The new Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop has opened at 3000 Washington Boulevard in Clarendon.

The restaurant is the inland version of the small chain of eponymous coffee shops owner Oby Lee once ran along the Delaware Shore. In addition to coffee and espresso drinks, the eatery also offers (via its flat screen TV menu displays) pastries, salads, fruit smoothies, wine, and tapas dishes. Seating is available both inside and outside the establishment.

Oby Lee is still in the “soft opening” stage, and is hoping to hire and train staff soon. While it was open for breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday — its first day in business — Lee says he hasn’t set any definitive store hours yet. A more formal grand opening is expected later this summer.


New Mexican Restaurant Coming to Clarendon — Less than a month after the closure of Market Tavern in Clarendon, we now know what will take its place. Fuego Cocina and Tequileria is expected to open in the space, at 2950 Clarendon Blvd, later this fall. The casual Mexican restaurant, which will apparently not serve burritos, will be run by the Passion Food Restaurant Group, which also runs Acadiana, Ceiba and District Commons in D.C. [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Gay Pride Event at Pentagon — About 350 people packed a Pentagon auditorium yesterday for the Defense Department’s first celebration of Gay Pride Month. In a videotaped message, President Obama said the hour-long ceremony was held to honor openly gay service members. [Bloomberg]

AWLA to Hold Yard Sale— The Animal Welfare League of Arlington will be holding a “Mutts and Mittens” yard sale this weekend. “The yard sale will include items donated by the public including: art, jewelry, gently used clothing, household items, and more,” according to an AWLA press release. “Funds raised at the yard sale will help care for the birds, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, cats, and dogs that enter the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s (AWLA) doors every day.” The sale will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 30 at the front yard of the AWLA offices at 2650 S. Arlington Mill Drive, near Shirlington.


Update on 6/27/12 — RedRocks is hoping to open in “early December.”

RedRocks Pizzeria will be opening its first Arlington location in the Penrose Square development (2501 S. 9th Road) along Columbia Pike, according to public permit records.

RedRocks, which has locations in the District and in Old Town Alexandria, specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza cooked in a wood-fired oven. In addition to various varieties of specialty pizza, its menu features Italian appetizers, salads, paninis, calzones, desserts and a wide variety of beer and wine.

The restaurant’s Columbia Heights location, in the District, first opened in 2007. It opened its Alexandria location in 2010. Arlington will be the D.C.-based company’s third location. No word yet on when the Pike location will open; it appears to be in the early pre-buildout stages.

RedRocks will be joining a variety of restaurants and other businesses that have opened or will be opening soon in Penrose Square, located along the 2400 block of Columbia Pike. This afternoon construction was taking place in the future Eamonn’s Dublin Chipper. Work is also either underway or about to get underway at future locations for Mancini de Paris Salon & Day Spa and Menchies Frozen Yogurt. Taqueria Poblano and Columbia Pike Family Dentistry, meanwhile, recently opened in Penrose Square.


 

It’s been a big week at Pentagon Row, where two new restaurants officially opened to the public.

Nando’s Peri-Peri has opened in the space that used to be PR Grill, and Lime Fresh Mexican Grill has replaced Baja Fresh.

This is the second Lime location in Arlington, joining the one in Clarendon that opened earlier this year. Just as with the Clarendon location, this one experienced some delays in getting off the ground, but is now in business. A long line snaked out the door of the restaurant during lunchtime today.

Nando’s has 850 locations around the world, and expansion in the D.C. area was its first foray into the American market. The Pentagon Row location is the first in Virginia. It opened according to schedule, after two days of mock service.


Like District Taco before it, the Tacos el Chilango truck — which serves tacos from a semi-permanent parking spot in the residential neighborhood of Radnor-Fort Myer Heights — is getting its own brick-and-mortar restaurant in the District.

As the Washington City Paper reported last week, the Tacos el Chilango restaurant is expected to open at some point next month at 1119 V Street NW, in a storefront once occupied by an Italian restaurant. Truck co-owner Jesus Santacruz tells ARLnow.com that his brother, Juan, will be running the restaurant, while he continues to run the truck.

The truck, located at 14th Street N. and N. Queen Street, near Route 50, will remain open Monday through Saturday, from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Though the aging taco truck may not look like an acclaimed eatery to the casual observer, the authentic Mexican fare it serves has earned it praise from foodies, and a rare five star overall review on Yelp.


A number of new stores have opened or are planning to open soon at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City.

A Bose store is now on the mall’s Metro level (ground floor). According to a mall press release, the location is a Bose “Personal Audio Store,” described as “the newest concept retail store featuring select products for the on-the-go customer who wants Bose to be a part of their active lifestyles.”

The Limited has moved into a new storefront in the mall. “The newly enlarged store will continue to offer the exclusive array of The Limited brand clothing and accessories and will introduce eloquii, their new line of full-figure fashion for plus sized women,” the press release says.

Coach is launching its first “dual concept” side-by-side men’s and women’s store in the nation. Set to open in “early June” on the mall’s second level, the expanded store will “feature a full line of Coach, America’s preeminent designer brand for both men and women.”

Tumi is scheduled to open a new showcase store on the mall’s second level. The travel and business accessory maker hopes to open on June 14.

Chioptle is set to open in the food court at some point during “the week of June 14.” The Mexican restaurant will be located next to a Taco Bell restaurant.

Finally, a Microsoft Store is expected to open at some point later this year. A rep says the store will be “opening soon” — but declined to elaborate. Microsoft currently has 20 retail stores in the United States.

“These incredibly successful retailers enhance the powerful and exciting offerings at The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City,” mall marketing director Todd Jerscheid said in a statement. “We’re extremely pleased to welcome their brands and unique fashion forward designs to our center.”


Cafe Pizzaiolo is about a month and a half away from opening its new Shirlington location.

Located at 2800 S. Randolph Street, just off Shirlington’s main Campbell Avenue drag, this will be Cafe Pizzaiolo’s third location, after its Crystal City (507 South 23rd Street) and Fairlington (1623 Fern Street) locations. It’s expected to serve largely the same selection of antipasto, salads, pasta, paninis, calzones, subs, sandwiches, desserts and — of course — pizza. The eatery is currently applying for a liquor license to serve wine and beer.

We’re told that Cafe Pizzaiolo currently expects to open mid-July, though depending on the pace of construction the opening may actually be earlier or later in the month.


In November, Ray’s Hell Burger Too was transformed into a restaurant that only served steak and cheese sandwiches (and tater tots). A month later, the restaurant was quietly re-re-branded as Ray’s Hell Burger Too.

Yesterday (May 30) the Michael Landrum-owned eatery at 1713 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn changed identities again — to “Nice ‘N’ Greasy Steak ‘N’ Cheesy.” Nothing about the interior has changed, except the menu.

The menu of the new restaurant include three entrees, two sides, and a curated selection of soda, beer and wine. Two of the entrees are steak and cheese sandwiches: the $7.99 “Shock G” — one-third pound of sliced rib-eye, a generous helping of American and Provolone cheeses and grilled onions on a toasted 8-inch Lyon Bakery sub roll — and the $11.99 “Biggie,” which is the same as the Shock G but with two-thirds of a pound of rib-eye.

Both sandwiches are cooked using what’s being called “groove grease.” Optional toppings include lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms and charred jalapenos.

The other entree is a $2.00 “mini hell-burger” called the “Little Minion.” The burger comes cooked to order with grilled onions, American cheese and “heck sauce” on a toasted, buttered potato roll. The Little Minions also come in quantities of 3 for $5.25, 6 for $9.00, and a “devils dozen” (13) for $18.00.

Sides at Nice ‘N’ Greasy Steak ‘N’ Cheesy are greasy, but not cheesy. The two sides offered are tater tots and onion fries, both $2.50.

The eight beers on the menu include Budweiser and Bud Light ($3), Bells Oberon ($4) and Lucifer ($6). The house wine (pinot grigio, merlot and cabernet) is offered at $4.

Nice ‘N’ Greasy Steak ‘N’ Cheesy will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, according to a handwritten sign on the door.

Update at 3:05 p.m. — In an email to ARLnow.com, owner Michael Landrum explains that he never gave up on the idea of running a steak and cheese-focused eatery.

“I never truly abandoned it,” Landrum said. “In fact, originally, I was so excited to do the steak and cheese joint that I rushed it out a little too early as soon as Ray’s To The Third opened. Now I am a bit better prepared and have fine-tuned our offerings a bit.”

Landrum also addressed the mysterious “Groove Grease” ingredient that’s unique to his steak and cheese creation.

“The magical “Groove Grease” is, and will remain, a secret — except to say that it was inspired by the amazing Jimmy McGriff album of the same name (warning, cover art not suitable for work or minors),” Landrum said.


A new Mediterranean restaurant is in the works in Shirlington. Medi is going in at 4037 Campbell Avenue.

According to the Village at Shirlington website, Medi says it “offers the vibrant tastes of Mediterranean food, with uniquely blended flavors, healthy ingredients, and great value.”

It also says, “At Medi, we want you to Meet, Eat, Drink, and Indulge – That’s our motto!”

Although no menu is formally listed yet, the restaurant’s description includes references to grilled meats and vegetables, Mediterranean sauces and dips and imported beverages. It mentions sandwiches, salads and rice bowls as entree options.

A sign in the window says the restaurant is looking to hire “freakin’ awesome people.” Medi’s Facebook page shows June as the targeted time for opening.


Work is underway at the site of a new California Tortilla restaurant coming to Crystal City.

The eatery is going in on the 2400 block of Crystal Drive, right next to Buffalo Wild Wings. The Mexican restaurant will compete with a Chipotle right down the street, at 2231 Crystal Drive.

This will be the Bethesda chain’s third Arlington location, joining the ones in Courthouse (2057 Wilson Blvd) and Reagan National Airport.

A sign in the window says the company is currently hiring for this location. We’re told the restaurant is expected to open in the late summer or early fall.


‘SmokeHouse’ Coming to Pentagon City — Two veterans of The Palm restaurant are teaming up to create “Epic SmokeHouse,” described as a cross “between a fine dining steakhouse and a barbecue joint.” The restaurant will reportedly be located inside the Millennium at Metropolitan Park apartment building at 1330 S. Fair Street, near Pentagon City mall. [Washington City Paper]

County Launches ‘Green Streets’ Program — Arlington County has launched a pilot program to build bioretention systems into road medians, in an effort to remove pollutants from stormwater runoff before it reaches the Chesapeake Bay. [Connection Newspapers]

Hundreds Busted in HOV Crackdown — A Capitol Region HOV enforcement crackdown on Tuesday netted nearly 650 traffic summonses and arrests, including nearly 450 HOV violations. In Virginia, the enforcement was conducted by Virginia State Police, Arlington County police and other local law enforcement agencies. [CBS Local]

Expect Heavy Memorial Day Traffic — More motorists are expected to hit the roads in the D.C. area this Memorial Day weekend than at any time since the start of the recession, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic. [WJLA]

AIM Offers Video Production Camp — Arlington Independent Media is offering a summer video production camp for youth ages 10 to 13. The two week camp will allow participants to “develop a story idea, write a script, shoot footage, and edit their own short production” with the guidance of media professionals. [Arlington Independent Media]

Flickr pool photo by Damiec


View More Stories