restaurant

Delhi Club Back Open for Business

By ARLnow.com

Clarendon’s Delhi Club restaurant (1135 N. Highland Street) is back open after a kitchen fire forced it to close in June.

Delhi Club first opened its doors Friday night, for dinner, according to manager Mir Hussain. The restaurant has been attracting sizable crowds ever since the reopening, he added.

“Business is good,” a relieved but busy Hussain said during today’s lunch service. “We opened on Friday and Friday was very busy.”

Delhi Club originally had hoped to open a week after the fire, but only recently received the last of the county permits required to reopen.

Arlington’s Most Outspoken Restaurants on Twitter

By ARLnow.com

Some restaurants say the darndest things… when they go on Twitter.

Buttoned-up and professional inside, these restaurants become your chatty pal when you follow them on Twitter. Sometimes outspoken, sometimes outrageous, sometimes attention-seeking, and occasionally Tweeting about something legitimately restaurant-related, these eateries have a personality on social media that has little to do with to the experience of going there and having a meal.

We have selected L.A. Bar and Grill (2530 Columbia Pike), T.H.A.I. In Shirlington (4029 Campbell Avenue) and The Front Page (4201 Wilson Blvd) as Arlington’s Most Outspoken Restaurants on Twitter.

Whether it’s pontificating on the off-season signings of the Washington Capitals, telling someone who just went to a competing restaurant to “try us… next time” or calling Comcast a bunch of “a–holes,” these restaurants are unafraid to deviate from the normal sales pitches that one might find on the Twitter accounts of larger, corporate-owned restaurants.

“It’s just something to have fun with, not to be too serious,” said Sean Deloatche, general manager of L.A. Bar and Grill. “A lot of our regulars, to be honest, aren’t on Twitter. It’s more towards our younger crowd.”

Deloatche, who runs the restaurant’s Twitter account, says that it’s not about trying to sell more food or drink, it’s about having a conversation with customers.

“Every bar has to be more serious on Twitter, but that’s not the way we talk to our customers anyway,” he said. “We can say things that every other bar wants to say, but can’t. We are like a neighborhood dive bar, and we play to our strengths. We don’t try to be anything that we’re not.”

See examples of Sean’s nontraditional Tweeting, and the Tweets of the two other “outspoken” restaurants, after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Lost Dog Cafe Expanding — The Lost Dog Cafe location on Columbia Pike is expanding. The restaurant is taking over the space once occupied by an adjacent cell phone store. [Pike Wire]

Changes to ‘Secure Communities’ — The federal government is changing the ‘Secure Communities’ program to “avoid further confusion” about whether it’s optional or not. Arlington tried to “opt out” of the program — which shares local arrest data with federal immigration authorities — last year. The program will remain mandatory for local jurisdictions, but now it will be conducted without formal, signed memoranda of agreement with individual states. [Washington Post]

Capital Bikeshare Saves Lives? — Arlington’s Commuter Services department is touting a recent British study that found that a bike share program in Barcelona saved about 12 lives as a result of the extra physical activity from bicycling. The study also found that the program eliminated 9 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions. “In other words, bike-sharing and Capital Bikeshare are good for you and the air we breathe,” an Arlington official writes. [CommuterPage Blog]

Cuccinelli Shrugs off Local Dem Attacks — Those local Democratic candidates who have been calling Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli an “extremist” and other unkind words? Not a concern for Cuccinelli. “It’s a little bit hard to take seriously being called ‘so far outside the mainstream’ by people who are so far to the left they can’t see the middle,” he said in an interview. [Sun Gazette]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Pinkberry Opens in Clarendon — The new Pinkberry frozen yogurt store in Clarendon officially opens its doors at 11:00 this morning. Yesterday evening, people queued up around the block as the store gave away free frozen yogurt to anyone willing to wait in line. The giveaway didn’t seem to be hurting Red Mango, Pinkberry’s froyo rival. One block away, Red Mango was still doing brisk business as the Pinkberry line grew.

Dems Plan Dunk Tank at Chili Cookoff — Arlington County Democrats have a new weapon in their fundraising arsenal — a dunk tank. County Dems plan to roll out the dunk tank during their annual Labor Day Chili Cookoff, with the goal of collecting cash from those who want to dunk elected officials. [Sun Gazette]

Residents Raise Money for Nat’l Park — Dominion Hills/Bon Air residents Jason Andelman and Kelly Holland are “regular city folks with a hankering to get back to nature,” according to the Shenandoah National Park Trust. That’s why the pair — friends whose kids go to school together at Ashlawn Elementary — is planning to hike 100 miles through the park in September to help raise $5,000 for the Trust. In addition to being an avid hiker, Andelman is also the owner of Clarendon chocolate shop Artisan Confections (1025 N. Fillmore Street). [Shenandoah National Park Trust, Crooked Trail 100 Blog]

Rustico Plans ‘Family Table’ Sunday Suppers — Rustico restaurant in Ballston (4075 Wilson Blvd) is planning a weekly family-style supper, inspired by Executive Chef Steve Mannino’s Italian-American upbringing. The ‘Family Table’ meals will start this Sunday and continue every Sunday from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. Each week will feature a different Italian main course from Mannino’s collection of family recipes. The meal is $20 for adults and $10 for kids, including bruschetta and salad to start and biscotti for dessert.

Delhi Club Hopes to Reopen Next Week

By ARLnow.com

It’s been more than a month since a kitchen fire shut down Clarendon’s Delhi Club restaurant (1135 N. Highland Street). Now, after numerous delays, the restaurant is hoping to reopen next week.

Dehli Club manager Mir Hussain, who originally hoped to reopen within a week of the fire, says he’s working to obtain one last county permit before the restaurant can finally open its doors again. In the meantime, ladders are up and some work still continues on the restaurant’s interior and exterior

Hussain says he anticipates getting the county permit soon, and opening the restaurant at some point next week.

Changes Coming to Champion Billiards

By ARLnow.com

Champion Billiards, a Shirlington-area haven for poolsharks since the early 90s, is getting a new name, a new menu and a pair of new owners.

Misti Wise and Amy Borek were bartenders at Champion (2620 S. Shirlington Road) during the 90s. Now they’re coming back as owners, hoping to turn around Champion’s moribund business by making the place more attractive as a local food-and-drink destination.

“We want to appeal to everybody in the community, not just the staunch pool players,” said Borek. “Our hope is to be a real neighborhood destination… It will be a great story if we’re successful.”

The actual changes planned are somewhat minor. At the end of the month, Wise and Borek are planning to close Champion for a week to freshen up the place: add a new coat of paint, replace the old TVs with new flat screen TVs, spruce up the bar, etc. They will also be changing the name, from “Champion Billiards” to “Lucy’s ARL.” The pool tables and other staples will remain, although a skeeball machine may be added.

Then there are the planned changes to the menu, which Borek says will be key to attracting new customers. The tired old bar food will be replaced by “good bar food,” while prices will be kept relatively low.

“Before, food was kind of an after-thought,” Borek said. “I don’t want to alienate the existing customer base, so we don’t want to go high-end, but we want to have fun food with a bit of a twist.”

Among the signature menu items that the new owners plan to introduce are “zawiches” — sandwiches that use two slices of pizza instead of bread, like the kind Borek saw venders offering on the streets of Italy. A new, more interesting chicken tender appetizer and a pulled pork sandwich are among the other planned signature items.

Borek and Wise, who officially take over ownership on Sept. 1, will be renting the space from Champion’s existing owner. After working there for many years, then leaving, then coming back, Borek says they’re looking forward to reviving a place that “has history in the community.”

“We’re very, very excited,” she said. “You walk back in and it’s like old times. It’s a cool feeling.”

Ireland’s Four Courts Makes a Comeback

By Katie Pyzyk

(Updated at 2:55 p.m.) More than three months ago, fire ravaged Ireland’s Four Courts (2051 Wilson Blvd) in Courthouse. But like a phoenix, the pub is about to emerge from the ashes.

The February fire gutted the kitchen, back halls and roof, forcing the pub to resort to a limited menu of mostly cold foods. Only being able to open a portion of the restaurant meant they were bringing in about 40 percent of the usual business.

The damage was more significant than anticipated, requiring many repairs in order to reopen. General Manager Dave Cahill (who hails from Limerick, Ireland) says that prompted the decision to redevelop and modernize the entire pub. Some of the changes include new hardwood and tile floors, new wood paneling and paint on the walls, a new main bar, a redone party area and the addition of a deck in the back. There are also new beers on tap, new glassware to be used with each specialty beer and an expanded scotch and whiskey list.

Four Courts also hired a new chef — Joel Lucas — who had previously worked at McCormick & Schmick’s and Chef Geoff’s. He’s been developing an updated menu. Lucas and Cahill said they will still serve the standard Irish dishes that Americans are familiar with, like corned beef and cabbage. However the revamped menu will include new items, several of them reflecting Ireland’s seafood offerings, such as scallops or salmon.

Lucas pointed out that the pub features “from scratch cooking” and fresh produce grown locally in Virginia. Customers will also see gourmet cheeses made at Cahill’s family farm in Ireland topping some dishes.

Despite all the changes, Cahill stresses that Four Courts will still have the same feel of a traditional Irish pub, but with a fresher look. He and Lucas have spent a lot of time and money studying pubs in Ireland, trying to mimic specific points of authenticity in both ambiance and fare.

“We want people to feel like they’re actually in a pub in Ireland when they come here,” Cahill said.

Tomorrow, Ireland’s Four Courts will start serving its expanded menu. A full grand re-opening is scheduled for August 31. The Four Courts website has the pub’s new hours and menu. More photos, after the jump.

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Pete’s To Begin Segway Pizza Delivery Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Pete’s New Haven Apizza will begin its delivery service tomorrow.

As we reported last month, the restaurant will deliver pizzas via mopeds, cars and, for addresses within a mile of Pete’s Clarendon location, via Segway. Pete’s co-owner Joel Mehr called the restaurant’s custom-modified Segway “an extremely efficient way to deliver to urban residents.

At least at first, delivery will only be available in the evening, from 5:00 p.m. to close.

Pete’s opened nearly four months ago at 3017 Clarendon Boulevard. The restaurant’s phone number is 703.527.PETE.

Accident in Wendy’s Drive-Thru Lane

By ARLnow.com

It’s not every day that a significant collision happens in a crowded lunchtime drive-thru line, but it happened today at the Wendy’s at 3431 Columbia Pike.

A white work van was rear-ended by a red Honda Accord as the van waited for its order at the pick-up window. The Accord’s tires squealed as it rounded the tight drive-thru corner at a relatively high speed, slamming into the back of the van. Neither the van driver nor the elderly female Accord driver were injured.

In addition to damaging both vehicles, the accident bent and dislodged some of the posts on the metal railing that separates the drive-thru from the sidewalk.

Deal of the Day: 60% Off at First Down Sports Bar

By ARLnow.com

Our partners at WTD have a deal this week especially for Ballston and Virginia Square residents.

They’re offering $20 worth of food at First Down Sports Bar & Grill (4213 N. Fairfax Drive) for only $8. First Down has a menu that includes loaded tater tots, tex mex eggrolls, pizza, burgers, and 40 different chicken wing flavors. If you’re not watching sports on the restaurant’s HDTV’s, you can play shuffleboard, foosball and other bar games.

First Down is a “home” bar for fans of the Redskins, Capitals, Wizards, Steelers, Red Sox, Virginia Tech, and WVU.

Ben’s Chili Bowl Eyeing Expansion in Clarendon?

By ARLnow.com

The owners of Ben’s Chili Bowl are considering opening a new location in Clarendon, the Washington City Paper reported today.

Kamal and Nizam Ali are said to be looking at a half-dozen different locations in D.C., Maryland and Virginia, including Clarendon.

Currently, the U Street landmark — famous for its half-smokes and its Bill Cosby connection — only has one other satellite location: in Nationals Park.

Photo via Ben’s Chili Bowl

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