new restaurant

Paciugo Gelato and Caffè Opening Today in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Paciugo Gelato and Caffè is opening in Clarendon this afternoon.

The eatery is expected to open for business at or just after 4:00 p.m. This week Paciugo (pronounced “Pah-Choo-Go,” per a sign on the wall) will be serving gelato, cakes and other desserts, coffee and espresso drinks. Next week, the store plans to introduce breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches.

The company says their sometimes eclectic gelato flavors (from standards like sea salt caramel or stracciatella to the interesting — but currently unavailable — organic maple caramelized bacon or black pepper olive oil) are made on-site daily. Paciguo is a Texas-based chain, but the owner of the Clarendon store lives in Northern Virginia, we’re told.

The smallest gelato cup or cone starts at $3.99 and can hold up to three flavors. Paciugo is located at 3033 Wilson Boulevard in the former Cafe Wilson/Big Belly Deli space.

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The Curious Grape Reopens in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

The Curious Grape has reopened as a wine store and restaurant in Shirlington.

The wine shop traded its former location at 4056 Campbell Avenue — now a Cheesetique wine and cheese store — for a much bigger location a couple of blocks away, at 2900 S. Quincy Street (next to the Energy Club). The larger, sunnier space has allowed owners Suzanne McGrath and Katie Park to to reinvent their store as “The Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop,” complete with a sit-down restaurant, coffee and wine bar, and fresh, house-made pastry selection. As before, The Curious Grape also sells wine, beer, cheese and other gourmet items retail.

The Curious Grape restaurant — which quietly started serving diners last night — is helmed by executive chef Eric McKamey, whose resume includes PassionFish in Reston, 2941 in Falls Chuch, and Central, CityZen and Proof in D.C. McKamey’s menu offers “an eclectic selection of seasonal starters, small plates and entrées,” with ingredients “sourced from the Mid-Atlantic region whenever possible.” A press release listed some menu specifics.

Standouts include the Crimini Mushroom Soup with toasted sunflower seeds and preserved mushrooms; Lightly Cured Hamachi with pomegranate, cumin, and preserved lemon; Lamb Empanadas with pumpkin seed salsa and crème fraiche; Sweet Potato Gnocchi with thyme, Taleggio cheese and black truffle; Pan Roasted Sea Scallops with black rice, bok choy and a plum wine sauce; Pene Pasta with a Vietnamese-spiced beef and lamb Bolognese, as well as Coffee and Cacao-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin with potato-fennel gratin, wilted spinach and Malbec bordelaise. A unique menu layout directs guests to wine pairings for each dish, and also encourages customers to “drink what they love”. Prices range from $7 to $8 for starters, from $13 to $17 for appetizers, and from $19 and $25 entrées.

In its 5,200 square foot space, The Curious Grape has a 10-seat wine bar, a 55-seat main dining room and a 40-seat private event space. The coffee and pastry “cafe” is open starting at 7:30 a.m. daily. For bar and restaurant patrons, the eatery offers a seasonal selection of beers on tap and by the bottle. Additional hours and reservation information are available on the store’s website.

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El Manantial Restaurant Coming to Walter Reed Drive

By ARLnow.com

The former Las Delicias Restaurante at 1621 S. Walter Reed Drive has a new sign and a new name.

El Manantial III, a Guatemalan/Mexican restaurant apparently associated with the El Manantial restaurant in Lyon Park (2618 N. Pershing Drive), is expected to open in the Las Delicias space soon.

County inspectors were spotted parked outside the restaurant earlier today. It’s unclear when exactly the restaurant is going to open, though. A woman who answered the phone at the Lyon Park El Manantial restaurant referred us to a phone number that went straight to voicemail.

Las Delicias closed not too long after a brawl in January. We haven’t heard of any major fights breaking out at El Manantial, but a man did recently bite off part of his friend’s finger in the parking lot outside El Manantial and several other businesses.

Hat tip to Don H.

Permits Issued for Naked Pizza in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

The final building permits were granted earlier this month for a new Naked Pizza shop in Virginia Square.

Located at 933 N. Quincy Street, on the ground floor of the Quincy Plaza Apartments in the former Daily Grind coffee shop space, Naked Pizza is expected to offer its signature all-natural pies to dine-in, walk-up and delivery customers. In July 2011 the Arlington County Board approved a site plan amendment that will allow the restaurant to operate a delivery service.

According to the building permits, the new Naked location — the fast-growing company’s second in Arlington County — will have 28 interior seats. That’s in contrast to the existing Naked Pizza store in Pentagon City, which offers carryout and delivery but has little to no indoor seating space.

Although interior construction is being performed at the new location, the storefront’s exterior facade will not be changing. No official opening date has been announced, but barring any major delays we anticipate the restaurant will open at some point this summer.

Hat tip to @MavsX

Coming Soon to Crystal City: Black Lime Cafe

By ARLnow.com

A new fast-casual Mediterranean restaurant concept is coming to Crystal City.

Building permit applications are in for Black Lime Mediterranean Cafe, which will be built on the ground floor of 2450 Crystal Drive, near Jimmy John’s. According to a menu on the restaurant’s website, customers will choose a base — either a pita, a salad bowl or a baked potato — then add a protein — chicken, steak, shrimp, falafel or grilled veggies — followed by a selection of toppings and sauces. Side dishes include eggplant fries, sweet potato fries, roasted veggies and chips and hummus.

Per the name of the restaurant, the website explains:

Black Lime is an authentic mediterranean spice, and it’s integral to our menu. Taste its flavor in our Grilled Black Lime Chicken, Home-made Black Lime Hummus and the Black Lime Aioli Sauce that will have you coming back for more. Black Lime is a flavor that is seldom found without a passport.

Though the restaurant has no official opening date planned, we expect it to open at some point this summer. In addition to opening in Crystal City, it appears that the Maryland-based owners are seeking to launch additional restaurant via franchising.

Green Pig Bistro Hiring Staff With ‘Passion’

By ARLnow.com

Green Pig Bistro (1025 N. Fillmore Street) in Clarendon has been hiring as of late, but they’re not looking to employ just anybody.

According to a Craigslist ad, the soon-to-open restaurant, which promises to serve “obscure” cuts of meat in the style of a rustic French bistro, is looking for “only those with serious food passion.”

“Don’t expect to find loins, micro greens and baby veg here,” the help wanted ad says. “Think sous vide. Think obscure cuts of meat in their finest form — food that is hearty, not heavy; sustainable and with proper technique above all.”

The ad continued: “Prior frustration with fine dining service is preferred.”

Chef/owner Scot Harlan, who used to work under celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, told ARLnow.com last month that his biggest investment in the restaurant will be hiring good people in the kitchen.

In addition to line cooks, sous-chefs, and pastry-sous, the Craigslist ad also seeks hosts and servers.

“We will be employing an eSavvy staff and familiarity with iPhones, iPods, and iPads is a plus,” the ad says, noting that the restaurant will be using wireless iPads as the point of sale system (instead of traditional cash registers and/or credit card readers).

Einstein Bros. Bagels Offering Grand Opening Freebies

By Katie Pyzyk

Einstein Bros. Bagels is officially opening its first store in the area tomorrow. To celebrate, it’s giving away free bagels for a year to some lucky visitors.

The restaurant will be located in the Crystal Gateway Marriott (1700 Jefferson Davis Hwy) and will open to the public at 6:00 a.m.

“We are excited to present Einstein Bros. Bagels to the Crystal City neighborhood,” said Crystal Gateway Marriott General Manager Sharon Lockwood in a press release. “With over 2,000 guests walking through our lobby each day, we are proud to provide them with a quick and convenient meal.”

The first 100 people in line when the restaurant opens tomorrow will receive coupons for one free breakfast sandwich each week for one year. To be eligible, customers must be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID. The coupons are valid only at the new Crystal Gateway location.

World of Beer Requests Live Entertainment, Outdoor Seating

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 4:05 p.m.) World of Beer, which is coming to 901 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, has requested a permit for live entertainment and outdoor seating. The Arlington County Board is scheduled to vote on the permit this weekend.

The original application requested a permit for live music and dancing from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. every day. However, after receiving advice from county staff, the permit request was revised to be in line with other similar permits around the county. It now says live entertainment would run until 12:00 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and until 1:30 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, with exceptions on certain holidays.

The application also requests outdoor seating on the sidewalk along N. Glebe Road. A separate application was filed for a 70 square foot canopy sign.

County staff who have reviewed the request note that there are no residences close to the location and the live entertainment would not negatively affect businesses in the area. Therefore, they’re suggesting the county approves World of Beer’s permits.

The restaurant’s website still lists the expected opening date as July 2012.

Buffalo Wild Wings Coming to Ballston

By ARLnow.com

A new Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant is coming to Ballston, according to building permits filed with Arlington County.

The restaurant will be located in the office building at 950 N. Glebe Road, at the corner of Glebe Road and Fairfax Drive. That’s just one block away from the recently-opened Greene Turtle, another large format sports-and-beer eatery.

Ballston beer lovers will not have any shortage of options in the near future. In addition to the Turtle and the forthcoming BW3, a World of Beer location is set to open across the street at some point this year, and that’s not to mention Rustico, which is a couple of blocks away on Wilson Boulevard.

There’s a large vacant retail space on the ground floor of 950 N. Glebe Road, though so far no permits have been posted in the windows. No word yet on when Buffalo Wild Wings hopes to open — presuming plans are still on track — but it took the company less than six months to build out their Crystal City location (2450 Crystal Drive) following the announcement that they had signed a lease.

 

Coming to Ballston: Red Parrot Asian Bistro

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) A new Asian fusion restaurant is coming to Ballston later this year.

Red Parrot Asian Bistro, which has locations in Baltimore and Hanover, Md., just applied for a liquor license for a restaurant on the ground floor of the office building at 1110 N. Glebe Road.

An employee at one of the Maryland restaurants said the Ballston open was probably about six months away.

The Red Parrot website says the eatery offers various types of Asian dishes.

“We introduce variations of South East Asian cuisines offering Thai food, sushi, and Asian fusion for food lovers to enjoy,” the website says. “Here, at the bistro, we offer cocktail drinks, delicious Asian food and bubble tea. And best of all, we have a relaxing and wonderful environment for people to enjoy the atmosphere and the food.”

Other current tenants of 1110 N. Glebe Road include Ballston Crossfit and The Melting Pot fondue restaurant.

Senor Pan Opens Near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

A new restaurant has opened near Columbia Pike’s main business district.

Senor Pan opened its doors yesterday at 922 S. Walter Reed Drive. The South American bakery/cafe serves specialty baked goods and coffee, as well as a variety of other dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The menu includes breakfast sandwiches, empanadas, pupusas, and quesadillas. There are sides like fried yucca and fried plantain. And there’s a hot bar where you choose a meat and various toppings and place it either in an arepa, tostada, tortilla, pita, salad bowl or rice bowl.

While Senor Pan is primarily South American, there are other culinary influences at work. Co-owner Andres Vives brings and Italian influence to the restaurant, and Senor Pan’s pastry chef — who hails from France — brings a French influence.

Senor Pan will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

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