new restaurant | ARLnow.com

Published April 12, 2012 at 12:18PM

Building permits were issued for the restaurant about two weeks ago. A tipster tells us a contractor was out measuring the storefront’s awning today.

This will be Chipotle’s fourth Arlington location and the first here that isn’t within easy walking distance of a Metro. The company’s existing eateries are located in Ballston, Crystal City and Rosslyn. The Lee Highway location could put restaurant in more direct competition with Arlington’s popular, homegrown Mexican eatery, District Taco (5723 Lee Highway).

Around Town

Good Stuff Eatery to Open Next Month in Crystal City

By ARLnow.com

Published April 9, 2012 at 11:40AM | Updated April 9, 2012 at 11:59AM

Good Stuff, which is still under construction at 2110 Crystal Drive, will be holding a private VIP opening party on Friday, May 4, complete with a performance by DJ Josh Madden. Madden is a Waldorf, Maryland native and the older brother of Joel and Benji Madden of the band Good Charlotte.

Good Stuff began interviewing prospective managers for the restaurant today, according to Chef Spike’s Twitter feed. The restaurant will be opening at some point in early May, after the opening party, a spokeswoman said. The location will include a 12-seat “farm table” and a large, 60 person capacity party space.

Around Town

Green Pig Bistro Opens in Clarendon

By Katie Pyzyk

Published April 6, 2012 at 3:00PM

Arlington native Scot Harlan owns the restaurant and serves as a chef. His co-chef, Will Sullivan, also hails from Arlington.

Harlan has traveled around the world in an effort to perfect his culinary skills and has worked in kitchens of famed chefs like Gordon Ramsay. He made his way back to the area to work at notable local establishments such as 2941 and Inox, but now wants to try his hand at running a restaurant in the community his family has called home for many years.

Around Town

Design of Clarendon’s Bronx Pizza Revealed

By ARLnow.com

Published April 5, 2012 at 2:46PM

A tipster sent along this design rendering, which was posed to Facebook earlier today. Bronx Pizza, on the ground floor of 3100 Clarendon Boulevard, will feature New York-style pizza, subs and pastas. It’s expected to serve food “all day,” including breakfast, lunch, dinner and late night. It’s also expected to offer a delivery service.

There’s still no word on when work will finally get underway at Bronx Pizza — which has been little more than an empty storefront with a “coming soon” sign in the window since early 2011. Building permits for the restaurant were issued last spring but have apparently not been utilized yet. A Bronx Pizza website, meanwhile, is still “under construction.”

Around Town

Coming to Clarendon: Oby Lee Winery and Coffee Shop

By ARLnow.com

Published April 4, 2012 at 9:51AM | Updated April 9, 2012 at 1:51PM

Oby Lee Coffee Roastery had several locations along the Delaware shore before owner Oby Lee (real name) decided to close up shop. In 2010, the store’s marquee Rehoboth Beach — winner of several “best coffee” awards in the local press — was put up for auction.

Now Lee is planning to open a brand new Oby Lee location at 3000 Washington Boulevard in Clarendon, with a special emphasis on wine. The shop will serve wine from its Italian estate vineyard, as well as charcuterie, tapas dishes, and espresso and coffee roasted on-site. Oby Lee will have customer seating indoors and on an outdoor patio.

Around Town

Poker-Playing Brothers Hope to Cash in With New Westlee Eatery

By ARLnow.com

Published March 30, 2012 at 4:07PM | Updated March 31, 2012 at 5:19PM

The pair decided to go all-in with their brother Au (and three other partners) and launch a Cajun crawfish restaurant in Westlee called “Chasin’ Tails: Cajun Seafood and Bar.”

Located at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street, in the former Bear Rock Cafe space, Chasin’ Tails aims to be the go-to local hangout for seafood and sports fans. The restaurant opened to the general public for the first time this afternoon.

Around Town

Paciugo Gelato and Caffè Opening Today in Clarendon

By ARLnow.com

Published March 28, 2012 at 3:57PM | Updated March 28, 2012 at 9:50PM

The eatery is expected to open for business at or just after 4:00 p.m. This week Paciugo (pronounced “Pah-Choo-Go,” per a sign on the wall) will be serving gelato, cakes and other desserts, coffee and espresso drinks. Next week, the store plans to introduce breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches.

The company says their sometimes eclectic gelato flavors (from standards like sea salt caramel or stracciatella to the interesting — but currently unavailable — organic maple caramelized bacon or black pepper olive oil) are made on-site daily. Paciguo is a Texas-based chain, but the owner of the Clarendon store lives in Northern Virginia, we’re told.

Around Town

The Curious Grape Reopens in Shirlington

By ARLnow.com

Published March 28, 2012 at 1:33PM

The wine shop traded its former location at 4056 Campbell Avenue — now a Cheesetique wine and cheese store — for a much bigger location a couple of blocks away, at 2900 S. Quincy Street (next to the Energy Club). The larger, sunnier space has allowed owners Suzanne McGrath and Katie Park to to reinvent their store as “The Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop,” complete with a sit-down restaurant, coffee and wine bar, and fresh, house-made pastry selection. As before, The Curious Grape also sells wine, beer, cheese and other gourmet items retail.

The Curious Grape restaurant — which quietly started serving diners last night — is helmed by executive chef Eric McKamey, whose resume includes PassionFish in Reston, 2941 in Falls Chuch, and Central, CityZen and Proof in D.C. McKamey’s menu offers “an eclectic selection of seasonal starters, small plates and entrées,” with ingredients “sourced from the Mid-Atlantic region whenever possible.” A press release listed some menu specifics.

Around Town

El Manantial Restaurant Coming to Walter Reed Drive

By ARLnow.com

Published March 27, 2012 at 1:57PM

El Manantial III, a Guatemalan/Mexican restaurant apparently associated with the El Manantial restaurant in Lyon Park (2618 N. Pershing Drive), is expected to open in the Las Delicias space soon.

County inspectors were spotted parked outside the restaurant earlier today. It’s unclear when exactly the restaurant is going to open, though. A woman who answered the phone at the Lyon Park El Manantial restaurant referred us to a phone number that went straight to voicemail.

Around Town

Permits Issued for Naked Pizza in Virginia Square

By ARLnow.com

Published March 27, 2012 at 10:15AM

Located at 933 N. Quincy Street, on the ground floor of the Quincy Plaza Apartments in the former Daily Grind coffee shop space, Naked Pizza is expected to offer its signature all-natural pies to dine-in, walk-up and delivery customers. In July 2011 the Arlington County Board approved a site plan amendment that will allow the restaurant to operate a delivery service.

According to the building permits, the new Naked location — the fast-growing company’s second in Arlington County — will have 28 interior seats. That’s in contrast to the existing Naked Pizza store in Pentagon City, which offers carryout and delivery but has little to no indoor seating space.

Around Town

Coming Soon to Crystal City: Black Lime Cafe

By ARLnow.com

Published March 26, 2012 at 2:52PM | Updated March 26, 2012 at 3:40PM

Building permit applications are in for Black Lime Mediterranean Cafe, which will be built on the ground floor of 2450 Crystal Drive, near Jimmy John’s. According to a menu on the restaurant’s website, customers will choose a base — either a pita, a salad bowl or a baked potato — then add a protein — chicken, steak, shrimp, falafel or grilled veggies — followed by a selection of toppings and sauces. Side dishes include eggplant fries, sweet potato fries, roasted veggies and chips and hummus.

Per the name of the restaurant, the website explains:

Around Town

Green Pig Bistro Hiring Staff With ‘Passion’

By ARLnow.com

Published March 12, 2012 at 10:30AM

According to a Craigslist ad, the soon-to-open restaurant, which promises to serve “obscure” cuts of meat in the style of a rustic French bistro, is looking for “only those with serious food passion.”

“Don’t expect to find loins, micro greens and baby veg here,” the help wanted ad says. “Think sous vide. Think obscure cuts of meat in their finest form — food that is hearty, not heavy; sustainable and with proper technique above all.”