new restaurant

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Parent Group Calls Out APS — From the Black Parents of Arlington: “In addition to tracking incidents of racism, APS needs to implement mandatory anti-racism and implicit bias training for all teachers and staff throughout the system on a regular basis. Moreover, APS must begin to track incidents of racial and ethnic hostility and make these findings public. The time is now. We will no longer wait. Arlington’s Black children deserve better.” [Facebook]

Pizzeria to Open Next Month in Clarendon — “A storied Connecticut pizza shop is making one of its biggest moves, opening a new location in Arlington’s Clarendon neighborhood next month. Colony Grill is gearing up to debut Oct. 13 with a 5,200-square-foot space, taking over at 2800 Clarendon Blvd. for the Gallery Clarendon art installation pop-up that shuttered in February. The restaurant offers seating for 170 guests in three different areas.” [Washington Business Journal]

New Potomac Bridge Moving Forward — “With the state budget in tatters and commuter levels at record lows, now might hardly seem the right moment for Virginia to embark upon a $1.9 billion rail project. However, the recent conclusion of the Long Bridge’s environmental impact study has cleared the way for the commonwealth to do just that.” [Virginia Mercury]

Eagle Scout Project at Fire Station 5 — “A special project is taking shape to honor the victims of September 11th.
A piece of steel from the World Trade Center was brought to the Arlington County Fire Department nearly ten years ago. Now, a local high school senior and aspiring Eagle Scout wants to transform the area into a place where people can gather.” [WUSA 9]

Arlington Man Jailed in Belarus — “A U.S. diplomat warns that her Belarusian American husband’s health is in ‘immediate danger’ following his late-July arrest by security forces of the authoritarian Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. Vitali Shkliarov, a political analyst and dual citizen who worked on the presidential campaigns of both Barack Obama and Bernie Sanders, was detained while visiting his parents in his hometown of Gomel, Belarus, in the runup to the country’s Aug. 9 presidential elections.” [NPR]

County Reaffirms Fair Housing Commitment — “Arlington will continue to follow the federal government’s 2015 Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule, despite the federal government’s July 2020 action to rescind that rule within the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the County Board said in a resolution approved at its September 15 Recessed Meeting.” [Arlington County]

Local Historian Dies — “It is our sad duty to announce the passing of beloved historian Ed Bearss, one of the legends of the battlefield preservation movement and a long-time member of the American Battlefield Trust board.” [National Parks Traveler, Twitter]

New Mediterranean Restaurant Coming to Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) A fast-growing, fast-casual restaurant chain from Southern California appears to be coming to Columbia Pike.

Hummus Republic has applied for permits to build a location at the new Centro apartment development at the corner of the Pike and George Mason Drive.

The company describes itself as “fast-casual modern Mediterranean food franchise specializing in healthier, faster, fresher, lighter and tastier customizable bowls, baguette and pitas.”

“Our food is always made fresh and served quickly using organic, sustainable, and locally grown ingredients whenever possible,” says the Hummus Republic website.

The website lists four locations in Southern California, and more than a dozen planned throughout the state and in Ohio, New Jersey, Boston and Seattle. The Arlington location at 952 S. George Mason Drive is listed as “under construction.”

There’s no word on when the restaurant might open.

Photo via Hummus Republic/Facebook. Hat tip to Chris Slatt.

French Pastry Shop Now Open in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Eclairons, a new French pastry shop, opened in the former Bean Good space in Rosslyn earlier this month.

The restaurant, at 1737 Wilson Blvd in the Colonial Village Shopping Center, serves coffee and baked goods. Signs posted earlier this year, near the start of the pandemic, said it would also serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A new sign above the front door says the business is now hiring.

Eclairons does not yet have a functioning website, but the business has started to post on social media.

“At Eclairons you can enjoy a fine selection of desserts, pastries, and coffee rarely found at other pastry shops,” says the restaurant’s Facebook page. “Eclairons is managed by Maurice Pastries — serving the D.C. area with the finest pastries for over 35 years.”

More via social media:

This just in – Pumpkin is here! Enjoy a specialty pumpkin milkshake, pumpkin latte, or pumpkin chai latte as part of our seasonal menu :)See you soon!

Posted by Eclairons on Thursday, September 10, 2020

https://www.facebook.com/eclairons/posts/158295835915078

Chick-fil-A, Chase Bank Under Construction in Pentagon City

By ARLnow.com
1/4

Two new businesses are setting up shop right next to an entrance to the Pentagon City Metro station

As previously reported, chicken nugget and sandwich purveyor Chick-fil-A is coming to the ground floor of the new Whitmer apartment building at the corner of S. Hayes Street and 12th Street S. The space is currently under construction.

Also coming to 710 12th Street S. is a new Chase bank branch. Construction workers could be seen inside the future bank this morning.

There is no word yet on when either will open. Chick-fil-A previously refused to confirm that it was coming to Pentagon City, even after “Chick-fil-A coming soon” signs were put up. (They were later removed.)

The Chick-fil-A and Chase will joining the recently-opened Wiseguy Pizza on the ground floor of the apartment building, which is directly adjacent to the Metro station’s eastern entrance, across from the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City mall and two blocks from Amazon’s under-construction permanent HQ2.

Hat tips to @KalinaNewman and @Calebfiles

Bob and Edith’s Opening Monday on Lee Highway

By ARLnow.com
1/2

At long last, Bob and Edith’s Diner has set the official opening day and time for its new Lee Highway location: Monday at 7 a.m.

The longtime local diner chain is opening its newly-built eatery at 5050 Lee Highway amid a decided lack of fanfare, however.

“At this time we are not having a Grand Opening event due to the pandemic and the social distancing guidelines that are in place,” said Bob and Edith’s spokeswoman Rebekah Steele. “We are still adhering to our enhanced cleaning procedures, safe distancing between tables, and digital friendly menus. We also will offer take and delivery.”

The company — with locations on Columbia Pike and 23rd Street S. in Crystal City, as well as in Huntington and Springfield — has been hurt by the pandemic, as have most restaurant operators. About half of its business is now takeout and delivery, a remarkable pivot for a classic greasy spoon eatery that’s perhaps better known as a local gathering spot than a culinary destination.

Despite the challenges, owner Greg Bolton says he’s excited about the opening, in part due to the history of the location.

“Steak N Egg was at this spot for 70 plus years and my dad worked for them 65 years ago at this location before purchasing Gary’s Donut Dinette (which is now the Columbia Pike location),” he told ARLnow via email. “I worked at Steak N Egg 40 years ago when I was 17 and now my kids and grandkids can own the location that was where their grandfather once worked.”

(Before being purchased by Bolton for $1.1 million in 2018, 5050 Lee Highway was home to Linda’s Cafe, which had a spicy Twitter account that contrasted with the plain, aging building it occupied.)

Bolton also believes the location is ideally suited for a place like Bob and Edith’s.

“[I’m] excited because there is not another breakfast place around and the new building has a lot of people talking and wanting to see the inside,” he said. “Bob and Edith’s has a great name up north and people have been stopping by for weeks waiting to come inside and eat.”

For those who want to do more than dine at the restaurant, a sign outside indicates that it’s now hiring.

New Mexican Restaurant ‘Los Chamacos’ Replacing Cantina Mexicana Off Columbia Pike

By Vernon Miles
1/3

Interior renovations are underway on a new Mexican restaurant called Los Chamacos, which is planning to pick up where Cantina Mexicana left off in December.

The restaurant — which translates to “The Kids” — will offer Mexican cuisine classics, like fajitas, enchiladas, molcajete, pambazo and barbacoa, according to a sign on the restaurant window. It’s located at 922 S. Walter Reed Drive

Cantina Mexicana first opened along Columbia Pike seven years ago but temporarily closed late last year due to the owners needing time off to care for a family member who suffered a stroke.

An employee inside the storefront said the restaurant is tentatively scheduled for an opening sometime in November.

Locals were bittersweet about the change on social media, lamenting the loss of Cantina Mexicana, which also previously had a location in Crystal City.

https://twitter.com/kbutler333/status/1296801492041641986

H/t to @SRtwofourfour

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

More Accessible Parking in Busy Areas — “The County has installed an additional 60 ADA-accessible on-street parking spaces for a total of 212. The spaces — located throughout eight areas of high residential and business density — feature meters with near field communication (NFC), allowing customers to pay by waving a smartphone within a short distance. The adjusted parking areas also allows for easier access to popular areas throughout the County.” [Arlington County]

Ballston Cafe Serves Kids for Free — “When local schools closed in March — and their cafeterias along with them — Good Company Doughnuts & Cafe began offering free weekday lunches to school-age kids on a walk-in basis. As of late July, the restaurant had provided nearly 3,000 such meals.” [Arlington Magazine]

Yglesias on Arlington Housing — “How much study do you need to know that houses are expensive in Arlington and most of the country is zoned to make adding units illegal?” [@mattyglasias/Twitter]

I-66 Lane Closures This Weekend — “Single-lane closures on eastbound I-66 just before the bridge over Lee Highway (Route 29) at Exit 72 will occur (weather permitting) between 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21 and 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 24 for road repairs.” [VDOT]

Reminder: Ballston Taco Bamba Opening — “The new 1,500 square foot restaurant is the fifth Taco Bamba in Virginia. Set to open on Thursday, Aug. 20, the takeout taqueria will feature ‘a bar program, a small patio and a brand-new menu of nuestros tacos, in addition to the taqueria’s traditional favorites.'” [ARLnow]

Flickr pool photo by Vincent

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Prosecutor Files Petition Against Judges — “A northern Virginia prosecutor who says her county’s judges are infringing on her discretion to dismiss charges and enter plea bargains is asking the state Supreme Court to intervene on her behalf. Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti filed a petition Friday asking the court for a relief from a policy imposed by the county’s four Circuit Court judges.” [Associated Press]

New BBQ Pop-Up Coming to Pentagon City — “In their spare time [chefs Kevin Tien and Scott Chung] dreamed up Wild Tiger BBQ, which launches Thursday, August 20 next to Bun’d Up at Pentagon Row in Arlington. The pop-up will run Thursday through Saturday for the first few weeks.” [Washingtonian]

‘Bumper Crop of Mosquitos’ — “With the floods of summer come the pests of summer — bloodsucking mosquitoes. It takes several days to a couple of weeks for mosquitoes to hatch, molt and fly out of floodwater, but the swarms eventually arrive, in greater numbers than before the flood. After the recent flooding from thunderstorms and Tropical Storm Isaias in the Washington region, a bumper crop of mosquitoes has emerged.” [Washington Post]

Retired Colonel Helps With COVID Response — “When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early March, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel David Ashley quickly found his planned spring and summer mountain climbing trips canceled. He spent about a week doing projects around his Arlington home, but after 27 years in the military, he realized he need something else, something with more purpose.” [Arlington County]

Cab Exec’s Offensive Post Makes Headlines — “An elected town council member in Strasburg, Va., who also is chairman of the 6th Congressional District’s Republican Committee admitted this week that he posted, then removed, a sexually offensive meme targeted at Sen. Kamala D. Harris… [John] Massoud, who is vice president of Arlington’s Blue Top taxi service and was an unsuccessful candidate against ex-Del. Bob Brink for a House of Delegates seat from Arlington in 1997 and 1999, moved to the Shenandoah Valley about 10 years ago.” [Washington Post]

Analysis of Rents Near Metro Stations — “The most expensive rents ($2,200 and up) are found in areas of Arlington and Washington, DC. Rent near the Ballston-MU station is in the mid-range among DC Metro stops. But while the median price increased near Court House, it decreased near Ballston-MU, according to the analysis. The median rent for a one-bedroom unit near Ballston-MU is $1,975, a 1.3 percent decrease from 2019.” [Patch]

Clement Rips Dems for Redistricting Stance — “An independent candidate for Arlington County Board has criticized the Arlington County Democratic Committee for its opposition to a nonpartisan-redistricting constitutional amendment on the state ballot in November. Audrey Clement, who is challenging incumbent Democrat Libby Garvey for County Board, said the Democrats’ vote seems disingenuous for a party that claims to be about good government.” [InsideNova]

Arlington Makes Top Travel Destination List — “For all the talk of a move to small, less densely populated destinations, Hotwire also ranked much bigger cities. Its ‘midsize must see’ picks were St. Louis; Tampa, Florida; Atlanta; Arlington, Virginia; Tucson, Arizona; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Pittsburgh; Miami; and Cincinnati.” [CNBC]

Taco Bamba is Planning to Open Next Week in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/4

The new Taco Bamba location in Ballston is expected to open to the public a week from today.

Chef Victor Albisu announced last month that what was previously planned as Huevos, a new all-day egg restaurant concept, would instead become a tried-and-true Taco Bamba outpost, in part due to financial pressures from the pandemic.

The new taco eatery will be located at 4000 Wilson Blvd, facing N. Quincy Street, in the former Yona space. The location has been serving as a Taco Bamba pick-up spot since April, and the popularity of the service was another factor in Albisu’s decision.

The new 1,500 square foot restaurant is the fifth Taco Bamba in Virginia. Set to open on Thursday, Aug. 20, the takeout taqueria will feature “a bar program, a small patio and a brand-new menu of nuestros tacos, in addition to the taqueria’s traditional favorites.”

“Creating a new menu for each location is always my favorite part of any opening,” Albisu said in a statement. “All Taco Bamba locations have their own identity that reflects the neighborhood, and Arlington has such a great culinary tradition of immigrant cuisines. We’ve felt really inspired while creating these dishes.”

The full press release, which has been lightly edited by ARLnow for clarity, is below.

(more…)

Banh Mi Sandwich Eatery Opening in Former Ballston Subway Space Next Week

By Vernon Miles
1/4

A Subway (801 N. Quincy Street) that closed last year is being replaced by Vietnamese sandwich shop Lee’s Sandwiches with a grand opening planned this coming Tuesday, Aug. 18.

The Ballston spot will be the second location in Virginia for Lee’s Sandwiches — a California-based franchise — with an existing location in Falls Church. The sandwich chain has a variety of sandwich options but specializes in banh mi, a popular Vietnamese sandwich with savory ingredients in a short, toasted baguette.

Lee’s is also noted for its Vietnamese iced coffee.

The grand opening of the restaurant had been scheduled for Aug. 4 but a sign outside the restaurant said the grand opening is now scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10 a.m. For the grand opening, any sandwich purchase will also come with a free cup of Lee’s coffee or a hot baguette.

Staff at another Lee’s Sandwiches said social distancing will be required for customers and staff inside the restaurant when it opens.

The Subway at 801 N. Quincy Street was a somewhat hidden spot for quick meals in Ballston, away from the lunchtime crowds along Wilson Blvd. Another Subway remains open near the Ballston Metro station.

New Asian Street Food Restaurant Coming to Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/3

A growing restaurant chain, offering food in the style of that served by street vendors from around Asia, is opening a new location in Ballston.

Signs are up for Hawkers Asian Street Fare at 4201 Wilson Blvd, in the Ballston Exchange complex across from Philz Coffee. The company says via social media that it is planning to open in the spring of 2021.

Hawkers was founded in Orlando in 2011 by a group of partners “inspired by our travels to Asia and memories of growing up,” determined to serve “the unapologetic flavors of true Asian food.”

Hawkers has nine locations currently open in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina, according to its website. Additional locations are coming to Nashville and Bethesda.

The menu includes Asian wings, noodle and rice dishes, curries, and dim sum, as well as sake and Japanese whisky cocktails.

Eater reports that the Ballston location “will function as the first test site for an expanded menu of dumplings and dim sum stuffed with everything from soup to pork to faux meat from Impossible.” It will also “sport a large patio and an indoor/outdoor bar slinging cocktails like a fiery Margari-Thai and to-go boozy pouches.”

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