(Updated at 5:10 p.m.) Clarendon’s Mexican-Asian restaurant Le Kon is closed and rescheduled to re-open as “La Finca” later this week.
An employee of the restaurant said management needed to close the restaurant while finalizing the new liquor license but that the eatery is expected to re-open under its new name tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday. ARLnow was unable to reach the restaurant’s management for more information prior to publishing.
The restaurant’s new name,”La Finca,” refers to a traditional Mexican farmhouse. The menu now posted outside the blue doors reflects the shift to Mexican cuisine with a focus on burritos, chimichangas, quesadilla, and tequila.
Le Kon opened six months ago as the D.C.-debut of chef Katsuji Tanabe who appeared on the reality television program Top Chef in 2014. Tanabe’s restaurant served Asian-Mexican fusion fare with items like crab guacamole, per Yelp reviews. At the time it replaced another establishment, Park Lane Tavern, that closed after eight months.
It’s unclear why the restaurant changed hands, and whether Tanabe is still involved. Tanabe last tweeted about the restaurant in September, and the restaurant’s last Instagram post was a table flower arrangement on Feb. 18.
Today (Monday), the backlights on the “Le Kon” sign were off and construction equipment rumbled as crews continued work on the Washington Blvd and Wilson Blvd road projects, which is expected to continue all year.
As of Monday afternoon, Le Kon’s website reads “Thank you for visiting — Le Kon Restaurant has closed. This Website is not available anymore.”