Penn Quarter Living

Downtown Washington DC/Penn Quarter news and urban commentary

DC Link Roundup: Heard In The ‘Hood

Posted by pqresident

at December 12, 2011

Photo: Man playing Little Wing at 7th and F St NW

Follow PQ Living via Facebook here and Twitter here. Our Flickr tag is pqliving.

Here’s what we were reading recently about neighborhood news in DC. Have something to add? Leave it in the comments!

Friendship Heights – Complain too much about the nature of a real estate development project and you may get an…electrical power substation instead. Let this be a teachable moment. [Washington Examiner]

All Over DC – There are a number of small business incubators around town. Why aren’t there any focused on food based businesses is the question. [Washington CityPaper-Housing Complex]

Mount Vernon Triangle – Along with our neighbors to the north, we were hopeful that Caldo, an Italian restaurant, would open in the retail space at 3rd and H St NW. This will not be the case, however. [The Triangle ]

Penn Quarter – A few more details about Del Frisco’s which will take the old Les Halles space on Pennsylvania Ave between 12th and 13th St NW. Two fisted sandwiches, 8.500 square feet, and 3,000 bottles of wine are the highlights. [Dining Bisnow (second story)]

All Over DC – Mmm…donuts! Dunkin’ Donuts announces expansion plans for DC. [HuffPo – DC]

Shaw – We told you about the first major card boxing match to be held in DC in year via last Friday’s PQ Living post. Attendance was 8,647 and this was the very close outcome. [WaPo]

Boxing In Penn Quarter

Posted by gpliving

at December 9, 2011

Photo credit: snow0810 on flickr

DC doesn’t see a lot of boxing matches come to town, despite having the Verizon Center in the neighborhood. But, every once in a while it seems like the Mayor strikes a deal to have a one-off boxing match in town. The Capital Showdown is the latest match to be seen in DC. While the actual match will take place in the Washington Convention Center on Saturday Dec 10, 2011, the official weigh-in will occur today at 2pm in the Carnegie Library (801 K St NW, Mt. Vernon Square).

Restaurant Updates: Elisir and The Hamilton

Posted by pqresident

at December 8, 2011

The restaurant opening train keeps on chugging in the Penn Quarter and the East End with the now opened Elisir starting service and The Hamilton planning to start service in the next two weeks.

We’ve been watching Elisir, Enzio Fargione’s Italian restaurant project at 427 11th St NW, since December 2010 and we’re happy to report it opened last week with OpenTable showing reservations available going forward. Dinner is available in the form of tasting menus ($75 or $95) or a la carte ordering. The Yelpsters and We Love DC weighed in with their first reviews.

Elisir Restaurant, 427 11th St NW, 202-546-0088 – [Website – About page] & [Facebook] & [Twitter]

Editor’s Note (Dec 9): This Washington Business Journal article indicates that The Hamilton’s opening date is December 18.

The Hamilton, an addition to the Clyde’s group of restaurants at 600 14th St NW (cross: F St NW), is moving full speed ahead towards a mid-December opening. Although December 15 is out there as an opening date, a recent tweet suggests the “Grand Opening” will be sometime during the week of December 19. Most exciting about this restaurant are that it is a large operation (37,000 square feet of space), it will be running 24/7 (late night burgers!), and it is a serious music venue with a performance stage (seating capacity in the low hundreds). The first act showing ticket sales are The Junkyard Saints for a December 23 evening performance. The usual suspects, Washingtonian and Urban Daddy, got the early look with pictures and more detailed information and The Hamilton’s Facebook page also has some good pics. The DC Huff Post has pics too.

Do we sense this is the birthing of a new Au Pied de Cochon (RIP) for DC’s late night scene?

The Hamilton, 600 14th St NW, 202-787-1000 – [Website – About page] & [Facebook] & [Twitter]