Although it’s only considered a “soft opening” period, BonChon officially opened its doors today at 2209 N. Pershing Drive, near Clarendon, to let the public try out its Korean chicken.
The dining area quickly filled when the restaurant opened at 11:30 a.m. and customers steadily streamed in through lunch hour. Although BonChon will be open for lunch and dinner, for the first few weeks the restaurant will be closed from 2:00-4:00 p.m. while staff members work to perfect operations.
A recently-filed permit application says that Bar Louie is planning to open at 320 23rd Street S. The Texas-based bar/restaurant chain has more than 40 locations across the country, including two nearby locations: next to the Gallery Place Metro station in D.C., and in the Rockville Town Square development in Maryland.
Bar Louie also has restaurants in Miami, Tampa, Chicago, Milwaukee and Pittsburgh. It describes itself as “an eclectic urban bar made famous for our signature martinis, cocktails and dynamic beer selection.”
Pan American Bakery and Café will be the in-house restaurant at the new Arlington Mill Community Center after it opens later this summer.
The location in the four-story community center, at 909 S. Dinwidde Street, will be Pan American’s fourth, but it will be decidedly different than the storefront a few blocks down Columbia Pike — which will remain open — and the shops in Alexandria and Fairfax.
As anticipated, Pines of Florence has closed in Virginia Square. The owners of a new restaurant going in at 3811 N. Fairfax Drive have wasted no time in preparing to transform the space.
Tim Ma and Joey Hernandez, known for Maple Ave Restaurant in Vienna, are bringing Water and Wall to Arlington. Ma said Pines of Florence moved out the last couple days of June and the Water and Wall folks brought in designers and engineers right away on July 1.
(Updated at 4:25 p.m.) Tom Yum District has become the latest addition to the Rosslyn food scene. Following test runs during a soft opening period and a grand opening party last night, the restaurant officially opened its doors to the public today at 1515 Wilson Blvd.
Co-owner Mel Oursinsiri and co-owner/chef Aulie Bunyaratapan have been working on the concept for more than two years. The idea is to offer Thai food in a fast, casual environment instead of at a traditional sit-down restaurant.
(Updated at 5:35 p.m.) A new Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches shop is coming to Rosslyn.
The eatery is the first business to lease a ground floor retail bay in the new Sedona | Slate apartment complex at 1510 Clarendon Blvd.
Construction crews have been busy this week working on Mussel Bar & Grille, a new restaurant that’s coming to 800 N. Glebe Road in Ballston.
“Nothing is being revealed yet,” said spokeswoman Meg Mendelsohn. A liquor license application, filed this week, says the restaurant will have a seating capacity of more than 150 seats.
The restaurant, located in Lyon Park on the ground floor of the new apartment complex at 2201 N. Pershing Drive, is “entering the final phases of construction,” according to a Facebook post. The restaurant expects to hold a soft opening “around the second week of July.”
“We should have a concrete date set by the end of next week,” a restaurant rep wrote.
The restaurant, at 1515 Wilson Blvd, will open on Thursday, June 27, according to PR rep Danielle Tergis. It will offer “a menu featuring customizable, made-to-order rice and noodle bowls rooted in authentic and traditional Thai flavors that are served in a modern way.”
“We have been working on this concept for more than two years,” co-owner Aulie Bunyarataphan told ARLnow.com in February. “It’s the first Thai restaurant around in this format.”
A new hookah lounge and restaurant is coming to Lee Highway, perhaps as soon as this summer.
Cloud Lounge is planning to open at 2525 Lee Highway, in the basement of Burger 7 restaurant. A sign is up in the adjacent parking lot and its owner, who owns both Burger 7 and Cloud Lounge, told us in a brief phone call that he’s hoping to open this summer.
A new pizza chain has opened in Pentagon City.
Extreme Pizza opened at 1419 S. Fern Street, across from Costco, on Sunday. The restaurant offers various types of signature pizzas, with names like “Green With Envy,” “Poultry Geist,” “The Spice Route” and “Wingin’ It.” Customers can also customize their own pizza, or order off a menu that includes calzones, sub sandwiches, salads, sides and desserts.
Pier 1 Imports and Spanish sandwich chain 100 Montaditos will be moving into the ground floor retail bays at 1776 Wilson Blvd, a new office building that opened last year. Pier 1 will take the retail space at the corner of Clarendon Blvd and N. Quinn Street, while 100 Montaditos will be on the corner of Wilson Blvd and N. Quinn Street.
Pier 1 Imports sells home furnishings, decor and furniture. The chain has more than 1,000 stores, including a location at Potomac Yard. The Rosslyn location will be more than 11,000 square feet.
