In November, we reported that permits were filed for a “Thaiger Asian Bistro” in the space at 3035 Clarendon Blvd. Now it appears that those plans have changed and “Four Sisters Grill” will be opening instead.
Lai has been executive chef at Four Sisters, now located in Merrifield, for more nearly 15 years. Arlington Magazine called Four Sisters, which is owned by Lai’s parents, “arguably the most sought-out Vietnamese eatery in the D.C. area” in a profile last year.
Blue Sea will specialize in “spicy Cajun seafood,” according to its website, offering such dishes as crawfish tails, fried frog legs (called “swamp wings” and tossed in a Creole BBQ sauce), catfish nuggets (served with “chef’s redneck sauce”), lobster mac and cheese, seafood gumbo and “breaded Florida alligator tail.” For the health conscious, there’s also a soup and salad menu.
The restaurant is replacing Bear Rock Cafe at 4251 Campbell Avenue, which closed in 2010. Plans materialized to open a vegan restaurant in the space in 2011, but those apparently fell through.
Ben’s Chili Bowl, the District-based late-night institution, is hoping to open its new location in Rosslyn next month.
News broke that the restaurant would be coming to Arlington in early September, and co-owner Nizam Ali told ARLnow.com he was hoping for a New Year’s Day opening, but acknowledged that was a bit too optimistic.
But not everybody thinks the Italian Store will be an all-over positive development for the neighborhood.
Here’s a letter to the editor from former Westover resident Kyle Herchert:
Servers: Do you have 2 years of experience in a high-volume restaurant? Are you team-orientated and guest-focused? Craft beer knowledge is preferred, but not necessary.
Hosts: Are you friendly and outgoing with a great smile? Experience with Open Table is a bonus.
Bar Louie will fill a 5,480 square foot space at 320 23rd Street S. formerly occupied by Memphis Barbecue. This will be the sixth Metro D.C. location for the Texas based chain. Bar Louie is known for signature martinis, but also features small plates, flatbreads, salads, burgers and sandwiches.
To celebrate its grand opening next Thursday (December 26), the bar and restaurant will host a three day celebration next week. From Friday, December 27 through Sunday, December 29, customers can enjoy drink specials and free food. Each customer will receive one free appetizer or flatbread just for stopping by. There are reportedly other surprises planned for the bash that have not been announced yet.
Executive Chef and operating partner Alan Newton describes the concept as “modern comfort food with some international flair.” He said customers can expect high quality, made from scratch food in a casual setting.
“We want to be known as a great place for drinks and great food. There’s a lot of French influence in the food as well,” Newton said. “You can wear a suit or wear shorts, you’ll feel comfortable either way.”
(Updated at 7:00 p.m.) The Italian Store will be opening a second location next year, in the Westover neighborhood.
The store, which sells sandwiches, pizza, wine and gourmet Italian grocery items, has enjoyed considerable success at its Lyon Village location, at 3123 Lee Highway. The new location, at 5839 Washington Blvd, will be about twice the size as the original, according to owner Robert Tramonte, whose family has owned and operated the store since 1980.
The new restaurant will be located in Pentagon Row, not far from Sur La Table on S. Joyce Street. It will fill a 5,350 square foot space where the Desi Innovations furniture store used to be.
Bonefish Grill is a national chain specializing in market-fresh fish and other wood-grilled specialties.
Having launched Maple Ave in Vienna nearly five years ago, husband and wife team Tim Ma and Joey Hernandez are not new to the restaurant scene. Yet with the opening of Water & Wall (3811 N. Fairfax Drive) in Virginia Square almost two weeks ago, they found new challenges to contend with at their Arlington restaurant.
“When you get into a new kitchen, it’s completely new equipment, completely new staff, it’s a completely new space flow,” said Ma. “It’s a completely new restaurant. We want to take the time to make sure we get every step right.”
‘Thaiger Asian Bistro’ applied for a permit at 3035 Clarendon Blvd this week. Fatshorty’s closed at that location a week and a half ago, citing disappointing sales.
So far, there’s no word on when the new restaurant will open. A woman answering a phone number associated with the restaurant told ARLnow.com that she was unwilling to divulge any details about the restaurant at this time.
Free Clinic Still Needed Post-Obamacare — The Affordable Care Act may help reduce the number of people without health insurance, but it won’t alter the core mission of the Arlington Free Clinic. The clinic will continue to serve the thousands who are expected to remain without health insurance in Arlington even after the health care law is implemented. [Sun Gazette]
Water & Wall to Open Saturday — Water & Wall, a new restaurant in Virginia Square, is set to open on Saturday. The restaurant, from Tim Ma of Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, will serve “eclectic American” cuisine. [Northern Virginia Magazine]
