restaurant

Sushi Rock Gets Live Entertainment Permit, At a Cost

By ARLnow.com

Sushi Rock, Arlington’s leather-clad, rock ‘n’ roll take on Japanese cuisine, got the live entertainment permit it wanted from the county board last night, but it came with a restriction the business fought to avoid.

Sushi Rock volunteered for most of the provisions sought by residents of the high-end condos above the restaurant: keeping doors and windows closed during live entertainment, using sound-dampening materials, testing decibel levels in condos, designating a “neigborhood liason,” prohibiting loitering outside the business, picking up trash outside, and so forth.

Owners did not agree, however, to restricting the use of outdoor speakers on the restaurant’s patio. But that’s exactly what happened last night. The board approved the live entertainment permit with a provision that the outdoor speakers be shut off after 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 11:00 p.m. on weekends.

Sushi Rock partner Tony Hudgins was incredulous. He said the live entertainment permit would have no bearing on what’s broadcast through the speakers.

“If I’m following the logic… we’re actually being asked to give up what we’re already allowed to do, in order to get a live entertainment license that won’t allow us to broadcast [live performances] outside,” he said.

But two residents asked the board to restrict the use of the speakers.

“If the speakers are allowed to be on outside, I wouldn’t be able to sleep,” said condo owner Marilyn Lythgoe. It’s not clear if she had already been affected by the speakers, which were in use this summer.

Phyllis Bradley lives three stories above Sushi Rock. She also argued against the speakers, even though during a recent sound test, in which the outdoor speakers were in use, she acknowledged that “we did hear a sound, not even a pin drop.”

“If that’s how it’s going to be when they get their permit, I have no objections,” she said. “But I don’t think so.”

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What’s Going on With Yorktown Bistro?

By ARLnow.com

Police are out at Yorktown Bistro (5171 Lee Highway) after county code enforcement reported that a back door to the restaurant was open and no one was inside.

Apparently the same thing happened during business hours yesterday, leading at least one officer to believe that the restaurant may be abandoned.

Yelp reveals some unflattering customer reviews. A web site for the restaurant is no longer in operation.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Happy Veteran’s Day — A wreath-laying ceremony will take place at the Tomb of the Unknowns at 11:00 a.m. Most Arlington County government offices are closed today.

W-L High Teacher Heading to South Pole — An 11th-grade physics teacher at Washington-Lee is heading to the South Pole next month. Katey Shirey, 29, was invited to participate in a multi-million dollar Antarctic research project called Ice Cube. She’s only the fifth high school teacher to participate in the project. More from the Washington Post.

Restaurant Permits Up for Renewal — Restaurants in Shirlington and Clarendon will go before the County Board on Saturday. The Shirlington restaurants have their outdoor seating permit up for renewal, while the Clarendon restaurants have their live entertainment permits up for renewal. The requests will likely be granted, but new restrictions may be imposed on the Clarendon restaurants. More from the Sun Gazette.

Civ Fed Rejects Sign Vigilante Proposal — Buckingham resident Bernie Berne, who says he’s fed up with the proliferation of illegal signs in Arlington County, has suffered another setback in his quest to make it legal for citizens to remove unlawful signs from public property. The Arlington County Civic Federation rejected a resolution that would have supported Berne’s brand of sign vigilantism, which is currently frowned upon by local officials. More from TBD.

Flickr pool photo by BrianMKA

Trader Joe’s Could Open in Clarendon by Late Spring

By ARLnow.com

At the Lyon Village Civic Association’s meeting last night, officials from Traders Joe’s revealed additional details about their hotly-anticipated Clarendon store.

The company still hasn’t signed a lease, we learned; it’s waiting for the Arlington County board to approve a site plan amendment for the space it wants to occupy in the Clarendon Center development. That approval is expected next Tuesday, with county staff recommending the changes laid out in the amendment.

With the lease signed, Trader Joe’s expects to be able to open in late spring or early summer. No specific dates were discussed.

Company officials addressed two specific neighborhood concerns.

While acknowledging that parking will be a challenge for the store, especially with the crush of shoppers expected right after opening, the company is working with the manager of the Clarendon Center parking garage to alleviate potential underground traffic jams that could push cars onto neighborhood streets. Colonial Parking will assign an employee to direct traffic in the garage during certain times, we’re told.

Company reps also addressed worries about the aesthetics of the store. They promised to beautify areas of the store visible to neighbors, like an elevator that will be visible through the store windows. They pledged to decorate such areas with artwork rather than just with advertisements about food and sales.

One person who was at the meeting describes the crowd as “very receptive” to Trader Joe’s presentation.

A representative from Saul Centers, the developer behind the Clarendon Center project, will talk about Trader Joe’s with neighbors at the Lyon Park Civic Association meeting tonight Wednesday night at 7:30.

In related news, ARLnow.com has confirmed rumors that a large national chain restaurant has been eying a retail space in Clarendon Center. In fact, we’re told that the restaurant, said to be of the TGI Friday’s or Chili’s variety, was interested specifically in the 10,000 square foot space that will be occupied by Trader Joe’s.

“We think [Trader Joe’s] would be a better fit for the community,” a Saul Centers official told ARLnow.com. The official refused to name the restaurant.

California Tortilla Makes the Same Mistake as the Young Dems?

By ARLnow.com

Last week we told you about a seemingly innocuous event held by the Arlington Young Democrats: a happy hour to give free beer to anyone who showed up at a bar with a sticker indicating they voted absentee.

As Politico reported, however, such giveaways are illegal under federal election law. Starbucks has also learned that lesson.

But apparently nobody told local burrito chain California Tortilla. The company, which has a store in Courthouse, is offering a free taco to anyone who shows up with an “I Voted” sticker.

How long until the feds politely shut it down? Or, at least, force California Tortilla to give away tacos to everyone?

Update at 9:20 a.m. — As a commenter points out, the giveaway may be legal, after all. If you simply scream “I love election day” you qualify for a free taco, according to the California Tortilla website. Any federal election lawyers want to weigh in?

BBQ Bandidos Sling Sammys and Cemitas in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com

There’s a new mobile food vendor in town, and it’s just one of a host of new mobile lunchtime options that are sprucing up the tired Rosslyn food scene.

BBQ Bandidos served up their first sandwich less than three weeks ago, but already they’re developing a loyal customer base.

“It’s awesome, it’s authentic… you can taste the smokiness of the meat,” said India Hubbard, who along with several co-workers were getting lunch from the truck for the second time. Hubbard said they’ll be back soon to try other items on the menu.

BBQ Banditos serves up American barbeque sandwiches and Mexican cemita sandwiches –all either $6.50 or $7.00 — along with $1 chips and $2 bottled sodas.

Co-owners Shawn Lucas and Nathan Spittal both came from the restaurant industry, where they have a combined 17 years of experience and most recently held the titles of general manager and executive chef.

Lucas said they came up with the idea for the truck just three months ago.

“We were mad that there was no good barbeque in DC,” he said, explaining the idea’s genesis. He noted that the truck licensed only in Arlington — “for now.”

“We really like Arlington, we like Rosslyn,” Lucas said. “The people around here are really friendly… we have regular customers after two weeks, it’s great.”

The truck recently went to the inaugural Curbside Cookoff in DC, and captured third place. Other than that adventure, Lucas says, the truck has not ventured far from its regular lunchtime spot in Rosslyn.

Lucas attributes the truck’s success thus far to the lack of good food choices for local workers.

“I’m not going to say any names, but they’re all on that side of the street,” Lucas said, motioning in the direction of Chop’t, whose manager allegedly threatened to call the police when the truck parked in front of the restaurant recently.

(A police officer checked on the Bandido’s permits just before our interview. It’s unclear if the officer was there after receiving a complaint.)

Rosslyn workers are “kind of tired of the same lemming line that’s impersonal and corporate,” Lucas said of his brick-and-mortar competitors.

He may be on to something. Around lunchtime today, at least four food trucks and carts were parked along Lynn Street, and all had sizable lines. With Rosslyn’s hoped-for restaurant renaissance happening at a snail’s pace, it seems that mobile food vendors are swooping in to provide more selection and sophistication — a quirky, homegrown alternative to the chains.

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Another Accident in Front of Rhodeside Grill

By ARLnow.com

Remember back in May when a car came crashing into the front window of Rhodeside Grill? Well, it almost happened again.

A tipster sent us this photo of a two-car accident in front of the popular Wilson Boulevard hangout this morning.

“Glad the vehicle didn’t go through the window again, since the building’s exterior has recently gotten a facefilt (new paint, awnings),” our tipster writes. “But I’ll think twice about eating on the patio so close to this intersection!”

Roberto Donna May Be Cooking for His Freedom

By ARLnow.com

Acclaimed chef and convicted tax cheat Roberto Donna just opened a new DC restaurant that he hopes will return him to his former James Beard Award-winning glory. If it doesn’t, he could be going to jail.

Donna pleaded guilty to felony embezzlement this summer, after pocketing about $140,000 in meals taxes paid by customers at his now-defunct Bebo Trattoria restaurant in Crystal City. He received a five-year suspended sentence contingent on the repayment of back taxes. But Arlington County Treasurer Frank O’Leary is not happy the $500 per month repayment schedule that state prosecutors set for the $148,000 in taxes and penalties Donna currently owes the county.

“I am far from satisfied with this pace since, should it continue, we will not receive our last payment until September 2036,” O’Leary said. “In all likelihood, I will not be Treasurer at that point, but you can never tell.”

Should Donna’s financial problems continue — according to a recent Washington Post article, he was nearly $40,000 behind on his mortgage and owed at least $70,000 on credit cards — the chef may be unable to meet his repayments. And should that happen, O’Leary is poised to ask the Commonwealth’s Attorney to send him to jail.

Arlington County authorities, however, apparently are not the only ones after Donna. O’Leary said he believes that Virginia’s tax enforcers and the IRS are close to prosecuting Donna for hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of unpaid sales and employment taxes. He’s also being sued by former employees.

“As far as I can tell, the only organization in the United States of America that’s not after Roberto Donna is the Girl Scouts of America,” O’Leary quipped.

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Bacon Week Starts at 3 Restaurant

By ARLnow.com

A bacon martini. Maple bacon ice cream. Bacon on a stick. Pork wrapped in bacon.

Today is the beginning of Bacon Week at 3 Restaurant in Clarendon, and the eatery has a ramped up the creativity to generate a three-course bacon menu. There’s also a bacon happy hour from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., and a bacon-making class at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16.

The restaurant’s affinity for all things bacon has even earned it a segment on an upcoming Travel Channel special called “Bacon Paradise.”

Bacon Week runs through Oct. 21.

See photos of some of the dishes here.

RIP Bear Rock Cafe

By ARLnow.com

Last month we reported that the Bear Rock Cafe in Westlee had closed as the first step in a change in ownership. Now the Shirlington location has closed as well, and we’re told both will be shuttered for good.

The phone number for the Westlee location has been disconnected. The phone at the Shirlington location was answered by an employee who said both locations were closed permanently. When we asked to speak with the owner, the person on the other line hung up the phone.

It’s not immediately clear why the owners decided to close up shop. However, in recent months Yelp reviewers reported that the Shirlington location was regularly running out of menu items, a likely sign of economic distress.

“I liked the place,” said Alana Foster, who was dining outside at Busboys and Poets after discovering that Bear Rock’s doors were locked. She said she appreciated the cafe’s free Wi-Fi, the relatively low prices (compared to Busboys) and the electrical outlets for laptops under every booth.

“I’m sorry to see it go,” she said.

What Will Replace the Pike’s La Cabana Restaurant?

By ARLnow.com

Several months ago, La Cabana restaurant, on Walter Reed Drive next to the Arlington Drafthouse, boarded up its colorfully-decorated windows and locked the doors.

Since then, despite the increasing foot traffic in the area and the continuing revitalization of Columbia Pike, leasing agents have struggled to find any restaurants that want to move in and fix the place up.

Bizarrely, public records show that a company applied for a liquor license at this address in July. But leasing agent Ray Leverty said the space is vacant and still up for lease.

The area is ripe for another food and drink option. What would you like to see open up here?

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