2014 was a year of openings and closings in the DMV food scene. Old favorites closed, new endeavors didn’t pan out and new restaurants replaced them. And even though 2012 and 2013 saw a flurry of new restaurants, there was no slowdown in 2014.

The openings

Lupo Verde, a rustic Italian restaurant, opened at 1401 T St. NW in February after several delays. Owned by restauranteur Med Lalou and managing partner Antonio Matarazzo, it features small plates, house-made charcuteries, breads, pasta and antipasti along with 50 cheeses and house-made pizzas and cured meats.

Chef Richard Sandoval’s Toro Toro opens at Franklin Square in April. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Chef Richard Sandoval opened another restaurant in the city in April. Toro Toro, a Pan Latin steakhouse, opened at 1300 I St. NW. Meat is the centerpiece of the menu.

In June, José Andrés opened his America Eats Tavern at the Ritz-Carlton Tysons Corner, 1700 Tysons Blvd., McLean. The space formerly housed Michel Richard’s Michel and Maestro from Fabio Trabbochi. America Eats, originally a pop up in Penn Quarter in conjunction with a National Archives exhibit, features American cuisine such as chicken pot pie, she-crab soup, and hush puppies and Virginia hams. It also has an all-American décor with “We the People…” painted on the wall above the open kitchen and flags everywhere.

Boss Shepherd’s opened in July at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave NW next to the Warner Theater with a Southern menu. Also, Chaplin’s Restaurant & Bar, an Asian-inspired restaurant from brothers Ari and Micah Wilder, opened at 1501 9th St. NW in Shaw, and GRK Fresh Greek restaurant opened at 1140 19th St. NW in Dupont. The second location for the chain serves fresh, casual Greek food like gyros, tzatziki sauces, seasoned fries and Agean salad all made in house. It also sells fresh and frozen imported Greek yogurt.

Brookland Pint from the owner of Meridian Pint, opened in August at 716 Monroe St. NE across from Catholic University in the new Monroe Street Market. The bar has 24 beers on tap and the menu features locally grown and harvested foods, many of which are gluten-free or vegan.

Chuy’s Tex-Mex opened in Fairfax in September and at the new Springfield Town Center (above) in October. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Chuy’s the quirky Tex-Mex restaurant from Austin, Texas, opened its first DMV location at 11219 Lee Highway, Fairfax in September followed by a second location at the new Springfield Town Center in October. The restaurant features all fresh-made dishes with fresh food delivered six days a week. The freezer is smaller than an average home refrigerator. The biggest opening was also in September with DBGB Kitchen and Bar, chef Daniel Boulud’s casual French American restaurant, opening mid-September at 931 H St. NW in CityCenterDC. There was a red carpet, live band, VIPs, celebrities and a Washington Monument carved out of ice. But so far, it hasn’t lived up to the fanfare or steep prices.

October saw DC Harvest open at 517 H St. NE. Chef Arthur Ringle serves a hyper-local seasonal modern American menu with most of the ingredients coming from within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Second State, the Pennsylvania themed restaurant, also opened in September at 1831 M. St. NW in the former Mighty Pint space. It caused an uproar when it initially tried to add a $1 upcharge for artisanal ice.

City Perch by James Beard winner and former Wolfgang Puck pastry chef Sherry Yard and former Occidental Grill chef de cuisine Matt Baker opened in late-November at the iPic Theater in the new Pike & Rose Development in North Bethesda. This was probably the most disappointing new restaurant. The highlight of the menu for the Washington Post’s Tom Siestema was the $10 bread board. He only gave the pricey restaurant one star. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it on 2015’s review in the closed column.

In early December, chef Seng Luangrath opened Thip Khao in Columbia Heights. The first Laotian restaurant in the city, opened at 3462 14th St. NW in the former Thaitanic II space

The closings

Palena in Cleveland Park closed in April. (Photo: DC Outlook)

Last year also saw several closings. The most mourned closing was Cleveland Park’s Palena, which closed in April after 13 years. It was evicted for unpaid rent. But fans of chef Frank Ruta won’t have to wait much longer. He’s been hired to take over The Grill Room and Rye Bar at the Capella hotel in Georgetown.

J&G Steakhouse in the W Hotel closed in June, less than a year after it remodeled. It was in the hotel five years. J&G was replaced by Pinea from chef Barry Kaslow, formerly the chef at DGS Delicatessen, featuring Mediterranean cuisine.

August, saw the rum bar Hugo and Chadwick’s both close.

Probably the shortest lived restaurant of 2014 was Fredrik de Pue’s Menu MBK in Penn Quarter. It opened early in 2014 then closed in October, less than nine months later. De Pue’s investors forced the closure when they weren’t receiving as much return on investment as they had expected. The building had previously housed de Pue’s short-lived seafood restaurant, Aqua.

CityZen at the Mandrin Oriental hotel shuttered in mid-December when chef Eric Ziebold left to open his own restaurant., Kinship, in Mount Vernon Triangle in September.

Duffy’s on U Street and Murphy’s of D.C. both closed in November followed by The Passenger and Summer’s Restaurant in Arlington at the end of the year. And though technically not 2014, the Jan. 3, 2015 closings of Lima Lounge and Fujimar Restaurant had been announced. The 10-year lease ended and some of the lounges events will move to The Park on 14th and Barcode and Lima may reopen elsewhere.

Coming in 2015

Jose Andres’ China Chicano, a Peruvian restaurant, is scheduled to open in Penn Quarter in January 2015. (Photo: Popville)

Several new eateries are on the horizon. First out of the gate in the new year is José Andrés, who will open his contemporary Peruvian restaurant, China Chilcano, at 418 7th St. NW in Penn Quarter in January and his vegetable-centric Beefsteak at 22nd and I Streets NW on the GW campus in February.

Nick Pimentel of Room 11 and Genevieve Villamorea will open Bad Saint, a Filipino restaurant at 3226 11th St. NW in Columbia Heights in early 2015.

The spring will see former Bibiana chef Nicholas Stefanelli open Masseria, his own Italian restaurant with southern influcences. at 1344 4th St. NE. Also, chef Jonah Kim, formerly of Baltimore’s shuttered Pabu, will also open Yona, a noodle bar and small plates eatery, at 4000 Wilson Blvd. in in Ballston this spring. Also, chef Amy Brandwein, formerly executive chef at Roberto Donna’s Alba Osteria, will open Centralina at 974 Palmer Alley in CityCenterDC. It will be part Italian restaurant and part market.

Mintwood Place will get a larger sister at 801 O St. NW in Shaw when chef Cedric Maupillier and co-owner Saied Azali open Convivial sometime in last spring or early summer. By day, it will be a more casual hangout and by night it will serve a French-American menu with an emphasis on vegetables and small plates.

Chala, which sells its vegetarian tacos at local farmers markets, will open a brick and mortar shop at 3207 Grace St. NW in Georgetown in June.

David Chang’s Momofuku will open in CityCenterDC this summer. Momofuku Milk Bar, headed by pastry chef and fellow northern Virginia native Christina Tosi, will join the restaurant at CityCenterDC. Also, Virginia native Jeremiah Langhorne comes to D.C. from the renowned McCrady’s Restaurant in Charleston, S.C., to open The Dabney at 1222 9th St. NW this summer. It will center around a wood-fire hearth and focus on ingredients from the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. The Columbia Room, formerly in The Passenger, will reopen in Blagden Alley above The Dabney at the end of 2015

After 10 years at CityZen, chef Eric Ziebold and his wife Celia Laurent Ziebold will open Kinship at 1015 7th St. NW in Mount Vernon Triangle in September.

Brothers Jared and Arthur Ringer will open their new DC Harvest restaurant at 517 H St. NE on Sept. 2 featuring a seasonal menu based on local products from the dishes to the beers, wines and other libations.

An employee set up the bar at DC Harvest. (Photo: DC Harvest/Facebook)

Jared will manage the restaurant and Arthur, who has worked in the kitchens at Vermillion, Vidalia and Hank’s Oyster Bar in Dupont, will be the chef.

The menu, which will change frequently depending on local ingredient availability, will feature homemade pastas and include meats, fish and produce from local seas and area farms. According to a press release, a sampling of the opening menu include half dozen local oysters on the half shell with watermelon mignonette ($14); Virginia fluke crudo with marinated cucumber, celery, Maine uni and chili ($11); ricotta kale agnolotti with confit yellow tomatoes, eggplant and marjoram ($10/$18); fresh spelt linguine with house-made spicy lamb sausage, Swiss chard and garlic bread crumbs ($11/$19);Zataŕ roasted turkey breast with Swiss chard, kamut and shitake mushroom ($21); crispy quinoa cakes with broccoli rabe, shitake mushrooms, confit yellow tomatoes and Allegheny chevre ($19); and pan-roasted scallops with beans, corn cherry tomatoes, garlic chive and chili ($25). Additional sides, daily plates and desserts including a honey walnut tart with thyme, fomage blanc and fruit are on the menu. Look for beers such as DC Brau, Port City and Flying Dog, libations like those of Catoctin Creek and Don Ciccio & Figli and a variety of local vintages on the wine list.

“It has been a long two years of hard work for us to get DC Harvest open,” Arthur said. “I am so excited to get into my new kitchen and get cooking. The quality of the local products coming from our area farmers and fishermen is at its peak right now. It’s going to be a lot of fun cooking with these ingredients for all of our customers.”

The restaurant’s modern farmhouse décor designed by Edit Lab at Streetsense is rustic yet casually contemporary with a 10-seat, Carrera marble-topped wooden bar on the street level and a total of 50 seats on two floors with an open kitchen on the second floor. The ceilings boast wooden beams, some original to the building, and the walls are adorned with earthy textured wall coverings and whitewashed original brick along with wooden floors and brass fixtures.

The restaurant will serving dinner the first week and then add brunch the following week. It will be open 5-11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Friday and Saturday and serve brunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Threatened by actor’s estate, Chaplin changes name

Chaplin Restaurant and Bar, the Charlie Chaplin-themed Asian restaurant that just opened July 11 at 1501 Ninth St. NW, has changed its name after being threatened with a lawsuit by the estate of the silent film star. It will now be called Chaplin’s Restaurant and Bar.

Chaplin Restaurant and Bar changed its name to Chaplin’s Restaurant and Bar after being threatenrd with a lawsuit from the late silent-film star’s estate. (Photo: Katie Causey/GW Hatchet)

“We thought it was the best way to cooperate,” co-owner Ari Wilder told The Washington Post.

On the advice of his attorney and after consulting with other “Chaplin” restaurants across the county, Wilder and his brother Micah added the apostrophe. They are waiting to hear back from the estate.

When the Wilder brothers and their partners were planning the restaurant, they had planned to seek approval from the state, but didn’t in the rush to get the restaurant open.

“We kind of just dropped the ball on it. We had been advised in the beginning to contact the estate to find out if there were going to be any legal ramifications, but we never followed through,” Wilder told the paper. “It’s a ramen, cocktail and dumpling bar. It’s not like we’re a film studio. It’s conceptually not that big of a conflict.”

The restaurant has also changed chefs, hiring Myo Htun of Ren’s Ramen in Wheaton to replace chef Jeremy Cooke.

Wilder said Cooke had only signed on for the project launch and not long-term, but when DC on Heels interviewed Cooke and Micah Wilder the day before the restaurant opened, Cooke talked about being given free rein of the menu and planning to serve seasonal dishes as local fresh ingredients became available.

At Chaplin’s, Htun has overhauled the menu to incorporate more authentic Japanese fare. Salads of pickled, watermelon or soba noodles and smoked lobster have been replaced with a hiyashi chuuga salad with cold noodles, sesame paste, pork butt, chachuu, cucumber, egg, seasweed, tomato and soy sauce and the shabu salad with sliced pork, red cabbage, tomato, scallion, sesame paste and ponzu deressing. The pork and ginger, spicy vegetable and basmati, crab and sausage, and chicken dumplings have been replaced with pork, beef and shrimp gyoza dumplings and pork and chicken and shrimp shumai dumplings. The ramens, formerly named after Chaplin films, have also been revamped. Only the restaurant’s dumpling shooters – three dumplings served in a rocks galls with a whiskey or gin shot – remain the same.

Chuy’s holds fundraiser for Fairfax Co. Animal Shelter

Chuy’s Tex-Mex restaurant opening this September at 11219 Lee Highway, Fairfax will hold a photo shoot fundraiser to support the Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter on Saturday, Aug. 23 from noon-3 p.m.

Chuy’s Tex-Mex, which has locations in Richmond, will open a restaurant in Fairfax next month and Springfield later in the fall. (Photo: Richmond.com)

Dog owners are invited to stop in at Uptown Pet Bistro & Boutique, 4471 Market Commons Dr.,Fairfax with their dogs and local staff from Chuy’s will be on hand to photograph each pet. The photos will be framed and hung as part of the restaurant’s La Chihuahua Bar community dog wall. Owners will also receive a certificate for a free appetizer at Chuy’s with their $5 donation to the Friends organization.

Trummer’s on Main adds snow cone cocktails to menu

Trummer’s on Main, 7134 Main St., Clifton, Va. is celebrating the last few weeks of summer with a new line of snow cone cocktails made with crushed ice, artisanally made syrups and liquor.

Trummer’s on Main is now serving snow cone cocktails. (Photo: Trummer’s on Main)

They come in flavors such as grilled lemon featuring a combination of wood smoked char and tangy citrus paired with a Virginia vodka; watermelon-sage made with slow-simmered fresh herb syrup, pressed watermelon juice and rum; rhubarb and basil featuring fresh basil with a tangy rhubarb and elderflower liquer; and mint and bourbon. The syrups are served in pumps so the guest can pump on to the crushed ice according to their taste.

All snow cone cocktails are $10 and are available through Sept. 30.

Vinoteca hosts ‘Dogs + ‘Tails fundraiser for City Dogs Rescue

Hot dogs, cocktails, bocce, and adorable animals are all coming together this coming week raise money for City Dogs Rescue. Vinoteca will host its 2nd Annual ‘Dogs + ‘Tails fundraiser, a week-long charity promotion.

Vinoteca will host its 2nd annual ‘Dogs + ‘Tails fundraiser for City Dogs Rescue Aug. 24-31 including a Neighborhood Grill Out on its outdoor Plaza this Sunday. (Photo: Vinoteca)

From Aug. 24-31, Vinoteca will donate $1 from each hot dog and “Dog Days” punch sold to help homeless dogs find homes. And on Sunday, Aug. 24, it will hold a Neighborhood Grill Out with a charity bocce tournament, dog adoption, food and drink specials and more from 3-8 p.m.

Executive chef Lonnie Zoeller hand-makes all of his own hot dogs, which range from a classic frankfurter topped with homemade sauerkraut and caraway mustard to a red onion-topped boudin pork dog to a spiced-up veggie dog. And mixologist Horus Alvarez has created a special Dog’s Tail Punch made with vanilla-infused Velho Barreiro Cachaça, chamomile and green teas, fresh lime juice, brown sugar, Bittercube cherry bark bitters and mint.

The grill out on the restaurant’s backyard plaza bar will feature the house-made hot dogs and punch, and City Dogs Rescue will have dogs available for adoption on the front patio. For a $10 donation, happy hour prices will be served all night on the back plaza. There will also be a charity bocce tournament with teams of four able to play for $25 per team on Vinoteca’s oyster-shell court. Prizes include dinner at Vinoteca, doggie daycare at City Dogs Daycare and more. Space is limited and teams/players should register in advance at https://www.dcbocceleague.com/RegNet/reg1.aspx?lgid=312, or can sign up on-site if there is still space available.

GCDC launches weekly cheese making and pairing classes

Cheesemonger Sophie Slesinger of grilled cheese restaurant GCDC, 1730 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, is launching a series of cheese classes ranging from Cheese 101 basics for novices to mozzarella-making for hands-on students. Slesinger is kicking off the cheese class series from 12:30-2 p.m. on Aug. 23 with special guest and renowned cheesemaker Carlos Yescas, an author who recently opened a cheese shop in Mexico City, and is the principal of Lactography, a firm dedicated to promoting Mexican cheese throughout the world. The lunch and learn with feature Mexican tapas, a custom cocktail and a guided lecture for $40.

GCDC cheesemonger Sophie Slesinger pulls fresh mozzarella. (Photo: Bisnow)

Classes will continue in September with Cheese 101 from 6-7 p.m. every Monday. The class is a guided tasting through all the major styles of cheese with drink in hand Slesinger will explain the ins and outs of artisan cheeses, how to pair cheese and drink, and help guests discover their favorites for the next time they face the cheese counter. Cost is $40 per person.

Mozzarella-Making will be held from 6-8:30 p.m. every other Tuesday beginning Sept. 2. Slesinger, who hand-makes all the fresh mozzarella served in the restaurant from exclusive Caputo Brothers Creamery curd, will guide students through the basics of making fresh mozzarella cheese including the ins and outs of stretching curd and different strategies for making stracciatella, mozzarella and burrata at home. Each participant will make their own mozzarella to take home, and the class will conclude with a family style meal, featuring a few of Sophie’s favorite recipes, wine and beer. Cost is $75 per person.

Slesinger is also launching a cheese CSA. The D.C. Cheese Share will allow cheese-lovers to explore farmstead cheeses on a weekly basis, complete with tasting notes and drink pairing recommendations. Each Wednesday from Sept. 3-Oct. 11, participants will pick up their wedge of farmstead cheese, complete with tasting notes, drink recommendations and recipes at GCDC. The five-week buy-in is priced at $50.

For more information or to sign up for classes or the CSA, email Slesinger at [email protected].

Red Light gets new master drinksmith and savory menu

Red Light Cocktails and Dessert Bar, 1401 R St. NW, recently hired Jonny Fellman, formerly head bartender at the Quill at The Jefferson in Georgetown, as its new beverage director and master drinksmith. He will be responsible for enhancing the cocktail program adding new cocktails to the menu each season.

Red Light Cocktails and Dessert Bar has a new drinkmaster and savory menu. (Photo: Google Maps)

A native of Pawling, N.Y., Fellman moved to the D.C. area in 2000 to attend George Mason University. He graduated in 2004 and worked as a facilities manager at a small community center in southeast D.C. In 2009, Fellman decided to enter the restaurant industry and worked his way up the ranks at the cocktail-heavy gastropub AGAINN, starting as a barback and eventually becoming head bartender. In 2012, he moved to Quill until 2014 when he became a beverage consultant for a friend’s new pub in London.He spent six months traveling overseas before accepting the job at Red Light.

Fellman’s latest collection of cocktails include the Magdalene made with gin, elderflower liquor and lemon; the Tijuana Twister made with jalapeño tequila, watermelon, lime and honey; the Just Peachy made from a combination of vodka, peach liqueur, lemon and Prosecco; as well as the Coal Miner made with rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Sambuca and angostura bitters. All are priced at $12.

Chef/partner Robert Underwood has added an assortment of bar treats, rustic flatbreads, and a toast ‘crostini’ bar to the restaurant’s new savory menu. New bar snacks include a cheese board with four cheeses, marinated figs and honey walnuts for $16; a charcuterie board with four charcuterie items served with whole grain mustard, cornichon and baguette for $15, and elevated bar nuts with nori seasoning for $5. New rustic flatbreads include the margherita with tomato, mozzarella and basil for $10; fig and chocolate with hazelnut, gorgonzola and mascarpone cheese for $12; the wild mushroom with tallegio cheese and white truffle oil for $12; the potato and pancetta with pesto and fontina cheese for $11, and the prosciutto with arugula for $11.

The new toast crostini bar includes infused butters with white truffle, pistachio and fig for $7; duck confit with melted tallegio cheese, vegetables and herbs for $8; Brussels sprouts with crispy pancetta and mustard oil for $8; white bean with carrots, celery, onion and herbs for $7; beets with pistachios and pistachio butter for $8; and cauliflower with capers and olive for $6.

Mixologists and brothers Ari and Micah Wilder, along with partners Armin Amin and Adrian Williams, opened Chaplin Restaurant & Bar at 1501 9th St. NW in the Shaw neighborhood last week.

Chaplin Restaurant and Bar opened July 9 in the old Mandalay space and 9th and P Streets NW. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Chaplin is a nod to Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin, the English actor, comedian and filmmaker who starred in silent movies. Chaplin is serving up Asian-inspired cuisine that will take diners on a journey to Japan and Shanghai in the 1920s, when silent films were appreciated globally for embracing and unifying separation through emotion, expression, comedy, originality, risk, sorrow and entertainment.

Why did the brothers, who are known for their drink programs at several local restaurants, decide to open a restaurant? “It’s a perfect parallel for us. Cocktails are more popular these days,” Micah Wilder told DC on Heels. “We’ve always wanted to own a cocktail bar.”

Micah Wilder moved from San Francisco to join his brother in D.C. several years ago. “We fell into consulting with large restaurant groups, making mixers and selling to restaurants,” he said. “We decided to open our own place and carry our own stuff.”

But how do Chaplin and Asian cuisine mesh? “Chaplin has huge appeal,” executive chef Jeremy Cooke told DC on Heels. “Since his movies were silent, they appealed to everyone. His movies translate everywhere. That’s what we want our food to do.”

Plus, Cooke added, Mandalay, the Burmese restaurant that was previously in the space, left behind its huge wok system. And, Cooke has extensive experience making handmade dumplings and noodles.

His expertise working flour got underway in at Rex Restaurant where chef David Maplethorpe taught him to bake bread and make fresh pasta. Later while studying at the Orlando Culinary Academy, Cooke met Hari Pulapaka, the James Beard Foundation nominated chef at Cress Restaurant, who taught him the art of dumpling making. After graduation, Cooke eventually returned to D.C. where he worked for Roberto Donna at Galileo, Argonaut Tavern, Elisir, Siroc and briefly with Erik Brenuer-Yang of Toki Underground, where his love of ramen was solidified.

Shrimp and pork dumplings (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

The opening menu combines the Wilder brothers’ love of spirits and Cooke’s skill creating handmade noodles, dumplings, ramen and family-style roasts. For those over 21, Chaplin’s menu includes “drunken” dumplings. Among the adult dumplings are drunken dumpling shooters (3 for $9) — a dumpling sinking in alcohol, meant to be simultaneously drank and eaten like an oyster shooter — including the Whiskey-a-Go-Go, a hot pork dumpling in Japanese whiskey and a cold lemon emulsion; the Blood & Sand, a hot beef dumpling in Japanese scotch whiskey, cherry brandy and orange peel; and the Cold War, a cold shrimp dumpling in Old Tom gin, Pimms, ginger, cucumber and lemon.

More traditional drunken dumplings, priced at $12 per order, include the Night & Day made with dry aged-N.Y. strip steak soaked in Yamizake 12-year-old scotch, ground and mixed with roasted shitake, porcini and oyster mushrooms lightly marinated in roasted garlic, fresh scallions and ginger with a hint of mirin and shoyu; the Swine & Wine made with ground pork marinated in ginger, garlic and scallion tossed in shoyu and mirin; and Smoke Stacks made with ground chicken, green curry, coconut milk, lemongrass, ginger and cilantro Pechuga-Mezcal and Rothman peach liqueur. Non-alcoholic dumplings, which cost $8 per serving, include beef and mushroom, pork and ginger, spicy vegetable and basmati rice, crab and sausage and chicken.

The pickled salad at Chaplin’s is made with house-made spicy white pearl onions, sweet pickled ginger and sweet pickles on local arugula with a house-made sweet vinegar. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Salads, priced at $8, also have an Asian twist like the spicy noodle salad with ramen noodles blanched, chilled and marinated in a house-made spicy chili oil topped with slow roasted and candied cashews, julienned scallion and pickled ginger; the pickled salad with house-made spicy white pearl onions, sweet pickled ginger and sweet pickles on local arugula with a house-made sweet vinegar; pickled fruit salad with spicy pickled watermelon and togarashi, sweet pickled pineapple, star anise, sesame seeds and cilantro topped with house-made banana chips; papaya salad with ripe, green papaya, red Bermuda onion, English cucumber and togarashi vinaigrette served on top of butter lettuce cups; and soba noodle salad with shaved carrots, shaved zucchini, shaved broccoli stems and fresh bean sprouts tossed in soy vinaigrette and served with a pura fried soft shell crab.

The Masquerader made with coconut chicken broth, chicken breast, mustard greens, a soft boiled egg and pickled ginger.
(Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Ramens, which range from $10-$13, include In the Park made with porcini mushroom broth, asparagus, onions, carrots and local mushrooms; Shanghaied 1915 made with vegan dashi broth, pickled vegetables, fried tofu and sesame seeds; A Woman of the Sea made with mussel dashi broth, PEI mussels, chili flakes and mustard; The Masquerader made with coconut chicken broth, chicken breast, mustard greens, a soft boiled egg and pickled ginger; Tango and Tangles made with shoyu broth, sesame chicken, a soft boiled egg, mustard greens and chili oil; Triple Threat made with duck miso broth, duck breast, a soft boiled egg, scallions and pickled ginger; and The Knockout made with tonakatsu broth, pork shoulder, a soft boiled egg, scallions and pickled ginger. As with most ramen bars, add-ons include tofu ($3), chicken ($4), pork belly ($4) and Asian duck confit ($5).

Chaplin’s Sunny Side cocktail made with Silver rum, Kalani coconut rum, Senior Orange curaceo, pressed pineapple, lime juice and a dark rum float. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

At the downstairs “piano” bar the Wilder brothers, who also co-own the 1940s era Red Light Cocktails and Dessert Bar on 14th Street NW, have come up with cocktails influenced and named after Chaplin’s films. Drinks include the Gold Rush made with champagne, Montenegro amaro, peach liqueur, peach bitters and golden flake; The Tramp made with bourbon, Bénédictine, Peychaud’s bitters and burned orange peel oil; The Vagabond made with Tom Cat gin, Pimms, blanc vermouth, cucumber water, lemon, ginger beer and mint bitters; the Lime Light made with gin, Calvados apple brandy, lime, watermelon and pickled pineapple; the Sunny Side made with Silver rum, Kalani coconut rum, Senior Orange curaceo, pressed pineapple, lime juice and a dark rum float; and the Laughing Gas made with Blue Coat gin, blackberry liqueur and blackberry-lemon laughing gas soda, which is made combining helium and house-made soda. Cocktails are $10 each.

Chaplin’s downstairs dining room includes a mural of the silent film star (clockwise from top left), the bar, upstairs dining room and patio. (Photos: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Maggie O’Neill of SwatchRoom designed Chaplin’s décor with a glass enclosed piano in the downstairs piano bar, a hand painted mural of Chaplin on the wall of the downstairs dining room, dark wood tables, black chairs and bankettes and lights made from old-fashioned theater lighting. Upstairs, flickering black-and-white Chaplin films will be shown on one wall above the steps while 20s-era sheet music covers another wall. The upstairs dining room features antiquated textures and artifacts from film and entertainment. Bold accents of gold and reds can be found throughout the space leading to the private “Opium Den,” which will have a separate drink menu featuring drinks named Opiate 1 through 7.

Currently, the 28-seat downstairs dining room and seven-seat bar are open 4 p.m.-midnight Monday through Thursday, from 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday, noon-1 a.m. Saturday and noon-midnight Sunday. The 80-seat outdoor patio will open in late July and the 55-seat second floor dining room and Opiate Den will open in mid- to late-August.

Boss Shepherd’s, a modern farm-to-table restaurant serving American comfort food, will open a block from the John A. Wilson Building at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW in the former John Harvard’s Brew House this July. The 6,000 square-foot restaurant located next to the Warner Theater will seat roughly 125.

Workers remodel the old John Harvard’s Brew House to make way for Boss Shepherd’s, scheduled to open in July. (Photo: Popville)

“We plan to bring a dynamic restaurant, filled with D.C.’s power players, to Penn Quarter this summer,” restaurateur and founder Paul J. Cohn said in a release. Cohn is the founder of J.Paul’s and former senior executive officer of Capital Restaurant Concepts, which owns J Paul’s, Old Glory BBQ, Georgia Brown’s, Paolo’s Ristorante, Neyla, The River Club and Club Zei.

Executive chef Jeremy Waybright will use locally sourced ingredients in his scratch-made classics. Diners can expect a diverse cocktail, wine and local craft beer list comprised of iconic labels from around the region. The beverage menu will boast specialty drinks including the Signature Boss Shepherd cocktail.

The restaurant is named for D.C.’s first appointed governor, Alexander Robey “Boss” Shepherd. Shepherd is largely credited with modern Washington, paving miles of roads and sidewalks after the Civil War and putting in a modern sewer system in the 1870s.

The restaurant will offer lunch and dinner Monday-Friday and dinner only on Saturday.

1920s themed Chaplin Cocktail Bar to open in July

Mixologists and brothers Ari and Micah Wilder, along with their partners Armin Amin and Adrian Williams, are planning to open the Chaplin Cocktail Bar at 1501 9th St. NW in the former Mandalay Burmese restaurant next month.

Chaplain Cocktail Bar will replace Mandalay in Shaw next month. (Photo: Oscar L./Yelp)

Chaplin is a nod to Sir Charles Spencer “Charlie” Chaplin, an English actor, comedian and filmmaker who rose to fame in the silent era. The bar will showcase cocktails from the 1920s from 4 p.m.-midnight Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Friday, noon-1 a.m. Saturday and noon-midnight on Sunday.

The Wilder brothers have 29 years of combined experience. While Micah was opening cocktail bars throughout San Francisco, his younger brother Ari was following his lead in the DMV. In 2008, Micah joined his brother to found Wilder Bros. LLC, a cocktail consulting company. The duo created over a dozen cocktail programs throughout the city since launching their company. They opened their first venture together, Fed Restaurant in May 2013 and supply cocktail programs throughout the city with their proprietary mixers and ingredients.

The cocktails at Chaplin will be influenced and named after Charlie Chaplin’s comedic films including the Gold Rush with Champagne, Montenegro amaro, peach liqueur, peach bitters and golden flake; The Tramp with rye whiskey, Bénédictine, Peychaud’s bitters and burned orange peel; The Vagabond with Tom Cat gin, blanc vermouth, lemon bitters and tonic; The Pilgrim with Genever, Crème de Violet, ginger beer and lime; Lime Light with vodka, Leopold’s apple liqueur, green apple soda and lime vin; Sunny Side with a combination of three rums, orange Curaçao, cherry liqueur, Peychaud’s bitter and pineapple with citrus; By the Sea with Speyside scotch, Porto, apricot liqueur, Champagne and lemon; and the Laughing Gas with Blue Coat gin, blackberry liqueur and lemon laughing gas soda, which is made combining helium to their house-made soda. Cocktails are priced at $10 each.

SwatchRoom is designing the bar’s interior. The two story, 83-seat dining room will be enveloped by the nostalgia of a flickering black and white cinematic experience. The space will feature layers of antiquated textures and artifacts from film and entertainment. Bold accents of rich gold and reds will be found throughout the space leading to the private Opium Den located on the second floor. An 80-seat outdoor patio “Piano Bar” will be available during the spring and summer months.

Lupo Verde begins serving weekend brunch

Lupo Verde, 1401 T St. NW, launched Saturday and Sunday brunch service from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on June 14.

Lupo Verde began serving weekend brunch on Saturday. (Photo: Mark Heckathorn/DC on Heels)

Chef de cuisine Domenico Apollaro’s a la carte menu showcases authentic, rustic, Italian fare featuring a variety of antipasti, breakfast pizzas, house-made pastas, egg dishes and crepes.

Lupo Verde’s brunch menu includes an assortment of antipasti including insalata di pomodoro with frisella bread, fresh tomatoes, red onions and red peppers; pene n’ zuppato, French toast made with Italian brioche, pear jam and mixed nuts; carpaccio di agrumi with grapefruit and orange carpaccio, cinnamon and sugar. A variety of pastas are also on the menu such as house-made tagliatelle with Neapolitan meat ragu and parmigiano-reggiano; house-made spaghetti alla carbonara with guanciale, eggs and pecorino; and house-made maltagliati alla Norma with ricotta, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and parmigiano-reggiano.

The egg section of the menu features poached eggs in San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil, shallots and grilled bread; a grilled sirloin steak and two eggs any style; and eggs with potatoes and shallots. Two crepe dishes will also be available including the classica with speck and fontina, and warm crepes with Nutella. A selection of house-made pizzas will also be served including the panfocaccia pizza with cream cheese, rucola and salmon; pizza bismarc with spinach, prosciutto and egg or the pizza vesuviana with mozzarella, tomato sauce, cherry tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. Brunch offerings are priced from $6 to $22 each.

Breakfast cocktails created by beverage director Francesco Amodeo include The Principessa with blood peach puree, grapefruit bitters and Prosecco; the Sofia with Don Ciccio and Figli hibiscus liqueur, Prosecco and hibiscus flower; Spritz with aperol, soda and Prosecco; Il Professore with DCF Concerto (coffee liqueur), Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. Mosby’s Spirit and coconut milk; and the Black Pearl made from a combination of squid ink infused tequila, mandarin liqueur, pomegranate and lemon juice. Brunch cocktails are $12 each.

Vinoteca celebrates the “Summer of Riesling”

Vinoteca, 1940 11th St. NW, is honoring Riesling wine, sometimes call the “grape of summer” for its crisp, acidic taste, with a 94-day celebration from June 21-Sept. 24 with wine flights, a variety of Rieslings by the glass and tasting classes.

Vinoteca celebrates Riesling all summer long with specials and classes. (Photo: Popville)

Vinoteca will features Rieslings from Germany, France, Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. The restaurant will allow guests to taste several different bottles with a special “Summer of Riesling” Flight ($19) during the promotion featuring Sybille Kuntz from Germany, Zind Humbrecht from Alsace, France and Pewsey Vale Riesling from Eden Valley, Australia. They will also be sold by the glass along with a few others including a sparkling Riesling, Henkell from Germany.

From 7-8:30 p.m. on June 17, the restaurant will offer a wine class in its upstairs lounge. Guests will explore and tour six different Rieslings, which will include Henkell Riesling Sekt and Kreuznacher Riesling Spatlese “Kronenberg” from Germany, Domaine Catherine-Auther Riesling from France, Pewsey Vale Dry Riesling from Australia, Coopers’ Creek Riesling from New Zealand and Castle Rock Riesling from California. Wines will be paired with small plates from executive chef Lonnie Zoeller and attendees will leave with a $5 gift card to go back and enjoy more wine. The wine class is $40 and can be reserved by calling 202-332-9463 or emailing [email protected].

Cuba Libre celebrates National Ceviche Day

Cuba Libre Restaurant & Rum Bar, 801 9th St. NW, is celebrating National Ceviche Day on June 28 with specials.

Cuba Libre will celebrate National Ceviche Day on June 28. (Photo: Lightman Photography)

From June 23-29, the restaurant will offer a new ceviche flight featuring their shrimp ceviche, mixto ceviche and a new mushroom ceviche priced for $12. The new trio was created by Cuba Libre’s chef-partner Guillermo Pernot who won his second James Beard Award for his book ¡Ceviche!, Seafood, Salads and Cocktails with a Latino Twist.

To complement the new flight, guests can try one of Cuba Libre’s more than 90 premium and flavored rum varieties from Guyana, Haiti, Nicaragua and Tortola. Rums are priced between $8 and $34 a glass.

Bibiana Osteria Enoteca hosts Campania wine dinner

Bibiana Osteria Enoteca, 1100 New York Ave. NW, will host a wine dinner at 7 p.m. on June 24 featuring wines from Terredora di Paolo Winery, located in southern Italy’s Avellino province.

Bibiana Osteria Enoteca will host a wine dinner on June 24 featuring wines from Terredora di Paolo Winery. (Photo: Endo Edibles)

The four-course menu will be a tour around southern Italy prepared by executive chef Nicholas Stefanelli with wine pairings from Campania’s native varietals. Terradora di Paolo’s owner Daniela Mastrobernadina will discuss the winery’s winemaking style that integrates forward-thinking technology with the region’s established traditions.

The menu includes insalata caprese with Buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil paired with Falanghina Irpinia 2013; scialatielli with Amalfi coast pasta, zucchini and shrimp paired with Greco di Tufo 2013 and Fiano di Avellino 2012; bistecca alla pizzaiola with grilled beef strip loin, bone marrow, tomato, oregano and olive oil crushed potatoes paired with Aglianico 2011 and Taurasi Fatica Contadina 2008; and baba al rum with neapolitan sponge cake soaked in rum topped with peaches and fresh cream.

Cost of the dinner is $100.

Soi 38 launches summer happy hour

Soi 38, Washington, D.C.’s new destination for underground Thai night market eats, is bringing a bit of the beach to the West End with the launch of the its summer “sling’ back” happy hour, which features 50 percent off the restaurant’s signature draught Singapore Sling cocktails, draught beer and select small plates, hot pots and rolls.

Soi 38 in the West End is celebrating summer with a “sling back” happy hour. (Photo: D.C. Eater)

Available for $5 during happy hour, Soi 38’s signature draught Singapore Sling cocktail features Beefeater gin, Luxardo cherry, benedictine, clarified lime, chili aromatic bitters, sloe gin and pineapple juice. Also during happy hour, all draught beer and wines by the glass are available for 50 percent off.

The half-price menu includes the umami-laden Moo Yang Kati Sod, coconut marinated pork belly with spicy lime sauce; the Prik Tod, fresh greenchilis stuffed with minced shrimp and chicken; and the Ped Roti, slow-roasted duck wrapped with cucumber wrapped in a soft roti shell.

Happy Hour runs from 4:30-7 p.m. Monday-Friday through Aug. 31 at the restaurant’s bar, 2101 L St. NW.

Dine al fresco with your pooch

Dog owners can take their pooches to dinner at Copperwood Tavern, 4021 Campbell Ave. in the Shirlington Village.

Copperwood Tavern welcomes dogs outside the patio. (Photo: O’Neill Studios)

The patio features copper dog bowls of fresh water right outside the patio. Dogs can visit the restaurant while their person dines, by sitting just outside the patio fence. Owner Reese Gardner is currently working to obtain a permit that would allow dogs to join their family on Copperwood Tavern’s patio, hopefully this summer.

The restaurant also chooses a Dog of the Month to feature on their “Wall of Fame.” Winners receive a customized basked rom Dogma Bakery, a $50 Copperwood Tavern gift card for their owner, a Copperwood Tavern bandana along with their photo on the wall. To enter your dog, email a photo to [email protected] stating the dog’s name, birthday, breed and a few sentences about why it should be Dog of the Month.

J.J. Basil and Chris Wolff from WD-50 restaurant in New York are opening 0º0’ (Zero Degrees Zero Minutes). Basil, a native of Arlington, and Wolff met at WD~50, Wylie Dufresne’s avant-garde New York kitchen, where they worked up to sous chef and chef de partie, respectively.

J.J. Basil (left) and Chris Wolff of the new 0º0’ Restaurant. (Photos: 0º0’ Restaurant)

Basil previously worked at Torrisi Italian Specialities and Tokyo’s Nihonryori RyuGin. Wolff most recently worked at London’s Viajante.

Basil and Wolff are still looking for a space where they can cook for just a dozen or so guests when starting out. In the meantime, they’ll run pop-ups out of Darnell’s Bar, 944 Florida Ave. NW, starting Feb. 18 and 19. Tickets are available online for $125. Tickets for the first two are sold out as are tickets for Mar. 2. Two tickets remained for Mar. 4 as of presstime. Future pop-ups scheduled include Mar. 16, 18 and 30 and Apr. 1.

The chefs will serve a six-course menu with various snacks and wine pairings by sourcing the best ingredients they can find in the area and making connections with small farms such as Sycamore Spring in Frederick, Md. The sample menu posted online includes amuses, razor clams with turnip, celery and pomegranate; stone crab with almond and sunchoke; black bass with cabbage, white bean and chamomile; daikon with a grain broth; aged Highland beef with pumpkin seed, argan and onion; black tea ice cream with potato yogurt and flax seed; coffee and petit fours.

As for the name — or 0º0’ symbol, in this case — it’s a symbol of Washington. A Zero Milestone was erected near the White House in the 1920s, intended to be a starting marker from which all highways in the U.S. should be measured. The granite construction didn’t end up serving that purpose, but it stands as a notable sight nonetheless.

“It’s a nod to the city and our beginnings,” said Basil. “This is just us starting out. The future is going to be what it is.”

Red Light to replace Bar di Bari on 14th Street

Bar di Bari will be replaced by Red Light at 14th and R Streets NW. (Photo by the Washington Post)

Bar di Bari is out and Red Light cocktails and dessert bar is in at 1401 R St. NW. Restauranteur Aaron Gordon of Drafting Table, Red Velvet Cupcakery and Tangysweet opened Bar di Bari June 23, 2013 and closed it Jan. 26. His Fat Shorty’s sausage joint in Clarendon didn’t last a year either, opening and closing last year.

Robert Underwood and brothers Ari and Micah Wilder are joining Gordon at Red Light. The name refers to 14th Street’s colorful past as a red light district in the nation’s capital. It is slated to open in April. The collaborative efforts will result in imaginative sweets with potent spirits, taking “boozy desserts” to a new level. Red Light will serve nightly and also feature weekend brunch.

“Distinctive craft cocktails and inspired desserts in a fun, relaxed bar will be the ideal complement to 14th Street –D.C.’s top restaurant destination,” Gordon said in a press release. “Who doesn’t love delicious chocolate and champagne?”

Underwood, who was formerly head pastry chef at Komi and Marcel’s in D.C., will be executive chef at Red Light. His menu will offer 10 desserts changing daily, reflecting the season, and a featured soufflé. Dessert choices will be priced from $8-$10. A pre-fixe menu, complete with a cocktail or wine pairing, will also be available for $16-$20 per person.

The cocktail menu and wine list are being developed by the Wilder brothers, who will serve as Red Light’s beverage directors. Since 2008, when they founded Wilder Bros. LLC, they have created over a dozen successful cocktail programs and opened Fed Restaurant in May 2013. Their list for Red Light will include a selection of eight to 12 specialty drinks, as well as adult desserts that combine cocktail and dessert ingredients for a spirited treat such as the Cake Shake, a Red Velvet cupcake, homemade ice cream, Atlantico dark rum, Velvet Felernum and cocoa bitters. The menu will also offer a boutique wine selection as well as eight to 10 champagnes by-the-glass, including four champagnes on-tap.

Design studio SwatchRoom is redoing the 27-seat interior, which will have “love-nest” seating options of red leather banquettes and club chairs plus a sprinkling of two and four top tables. There will be an 18-seat concrete bar and a seasonal 44-seat outdoor patio.

Red Light will be open Monday-Thursday from 4 p.m.-close, Friday and Saturday from noon-2 a.m. and Sunday from noon-10 p.m.

&pizza coming to 14th & K Streets NW

The original H&pizza. (Photo: District Cuisine)

Fast-casual pizza parlor &pizza, owned by Steve Salis and Micahel Lastoria, plans to open its next D.C. location at 1400 K St. NW. The pizzeria will occupy 1,919 square feet in the building at 14th and K, across the street from DC Coast. It plans to open this summer.

&pizza, pronounced “and pizza,” has grown rapidly over the last year. What began as a single shop on H Street NE has expanded into another at 13th & U Streets NW. Three others are in the works including one at Monroe Street Market near Catholic University in the Brookland section of NE D.C., one in Bethesda and another in Germantown.

The restaurants serve individual pizzas that are customizable and cook in just a few minutes.
 

Osteria Elisir closes

Osteria Elisir (Photo: Kyle Gustafson/Washingtonian)

Osteria Elisir at 427 11th St. NW closed on Jan. 28. Owenr Enzo Fargione announced the closing on downrockwell.com.

“After more than 2 years we decided to call it quits! Elisir and Osteria Elisir have made many people happy and will continue to live in the hearts of those who had supported us and appreciated us. Thank you to all of you Washingtonians. Our restaurant is now officially closed for good. I’ll see you soon…”

The Italian eatery, which opened as Elisir Restaurante, hasn’t had smooth going since it opened. Fargione altered the concept last March moving from white tablecloths and tasting menus to a more casual experience.

There’s no word yet on what’s next for Fargione.

Two restaurants add bottomless meals

Ambar Balkan Restaurant (Photo: Capitol Hill Corner)

Ambar at 523 8th St. SE, D.C.’s first Balkan restaurant, owned by Serbian-born Ivan Iricanin and chef/restaurateur Richard Sandoval, has added a bottomless dinner featuring unlimited small plates, Balkan specialties and a free-flowing beverage menu.

Available seven days a week, the menu offers two package options: unlimited small plates and Balkan specialties with bottomless drinks for $59 per person or unlimited small plates and bottomless drinks for $49 per person. The entire table must order the same package level of the bottomless dinner, and guests will have a two-hour window to enjoy their food and drinks.

Guests ordering the bottomless dinner will choose from small plates such as the spicy crab spread, hummus, grilled chicken and sausage flatbread, as well as various mezze, soup and salad options. Balkan specialties include marinated crusted trout, veal schnitzel, mixed grilled meats and a rib eye steak.

Alba Osteria(Photo: Urban Living)

Also, Alba Osteria, located at 425 I St, NW, launched weekend brunch from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. for $29.95 per person. Diners can enjoy an all-you-can-eat selection of breakfast pizzas, egg dishes, pancakes and meatballs along with four brunch cocktails. Bottomless brunch must be ordered by the entire table.

The unlimited brunch menu includes plates such as fried eggs and meatballs, buckwheat ricotta pancakes, egg white frittatas, poached eggs, house-made steel cut oatmeal, sausage pizzas with egg and Monte Cristo sandwiches. Sides are additional and cost $5-$8.

Bottomless cocktails can be added for $18 per person. Featured cocktails include mimosas, infused prosciutto vodka Bloody Mary and a house-made beer-mosa.

Chefs on the move

Benjamin Lambert (Photo: Star Chefs)

Benjamin Lambert is the new executive chef at 701 Restaurant, 701 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Lambert brings 15 years of experience from restaurants in New York City, Washington and Baltimore. He began his career in New York City in 1999 working as a line cook under the direction of Chef Sottha Khunn at Le Cirque. In 2001, he moved to Union Pacific, where he worked as chef de partie under chef/TV personality Rocco DiSpirito.

Next Lambert moved to Cleveland to work at Johnny’s Restaurant where he was promoted to banquet chef. After a year in Ohio, Lambert returned to the Big Apple and began working as a sous chef at the Club Metropolitan, a dinner-only private club for residents of the Metropolitan Tower. In 2005, Lambert accepted a position at 71 Clinton Fresh Foods and Town Restaurant before deciding to relocate to the D.C. area.

In 2006, he joined the team at 2941 Restaurant in Falls Church as executive sous chef then to executive chef at Restaurant Nora in Washington, where Lambert furthered his interest in farm-to-table cooking. In October 2011, Lambert relocated to Baltimore to serve as executive chef at Wit & Wisdom at the Four Seasons. In December 2012, he left the Four Seasons to serve as executive chef of Artifact Coffee.

Most recently, Lambert served as executive chef at the Goodstone Inn & Restaurant in Middleburg, Va. His responsibilities also included overseeing the planting schedule of the restaurant’s two-acre garden.

Matt Hill (Photo: Liberty Tavern)

In another chef move, Matt Hill has replaced Liam LaCivita as executive chef at Liberty Tavern, Lyon Hall and Northside Social. all in Arlington.

Hill was the opening chef de cuisine at Range and worked closely alongside Bryan Voltaggio before departing in mid-January. Previously, he had spent nine years with the Charlie Palmer Group starting at Aureole and culminating with a five-year stint as executive chef at Charlie Palmer Steak in D.C. Hill is a 2000 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

Liberty Tavern sous chef Miljohn Dimaano has been promoted to chef de cuisine for the American restaurant. He has been sous chef since late 2009. Prior to joining Liberty Tavern, Dimaano spent time in sous chef positions at Willow Restaurant and 2941.

Daniel Singhofen (Photo: Daniel Singhofen)

Finally, Daniel Singhofen is the new chef de cuisine at Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt Washington. Singhofen replaces John Melfi, who left in December. Melfi had been at Blue Duck since 2011. He has been tapped to work with chef Fabio Trabocchi at Trabocchi’s new Fiola Mare in Washington Harbour, which is expected to open sometime this spring.

Singhofen formerly owned and managed his own restaurant, Eola in Dupont Circle, from 2009 to Aug. 31, 2013. Previously, he worked at the Ritz-Carlton in Naples, Fla., and K Restaurant & Wine Bar in Orlando from 2004-2007. Then he formed his own company and set his sights on opening Eola, which focused on the farm-to-table movement. Singhofen developed relationships to highlight and support local, sustainable farming practices which were reflected in his daily menus.

“The decision to join the talented team at Blue Duck Tavern was an easy one for me to make,” said Singhofen. “The similar emphasis on farm fresh ingredients and seasonality at Blue Duck Tavern makes it a great fit, and I have relationships with many of the farmers that the restaurant currently sources from for the menu. It is the right next step and I could not be more pleased to join Executive Chef (Sebastian) Archambault and his talented team.”

Singhofen attended the University of Florida before earning his Culinary Arts degree in 2004 at the Culinary Institute of America in New York.