restaurant

Oby Lee closes in Clarendon, Vietnamese restaurant expected to take its place

By ARLnow.com
1/2

After more than 10 years in business, Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop has closed in Clarendon.

When it opened in 2012, we described the eatery at 3000 Washington Blvd as the “inland version of the small chain of eponymous coffee shops owner Oby Lee once ran along the Delaware Shore.” Its website says it specializes in crepes, wine, coffee and Polish food.

A sign on the door suggests that the business was purchased — it appeared to be for sale this past fall — and that a Vietnamese restaurant, Saigon Bistro, will be taking its place.

This will be a bit of a trend reversal from previous decades. Clarendon was once known as Little Saigon for all of the Vietnamese restaurants and businesses that opened after mass migration during the Vietnam war. Many of those eateries and shops closed after Metro opened in 1979 and the neighborhood redeveloped.

Asked about the closure, Oby Lee sent the following statement to ARLnow.

Our Clarendon location is our 7th successful business location of our small chain which commenced in 1989, and like the others, we have been so fortunate to garner a loyal community following over our eleven years at The Reserve At Clarendon Centre.

For as much as we have loved this space, we were approached with an offer that we simply could not refuse, to sell this location!

We wish to thank the wonderful community for welcoming us into their lives. We’re really going to miss seeing everyone each week, or everyday for many! It’s not going to be the same for awhile, without the daily Gluten Free crepes for Michael, the Matt & Ilona signature Latte’, Chai Tea for Lee, seeing John reading his books, enjoying long conversations with Sandy & Douglas, and preparing VeryBerry for Lauren & Ed,  jokes with Gearred and Pietro, Alan never missing a Wednesday Prix Fixe, Brunch with the McCabe family and solving all the worlds problems with Ginny & Ted, in addition to the many, many honored patrons we will always keep close to heart. Over the years we’ve witnessed many of you getting married, sending your kids to college, getting a new puppy, buying a house, or moving across the states. We feel we have become much more than just a restaurant, but a part of the Arlington family. We thank our committed staff, namely our manager Mr. Bo Smulskyi, from Ukraine, who opts to stick with us as forever family to follow his dreams and build his life in the USA.

The next chapter begins…

We don’t say goodbye~ but see you later friends!

The Oby Lee Team

Hat tip to Ray Caputo

Langston Blvd McDonald’s makes a second pass at adding another drive-thru lane

By Jo DeVoe
1/2

The McDonald’s at 4834 Langston Blvd is once more looking to change its drive-thru to reduce backups that spill onto the busy road.

The fast food restaurant has filed a special exception use permit application to add a second ordering station and three more “standing spots” for customers. Currently, the site has one drive-thru lane and a circulating lane wrapped around it.

“The Application proposes a site layout that will improve vehicular flow and help minimize stacking onto Langston Blvd,” McGuireWoods lawyer Matthew Weinstein wrote in the application prepared on behalf of McDonald’s.

One apparent casualty, based on the rendering above: an aging and sparsely used McDonald’s PlayPlace, a free indoor playground for kids.

About three years ago, the fast food restaurant proposed a second drive-thru lane and a new recirculating lane that would have run between the restaurant and Langston Blvd. These plans fizzled, however, after county officials blasted the plans during an April 2020 meeting of the Arlington County Board.

This time, Weinstein says, the business engaged Arlington County staff to address issues they had with the 2020 application. After talking with staff, McDonald’s nixed the recirculation lane.

The April 2020 plans from McDonald’s to add a second ordering lane and a recirculation lane (file photo)

“The recirculation lane was staff’s primary concern about the 2020 application,” he wrote. “By removing the recirculation lane, the Applicant envisions a smooth traffic flow and minimal pedestrian conflicts.”

Building a second order station would result in 16 total standing spaces for cars, compared to the 13 that exist today, which “will help minimize potential vehicular stacking onto Langston Blvd,” Weinstein said.

Customers will access the drive-thru from the property’s northwest side, queue in one of two lanes, order, pick up their food and exit on the property’s northeast side.

McDonald’s also took the plans to the Langston Blvd Alliance to compare them against Plan Langston Blvd. This planning study reenvisions the corridor as denser, greener and more walkable.

McDonald’s new plans would reduce parking spots from 34 to 28 spaces but will plant more trees and shrubs to “provide a natural buffer between the restaurant and the Langston Blvd frontage,” Weinstein said.

“[This] will create an attractive setting for McDonald’s customer sand drivers passing by the restaurant on Langston Boulevard,” he said. “McDonald’s customers will also be able to enjoy an outdoor seating and dining area in the landscaped area long the Property’s Langston Boulevard frontage.”

Although the County Board has yet to adopt a final version of the Plan Langston Blvd study, Weinstein says, the plans from McDonald’s align with the preliminary concept plan, or PCP. This document envisions an enhanced streetscape with a wider-right-of-way, landscaped areas, street trees and flexible open spaces.

“The Project accommodates and will not inhibit the PCP’s enhanced streetscape recommendations,” he said.

The application is slated to be reviewed by the Arlington County Board alone, per a public notice of items up for review by the Planning Commission and the Board this month. The Board will meet on Saturday, March 18 and Tuesday, March 21.

Serving since 1988, El Pollo Rico continues to please

By Nick Barahona
1/9

El Pollo Rico continues to shine and live on a dream that has kept true for a consecutive 35 years.

If you live in Arlington, there’s a good chance you’ve had or at least heard about El Pollo Rico’s Peruvian chicken.

Regardless of your preference between other Peruvian chicken joints in the area, El Pollo Rico — at 932 N. Kenmore Street in Virginia Square — has built its reputation as being a restaurant with some pretty good chicken. Don’t believe me? Maybe hearing about visitors such as tennis goddess Serena Williams and late food icon Anthony Bourdain, who don’t just walk into any ol’ restaurant, will convince you otherwise.

Starting out in 1984, El Pollo Rico was born from Peru native Victor Solano and his dream idea of bringing a bit of home to the United States. The original location, for those who remember, was on the corner of Washington Boulevard, Fillmore Street and 10th Street N.

“We had to move because they put a building there that is now condominiums,” says current co-owner Ivan Solano.

When El Pollo Rico first opened it only offered coleslaw, fries and the mild and hot sauces. But let’s be honest, your chicken can be the best in the land, but if the sauce is not just as good, you’ll never have a path to the throne for best Peruvian chicken. For El Pollo Rico, however, the sauce is a strength.

“With our sauce, we take pride in making and have a secret recipe for it,” says Solano. “The people seem to love it.”

Fast forward to today and the legacy continues and has expanded, with Victor’s children now running 3 of the 4 Peruvian chicken locations — in Arlington, Woodbridge and Fairfax. And El Pollo Rico still has their original sides, of course, but now also has plantains, rice and beans to go with your order.

Solano highlights the importance of family and the connection to customers just as equally or even more so than the quality of chicken. Of course nothing stays around this long or keeps its popularity without doing something right with the food, but this devotion towards hospitality shows the core values held within the business and how it translates into the food.

“I know everyone keeps telling us that what separates us is the taste of the chicken, I want to hope that our hospitality does too,” Solano says.

Asking about the famous and notable people who come to visit from all over the world, he said the restaurant is more focused on its regular customers.

“Visits from celebrities are always a plus… but we have been very fortunate and blessed to have the customers that we have come in on a daily basis,” Solano said, adding that he is particularly proud to have built relationships with customers that have lasted over 30 years.

Discussing challenges faced through the years, it was no surprise that Covid was mentioned.

“Covid did hit us and made us pretty much rush into having delivery services… we had planned on doing so but this just made us pretty much jump into it right away,” Solano said.

At the height of the pandemic, there were cheers when news broke that El Pollo Rico was finally delivering. What followed was nothing but ringing phones and countless deliveries of chicken orders.

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Tuna Restaurant in Cherrydale is for sale, just months after opening

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Tuna Restaurant in Cherrydale is on the market, one of several Arlington restaurants publicly listed for sale.

The restaurant at 3813 Langston Blvd, serving Laotian and Japanese cuisine, opened in September after taking over the former space of Maneki Neko Express.

First-time restaurant owner Sak Vong expressed to ARLnow at the time high hopes for the revitalization of the Cherrydale neighborhood, which had just seen the closure of the well-regarded Gaijin Ramen Shop across the street.

Vong told ARLnow last week that he is selling because of a “new business opportunity overseas.”

The listing for Tuna on a business brokerage website says it’s bringing in more than $40,000 per month, has positive diner reviews, and has “plenty of room to grow.” The new owners would be able to retain the staff of six, says the listing, which comes with a $195,000 asking price. The restaurant’s lease reportedly runs through September 2025.

Several other Arlington restaurants are currently listed for sale on the brokerage site, though the identities of each have not been revealed. Among them:

  • Popular Restaurant & Bar for sale in Arlington — $225,000
    “Restaurant & bar for sale on a high traffic road in Arlington VA. This restaurant was established in 2019 built out with all brand new furniture, fixtures and equipment which are all still in pristine condition. Excellent menu consisting of a variety of appetizers, burgers, sandwiches, salads as well as an assortment of mouth watering specialty entrees. The highlight of this restaurant is the bar which serves numerous craft beers, wines, large whisky selection, liquor and specialty cocktails.”
  • 5 Day Cafe in Prime Location — $89,000
    “Prime location restaurant and cafe on a main road in Arlington opened only 5 days a week. Surrounded by office buildings, apartments and retail makes this a great location given the high volume walking traffic during work hours and evenings. This restaurant has been in business since 2016. The current menu consists of soups, salads, sandwiches and much more but can be converted to fit most menus/concepts.”
  • Low Rent & Profitable Free Standing Restaurant — $279,000
    “Profitable free standing restaurant in Arlington VA located on a heavy traffic road surrounded by residential. This restaurant has been in business since 1998 and has EXTREMELY LOW RENT for this area. The current menu and concept can be converted to almost any type of food or be kept the same. Very big kitchen great for catering and to accommodate large orders. With a rent of $5,700 per month and annual sales around $800,000 this is an excellent money making opportunity. 5 star google reviews.”
  • Absentee Owned Franchise Sandwich Shop — $99,000
    “Absentee owned national franchise sandwich shop/deli in Arlington. Conveniently located on a heavy traffic road surrounded by office buildings and residential. The menu consists of mostly deli sandwiches but can be converted to fit most menus. Large kitchen with high end equipment. Extremely low rent considering the location. MUST SEE!! Please inquire for more information. Current owner is ready to retire.”
  • Fantastic Corner Cafe’ and Market — $145,000
    “European café and market. Serving breakfast, lunch, evening snacks and deserts. All types of coffees, lattes, and teas. Pastries and bagels. Sandwiches, soups, and salads. Chips, candy, cigarettes’, and Ice cream, Refreshments, select micro beers, and fine wines. Inside and outside seating. A real must see.”

ARLnow reached out to Rebellion on the Pike, which opened in 2019, given the similarity between it and the “Popular Restaurant & Bar for sale in Arlington” listing. We have not heard back as of publication time.

Sweetgreen in Ballston has reopened after renovations

By Jo DeVoe
1/4

Salad lovers, rejoice. At long last, the Sweetgreen in Ballston is reopening for business today (Tuesday).

A bouquet of balloons, green, white and gold, as well as a sign advertising new offerings, are greeting customers outside. The restaurant opened at 10:30 a.m.

“It took a long time, but we’re finally back open,” a store staff member told ARLnow, adding that the renovations included some new construction and interior design work.

The closure for renovations at the 4075 Wilson Blvd location seems to have taken longer than anticipated.

Back in November, a more informal poster signed “Management Team” was affixed to the window, informing customers the fast-casual eatery would close early that day and remain closed until Dec. 2, 2022, encouraging customers to instead visit the Sweetgreen in Clarendon.

“We will be undergoing some changes that will better enhance your dining experience with us,” the poster said. “[We] look forward to serving you all again soon!!!!”

But December came and went, then January and February. Over the last two months, a handful of readers and devotées of the restaurant have reached out to ARLnow asking for updates.

“We are desperate to have our Sweetgreen back!” wrote one anonymous tipster.

Some came hoping for more answers, given the sudden nature of the closure and the relative lack of publicity around the renovations.

“They’ve been closed for a couple of months with the windows covered, and there hasn’t been anything posted publicly about what is going on or when they are going to reopen,” said one tipster.

ARLnow asked the company a few weeks ago for an update. At the time, a spokeswoman told us she had no updates to share yet.

By yesterday afternoon (Monday), the brown paper concealing the interior last week had been removed. Branded signage read “Almost ready for you, Ballston!”

Employees were working in the kitchen and boxes of Dunkin’ Donuts — fuel for reopening preparations — lay on a table.

Corner Bakery closes in Courthouse after company declares bankruptcy

By ARLnow.com
1/3

Corner Bakery Cafe has closed its last remaining Arlington location, in the Courthouse neighborhood.

Closed signs were posted on doors of the restaurant at 2111 Wilson Blvd this morning and employees could be seen inside organizing items. The fast-casual bakery-slash-cafe chain just declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and has struggled amid the pandemic and work-from-home trends.

Known for serving breakfast and lunch to an office-dwelling crowd, and for catering meetings and other workplace events, Corner Bakery has also struggled to compete with larger rival Panera.

A sign on the door of the Courthouse cafe, which is no longer listed on the company’s website, encouraged fans to visit the nearest location, on L Street NW in the District. There are now three Corner Bakery locations in D.C. and one in Bethesda, according to the website.

A Crystal City location closed in 2015.

Haute Dogs launches Williamsburg location with unofficial Arlington foodie summit

By Vernon Miles
1/4

Ahead of an official opening this weekend, Haute Dogs hosted a preview event last night with a coterie of Arlington’s underground “foodie” influencer community.

Haute Dogs has become a beloved local institution in Alexandria’s Old Town North neighborhood. The new location at 2910 N. Sycamore Street in the Williamsburg neighborhood takes over the spot previously occupied by Smoking Kow BBQ.

The menu features an array of the eponymous hot dogs, from the classics to the more outlandish, like a veggie dog topped with jalapeño and pineapple.

The official opening is Saturday, Feb. 25, but last night (Thursday) the new restaurant was packed with local food writers getting close-up shots of hot dogs and comparing notes.

At the center of the scene was Chloé Swanson. Chloé is one of Haute Dogs co-founders, along with her mother Pamela Swanson and her stepfather Lionel Holmes.

Chloé said the new restaurant is a shift in more ways than just moving across Four Mile Run. While the Old Town North location is located in the epicenter of a rapidly developing section of Alexandria, the Arlington location is in a decidedly more residential community and closer to several schools.

“There are so many schools around and parents didn’t really have a place to get a burger and beer that’s also family-friendly,” Chloé said. “There are not a lot of dine-in options in the neighborhood.”

The different type of neighborhood necessitated some changes in the menu, like the inclusion of new burgers on the Haute Dogs menu. Chloé said, in preparation of opening a new location with a slightly different menu, she opened a ghost kitchen to test concepts. Chloé said the ideas were tested against the jury of D.C. residents, and burgers won out.

“It’s overwhelming and exciting,” Chloé said. “We’ve wanted an Arlington space for a long time, then Covid hit.”

Chloé said during the pandemic, it was all hands on deck with a focus on keeping the main restaurant afloat, but in September they found the Smoking Kow BBQ location.

“We wanted to erase the BBQ identity and wanted to create a different space,” Chloé said, “a different visual look both from Smoking Kow and from our Alexandria location.”

Samara Singer, creator of Arlington foodie Instagram account A Town Bites, said there were a lot of other familiar faces in the local foodie community at the preview event. The Arlington social media foodie circle is a small but fairly tight-knit community, Singer said.

Many started their blogs after Covid started, and Singer said the Haute Dogs debut was a fun chance for many of them to meet each other in person.

Singer said she was excited for the fries and onion rings at Haute Dogs, but also said the location’s milkshakes could help fit a niche in the Williamsburg neighborhood.

“There are not a lot of other great shake locations around here,” she said.

Singer hopes Haute Dogs is able to capture an underserved evening demographic in the area with parents coming by after they’ve put their kids in bed. The eatery will be open at 11 a.m., closing at 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and at 5 p.m. on Sundays.

(more…)

Have visitors in Arlington for the long weekend? Here are some sightseeing, dining and nightlife ideas

By ARLnow.com
Clarendon on a warm Friday evening in March 2021 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

Presidents Day weekend is upon us and if you’re new to town or have visitors to entertain, you might be seeking some ideas for things to do around Arlington.

There’s no shortage of tourism and restaurant guides out there, but we decided to pose the question to ChatGPT, the AI chatbot, and request a daily itinerary.

The ideas were pretty solid, if conventional, though there was some out-of-date and questionable information included, as we notated in brackets and with strike-throughs. In ChatGPT’s partial defense, its data set ends at 2021.

The full conversation is below.

ARLnow: If you were planning three-day weekend in Arlington, Virginia, which activities would you do and which restaurants would you go to?

ChatGPT: Arlington, Virginia is a great destination for a weekend getaway with many attractions and great food options. Here’s an itinerary for a three-day weekend in Arlington:

Day 1:

  • Start the day by visiting Arlington National Cemetery, where you can pay your respects to the fallen heroes of the United States. Be sure to catch the Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which happens every hour on the hour.
  • Afterward, head to the nearby United States Marine Corps War Memorial (also known as the Iwo Jima Memorial) for a stunning view of the D.C. skyline.
  • For lunch, try a local favorite like the Italian Store or Ray’s Hell Burger [closed in 2017].
  • Spend the afternoon exploring the National Mall in Washington, D.C., just a short Metro ride away. Visit the Smithsonian museums and monuments, such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.
  • For dinner, head back to Arlington and try some modern American cuisine at Ambar Clarendon or Barley Mac.

Day 2:

  • Start the day by exploring the trendy Clarendon neighborhood, known for its unique shops and restaurants.
  • Visit the nearby Gravelly Point Park to watch planes take off and land at Reagan National Airport.
  • For lunch, try some authentic Vietnamese food at the iconic Pho 75 or try some tacos at District Taco.
  • Spend the afternoon at the Arlington Arts Center [now known as the Museum of Contemporary Art Arlington], a hub for contemporary art in the D.C. area.
  • For dinner, head to the iconic Ray’s the Steaks for some classic steakhouse fare [closed in 2019] or try some Middle Eastern cuisine at the Lebanese Taverna.

Day 3:

  • Start the day by exploring the historic neighborhood of Old Town Alexandria, just a short Metro ride away. Visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center and stroll along the waterfront.
  • For lunch, try some fresh seafood at the legendary Fish Market [in Alexandria] or enjoy some New Orleans-style cuisine at Bayou Bakery [in Arlington].
  • Spend the afternoon at the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, paying tribute to the victims of the September 11 attacks.
  • For dinner, head to the lively neighborhood of Ballston and try some Korean BBQ at Yechon [in Annandale] or some Latin American cuisine at SER Restaurant.

These are just some suggestions, but there are many other great things to do and places to eat in Arlington. I hope you have a great weekend!

ARLnow: If you wanted to go out for drinks after dinner one of those nights, what are some popular options? Also, are there any off-the-beaten-path options to consider?

ChatGPT: Arlington, Virginia has a vibrant nightlife scene, with plenty of options for a post-dinner drink. Here are some popular options and some off-the-beaten-path alternatives to consider:

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Essy’s Carriage House is serving up decades of memories before it closes next month

By Matt Blitz
1/5

It’s the day after Valentine’s Day and Janet Saedi is tired.

It was extremely busy and a bit “overwhelming” at Essy’s Carriage House last night, she tells ARLnow, while taking a breather at a white-clothed table adorned with fresh cut flowers right before the lunch rush. Janet cooks, manages, and does ordering for the restaurant.

She’s also the wife of owner Essy Saedi, who’s stepped out to go to the bank and grocery store.

After nearly five decades of serving, Essy’s Carriage House in Cherrydale will permanently shut its doors at the end of next month. The couple is retiring. The news was first reported by Charlie Clark for the Falls Church News-Press last week.

So, throughout Valentine’s Day, new diners and long-time customers alike were coming to get one last holiday meal at the long-time Langston Blvd landmark.

But, really, it’s been busy like this since Janet and Essy first started telling regulars their plans at the end of last year. It’s been tough on them.

“It’s really been fundamentally the two of us running this place,” Janet said. “But it’s been beautiful.”

The restaurant opened in 1975 with Essy Saedi fully taking over as owner a year later. It’s been a local staple ever since, serving up steak, liver, and crab cakes.

There were a few lean years in there, Janet says. The 2007-2008 recession was tough and, more recently, the pandemic forced the restaurant cut some staff. That’s left the two of them to do most of the work.

Janet and Essy were married in the 1980s and she joined him working at the restaurant later that decade. She notes with a laugh that it’s Essy who gets a lot of attention. He has a “quirky sense of humor that some people adore…and there are people who don’t quite get it.”

And he loves his customers back, she says. While he still does a lot of the prep work, sauce-making, and meat-braising, he’s most often out among the people in the dining room greeting, joking, and soaking it all in.

Janet knows it’s going to be tough for both of them when the time comes to lock the door for the final time.

“I don’t know how it’s going to feel at the end. I’m very comfortable that we’re doing the right thing,” she said. “There’s some element of relief. But it’s not going to be without emotion.”

As we talk, the phone rings while several customers come in asking for a table. It’s getting busy already and Essy is still out doing a few errands.

RJ McGlasson is one of those customers, sitting at a table by the wall. She tells ARLnow she’s been coming to Essy’s since the late 1970s with her husband.

“This is a dying breed,” McGlasson said. “It’s a great place where locals come and the food is good. It’s just like losing a member of the family.”

(more…)

Haute Dogs is homeward-bound, looking to open later this month in Arlington

By Matt Blitz
1/5

Haute Dogs is planning its grand opening later this month in Arlington’s Williamsburg neighborhood.

The Nationals Park favorite that serves up fancy hot dogs is aiming to open its first Arlington brick-and-mortar location on Saturday, Feb. 25 at the Williamsburg Shopping Center. It’s filling the space that was previously occupied by Smoking Kow BBQ, which closed last year.

The grand opening celebration starts at 11 a.m. and will include a raffle, giveaways, samples, and prizes.

“Bring your bestie, your favorite foodie, your bae, your brother, sister, neighbor, colleague, auto-mechanic, mother and child — the doors will open at 11am until 9pm (or till we sell out),” reads the grand opening announcement.

The opening of the eatery at 2910 N. Sycamore Street is a homecoming for the owners, who attended Yorktown High School and have lived in Arlington for decades.

“We have been seeking a location in Arlington for as long as we can remember. My mother and founding partner, Pamela Swanson, was raised in Arlington and went to Yorktown High School,” co-founder Chloé Swanson wrote ARLnow in October.”Our family has been rooted in Arlington for 3 generations.”

Haute Dogs serves up souped-up hot dogs, sausages burgers, fries, and tots, including a number of vegan and vegetarian options. The eatery first started in Purcellville in 2009 before opening an Old Town Alexandria location in 2012. Four years later, the restaurant won a Washington Nationals-sponsored contest that resulted in them opening a concession stand at the ballpark.

Swanson said that they took over the space in October and it has been “all hands on deck” to get it ready to open just a few months later.

Lebanese Taverna fast-casual outpost LebTav has closed in Ballston

By ARLnow.com
1/2

Lebanese Taverna’s quick-service concept LebTav has closed in Ballston.

Workers could be seen clearing out the interior of the restaurant at the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Quincy Street yesterday. It first opened in January 2020.

“I can confirm that we closed the Ballston location,” Lebanese Taverna co-owner Grace Abi-Najm Shea tells ARLnow. “It was rough opening right before Covid started and that location never gained the momentum we needed. With the workforce never returning fully to the office we were missing an essential segment of business and couldn’t make the numbers work.”

“The Shooshan Company has been great and worked with us since the beginning of the pandemic,” she added. “We are so grateful to them, and we can’t say that about many landlords.”

Other LebTav locations — including in Rockville, Annapolis, Silver Spring, and downtown D.C. — remain open, she said.

“All others aren’t going anywhere,” said Abi-Najm Shea.

The eateries offer a quick-service take on Lebanese Taverna favorites.

“LebTav offers the cozy comforts of Lebanese Taverna’s homestyle Middle Eastern cooking in a fast-casual environment. A pared down menu of falafel, shawarma, ouzi and salmon are offered as salads and bowls along with sides of hommus and other mezze favorites,” the company’s website says.

Lebanese Taverna has been Arlington-based and family-owned for more than four decades.

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