local business

New Restaurant Serving Up Indian, Nepalese Food Coming to Pentagon Row

By Alex Koma
1/3

(Updated at 3:10 p.m.) A new restaurant offering Indian and Nepalese cuisine is on the way for the Pentagon Row shopping center.

Namaste Everest plans to open its doors in spring 2019, according to a release from Pentagon Row owner Federal Realty Investment Trust.

Chef Nabin Paudel, a Nepal native, operates another restaurant under the name “Namaste” in Alexandria. The new eatery will be his first expansion into Arlington.

The menu will include an array of curries and tandoor cooking, as well as dumplings, biryani, kabobs and more. The restaurant also plans to offer a full bar, the release said.

“It has been a priority to continue to expand dining options at this location for the local community,” Kari Glinski, director of asset management for Federal Realty, wrote in a statement. “With the addition of Indian and Nepalese cuisine, diners certainly have several diverse choices to choose from.”

Other recent additions to Pentagon Row include a pop-up taco bar and a new location for local chain Basic Burger.

Despite Bankruptcy, DCA’s Taylor Gourmet Still Serving Up Sandwiches

By Alex Koma

Taylor Gourmet might have shut down all its other sandwich shops around the D.C. region, but it seems hungry fliers at Reagan National Airport can still get their hoagie fix.

The chain revealed late last month that it would be shuttering its 17 stores after a major investor spurned the company, and Taylor’s Ballston and Arlington locations were closed soon after.

But, for now at least, ARLnow readers say the DCA location is still serving up sandwiches. The store is located in the airport’s Terminal B/C, near gates 23 and 24; getting there requires getting through security.

A spokesman for Taylor said the Reagan location is operated Marketplace Development, the company that manages concessions at the airport, and he declined to elaborate on why the shop is still open. The concession company did not immediately respond to a request for comment, and no one answered the phone at the restaurant Monday morning.

Taylor has since filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Delaware, court records show. Company insiders have speculated that everything from co-owner Casey Patten’s meeting with President Donald Trump to the chain’s aggressive expansion plans ultimately doomed the business.

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Photo (top) courtesy of @CartChaos22202

Journey Yoga Off Columbia Pike Shutting Down Today

By Alex Koma

Journey Yoga is shutting down after more than a decade in business in Penrose.

The studio, located at 2501 9th Road S. in a shopping center just off Columbia Pike, announced that it will close today (Friday) in an email to its members.

“I love the community of Journey Yoga and I am honored to have been your teacher and the teacher of many of your teachers,” owner Sarah Lynn wrote in the email. “It is time for my journey to continue in a new direction. It’s been 11 amazing years, two locations, international and regional retreats, teacher trainings, workshops and special events.”

Lynn added in the email that YogaWorks, a regional chain with a location near Virginia Square, plans to honor any unused class passes from Journey Yoga attendees. Lynn herself also plans to teach some classes at the YogaWorks studio, adding “I respect YogaWorks immensely and hope you can find a home there.”

Journey Yoga plans to sell off its props and furniture in the coming days, and Lynn invited anyone looking to bid the studio farewell to drop by between 5-7:30 p.m. tonight.

New Pizzeria Set to Replace Upper Crust on Lee Highway

By Alex Koma

Just a few months after Upper Crust Pizzeria shut down along Lee Highway, a new pizza shop is now set to take its place.

Old Dominion Pizza Company is now planning to open up in Upper Crust’s old space at 4514 Lee Highway in the Lee Heights shopping center, owner John Rodas told ARLnow.

Rodas, who also helps run The Spirits of ’76 bar in Clarendon, says he’s still sorting out the menu for the new restaurant, but hopes Old Dominion will become a “good, local, neighborhood pizza place.”

He says he’d long enjoyed getting pizza at Upper Crust, but thought the restaurant’s management was a bit lacking. He even considered what he might do differently with the space.

“I remember saying, ‘If this spot ever comes open, I would love to put a nice neighborhood pizza place here,” Rodas said.

Accordingly, when Rodas saw ARLnow’s story on the store’s closure this July, he jumped at the chance to lease the space.

“I’d always wanted to do something in the neighborhood, but it wasn’t something I already had plans in the works for,” Rodas said. “But when I saw that it was closed, I drove right over there.”

He says he signed a lease for the space a few months ago, working in tandem with his chef at Spirits of ’76, Charles Smith, who is helping to design Old Dominion’s menu and will have an ownership stake in the pizzeria.

Rodas adds that the restaurant will deliver, and he plans to offer wine and beer in the space, though he expects the lengthy permit application process means the restaurant might not have it available as soon as it opens. As for that opening date, he’s currently hoping to start welcoming customers sometime in December.

Rodas is well aware that it might seem a bit strange to open up a new pizzeria in the same space as one that just failed, but he’s hoping that he’ll be able to bring a bit of what has made his Clarendon bar a success over to this new venture.

“We’re lucky to have great employees there, who take pride in the place and we have great customer service there,” Rodas said. “You know the guys who own the place and who work there… and we want to bring that over to Old Dominion.”

Photo via @olddominionpizza

South Block Plans New Rosslyn Location in Old Cafe Asia Space

By Alex Koma

South Block will soon bring its array of juices, smoothies and acai bowls to Rosslyn.

The Arlington-based chain is planning its fourth location in the county for the former Cafe Asia space (1550 Wilson Blvd), next to the forthcoming Bash Boxing workout studio, according to founder and CEO Amir Mostafavi.

“Our Clarendon spot has turned into such a busy location, and we’re growing as a company, it just seemed like it was needed for us in that area,” he told ARLnow. “Regulars can attest that if you come in on a Saturday in Clarendon, it’s just packed. So now we can spread out a bit and help the serve community better.”

Mostafavi expects that the Rosslyn location will open in the late spring of 2019, just a few months after South Block opens its third Arlington store in the new Ballston Quarter development. He says both new locations will offer the same line-up as the rest of its shops, including the toast options he’s recently added to his menus.

In an unusual twist of fate, both the new locations will be located next to Bash Boxing’s gyms, with the fitness studio also planning a Ballston Quarter location.

Though Scott Parker, one of the studio’s co-founders, says the pairings were largely a “coincidence,” Mostafavi expects the businesses will easily compliment each other.

“We’re calling it a one-two punch,” Mostafavi said.

Mostafavi says his real estate broker first showed him the Cafe Asia space a few months back as he eyed an expansion. When he subsequently heard from Bash’s backers that they too were eyeing the space, he figured opening up a juice bar right next to fitness studio would make a good bit of sense.

“We’ve always had a really strong relationship with Arlington’s fitness community, so this is just a really good fit,” Mostafavi said.

By the time South Block opens its two new Arlington locations, Mostafavi says he’ll have 10 shops running across the region.

Photo courtesy of @IAmAru

Doughnut-Focused Cafe On the Way for Ballston Apartment Building

By Alex Koma

A new cafe will soon offer up handmade doughnuts, coffee and more in Ballston.

Good Company Doughnuts and Cafe plans to move into a space at 670 N. Glebe Road, just under the 672 Flats apartments, according to co-founder Charles Kachadoorian.

Kachadoorian told ARLnow that the restaurant is targeting an “early 2019” opening date, after signing a lease at the new building this summer.

While the Ballston location will be the first for Good Company, Kachadoorian says his family is no stranger to the doughnut business. His sister, Kate Murphy, spent decades whipping up her own doughnuts at a shop in New Hampshire before moving to Arlington to join Kachadoorian, and he says they “decided to partner up and open a new cafe that’s a little more innovative than the old one.”

He expects the cafe will offer a full range of soups, salads, sandwiches and other “light fare,” with some limited dinner options as well. Kachadoorian added that the cafe struck a deal with Chicago-based Intelligentsia Coffee for its brews, and will even someday offer craft beer, wine and cocktails for thirsty customers.

That being said, however, Kachadoorian says “there is no upstaging these doughnuts.”

“They’re made fresh every night in the shop, by hand, by experienced bakers,” Kachadoorian said. “My sister and her husband probably have about 60 years of making doughnuts between them.”

The cafe will offer up both cake donuts and yeast-raised donuts, with “traditional flavors and also a few of the more funky ones,” Kachadoorian said. He isn’t ready to set a firm opening date quite yet, but expects to start construction in the “near future.”

“We’re a family business, and we’re really excited about bringing the food we’re passionate about to the community,” said Kachadoorian.

Depending on when Good Company opens its doors, it could become the first retailer to set up shop in the new 672 Flats building, located just across from the Ballston Quarter development.

The apartments have space set aside for several other businesses on its ground floor, though Kachadoorian was unsure if others will join Good Company in the near future. A spokeswoman for the Chevy Chase Land Company, which purchased the development last week, said they have yet to announce any additional retailers at the site.

Navy Federal Credit Union Opens New Branch in Williamsburg

By Alex Koma
1/2

Navy Federal Credit Union has now opened its fourth branch in Arlington.

The bank held a grand opening for the new branch, located at 6402 Williamsburg Blvd, on Monday.

The new location is situated in the Williamsburg Shopping Center, near the intersection of N. Sycamore Street and Williamsburg Blvd., which is also home to a CVS and newly rebranded frozen yogurt shop.

Navy Federal primarily caters to active-duty service members, veterans and their families. Other locations around Arlington include one on the grounds of the Pentagon itself, one in Ballston and one in Crystal City.

Prolific Restaurateur Scott Parker Plans New Barbershop for Ballston

By Alex Koma

A new upscale barbershop is on the way for Ballston next year.

Scott Parker, the co-founder of a bevy of businesses throughout Arlington, announced in a Facebook post yesterday (Monday) that he plans to help open “Bearded Goat Barber” in early 2019. He said he hopes the Bearded Goat will be a “premier barbershop specializing in tailored haircuts, hot lather shaves and sculpted beard trims.”

Parker subsequently told ARLnow that the barbershop will be located at 4201 Wilson Blvd, as part of the Ballston Exchange development, the former home of the National Science Foundation.

“We’re really excited to be among all the awesome new tenants that are coming into that project like Shake Shack, Cava, and Philz Coffee, among others,” Parker said.

Parker himself has previously focused primarily on the restaurant business, backing bars like A-Town in Ballston, the G.O.A.T. and Don Tito in Clarendon and Barley Mac in Rosslyn. He’s also recently helped start a new boxing gym, Bash Boxing, with locations set for Rosslyn and Ballston.

But Parker said that he plans to team up with a pair of barbers, Eric Renfro and Jon Dodson, on this latest venture. They previously worked at the Hendricks Barbershop, another high-end barber that opened in Clarendon in 2016.

“Jon and Eric decided to start their own shop, and asked me to be a part of it,” Parker said. “They’re super talented guys with almost 20 years of combined experience in barbering. For them it was a chance to finally realize their dream, and, for me, a great opportunity to work with two very passionate, accomplished people.”

Photo via @beardedgoatbarber

Federico Opens Its Doors As a Successor to Crystal City’s Cafe Italia

By Alex Koma
1/2

Federico Ristorante Italiano, the spiritual successor to Crystal City’s Cafe Italia, is now open for business.

Co-owner Freddie Lutz, who also runs the eponymous Freddie’s Beach Bar, told ARLnow that the revived restaurant held its grand opening Sunday (Sept. 30).

Lutz worked for decades as a waiter and maitre d’ at Cafe Italia, located at 519 23rd Street S., and worked with a pair of other former employees to bring the eatery back to life after it closed in April. He’d originally planned to dub it “Freddie’s Italian Cafe,” but decided to change the name a bit in deference to its former owners.

Lutz added that the restaurant held a soft opening last Monday, before officially cutting the ribbon on the place Sunday night. Lutz, a longtime South Arlington resident, held an “ice cream social” at his home nearby, then led attendees over to Federico for the big celebration.

“We had a line up the street, it was packed and very festive,” Lutz said.

Lutz said attendees included state lawmakers like state Sens. Adam Ebbin (D-30th District) and Barbara Favola (D-31st District) and Del. Mark Levine (D-45th District), as well as former County Board member Jay Fisette.

Lutz is hoping the new place can capture the spirit of the original restaurant, which was a fixture of the neighborhood since it opened in 1976. Though the eatery fell on some hard times in later years, Lutz expects the restaurant to be packed full of diners for the foreseeable future.

“We’ve got our sea legs and now we’re bracing ourselves for the busy times,” Lutz said.

Three Restaurants Replacing Clarendon’s La Tasca Now Set for Early 2019 Opening

By Alex Koma
1/2

Work is picking up steam on the trio of new restaurants moving into the space once occupied by La Tasca in Clarendon, with its owner targeting a partial opening a few months from now.

Street Guys Hospitality, the group backing Clarendon’s Ambar and Baba, is now hard at work on construction for the new eateries: Tacos, Tortas and Tequila on the first floor, Buena Vida on the second and a rooftop bar to cap things off. The group opened the former two Mexican eateries in Bethesda earlier this year.

Lindley Richardson, a spokeswoman for Street Guys, told ARLnow that owner Ivan Iricanin is targeting February 2019 for TTT and Buena Vida’s grand opening.

She added that the rooftop space will open “at a later date,” noting that it currently does not have a name — Iricanin previously told other media outlets that it would be dubbed “Up.”

Meanwhile, county permit records show that Iricanin’s company won county permission for some interior demolition work on all three floors of the building in August, with work continuing in the weeks since. Iricanin also plans to bring a new Ambar location to Northwest D.C. next year, his second in the city.

La Tasca closed back in March, after spending roughly 14 years serving Clarendon diners.

New Muse Paintbar Looks to Be Coming to Ballston Quarter

By Alex Koma

A bar encouraging patrons to grab a glass of wine and a paintbrush could soon be on the way for Ballston’s biggest new development.

A new Muse Paintbar location seems set to be included in Ballston Quarter, according to new county permit applications. The bar’s listed address is on the first floor of 4238 Wilson Blvd, just down the block from the CVS pharmacy.

Spokespeople for both Muse and Ballston Quarter’s developer, Forest City, did not respond to requests for comment on the matter.

Muse dubs itself as “the premier paint and wine experience” on its website, offering events and private parties to help people learn how to paint while sipping on their adult beverage of choice. The chain has several locations around Northern Virginia, including ones in Falls Church, Woodbridge and Gainesville.

Yet the bar’s opening could be a ways off — Muse only applied for a permit at the site on Wednesday (Sept. 26), with several rounds of review by county inspectors still on tap. The bar also has yet to apply for a permit to serve alcohol at the location, state records show.

Ballston Quarter itself is set to open to patrons by the end of October, though Forest City has long said that the restaurants and businesses inside the new-look Ballston Common mall will open on a rolling basis over the next few months.

Photo via Muse Paintbar. H/t to Chris Slatt

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