Comings & Goings
Modan Japanese Izakaya Opens in McLean
Modan, an upscale Japanese fine dining restaurant, opened Friday at 1788 Chain Bridge Road, McLean, on the second floor retail level of the Heming Luxury Apartments.
Modan’s Taco Trio features nori taco shells topped with sweet onion salsa and the choice of wagyu, lobster, tuna, salmon or cauliflower. (Photo: eJin)
Inspired by traditional Japanese izakayas, the 7,000 square-foot restaurant merges casual dining with modern cuisine.
The menu from Executive Chef Micheole “Chico” Dator, which uses ingredients sourced local and from Japan, features an array of contemporary dishes designed for sharing – from fresh sashimi, sushi rolls and robata-grilled skewers to a spin on traditional dishes like wagyu dumplings, teba (chicken wings) and tacos, featuring crispy nori taco shells topped with sweet onion salsa and the choice of wagyu, lobster, tuna, salmon or cauliflower.
Modan’s interior features an open concept sushi counter and an expansive dining room.
The beverage program includes a selection of sake, Japanese whiskey and Japanese-inspired cocktails such as Modan’s take on a lychee martini; King of Kaiju, a tropical milk clarified margarita; and a Japanese A5 wagyu-washed Benkyō Old Fashioned.
Modan uses a proprietary in-house dry aging program. During the dry aging process, enzymes break down the protein and fat structures in the meat while drawing out moisture, resulting in a tender cut. Modan will apply its unique dry-aging techniques beef and fish. The dry aging deepens flavor, adds tenderness and brings out an a umami taste.
Modan’s omakase includes offerings of Japanese A5 wagyu Beef and a rotating selection of seasonal ingredients. Its Japanese inspired caviar service features three varieties: Golden Kaluga, Osetra and Imperial. Caviar service can ordered either temaki style or with nori chips, sweet onion, wasabi salsa and honey truffle aioli.
Modan is open for dinner from 5-10 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Lunch and brunch will be added later.
Top Pot Hot Pot & K BBQ Coming to Ballston Quarter
Top Pot Hot Pot & K BBQ is coming to Ballston Quarter in February. (Photo: Top Pot)
Top Pot & K BBQ, an all-you-can-eat hot pot and Korean barbecue, hopes to open in Ballston Quarter mall, 671 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, by early February.
Construction is underway on the ground floor space. The restaurant expects to open in the 7,600 square-foot space between Mezeh and Chick-fil-A. It will seat 260 diners.
Like other hot pot restaurants, diners have a hand in preparing their own food with communal table-side grills and simmer pots. Hot pot offerings include meat, seafood, tofu, vegetables and noodles, along with 10 different broths. Korean barbecue options range from Angus beef and chicken bulgogi to garlic calamari and spicy octopus.
The menu will be similar compared to other locations, but the Ballston location will offer premium a la carte items at an additional cost. Some Top Pot locations serve unlimited appetizers, like lo mein, fried rice and seafood pancakes. All-you-can-eat meals come at fixed prices, which vary by location.
Top Pot has other locations in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Jersey Florida and Utah, with upcoming locations in Virginia and New York. The nearest is in College Park, Md.
Cooper Mill to Open in Former Civil War Mess Hall
A rendering of Cooper Mill on Alexandria’s water front.
(Rendering: Bonitt Builders)
Cooper Mill is slated to open next month in an Old Town brick warehouse that served as a mess hall for soldiers during the Civil War.
The elongated brick structure at 10 Duke Street was one of the last waterfront warehouses in Old Town, a building type that dominated the area in its heyday as a port.
The original bricks and roof were taken apart, cleaned and then put back together piece by piece. The restaurant’s name references the former mill at the site that created barrels for the Alexandria Flour Company.
The two-story, 6,400 square-foot warehouse will have a market at the back, a casual tavern on the first floor and a private event space on the second floor.
The market will feature grab-and-go breakfast foods and coffee, sandwiches, soups, prepared foods, fresh breads and baked goods, as well as beer, wine and other items.
The tavern will have a relaxed casual vibe surrounded by repurposed materials from the building. The upstairs event space will have lots of light, exposed brick, balconies with views of the park and river, repurposed roof trusses and flooring, with the ability to host events up to 120 people.
Cooper Mill will be open from 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Breakfast will be served from 8-11 a.m. with the full tvern menu available after 11 a.m.
Sisters Thai Coming to Capital One Center in Tysons
Chicken drunken noodles. (Photo: Sisters Thai/Facebook)
Sisters Thai will open its fifth and largest location in the Capital One Center, 7735 Capital One Tower Road, McLean. The new restaurant is across the street from Capital One Hall, the 70,000-square-foot entertainment venue.
An opening date has not been announced, but Capital One Center’s website says the new location will open in 2024. It was first announced in 2022.
Diners can expect authentic Thai street food, including kana moo grob, khao soi and moo grob basil. Specialty curry bowls, Thai favorites and a drinks menu will also be available. The new location will also feature an outpost of Magnolia’s Boutique Dessert Bar & Coffee.
The new Sisters Thai location joins Wren, Stellina Pizzeria, Ometeo, Starr Hill Brewpub and Starr Hill Biergarten as dining options at Capital One Center. In addition to the new Tysons location, Sisters Thai has locations in Alexandria, Fairfax — in the Mosaic District and near George Mason University — and Potomac, Md. The restaurant group also operates Magnolia Dessert Bar & Coffee in Vienna.
Iraqi, Kuwaiti Restaurant Coming to Vienna
Dar Mariam will open last next month in Vienna serving Iraqi and Kuwaiti cuisine. (Photo: Dar Mariam)
Dar Mariam, a new restaurant focusing on Iraqi and Kuwaiti cuisine, plans a late December opening at 107 Maple Ave. W., Vienna, in the former Donutchew space.
The full-service, family-owned restaurant will serve Iraqi and Kuwaiti cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Dar Mariam will feature food from the Persian Gulf like mansaf, a traditional lamb dish cooked in fermented dried yogurt and served with rice. Other signature offerings include mandi, beef tikkeh, mechbous, grilled fish and hamsa shrimp.
Owner Mariam Al-Timeemy, from Falls Church, will manage the restaurant and her mother will cook. It is Al-Timeemy’s first restaurant, but she has built a loyal clientele with Arab cuisine catering in the DMV under the business Dar Mariam catering. The restaurant is a result of requests from clients.
Dar Mariam will continue catering from a rental kitchen until the restaurant opens.
Good Fortune Café to Replace Happy Uncle
Good Fortune Cafe will replace Happy Uncle Chinese Restaurant in the Cloppers Mill Village Center early next year. (Photo: Happy Uncle)
Good Fortune Café, which closed in August at 237A Kentlands Blvd., Gaithersburg, in the Kentlands Square Shopping Center, is taking over Happy Uncle, 18022 Mateny Road, Germantown, in the Cloppers Mill Village Center early next year.
Good Fortune had been at its old location since 1994, while Happy Uncle has been open more than 20 years.
A representative from Happy Uncle said Good Fortune Café will take over early next year, possibly Jan. 1.
Good Fortune Café originally opened in the Beacon Place shopping center and initially had a bigger space before downsizing to the most recent space in the early 2000s. It started with a broad menu, like General Tso and moo shi, a handful of “Revolution Diet” steamed and presumably low-carb offerings and a mix of Americanized and more authentic noodle dishes,\ from chow meins to chow foons. Although there were changes, much of the menu remained intact until the restaurant closed.
Bangkok Garden in Rockville, which is looking to open a new concept, will take over Good Fortune’s old space in Kentlands Square Shopping Center.
Classic Bakery Opening Third Location in Olney
Classic Bakery will open its third location in the Olney Village Center in March. (Photo: Classic Bakery)
Classic Bakery is opening its third location at 18195 Village Center Drive, Olney, in the Olney Village Center. The bakery has two other locations in Gaithersburg and Tyson’s Corner.
The new location will replace Cold Stone Creamery, which is moving to another spot in the shopping center. A target opening date is March 1, 2025.
The family-owned business began more than half a century ago by Souren Movsessian, who discovered his passion for baking in 1947 at the age of 17 in Tehran, Iran. He left his job as a machine mechanic to focus on his small bakery. Souren’s eldest son, Rubic, began helping at the family business when he was just seven. Rubic did everything from sweeping the floors to mixing large batches by hand — learning the business from the ground up.
After immigrating to the United States, Rubic and Souren opened Classic Bakery in Gaithersburg in 1991 in its original location in the shopping center that was then home to Hechinger’s and currently to Bruster’s ice cream.
It is now run by Rubic and his son, Areen – the third generation. Offerings have expanded over the years to include sandwiches, imported coffee and homemade gelato in addition to a variety of the cookies, pastries, baked goods and custom cakes.
A few years ago, Classic Bakery opened a second location in Tyson’s Corner and moved the original 3,000 square-foot Gaithersburg location to a 10,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility on Gaither Road to keep up with demand.
Chiko Opening Potomac Falls, Va., Restaurant
Chicko will open its first full-service restaurant in Potomac Falls, Va., later this month. (Photo: Chiko/Faceook)
Chinese-Korean counter Chiko is opening its first full-service location at 46308 Cranston St., Potomac Falls, later this month.
The first location opened in Barracks Row in 2017, the first of several successful restaurants from chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee’s The Fried Rice Collective, including Anju, Mandu and I Egg You. Now, with five fast-casual Chikos in D.C., Virginia, Maryland and California, its first full-service outpost is ready to open. The 3,000 square-foot space in Sterling features a full bar and patio.
The new space will combine all of Chiko’s location-specific menus, plus new menu items.
Kokee Tea Set to Open in Westfield Montgomery Mall
Kokee Tea is coming to Westfield Montgomery Mall. (Photo: Kokee)
Kokee Tea is set to open soon at 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda, in Westfield Montgomery Mall, bringing its bubble tea offerings to a new kiosk on the lower level near Macy’s.
The menu features a variety of milk teas, fruit teas, slushes and “cold clouds” made with cold brew coffee. The new location will join existing nearby cafes in Westfield Wheaton Mall and Urbana.
Soca Fusion Caribbean Opens on Columbia Pike
Soca Fusion, a Caribbean fusion restaurant, is now open on Columbia Pike in Arlington. (Photo: Soca Fusion)
Soca Fusion, a new Caribbean fusion restaurant, has opened in the former Family Kabob House, 3205 Columbia Pike, Arlington.
The restaurant, which blends Caribbean cuisine with Indian, Pakistani and Mediterranean influences, opened in October.
Owners Salam Kebeom and her husband Angosom Abraham took over Family Kabob House in June and opted to change the restaurant partly because Caribbean food is harder to come by than Indian food in Arlington.
Soca’s lunch and dinner entrees place an emphasis on curries. Other options include jerk chicken, red snapper and oxtail. Meals are accompanied by rice and one side, with options including plantains and roti.
The restaurant also serves breakfast, with each plate coming in under $10. The dishes feature a roti with toppings or sides, like eggs, salsa and fuul — stewed fava beans. There’s also kicha fitfit, an East African specialty made with fried flatbread in a spiced sauce.
Chefs from Bourbon Boulevard in Chantilly and Sonoma Restaurant and Wine Bar in D.C. created the menu.
Located next to Panda Bowl and Eli’s Taqueria, Soca Fusion takes online carryout orders and can seat about 25 people. It is open 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 7 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Casa Mariachi Bar & Grille Opens in Falls Church
Casa Mariachi Mexican restaurant is now open in Falls Church. (Photo: Katie Tarant)
Casa Mariachi Bar and Grille, 133 E. Annandale Road, Falls Church, opened recently in the space that formerly housed Caribbean Plate, which closed in July.
The restaurant serves an expansive menu featuring tacos, quesadillas, burritos, fajitas and platters. It also includes more unique dishes like molcajete. Served in a mortar and pestle, the dish for two is a combination of several meats, shrimp, cactus paddles, jalapeños and salsa. It is served with tortillas, avocado and cheese.
The restaurant aims to present “more authentic style” foods drawing on cuisine from El Salvador and Mexico. Casa Mariachi plans to host occasional live music.
It is Juan Flores’ fourth restaurant. He also owns El Taquito Bar and Grill in Falls Church and Taco Baja in Falls Church and Manassas.
Casa Mariachi is open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. daily.
Due South Closes in Navy Yard
Due South in Navy Yard closed on Oct. 27.
(Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)
Due South, 301 Water St. SE in Navy Yard, closed permanently on Oct. 27.
The 100-seat restaurant with another 85 seats on the outdoor patio opened in August 2015.
“We are deeply grateful for the incredible memories and the loyal support we’ve received over the past 9 years from the Navy Yard community,” the restaurant’s website says. “Thank you for making us a part of your lives and celebrations — it’s been an honor to serve you.”
Due South had a Southern-inspired menu with meats smoked in-house with a custom-made $35,000 smoker from Texas using hickory wood.
Executive chef Rusty Holman served classics like shrimp and grits, St. Louis-style ribs, Texas-style brisket and blackened catfish and put a twist on others like squash puppies made from shredded yellow summer squash and served with a roasted jalapeño aioli and lima bean hummus with heirloom tomatoes served with vegetable crudité and toasted country bread. Other dishes included hot crab dip and pimento cheese spread.
In August, it was announced that Due South would open at 5712-14 Connecticut Ave. NW in the old Organic Wine spot in Chevy Chase sometime in Fall 2025.
Thaiphoon in Dupont Closes Permanently
Thaiphoon in Dupont Circle closed recently. (Photo: Thaiphoon)
Thaiphoon, 2011 S St. NW in Dupont Circle, closed recently.
The Thai restaurant opened in its most recent location in 2016 after originally opening a bit further south.
The restaurant’s website is still live, but the telephone has been disconnected.
Sister restaurant Mai Thai in Georgetown and Old Town appear to still be open. At least their telephones have not been disconnected.
2910 Kitchen ‘Temporarily Closed’ for Remodeling
2910 Kitchen & Bar has closed for “remodeling” after just opening in May. (Photo: 2910 Kitchen & Bar)
The newly opened 2910 Kitchen & Bar, 2910 Columbia Pike, Arlington, is temporarily closed for renovations, according to its owner. The restaurant just opened in May.
The space was previously home to P. Brennan’s Irish Pub until it closed in 2017. The restaurant initially planned to open in June of last year, but faced setbacks, including permitting and staffing challenges, delaying the launch by nearly a year. The two-story, art-deco inspired restaurant underwent extensive interior renovations before it opened in May.
Owner Raheel “Ray” Khan, said he expects the restaurant to reopen soon.
“We will open back up end of this month,” he told ARLnow. He did not go into detail on the current renovations or what they entail.
East West Café Shutters in Tenleytown
East West Cafe has closed permanently in Tenleytown after saying it was closing for renovations. (Photo: PoPville)
East West Café, 4619 41st St. NW in Tenleytown, closed permanently last week.
In October, the café closed for “renovations,” according to a sign on the door and was supposed to reopen Oct. 30. But by last Tuesday, the restaurant was dark and all the furniture had been removed.
East West only opened in 2023 in space formerly home to Le Versailles, Le Kavacha French Bistro, Olive Bistro, Bread & Salt, and Fork and Spade.
The Turkish restaurant served mezze like hummus, falafel, cacik – a dip with cucumber, fresh dill, mint, garlic, labneh yogurt, olive oil and lemon – and salads. It also offered pasta, sandwiches and pizzas, including pide Turkish pizza. Kebaps were also on the menu along with desserts such as baklava and sutlac.
East West Cafés in Clarendon and Tysons Corner are still open.
