Lucille’s Chophouse to Replace Bistro Bis
Chef Matt Baker is opening Lucille’s Modern Chophouse on the ground floor of the Kimpton George Hotel, 15 E Street NW, replacing chef Jeff Buben’s Bistro Bis.
Lucille’s wood-heavy dining room will include an open kitchen. (Rendering: Schamu Machowski + Patterson)
Although no closing date has been announced yet for the 26-year old French restaurant, Lucille’s hopes to open by Thanksgiving.
Baker’s 101 Hospitality group includes Michelin-starred American restaurant Gravitas, French-influenced Michele’s, all-day cafe Baker’s Daughter and catering company CMB at Home.
Lucille’s will feature meats dry-aged in a locker on display in the dining room. The plan is to showcase four or five cuts at a time, including Japanese and Texan wagyu along with domestic prime beef.
Lucille’s modern American menu combines Baker’s New Mexican roots, Texas upbringing, French training and Singaporean experiences. Starters will include a Singapore chili crab salad with crispy garlic, ginger and Thai basil; a raw bar with oysters, chilled lobster and shrimp cocktail; and a wedge salad with Point Reyes blue cheese. For entrees, look for braised beef short ribs, grilled Iberico pork loin with piperade and salsa verde and a spice-crusted lamb rack with cucumber-mint salad and riata, plus Key Lime pie for dessert.
Lucille’s menu will also include some favorites from Baker’s other restaurants, including the smash burger from Michele’s and an appetizer trio with tuna sashimi from Gravitas. There will also be French onion soup as an homage to Bistro Bis.
A marquee out front will lead into a throwback space reminiscent of the Rat Pack era, when steakhouses rose to fame. Lucille’s is named for both actress Lucille Ball and Baker’s daughter, Lucy.
Baltimore-based Schamu Machowski + Patterson is designing the space. Large sliding windows offer indoor-outdoor seating at the bar. There will also be sleek lighting accents, decorative bookshelves, artwork and reupholstered banquettes.
Nooks and partitions between banquettes will offer diners like congressmen, media and lobbyists seclusion. Lucille’s will keep the existing wine cellar and a new martini cart will pour vodka-and-gin variations tableside, joined by roving drink enhancers like caviar and shrimp cocktail.
Mussel Bar will open its new Bethesda location on Oct. 16. (Photo: Mussel Bar/Facebook)
Mussel Bar Opens Bethesda Location Wednesday
Robert Wiedmaier’s Mussel Bar & Grille opens its new Bethesda location on Wednesday at 4903 Cordell Ave.
Mussel Bar closed its 7262 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda, location in April 2022. The restaurant replaces the former Paris in Town, which was only open about a year. It was previously home to Fuse Taco, Bold Bite and Smash Burger.
Mussel Bar originally opened in Bethesda in July 2010. A second location followed in Atlantic City, N.J, and a third opened in Ballston. The Atlantic City location has since closed, but Ballston remains open at 800 N. Glebe Road.
More than mussels, the restaurant serves a wide range of casual dining fare, including grilled and brick oven fired dishes, seasonal salads, soups and hand-crafted desserts. Belgian classics such as frites, oysters, cheese and chocolate weave their way throughout the menu to accompany the expansive Belgian beer list, wines and seasonal cocktails.
The restaurant will be open 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11:30 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
A rendering of the dining room at Modan. (Rendering: Modan)
Modan to Bring Upscale Japanese Fare to NoVa
Modan, 1788 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, will open a modern Japanese concept in Northern Virginia this fall.
The 7,000 square-foot restaurant will feature a bar, sushi counter, private Omakase counter, private dining room and an outdoor patio in the new Heming apartment complex.
Under the direction of Executive Chef Micheole “Chico” Dator, Modan features in-house dry aging. During the dry aging process, enzymes break down the protein and fat in the meat while drawing out moisture. Modan will apply its dry-aging techniques not only to beef but fish as well, offering a curated variety of buttery, dry-aged cuts from both land and sea.
Dator most recently worked as the executive sushi chef at Nobu DC. Prior to that, he worked in Nobu Kuala Lumpur, Nobu Malibu and Nobu Lanai.
Designed by CollectiveArchitecture, Modan’s interior includes an open concept sushi counter and an expansive dining room.
“We’re thrilled to bring Modan to life in a thriving and innovative culinary community here in the Northern Virginia region.” said Joon Yang, lead operator of The Modan Hospitality Group.
Bar Americano will open Friday in the former snack kiosk outside the National Air and Space Museum on Friday. (Photo: Bar Americano)
Bar Americano Opens Friday on National Mall
Bar Americano, from the team behind Park View’s Sonny’s Pizza, will open this Friday in the old snack kiosk in front of the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall.
The snack bar closed during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The kiosk, which will only offer outdoor seating, will serve a full coffee program, hot chocolate, house-made pastries and made-to-order focaccia breakfast sandwiches in the morning. The rest of the day, it will serve Sonny’s grandma-style square pizza (cheese, pepperoni or mushroom), Italian-style focaccia sandwiches, salads, canned craft beer, natural wine by the glass and bottle, and spritzes.
Most of the prep will take place at Sonny’s but be finished and cooked on-site in the kiosk’s basement kitchen.
Bar Americano will close for at least part of the winter and reopen in the spring, likely with an expanded menu and hours.
Bar Americano will be open from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday through Sunday to start.
Kapow Buddy opens Tuesday on the lower level of Westfield Montgomery Mall serving Thai street bowls. (Photo: Kapow Buddy/Facebook)
New Eateries at Westfield Montgomery Mall
Several new eateries are open or on their way soon to Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda.
Falafel Inc. will take over the space recently occupied by Butter Chicken House, next to Chick-Fil-A.
The D.C.-based chain serves authentic, all-natural, freshly made vegan dishes including falafel, hummus, bowls and sides like Zaatar fries and Tabouli salad. The restaurant has locations across D.C., Northern Virginia, and New Jersey.
Subway is set to open in the former J. Chow’s, which closed in December 2023. With nearly 37,000 locations worldwide, Subway is one of the largest restaurant chains globally. In 2021, a Subway-inspired eatery called Big Al’s briefly operated in the mall but closed after just six months.
Kapow Buddy, a Thai restaurant offering “Thai Street Bowls,” opens Tuesday in the space that was recently Butter Me Up in the Old Navy Wing on the lower level of the mall. The restaurant will offer a 50% off special from Oct. 15-19.
Menu offerings include krapow bowls – the Thai version of Korean bibimbop — starting at $11.50 and other Thai “street snacks” priced from $6-$12. The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Kelly’s Cajun Grill will be located between Panda Express and Sarku Japan in the mall’s dining terrace. Kelly’s is known for its bourbon chicken, blackened fish and Cajun shrimp.
Kelly’s was previously located at Lakeforst Mall in Gaithersburg and was one of the last remaining tenants at the time of the mall’s closure.
Donutchew, which has been operating from a “pop up” kiosk in the food court since December, moved to its permanent location in the spot most recently occupied by Adonni’s Desserts, next to Macy’s and across from Chocolate Moonshine.
Donutchew offers a variety of mochi donut flavors, sweet and savory croffles (croissant and waffle mix), macarons, bubble tea and more. It has another Montgomery County location at Gaithersburg’s Rio.
Kafean Koffee opened on the lower level of the mall in late August, in the kiosk that was previously home to Moorenko’s. KaFean specializes in espresso drinks and pastries. It joins Starbucks and Nordstrom Marketplace Cafe as another option for getting your caffeine fix while you shop.
Sake Japanese Steak House opened in the Wheaton Westfield mall over the summer. (Photo: Sake Japanese Steak House/Facebook)
New Dining Options at Wheaton Westfield
Popeyes is expected to reopen under new ownership soon in the Wheaton Westfield mall’s food court. It has been closed for remodeling since April.
Popeyes has additional locations across Montgomery County in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Olney, Rockville, Silver Spring and Wheaton.
Pollo Campero is also opening in the Wheaton mall’s food court, taking over the space previously occupied by Moe’s Southwest Grill.
Dishes include fried and grilled chicken, empanadas, yuca, plantains and flan. No opening date has been announced.
Pollo Campero has additional Montgomery County locations in Bethesda at Westfield Montgomery Mall, Gaithersburg, Takoma Park and Wheaton.
Sake Japanese Steak House opened over the summer in the space previously occupied by Bar Louie in the building across from JCPenney’s.
The menu includes appetizers, hibachi, sushi and more. Sake has locations in Glen Burnie and Owings Mills in Maryland, and Woodbridge and Alexandria in Virginia.
Jinya Ramen opened its seventh DMV location near Union Marked last week. (Photo: Jinya Ramen Bar)
Jinya Ramen Bar Opens in Union Market District
Jinya Ramen Bar opened at 1259 Fourth St. NE in the Union Market district on Oct. 11.
This two-story, 5,167 square-foot restaurant is Jinya’s seventh location in the DMV and part of an ambitious growth plan that aims to expand up to 25 locations throughout the area in the next five years.
The restaurant features six signature broths and handmade noodles. The new location will feature tonkotsu ramen, spicy chicken ramen and spicy creamy vegan ramen, along with a selection of toppings, craft cocktails and small plates.
Kaldi’s Social House opened near Potomac Yard last week. (Photo: Kaldi’s Social House/Facebook)
Kaldi’s Social House Opens Near Potomac Yard
Kaldi’s Social House opened its second Arlington location at 3639 S. Glebe Road near Potomac Yard last week.
The new restaurant has a somewhat different ambience than the eatery’s other spots in Clarendon and Silver Spring.
“We’re really taking the opportunity to turn this into a little bit more of a bar atmosphere and restaurant atmosphere,” said Sean Swartz, director of operations.
In addition to Kaldi’s typical coffee and brunch items — including espressos,
smoothies and waffles — the new location includes a full dinner menu. Appetizers include calamari and blackberry burrata and entrees of a Korean fried chicken sandwich or a hanger steak with treviso salad.
A cocktail menu is available after 3 p.m. featuring a coffee-infused negroni and a “Flight Plan,” a vanilla-infused tequila with chicory cold brew, vermouth and green coffee bean essence.
The restaurant has 73 seats, including 15 bar seats and some booths. An outdoor patio seats 18, but could be expanded to 36.
Kaldi’s opened its first Arlington location at 3110 10th Street N. in 2020. It started in downtown Silver Spring as Kaldi’s Coffee in 2014. That first location remains open.
The café is open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday.
The Red Bird opened in Bailey’s Crossroads at the beginning of October. (Photo: The Red Bird/Instagram)
The Red Bird Opens in Bailey’s Crossroads
The Red Bird, 3406 Payne St., Falls Church in Bailey’s Crossroads, began serving halal hot chicken on Oct. 5. The chain has other locations in Reston and Vienna.
The Bailey’s Crossroads restaurant is in the old Mount Olive Restaurant location in the Crossroads Center shopping center.
Emphasizing its ethical practices in raising chickens, Red Bird serves a variety of chicken dishes including sandwiches, tenders, nuggets and rice bowls — each available with spice options ranging from original to “Fck You Cra.” Red Bird also serves French fries, mac and cheese and cole slaw.
Started two years ago in Los Angeles, the brand has since grown to several locations nationwide. Red Bird is in the midst of a proposed five-store expansion across Northern Virginia, with restaurants in Ashburn and Arlington expected in the future.
Red Bird’s Bailey’s Crossroads is open from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. daily.
Barrel House Cafe & Bar will replace Foxtrot Market in Logan Circle. (Photo: Matt McClain/The Washington Post)
Barrel House Café & Bar to Replace Foxtrot Market
Barrel House Cafe & Bar, a European-style café and bar, will replace the shuttered Foxtrot market, 1341 14th St. NW, which closed April 23.
From the owners of Wunder Garten Beer Garden in NoMa, Barrel House Café & Bar will open in the iconic building with the concrete barrel storefront.
“This is a totally new concept which we are excited to introduce to the Logan neighborhood and the 14th Steet commercial corridor,” said co-owner Christopher Lynch. “It’s hard to describe in words as to what this concept is … it takes its cues from world-famous European cafes, coupled with a contemporary vibe and a showcase for the performing arts.”
Built in 1925, the location was originally an auto showroom. Over the next two decades, various dealers occupied the space, including Rolls-Royce. A single-story building with 20-foot ceilings, it includes remnants of its original exterior. In 1945, Albert Starr designed the building’s distinctive storefront for Sammy’s Barrel House, featuring a massive beer barrel made of tinted aggregate concrete, flanked by narrow plate glass storefronts and topped with a stepped ziggurat neon sign.
The building was then home to Barrel House Liquors, which survived the 1968 riots and remained in that location until 2015 when it moved next door.
The restaurant will have seating for 73 people with a 73-seat summer garden. It will provide live entertainment with dancing with a cover charge both indoors and outdoors, according to the liquor license application.
Mui Modern Japanese will replace The Block at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose. (Photo: Contributed)
Mui Modern Japanese Coming to Bethesda Row
Mui, a modern Japanese-inspired restaurant from Beltsville-based IVEA Development, is coming to North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose, 967 Rose Ave. The 8,506 square-foot restaurant will open in the former The Block food hall next to West Elm. The Block closed in April.
The buildout on the interior of the restaurant appears to have begun.
According to Pike & Rose owner Federal Realty, “The expansive menu will feature non-traditional Japanese dishes as well as traditional kaiseki, sushi, omakase from Japan. Also complimented by an agave, scotch and sake menu curated by a highly trained mixologist along with an impeccable list of champagne, wine and cocktails. The highlight of Mui will be omakase, a dining experience where guests have direct interaction with the chef. Translated as, “I leave it up to you,” Omakase allows the chef to present curated, innovative sushi specialties. Opening in Winter 2024, the fine dining Japanese restaurant will feature signature tastings, sushi and a seasonal omakase for the ultimate sushi experience”
Additional menu items include seafood and meat cooked on a Robata grill.
IVEA owned the Gong Cha tea shop located in the former Block food hall.
Haad Thai in the old D.C. Greyhound terminal will close Oct. 26. (Photo: Haad Thai/Facebook)
Haad Thai on New York Avenue Closing Oct. 26
Haad Thai, 1100 New York Ave. NW, will permanently close on Oct. 26 after three decades.
The restaurant’s owner announced the closing in a Facebook post on Oct. 1. It opened at the corner of New York Avenue and 11th Street NW in the old, art deco Greyhound Bus terminal in 1994.
“I am saddened to inform my customers and friends, many of whom I consider family, that Haad Thai Restaurant will close its doors for the final time on October 26, 2024. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began in March 2020, we were unable to renegotiate our lease extension with the landlord,” the Facebook post says. “It has been an honor and a privilege to have served all of you for the past 30 years. On behalf of my staff and everyone at Haad Thai, we are grateful for your patronage and support since 1994. Hopefully, we will have another opportunity to serve all of you again in the near future.”
Lion Rock Cafe in Rockville will close as soon as its food and drink runs out. (Photo: Google)
Lion Rock Café in Rockville Shuttering
Lion Rock Café, 13 Dawson Ave., Rockville, is permanently closing as soon as it runs out of food and drink.
The eatery, which only served take-out or delivery, made the announcement in a Facebook post on Saturday.
The restaurant, which served Hong Kong street food, opened in the space that was previously home to Hunan to Go in late November 2023. It was recently listed as available on Facebook marketplace.
“A heartfelt thank you to our Lion Rock supporters! From the very first day, your support has meant the world to us. As we approach the end of this chapter, we want to let you know that all our food and drinks will be available until everything is sold out,” the Facebook post said. “We’d love for you to visit, snap a photo with us and leave a note to preserve the memories we’ve shared at Lion Rock Cafe. Let’s celebrate the moments and flavors we’ve enjoyed together. Come say goodbye before we close our doors — we’ll miss you all!”
A week ago, it cut hours to 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. It was closed Tuesday.
Gaithersburg’s Pacifica Cafe will close permanently on Nov. 28. (Photo: Pacifica Cafe)
Pacifica Café in Gaithersburg Closing in November
Pacifica Café, 621 Center Point Way, Gaithersburg in the Kentlands neighborhood, will permanently close on Nov. 28, according to a sign on the restaurant’s door.
The 17 year-old restaurant, which features “authentic cuisine from Shanghai,” has been under its current ownership for the last decade.
According to the sign on the door, “Pacifica Café will be closed permanently after November 28, 2024. Over the past ten years, it is because of your company and support that Pacifica Café has become a warm place. To express our gratitude and give back, all dine-in dinners will enjoy a 10% discount from now until November 28. Thank you for your kindness along the way, and look forward to meeting you again in the remaining time and leaving beautiful memories.”
