NewsBit: Andale Restaurant Closed For Renovations…More To Follow

Reports are circulating that it is closed for good…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/07/26/DI2006072601061.html

http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=3703

http://www.metrocurean.com/

I hope they overhaul the food too. Each time I’ve been there the food has been bland and uninspired.

My vote’s for an Oyamel relocation (mentioned in one of the links above). Might as well bring Oyamel home to Penn Quarter along with the original Jaleo and Zaytinya–and Oyamel is superior to(and less pricey than) Rosa Mexicano.

I’m happy to see Andale gone. It has been run down looking for some time now. I also found their menu to be overpriced in relation to the quality of the food and overall experience.

I’m NOT happy to see it go. I liked the food and liked having an independent restaurant that added a little charm to corner. Sorry to hear it couldn’t make it

they did not even serve margaritas by the pitcher, no loss

my concern is blight; nothing creates blight than to see empty store front lots. If Andale closes up for good (sign says closed for renovations), it may be a real long time before this spot is filled. Take a look at the long-closed Caribbean eatery on E and 9th. The realtor says he has a long list of would-be restaurants wanting that location. He said that months ago, yet that spot remains unfilled. It is a prime location, yet blight at that corner exists

After too many times walking by the old Ginger Cove and wondering when something would move in, I went to the T Retail web site, and found that the space is 4000 sq ft, with 2500 sq ft of that underground. Perhaps that’s the sticking point with potential tenants? In a walking neighborhood, who would want more than half their restaurant underground? The downstairs of Teaism is sad.

Re the Ginger Cove, I didn’t like the layout because everything was too close and hard by the windows and the sidewalk. Yet the restaurant realtor said he had many queries for that vacated site. Maybe because of the small footage, restaurant consultants may have advised against taking over that site.