Ballston

Afghan eatery Grill Kabob looking to open in Ballston this summer

By Matt Blitz
1/2

A new Afghan restaurant is looking to open in Ballston this summer.

Grill Kabob, a local chain of family-owned Afghan kabob eateries, is working on opening its 15th location at 708 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, co-owner Wais Shoja confirms to ARLnow. It will be only a few doors down from the new Silver Diner that’s also planning to open this summer in the neighborhood.

The aim is for Grill Kabob to start serving in June.

The chain currently has more than a dozen locations across the D.C. area, with the closest right now being at Tysons Corner Center in McLean. That number is likely to increase this summer, says Shoja, as the owners are planning to open several new locations, including the one in Ballston.

With lots of offices, new apartment buildings, and a Metro stop, the neighborhood makes for a great location for a new Grill Kabob, the co-owner says. Plans were originally in the works pre-pandemic to open a restaurant in Ballston, but Covid paused the owners’ expansion efforts.

The first Grill Kabob opened in the Springfield Mall in 1999, with subsequent restaurants also mostly in malls. Over the last seven years or so, explains Shoja, the family-owned operation has put more focus on opening locations near office and residential areas.

The new location will closely reflect Grill Kabob’s updated design and decor. As for the restaurant’s menu, it includes an assortment of meat and veggie kabobs, sandwiches, and salads.

The location’s menu will be very similar to the others, though there are certain items sell better at different locations. Shoja says they will take some time to see what’s popular in Ballston and perhaps “play around” with the menu to best reflect the wants of the neighborhood.

Ballston is likely to see a host of new restaurants opening up in the coming months. Besides Grill Kabob and Silver Diner, there’s also Pirouette Cafe, Hawkers, and Salt Pot Kitchen all aiming for spring or summer openings this year. Just this past month, The Union and Quincy Hall both opened their doors.

Farmbird in Ballston is closed and it’s unclear whether it will reopen

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Has Farmbird flown the coop in Ballston, or will it rise from the ashes?

The chicken-centric restaurant, which first opened on the ground floor of the Ballston Exchange complex last summer, has been closed for the past few days. It was still closed this morning, when several men could be seen inside sitting and talking around a table.

Reached via email, restaurant co-founder Andrew Harris told ARLnow that Farmbird is working to reopen.

“Unfortunately, we sustained a minor fire on Saturday, 4/9/22 but are working to re-open ASAP,” he wrote this morning. The Ballston location is still listed on Farmbird’s website.

But a local restaurant equipment auction website tells a different story.

“This restaurant is closing and will make a complete liquidation of all late model equipment,” says an auction webpage that clearly shows the interior of Farmbird in Ballston.

D.C.-based Farmbird — which specializes in grilled chicken dishes served in a fast casual setting — opened the 4121 Wilson Blvd location, its first in Arlington, last June. It replaced Miami-based fast-casual health food restaurant Dirt, which closed in January 2020 after less than a year in business.

Farmbird won acclaim for its “gourmet” and health-conscious approach to fast casual dining, and was listed near the top of Yelp’s “Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2020” list, a month prior to the start of the pandemic.

As of publication time, Harris has not replied to an email seeking clarification about the restaurant’s status.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
A window washer outside of a Ballston office (staff photo)

Metro Project Not Great for Pedestrians — “This @ArlingtonDES Ballston multimodal project isn’t providing a great pedestrian experience.” [Twitter]

Moon Shot — “Incredible view of the moon in Clarendon tonight.” [Twitter]

Arlington Real Estate Remains Hot — “The county this month ranked at the regional tippy-top of the T3 Home Demand Index, created by the Mid-Atlantic multiple-listing service Bright MLS… Arlington garnered a score of 230 for March activity; figures were reported April 12. That’s up from 176 a month ago, confirming that seasonal trends are back in the local market: strong activity in spring and summer and lower levels in autumn and winter.” [Sun Gazette]

Nearby: Dogfish Head Alehouse Closing — “After 15 successful years in business, Dogfish Head’s Falls Church Alehouse has made the difficult and emotional decision to close our doors… Our last day of service will be Sunday, May 15.” [Twitter, Annandale Today]

Rainy Afternoon on Tap — “Skies will be overcast in the morning, and a steady rain will develop by the early afternoon and continue for the rest of the day. Temperatures will be quite cool, with highs in the upper 40s and a gusty east wind at 10 to 20 mph.” High of 48 and low of 41. Sunrise at 6:28 am and sunset at 7:49 pm. [Weather.gov, Capital Weather Gang]

Police investigating shooting in Buckingham, near Ballston

By ARLnow.com
Police car speeding to a call at night (staff photo)

Shots were fired in the Buckingham neighborhood Wednesday night, and one bullet when through the window of a nearby home.

The gunfire rang out around 9:45 p.m. near the intersection of N. Carlin Springs Road and N. Park Drive, about four blocks southwest of Ballston Quarter mall.

No one was reported to be hurt but at least one bullet went through a resident’s window.

More from an Arlington County Police Department crime report:

SHOTS FIRED, 2022-04130237, 4500 block of N. Carlin Springs Road. At approximately 9:47 p.m. on April 13, police were dispatched to the area of N. Park Drive and N. Carlin Springs Road for the report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers located evidence confirming multiple shots had been fired in the area. While on scene investigating, a resident in the 4500 block of N. Carlin Springs reported a bullet had entered their home through a window. No injuries were reported. There is no suspect description. The investigation is ongoing.

Elsewhere in Arlington on Wednesday, someone threw a rock through the window of a business in Ballston. Initial reports suggest it was the Melting Pot restaurant, though Arlington police typically do not reveal the exact location of crimes.

“At approximately 9:23 a.m. on April 13, police were dispatched to the late report of a destruction of property,” said a crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined that at approximately 8:44 a.m., the unknown suspect approached the business and threw rocks at the building, causing damage and breaking two of the exterior windows. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.”

On Wednesday afternoon, police responded to another incident of someone firing a pellet gun from a car, this time near the Arlington Ridge Shopping Center. The suspects were later stopped by police but the person who was struck by the pellets declined to prosecute.

From ACPD:

ASSAULT & BATTERY (Significant), 2022-04130195, 2900 block of S. Glebe Road. At approximately 3:46 p.m. on April 13, police were dispatched to the report of trouble unknown. Upon arrival, officers made contact with the reporting party who advised she had observed a vehicle traveling in the area while the passenger discharged a pellet gun at pedestrians. A short time later, a victim contacted the Emergency Communications Center and reported being struck by the pellets and declined medical attention. Officers canvassed the area, located the suspect vehicle, conducted a traffic stop and identified the occupants. The victim declined prosecution at the time and the investigation is ongoing.

Pizza and beer hall finally planning to start serving tomorrow in Ballston

By Matt Blitz
1/3

Expansive pizzeria-slash-beer hall Quincy Hall is finally set to start serving slices and pints tomorrow (Friday) in Ballston.

First announced nearly three years ago, the “American Pizza Beer Hall” at 4001 Fairfax Drive is planning a soft opening for this weekend. There will be a more formal grand opening, with specials and festivities, set for late next week, a restaurant spokesperson tells ARLnow.

Quincy Hall will feature pizza from “world pizza guru, Giulio Adriani” and “rare beers from local breweries.” The 8,000-square-foot space at the corner of Fairfax Drive and N. Quincy Street has a 245-person capacity indoors and an extra 80-person, dog-friendly patio outside. Wall art comes from D.C.-based artist Kelly Towles.

“We wanted to create the perfect gathering space in the Ballston neighborhood, a spot where fun meets delicious. The pizza’s are unmatched and we’ve selected unique local beers to pair perfectly,” co-owner Peter Bayne writes to ARLnow. “Three years later… we are excited to have this place open and be the neighborhood hangout.”

Quincy Hall comes from Tin Shop, the same ownership group that runs Highline RxR in Crystal City and is opening Astro Beer Hall in Shirlington. The Shirlington spot is set to open in the fall, a spokesperson tells to ARLnow.

Tin Shop also operates several well-known D.C. bars including Franklin Hall, Penn Social, and Church Hall in Georgetown, which just announced it was closing.

The pizza is the star of Quincy Hall’s show, according to the press release. Adriani is from Rome and was taught how to make pizza by his grandmother. He worked “under pizza-masters throughout Italy,” opened restaurants across the globe, and has won four world pizza championships, the release notes.

“Adriani’s passion is dough and constantly seeking illusive crust perfection,” it reads. “He created a challenging three-day fermented dough for Quincy Hall which Adriani insists is his ‘best ever!'”

Also on the menu, there will be smashburgers, wings, truffle fries, tenders, garlic bites, and caesar salad.

In what might be a sign of a popular emerging genre of restaurant, this is the second pizza and beer hall to open in Arlington over the last month. Nighthawk Pizza started serving in Pentagon City in March.

The Union, a “casual fine dining” restaurant, is now open in Virginia Square

By Matt Blitz
1/3

McLean-based The Union restaurant has opened its second location in the Virginia Square neighborhood.

The “casual fine dining” eatery opened last Monday (April 4) at 3811 Fairfax Drive, chef and owner Giridhar Sastry confirms to ARLnow. Business, so far, has been “okay,” but Sastry says it may take some time for locals to know that the restaurant is there and open.

The menu, decor, and experience in Arlington are exactly the same as the original in McLean, he says.

ARLnow previously reported that the new restaurant was moving into the space formerly occupied by Burgerim, which closed in January 2021. It’s next to Thai Treasure, which moved into the vacant space left by Water & Wall when that acclaimed restaurant closed in 2017.

The menu at the Union is, as the chef and owner described it last month, is made up of a range of cuisines.

“The DMV is a melting pot of different cultures,” Sastry said in March. “So, we have a little bit of everything.”

That includes Mumbai paninis, shrimp po-boys, beyond burgers, sorbet adas (Lebanese lentil soup), and chicken milanese.

Sastry, originally from Calcutta, India, has worked as a chef throughout the region, including the Ritz-Carlton, Mayflower Hotel in D.C., and several other Northern Virginia restaurants. He chose the Virginia Square neighborhood as the spot for his second location, which is also within walking distance of Ballston, because of the demographics and increasing population of the neighborhood.

The first Union opened in McLean in February 2020, but shut down shortly thereafter due to the pandemic. However, Sastry said that 2021 was a good year overall for the restaurant and an Arlington location was always part of his plan.

Sastry says the Union on Fairfax Drive is still hiring, particularly servers and cooks, and interested people are asked to contact the restaurant.

BREAKING: Multiple injuries, one reported trapped after crash in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/5

(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) Several people are injured and one is reported to be trapped in their vehicle after a two-car crash in Ballston.

The crash happened shortly after 10 a.m. at the intersection of N. Glebe Road, N. Quincy Street and N. Henderson Road. An SUV flipped on its side and a car was badly damaged as a result of the crash.

Initial reports suggest that four people are hurt, including three who are likely to be transported via ambulance to the hospital. The nature of the injuries is not currently known, though there is no indication so far that any are life-threatening.

The person who was trapped has since been extricated by firefighters.

Glebe Road is closed in both direction at the crash site, which includes a large amount of debris scattered across the roadway.

The crash happened one block away from another crash that left an SUV on its roof Friday afternoon. It also comes less than 12 hours after a serious two-vehicle crash that closed Columbia Pike in front of Penrose Square last night.

UPDATED: Robbery and carjacking in Ballston lead to two chases and multiple arrests

By ARLnow.com

(Updated on 4/12/22) A man and two juveniles were taken into custody today after a robbery and a carjacking in Arlington, and a car chase on I-395.

The crime spree started around 1 a.m. Sunday, for a reported robbery and attempted carjacking near the Westin hotel in Ballston.

“At approximately 1:00 a.m. on April 10, police were dispatched to the 800 block of N. Glebe Road for the report of a robbery by force,” Arlington County Police Department spokeswoman Ashley Savage tells ARLnow. “The victim was inside his parked vehicle when the three unknown suspects approached. The suspects opened the vehicle’s doors, struck the [victim] and stole his wallet and credit cards. When the victim exited the vehicle, the suspects entered and attempted to steal the vehicle, however, it had become immobilized.”

“The suspects then fled the scene on foot,” Savage added. “The victim declined medical attention.”

Just a few minutes later, a block or so away from the original crime scene, the same three suspects carjacked two people inside a parked car.

“At approximately 1:03 a.m. on April 10, police were dispatched to N. Vermont Street at N. Tazewell Street for the report of a stolen vehicle,” Savage said. “Upon arrival, it was determined that the two victims were inside their parked vehicle when the three suspects approached, opened the driver’s door and demanded the victims exit. The suspects then fled the scene in the stolen vehicle.”

Three hours after that, Virginia State Police spotted the stolen vehicle on I-395 in Fairfax County and started to chase it.

“At approximately 4:00 a.m., officers were notified that Virginia State Police had initiated a pursuit of the vehicle on I-395 in Fairfax County,” said Savage. “Arlington officers joined the pursuit once it entered Arlington County. The driver disregarded all commands to stop and fled into Washington D.C.”

The chase was caught on camera by public safety watchdog Dave Statter, from his perch in Pentagon City.

The suspects were eventually able to elude police, but the carjacked vehicle was spotted again by D.C. police later Sunday morning.

According to multiple reports, three suspects were taken into custody after the vehicle crashed, following a chase through parts of D.C. and Prince George’s County. The reports also suggest that two other people were in the car at the time of the crash.

Savage confirmed that one adult suspect is facing multiple charges, while “petitions… are pending” for two juvenile suspects.

“The Metropolitan Police Department later located the stolen vehicle and detained the vehicle’s occupants,” Savage said. “As a result of the investigation, detectives obtained warrants for the adult suspect for Conspiracy to commit carjacking (x2), Carjacking (x2) and Robbery.”

The man was later identified by police as 21-year-old Laysohn Jones of Suitland, Maryland.

This was the third carjacking in Arlington over the past week, and the fourth so far this year. A total of eight carjackings were reported in 2021, according to ACPD.

The carjacking that happened this past Wednesday morning involved three suspects and took place near N. Glebe Road, just south of Ballston, in the Buckingham neighborhood.

SUV overturns in Harris Teeter parking lot in Ballston after crash

By Jo DeVoe
An overturned car in the Harris Teeter parking lot in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

A two-vehicle crash this afternoon in Ballston caused one vehicle to flip over in the Harris Teeter parking lot.

The incident happened around 1:10 p.m. at the intersection of N. Randolph Street and N. Glebe Road, according to scanner traffic.

Two vehicles were involved: a white SUV driven by a woman turning left onto N. Glebe Road, and a black Ford sedan with two occupants, per scanner traffic and the observations of an ARLnow photographer.

Momentum from the crash caused the white SUV to roll over and into the entrance of the grocery store’s parking lot, next to a large redevelopment project that’s under construction.

Airbags deployed for both vehicles. The woman in the SUV was initially said to be trapped but later was reported to have been able to get out uninjured. Dispatchers said the black car was “smoking” after the crash, but no injuries were reported for the occupants either.

Both Glebe Road and Randolph Street have since reopened to traffic.

Staff photographer Jay Westcott and reporter Matt Blitz contributed to this report

NEW: Carjacking reported near Ballston

By ARLnow.com
Approximate location of carjacking near Ballston (via Google Maps)

A driver was carjacked Wednesday morning in the Buckingham neighborhood, just south of Ballston.

The incident happened just before 6 a.m. on the 4100 block of 4th Street N. and involved three male suspects believed to be between the ages of 20 and 30.

“At approximately 5:50 a.m. on April 6, police were dispatched to the report of a carjacking,” Arlington County police said today in a crime report. “Upon arrival, it was determined the victim was outside his vehicle when the three unknown suspects approached and pushed him aside before entering the vehicle and fleeing the scene.”

It’s the second reported carjacking in Arlington of the year, after the following incident in late February.

CARJACKING, 2022-02270120, Unit block of N. Columbus Street. At approximately 12:35 p.m. on February 27, police were dispatched to the report of a carjacking. Upon arrival, it was determined that the suspect and victim met for the prearranged sale of a vehicle. During a test drive of the vehicle, the suspect brandished a firearm, threatened the victim and demanded his property. The victim was able to exit the vehicle before the suspect fled the scene in the stolen vehicle with the victim’s cell phone and wallet. The victim was not injured.

Also in late February, a vehicle that was carjacked in Maryland was spotted in Pentagon City, leading to a brief pursuit and PIT maneuver by Virginia State Police on I-395.

Arlington is now roughly on the same pace for carjackings as last year. There were eight carjackings in Arlington in 2021, compared to 16 in 2020. The drop was attributed to an increased law enforcement and prosecutorial focus on carjackings, as well as the formation of a regional task force to combat a region-wide increase.

Map via Google Maps

British cuisine purveyor Salt Pot Kitchen planning to open in Ballston next month

By Matt Blitz
1/4

British-inspired Salt Pot Kitchen is planning to open in Ballston next month.

The Loudoun County-based “upscale British street food” eatery is moving into the Ballston Quarter Market stall formerly occupied by perogi stand Rogi, co-owner Wendy Salt tells ARLnow.

Salt Pot Kitchen is looking to start serving by May 1.

The restaurant comes from mother and son team Wendy and Charlie Salt — hence, the restaurant’s name — who are currently working out of a commercial kitchen in Leesburg. This is their first brick and mortar location after mostly selling their British delicacies like sausage rolls and cottage pies wholesale and at farmers markets.

Wendy Salt says they think Ballston is the perfect location for their business because of the neighborhood’s “international demographic” made up of many who are familiar with British food from their time traveling or studying abroad. Plus, the family previously lived in nearby Falls Church for 17 years.

“We are bringing British food to the people who perhaps don’t have time to cook good wholesome food for themselves and their family,” Salt says. “We think people in this area will appreciate that.”

The menu will consist of traditional English fare, like meat pies, sausage rolls, and soups. Salt says the two most popular items at markets are the beef and mushroom pies and Wiltshire plaits (pork, apple, and cheddar cheese wrapped in a flaky pastry).

There will also be a number of vegetarian and, even, vegan options, like a vegetarian curried pasty (curried vegetables wrapped in a vegan flaky crust) and roasted cauliflower and turmeric soup.

Salt says she’s hoping to expand the menu once they get settled into the space to include other traditional British bites like bangers and mash.

Rogi owner Ed Hardy closed down his Quarter Market stand, situated near the escalator to and from the mall above, in February. At the time, he had hoped to replace it with “a series of collaborations and pop-ups from other regional restaurateurs.”

Those exact plans never materialized, but Salt Pot Kitchen was one of the potential pop-ups that was initially proposed.

View More Stories