Bar & Grill in Crystal City is set to close this Saturday, marking the end of an era.

The Tex-Mex restaurant, a mainstay in the underground Crystal City Shops since 1993, was notified by its landlord, JBG Smith, three months ago that its lease would not be extended past December, according to co-owner Amparo Magne.

Magne, who operates two other San Antonio Bar & Grill locations in D.C. and Alexandria, said no specific reason was given for the non-renewal, but she suspects it might be due to the landlord’s desire to renovate the space.

“That’s what we think,” she told ARLnow. “We don’t know.”

A PR rep for JBG Smith declined comment.

Edwin Magne, Amparo’s brother and business partner, said the notice from JBG Smith was unexpected. Still, he noted there were signs that changes were coming based on the rapid changes in the area, such as the opening of Amazon Fresh, Alamo Drafthouse and the recently renovated Crystal City Water Park.

“I mean most of the stores in the mall are closing down as well,” he told ARLnow.

While his sister has the means to reopen the restaurant in Arlington, Edwin said rising rents — in an area now home to Amazon’s HQ2 and, potentially, a new sports arena in Potomac Yard — may push them further from their original location.

“It’s prime real-estate,” he said.

Wherever they reopen, Amparo and Edwin hope it won’t be too far from their loyal customers in Crystal City.

“We don’t want to go far away,” Amparo said. “We want something near.”

They are currently looking at Clarendon as a potential option, but no final decisions have been made.

“We just got to find a good place for us that’s gonna fit, that’s going to be good for our employees as well and it’s going to be close enough for our guests that we used to always have,” Edwin said.

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