RSS FeedBoqueria Penn Quarter Looking Good (777 9th St NW)
Boqueria’s Penn Quarter location (777 9th St NW) is fast approaching opening day. The wood surround that facilitates construction was removed revealing the new Boqueria signage and awnings. The Dupont location’s tapas menus can be found here for reference.
This location was formerly the short lived BOE and long lived Oya restaurants prior to Boqueria.
Newseum Closing In January 2020 – Building Sold To Johns Hopkins
It’s not news by now but we do need to mark the upcoming end of an era as 2019 will be the last full year that the Newseum will operate at 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW due to Johns Hopkins University’s buying and taking over the building. The Newseum will move on to other as yet unknown pastures. We had high hopes when this media museum opened in April of 2008 and visited the building on a number of occasions for different reasons. We always enjoyed the visit. We also regularly stopped by to read the front pages of newspapers from around the United States to see what perspectives were of our American brothers and sisters.
The unparalleled vistas from the conference rooms and party space, the comfortable apartment residences that wrap the north side of the building, the delicious Wolfgang Puck’s The Source restaurant on the ground floor, and the museum itself were always top notch experiences. However, we never saw the museum itself bustling in a way that made us think that it was going to be successful in the same way the other free museums around town are successful. Of course, it’s the free part that’s a tough nut to crack in Washington. When the competition is free a museum really needs to stand out and deliver value for the admission fee which currently stands at $24.95 for an adult retail ticket. (Tickets are valid for 2 consecutive days which is a good idea!) The Washington Post offers this historical view.
A Washington Post ‘Letter to the Editor’ points out the critical mission of the Newseum. We couldn’t agree more. There’s no doubt in our minds that more than ever in this era of fake news, a curated historical, current, and future looking showcase of journalism and news gathering is important to put on display.
Olivia Now Open In Penn Quarter (800 F St NW)
Olivia, a Mediterranean inspired restaurant, is now open at 800 F St NW in the former NoPa restaurant space. Olivia is a new concept from Ashok Bajaj’s Knightsbridge Restaurant Group, the operator of a number of acclaimed restaurants in the Penn Quarter and other DC neighborhoods.
Per the website, the restaurant has the following outlook on its menu which can be found here:
Olivia restaurant features Mediterranean flavors with seasonal, responsibly and locally sourced ingredients and modern techniques, striking a balance between innovation and tradition.
Discover signature cocktails and a diverse menu of Mediterranean cuisine inspired by Spain, Italy, Portugal, Greece, Morocco, and beyond in a beautiful, welcoming environment with Mediterranean inspired décor.
Olivia features a menu that highlights shared plates, large plates, and a wine list that is priced to welcome exploration of a variety of vintages with special attention to wines of the Mediterranean region.
Welcome Olivia to the neighborhood!
Chaia Tacos Now Open In Penn Quarter/Chinatown (615 I St NW)
Chaia Tacos (615 I St NW) opened today in Penn Quarter/Chinatown. Readers can find menus for their offerings here. Chaia also has a location in Georgetown, their first. Their website describes their business and food philosophy as follows:
…we offer just 5 vegetable taco creations at a time (either served in a taco or over green rice which we call the taco-less/tortilla-less option), a few outrageously delicious sides, a soup for when it’s cold, and drinks on tap—from kombucha to beer, tea to rosé.
Although their claiming Mount Vernon Triangle as their location, it is in fact Chinatown and within the Penn Quarter Neighborhood Association boundaries. Washingtonian magazine has some of the backstory.
Welcome to the neighborhood Chaia Tacos!