new restaurant

Heavy Seas Targeting Mid-February Opening in Rosslyn

By Ethan Rothstein
Heavy Seas Alehouse in Rosslyn

Heavy Seas Alehouse in RosslynHeavy Seas Alehouse, which has been under construction at 1501 Wilson Blvd for months, is targeting next month for its opening.

“We are aiming for somewhere around the week of Feb. 17,” The Alehouse said last week. “No official date yet, though.”

The alehouse, affiliated with the Baltimore brewery of the same name, was originally targeting a December opening date. In recent months, it has been hiring staff and, last Friday, announced its Chef de Cuisine would be Marc Kennedy, former executive chef at McCormick & Schmick’s in Crystal City.

The 6,000-square-foot alehouse will be at the corner of N. Oak Street at 18th Street in Rosslyn. The bar will have 15 taps rotating primarily with Heavy Seas beers. It will open daily for lunch at 11:00 a.m. and will be able to fill growlers for customers.

Taj of India Now Open in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com
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A new Indian restaurant recently opened in Crystal City.

Taj of India opened in the former Cucina Vivace space at 509 23rd Street S. It’s a second storefront for Taj of India, which originally opened in Georgetown 12 years ago.

Entree prices at Taj of India generally range from $10-20. It also has a $12-13 lunch special.

Taj of India is located next to Bistro 7107, a Filipino restaurant that quietly opened in the former El Pollito space this past summer. Named after the 7,107 islands of the Philippine archipelago, Bistro 7107 is one of the few sit-down restaurants serving primarily Filipino cuisine in the D.C. area.

‘Four Sisters Grill’ Coming to Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Fat Shorty's(Updated at 3:20 p.m.) Hoa Lai, the executive chef of the Four Sisters Vietnamese restaurant, will be opening “Four Sisters Grill” in the former Fatshorty’s space in Clarendon.

In November, we reported that permits were filed for a “Thaiger Asian Bistro” in the space at 3035 Clarendon Blvd. Now it appears that those plans have changed and “Four Sisters Grill” will be opening instead.

Lai has been executive chef at Four Sisters, now located in Merrifield, for more nearly 15 years. Arlington Magazine called Four Sisters, which is owned by Lai’s parents, “arguably the most sought-out Vietnamese eatery in the D.C. area” in a profile last year.

Lai tells ARLnow.com that Four Sisters Grill will be a fast casual version of the original Four Sisters restaurant. It will serve about 20 menu items, compared to the nearly 200 items at the Merrifield restaurant.

“It’s been my vision for a couple years now,” he said. “I think this area really likes that. This area’s very quick paced — they want to eat, they want to go.”

Menu items will include “hearty, quick and simple” Vietnamese food like banh mi sandwiches, vermicelli noodles and rice-based dishes like lemongrass chicken. The dishes will be large and will come with lots of vegetables, Lai said. The menu will be budget priced, with entrees ranging from $5 to $12, or about $7-8 on average, he said.

“It should be simple, not crazy over the top,” he said. “At the end of the day you don’t want to pay $15-20 an item just for a chicken dish.”

Lai is hoping to open the restaurant, complete with a brand new interior, by the end of February. A building permit was applied for late last month.

Blue Sea Seafood Opening Soon in Shirlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Blue Sea Seafood Restaurant logoBlue Sea Seafood Restaurant will soon be the newest culinary addition to the Village at Shirlington.

Blue Sea will specialize in “spicy Cajun seafood,” according to its website, offering such dishes as crawfish tails, fried frog legs (called “swamp wings” and tossed in a Creole BBQ sauce), catfish nuggets (served with “chef’s redneck sauce”), lobster mac and cheese, seafood gumbo and “breaded Florida alligator tail.” For the health conscious, there’s also a soup and salad menu.

The restaurant is replacing Bear Rock Cafe at 4251 Campbell Avenue, which closed in 2010. Plans materialized to open a vegan restaurant in the space in 2011, but those apparently fell through.

Blue Sea’s general manager tells ARLnow.com that the restaurant is still hiring and is hoping to open in time for Valentine’s Day.

Ben’s Chili Bowl Hoping to Open Next Month

By Ethan Rothstein

Ben's Chili Bowl under construction in Rosslyn Ben's Chili Bowl under construction in Rosslyn

Ben’s Chili Bowl, the District-based late-night institution, is hoping to open its new location in Rosslyn next month.

News broke that the restaurant would be coming to Arlington in early September, and co-owner Nizam Ali told ARLnow.com he was hoping for a New Year’s Day opening, but acknowledged that was a bit too optimistic.

“The build-out is going well but the holidays got us a bit,” Ali said in an email last week. “Realistically we are about a month out, so early February is the plan right now.”

Ben’s Chili Bowl will be located at 1725 Wilson Blvd, in the old Ray’s Hell Burger storefront in Colonial Village Shopping Center. Ali has said the Rosslyn location will be designed to have the same feel as their U Street restaurant and plans to also be open for late night.

Letter to the Editor: Italian Store Could Spur Unwelcome Development

By ARLnow.com

Westover 7-Eleven closesJudging by the deluge of views and comments on our article about the Italian Store planning to open a second location, in Westover, most residents are excited about the opening.

But not everybody thinks the Italian Store will be an all-over positive development for the neighborhood.

Here’s a letter to the editor from former Westover resident Kyle Herchert:

I live in Rosslyn now, but from 2005 to 2012, I lived in the same house in Westover. (Tara Leeway Heights if you want to be a stickler).

I still remember the day I discovered the Forrest Inn. It was like a scientist who haphazardly stumbles upon a whole new species. I couldn’t believe there was a place like that in Arlington! It was amazing to me. I loved the fact that there was still a place that had remained unscathed amid the rapid growth we’ve all experienced living in Arlington over the last decade.

In many ways, all of Westover is like the Forrest. The entire strip had managed to retain its sleepy town feel even amid the hustle and bustle of the biggest little county in America. I’ve always enjoyed that feeling. It’s the feeling you get walking out of Pete’s Barber Shop, where I still get my hair cut, to stroll down to the Beer Garden just to check out the vibe. Westover just felt like home.

On the surface, the introduction of the Italian Store seems like a natural fit to the area – and in almost every way it is. It’s a mom and pop shop opening in the quintessential mom and pop town. However, the undeniable popularity of the Italian Store will undoubtedly attract huge numbers to the area. Once that happens I think it’s just a short time before investors realize that they can have success in the Westover area as well. How long will it be before the Forrest becomes a Boston Market or even worse, and Palm Beach Tan.

Maybe I’m being paranoid, I guess only time will tell.

— Kyle Herchert

A new weekend feature in 2014, ARLnow.com is now publishing letters to the editor. To submit a letter to the editor, please email it to [email protected].

Heavy Seas Alehouse is Hiring (Promoted)

Heavy Seas Alehouse logoLocated in downtown Rosslyn, Heavy Seas Alehouse is a chef-driven, up-scale casual restaurant and bar featuring Heavy Seas Brewery and regional craft beer.

Servers: Do you have 2 years of experience in a high-volume restaurant? Are you team-orientated and guest-focused? Craft beer knowledge is preferred, but not necessary.

Hosts: Are you friendly and outgoing with a great smile? Experience with Open Table is a bonus.

Bussers: Do you have high energy, a great attitude, and like to have fun at work?

If so, stop by for an interview — Monday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sundays 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

This job post is sponsored by Heavy Seas Alehouse.

Bar Louie to Open Next Week

By Katie Pyzyk

Bar Louie logoThe new Bar Louie in Crystal City should bring a lot of holiday cheer, considering it’s expected to open the day after Christmas.

Bar Louie will fill a 5,480 square foot space at 320 23rd Street S. formerly occupied by Memphis Barbecue. This will be the sixth Metro D.C. location for the Texas based chain. Bar Louie is known for signature martinis, but also features small plates, flatbreads, salads, burgers and sandwiches.

To celebrate its grand opening next Thursday (December 26), the bar and restaurant will host a three day celebration next week. From Friday, December 27 through Sunday, December 29, customers can enjoy drink specials and free food. Each customer will receive one free appetizer or flatbread just for stopping by. There are reportedly other surprises planned for the bash that have not been announced yet.

“There’s a lot happening during our opening events that guests are going to be blown away by,” said Bar Louie General Manager Tom Jones in a written statement. “The best part of opening after the holidays is we get to throw an amazing grand opening and roll right into our New Year’s Eve party, which is going to be insane.”

Bar Louie will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. and offers the entire menu until last call. It will host happy hour drink specials as well as half priced flatbreads and appetizers from 4:00-7:00 p.m. every Monday through Friday.

New Restaurant to Replace Leek in Ballston

By Katie Pyzyk

The former Leek American Bistro in BallstonComing on the heels of the sudden closure of Leek American Bistro last month, a new restaurant is now moving into the space. “Republic at Arlington” should open in Ballston early next year, its managers say.

Executive Chef and operating partner Alan Newton describes the concept as “modern comfort food with some international flair.” He said customers can expect high quality, made from scratch food in a casual setting.

“We want to be known as a great place for drinks and great food. There’s a lot of French influence in the food as well,” Newton said. “You can wear a suit or wear shorts, you’ll feel comfortable either way.”

Republic at Arlington is expected to serve dinner dishes priced at $20 and less, as well as lunch dishes for $10-15. The bar will feature a selection of craft beers and specialty mixed drinks. The owners have a unique idea for how to compile the drink menu — let the patrons decide.

“Since the restaurant is called Republic, we want people voting and picking out what they like,” Newton said. “We’ll either incorporate an online voting system or something when you stop in the restaurant.”

Along with Newton, the management team includes owner Thanh Caodac and general manager Anthony Catselites. All three have management experience at McCormick & Schmick’s. Newton also helped to open Sweetwater Tavern in Centreville.

Newton is trying to make sure customers don’t draw parallels between the new restaurant and Leek. So far, the only connection appears to be the location at 801 N. Quincy Street.

“It’s going to have a totally different feel from Leek,” he said. “We’re hoping that no one will recognize the place when they walk in.”

Newton described the restaurant design as “industrial vintage with a slight touch of neoclassic twist.” Unlike Leek, he said, the new restaurant will not have tablecloths.

Currently, there’s not much to see at the restaurant — the windows are covered with paper. However, renovations are underway inside and the owners hope to open in mid-February. They expect to hold a grand opening event in the spring.

“We plan on being there as a member of the community for a long, long time — just a great neighborhood restaurant,” said Newton.

New Italian Store Location to Replace 7-Eleven in Westover

By ARLnow.com

Westover 7-Eleven closes Westover 7-Eleven closes

(Updated at 7:00 p.m.) The Italian Store will be opening a second location next year, in the Westover neighborhood.

The store, which sells sandwiches, pizza, wine and gourmet Italian grocery items, has enjoyed considerable success at its Lyon Village location, at 3123 Lee Highway. The new location, at 5839 Washington Blvd, will be about twice the size as the original, according to owner Robert Tramonte, whose family has owned and operated the store since 1980.

“Our square feet is more than double that of the Lyon Village store, approximately 6,000,” Tramonte told ARLnow.com. “We envision doing everything that we currently have at Lyon Village plus a new Illy espresso coffee bar and other surprises.”

The Italian Store will replace a 7-Eleven convenience store, which closed its doors last night (Sunday). Customers are being asked to instead shop at the 7-Eleven at 6730 Lee Highway.

Tramonte says he expects to begin “a total renovation” of the new location next month.

“Our projected opening date is May 18th pending a fast track permitting process,” he said.

Correction: This article previously stated that the new location would be the Italian Store’s first expansion. Tramonte says the family “has had several other stores… over the years” but currently operates only in Lyon Village.

Bonefish Grill Coming to Pentagon Row

By Katie Pyzyk

Bonefish Grill logo(Updated at 2:05 p.m.) Bonefish Grill will be opening a location in Arlington next year.

The new restaurant will be located in Pentagon Row, not far from Sur La Table on S. Joyce Street. It will fill a 5,350 square foot space where the Desi Innovations furniture store used to be.

Bonefish Grill is a national chain specializing in market-fresh fish and other wood-grilled specialties.

“Pentagon Row’s latest addition will be a dinner, cocktails and brunch destination for the neighborhood, and we’re proud Bonefish Grill chose Pentagon Row for their Arlington location,” said Robin McBride of Federal Realty Investment Trust.

The restaurant is expected to open sometime next summer.

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