A new seafood restaurant may be coming to Westlee.
A company called Dang Seafood LLC has filed a liquor license application for a proposed restaurant called “Heads or Tails.” According to the filing, the establishment will be located at 2200 N. Westmoreland Street and will feature a seating capacity between 101 and 150 seats.
“The history of this place has not been good,” admitted owner Farhad Assari, a former international investment banker who left a lucrative gig in Dubai to move closer to his family and pursue his culinary dreams. Like many other food entrepreneurs these days, Assari started small — launching several food trucks that served hearty world cuisine — before trying to translate his street success into a four-walls-and-a-roof restaurant.
Despite the building’s ignominious past and off-the-beaten-path location near Four Mile Run, Assari said he couldn’t imagine opening the restaurant anywhere else.
Padrino’s Fine Italian Cuisine hopes to first open its doors at some point near the end of June, according to owner Sami Khan, who said he’s excited to be opening a restaurant on the Pike.
“This is a beautiful place,” he said of the still-developing strip.
The restaurant will be opening next to a new Sandy Spring bank branch at 550 N. Quincy Street, adjacent to the still under-construction Founders Square office development.
No word yet on an exact opening date for Jimmy John’s, but it just posted a help wanted ad on Craigslist yesterday. The restaurant is seeking sandwich makers, delivery drivers and bike delivery riders.
This will be the pizzeria’s third location. It also has restaurants in Crystal City (507 S. 23rd Street) and Fairlington (1623 Fern Street, Alexandria).
“Café Pizzaiolo will serve authentic Neapolitan and New York Style pizzas,” says the Village at Shirlington web site. “They combine natural, high quality local ingredients with imported Italian products to create our distinct style.”
What’s coming to the ground floor of 1650 Wilson Boulevard in Rosslyn?
We know it’s a restaurant, and that Michael Landrum of Ray’s the Steaks fame is behind it — his name is on the ABC permit, after all — but at this point it’s hard to tell what kind of restaurant it will be.
The first of the three new businesses to open will be Xsport Fitness, a 12,000 square foot, 24 hour per day, 365 day per year gym on the ground floor of the Siena Park apartment complex (2301 Columbia Pike).
If you’ve driven by during the day, you’ve probably seen muscle-bound Xsport representatives promoting discounted pre-opening memberships. General manager Matt Minuth, who can apparently bench press 900 pounds, says the company is offering free enrollment and a lifetime monthly rate of $19.95 for customers who sign up in advance. (Normally there is a $99 enrollment fee.)
That’s the word from Neighborhood Restaurant Group, the company that runs Buzz and its next door neighbor on the 4000 block of Wilson Boulevard, Rustico. Buzz is expected to open its doors as early as 7:00 a.m. on Monday, with plenty of free samples of coffee and baked goods.
The 2,000 square foot shop will have many of the same features and menu items of the original Buzz location on Slaters Lane in Alexandria, but will add treats like breakfast pop tarts, made-to-order waffles, individual serving quiches, homemade ice cream, sorbets, popsicles and “take-and-bake” products.
The restaurant, at 5723 Lee Highway, received its state alcoholic beverage permit today, according to owner Osiris Hoil. That means the eatery — which has thus far been limited to serving soda, juice, water and coffee — will be able to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow (Thursday) with cold cervezas.
We also learned today that District Taco is planning on opening a second brick-and-mortar restaurant by the end of the year. The restaurant will open somewhere in D.C. proper, Hoil confirmed.
The restaurant will be located at 4707 Columbia Pike, formerly the home of Bob & Edith’s Diner II and a Roy Rogers. Workers are busy prepping the building for a possible late May/early summer opening.
Yesterday we reported that two of Sauca’s District-based food trucks were for sale in the building’s parking lot. Last night, owner Farhad Assari confirmed that the trucks were being sold so he could focus on the new restaurant.
Mackey’s unexpectedly closed its 23rd Street S. location Easter weekend.
According to the permit, Memphis Barbeque will seat more than 150 people and will offer off-site catering.
Bell 20 Tavern features a full bar with a selection of 10 beers on draft and numerous beers by the bottle. Happy hour drink specials start at $3.20.
The restaurant’s food selection is still being worked out, but the initial happy hour bar menu includes fried chicken tenders, a cheeseburger, spicy meatballs and a bowl of turkey chili — all $6.20 from 3:20 to 7:20 p.m. Happy hour appetizers include chips and salsa, pretzel rolls, garlic fried and a half-dozen wings — all for $3.20.
