RSS FeedCanali Is Coming To CityCenter (978 I St NW)
We always enjoy Michael Neibauer’s Friday permit posts in the Washington Business Journal as we’ve been watching permits since as far back as 2006, well before the practice appeared in today’s blogs and news outlets. It’s a time tested way of finding out what will be opening in various retail spaces.
Today’s WBJ rendering includes the tidbit that Canali, a purveyor of fine men’s Italian clothing (our words, not theirs), is coming to CityCenter at 978 I St NW. They will join the existing upscale retail party going on in the complex as more and more of the spaces come on line. Benissimo!
Edible Drinks
You know how much we love our cocktails here in PQ! There are so many great spots to stop by for a sip, but we love checking out the events around town that bring together a diversity of great talent in one place, too. A new event from the magazine, Edible DC, will be in the neighborhood next month, February 19 at Longview Gallery (1234 9th St., NW). Featuring artisan liquors and tasty bites from the DC area and a few favorites from around the USA, it’s sure to be a great way to keep warm this winter! Click over here for tickets.
Downtown DC/Penn Quarter News Roundup: Restaurant Edition Heard In The ‘Hood
Photos above: Bakers & Baristas opens at 7th and E St NW – the menu includes apricot danishes!
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Bakers & Baristas Opens! (Penn Quarter) – In the former Tangysweet space and once a coffee shop pre-Tangysweet, Bakers & Baristas, a coffee and pastry shop, opened on the northeast corner of 7th and E St NW (501 7th St NW). We stopped by twice and this one is a clear winner with absolutely delicious pastries and coffees available. We highly recommend stopping in. [Washingtonian] & [Washington Post] & [Washington CityPaper]
Mango Tree Opens at CityCenter DC! (Downtown) – Mango Tree [Menus], an upscale Thai restaurant, opened in CityCenter at 929 H St NW [Photos]. We ate at the new venue in the downstairs bar on Saturday night and it seems fine, not exceptional for the price, but fine for now. The upstairs bar and dining area is much better than the downstairs bar which still remains lively but somewhat undecorated.
W Hotel Wine Bar Turns Into Root Cellar Whiskey Bar (Downtown) – Our favorite cozy drink meet up spot, the W Hotel’s Wine Bar was remodeled and repurposed into a whiskey bar named Root Cellar (515 15th St NW). This is part two of the dining menu at the W Hotel, the first being the inception of Pinea (which is delicious, by the way). We have not stopped by Root Cellar yet but plan to check out the drink menu soon. [BYT] & [Washington CityPaper]
China Chilcano Expands the Jose Andres Restaurant Empire (Penn Quarter) – Good bye Olsson’s, good bye Wagamama, hello China Chilcano. We stopped by China Chilcano (418 7th St NW) for a quick dinner and it meets the quality and consistency available at all the other Jose Andres’ restaurants in town, that is, excellent. Expect a fine price for a finely tailored Peruvian/Chinese hybrid meal set in a fun, whimsical environment [Photos]. [Washington Post] & [DC Eater]
Grand Trunk Indian Restaurant Open, Sort Of (Penn Quarter) – Replacing the Artifactory at 641 Indiana Ave NW, Grand Trunk will be open 24 hours. We stopped by the Sunday before last but they were closed and still in “soft open” mode. A phone call this morning yielded no answer so we’ll drop by again and see. [Urban Daddy]
Ed. Note (Jan 26): Grand Trunk reached out to us to let us know they’re hoping to formally open by the end of this week. Stay tuned!
Upcoming Restaurants at CityCenter include Centrolina, Fig & Olive, and Momofuku – We’re keeping an eye out for when these restaurants open! [PQL Intelligence Network]
Vroom Vroom
If you love all things cars, then be sure to make your way to the Washington Auto Show starting this weekend at the convention center (801 Mount Vernon Pl., NW). Over 700 new makes and models from over 42 manufacturers will be on display featuring some of the latest in design, technology and sustainable innovations for the cars of the future. Is a self-driving car, flying car or car that can run on your household garbage closer to the market than you’d think?
Cribs XXVI: Penn Quarter Style…Redux
Well, well, well. Look what has come on the real estate market. It’s one of the biggies in Penn Quarter…major square footage for this unit with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. At The Residences at Terrell Place, 675 E Street, #700, went up for sale recently and we are making it our 26th Crib.
Two reasons…1) it has 2,720 square feet of space, a 56 foot wide living room/dining room (the entire width of the building) and great light facing three points of the compass – south, east, and west; and 2) it’s interesting to compare with the 10th floor version of this unit that we pointed out in September of 2007 (pictures linked off of post) which was our very FIRST Cribs post profiling great real estate in Penn Quarter/downtown DC.
How much bling will this set you back? A cool $1.595 million and $2,321 per month in condo fees. Now that’s living in Penn Quarter style!
675 E Street, #700 [Redfin listing for DC8529593] [Homevisit Virtual Tour]
Restaurant Week Begins Monday, January 19 – Penn Quarter Represents!
It’s that time of year when Restaurant Week (the Winter Edition) rolls around and restaurants have the opportunity to attract new (or returning) customers by enticing them with easy to pick and fixed price (prix fixe) menus. Restaurant Week runs from Monday, January 19 through Sunday, January 25 with lunches going for $21.15 and dinners for $35.15.
As always, buyer beware because some restaurants put zero effort into being creative and simply package existing menu items together for the same price (or sometimes more!) than what is normally available throughout the year. However, there are always a few gems that take the time and effort to shine and put the package together at a discount or offer unique menu items that showcase the restaurant’s cusine.
The Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association put out a list of Penn Quarter member restaurants participating in Restaurant Week as follows (other neighborhood restaurants may be participating also):
- 701 Restaurant | 202.393.0701
- Acadiana | 202.408.8848
- Cafe du Parc | 202.942.7000
- Carmine’s [lunch only] | 292.737.7770, extension 1
- Casa Luca | 202.628.1099
- Cedar | 202.637.0012
- Cuba Libre | 202.408.1600
- Daikaya Izakaya [dinner only] | 202.589.1600
- DBGB Kitchen and Bar | 202.695.7660
- District ChopHouse | 202.347.3434
- Fiola | 202.628.2888
- The Hamilton | 202.787.1000
- Jaleo | 202.628.7949
- McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood | 202.639.9330
- NoPa Kitchen + Bar | 202.347.4667
- Occidental |202.783.1475
- Old Ebbitt Grill | 202.347.4800
- Oya Restaurant & Lounge | 202.393.1400
- Oyamel | 202.628.1005
- Poste Brasserie | 202.783.6060
- Rasika [lunch only] | 202.637.1222
- Ruth’s Chris Steak House – DC Convention Center [dinner only] | 202.393.4488
- SEI Restaurant and Lounge | 202,783.7007
- Social Reform Kitchen and Bar | 202.393.1300
- The Source | 202,637.6100
- Zaytinya | 202.638.0800
- Zengo | 202.393.2929
Coffee Aficionados
Sure Starbucks is conveniently located less than 3 blocks from any corner in Penn Quarter, but if you really love your coffee, then you’re taking the extra steps to head to some of DCs locally roasted coffee shops. We recently tried Compass Coffee (1535 7th St., NW) in Shaw and it is taking the lead as our favorite mid-day meeting spot. Not only is the coffee delicious, but the service is excellent and the ambiance is a very calm, but hip urban chic. To top it off, you can watch/hear them roasting the beans as you sip and chat. The cup says it all “real good coffee!”
