If the food and coffee at David Guas’ new Bayou Bakery taste half as good as the place looks, the bakery may very well be on track to being Courthouse’s favorite hang out.
The elaborately-decorated, Louisiana-themed cafe is expected to open at some point on Thursday, according to Guas. An exact opening time hasn’t been chosen, but the doors could be unlocked as early as 7:00 a.m.
Arlington’s Land Use Plans Compared — Greater Greater Washington compares Arlington’s early General Land Use Plans from the 1960s and 1970s to maps of Arlington today. Among the interesting items: in 1964 car-happy Arlington planners wanted to create a “main street” section of Columbia Pike, with a high-speed bypass going around the commerce-heavy section and connecting to Walter Reed Drive and Glebe Road via interchange.
Streaming Classical Music from the Library — Did you know that the Arlington Public Library allows patrons to access a streaming classical music library online, no matter where they are? All you need is your library card number. The service includes more than 65,000 classical tracks. More from the Library Blog.
After a number of delays, the big day is finally here. The guys behind the the District Taco cart are holding the grand opening for their first brick-and-mortar restaurant (shown here, still under construction), at 5723 Lee Highway.
The restaurant’s menu consists of basic, fresh Mexican cuisine, served over a counter. There will also be weekly specials, where owner Osiris Hoil will get to show off a bit more of his culinary prowess. See an early preview of the menu here.
Wilson Boulevard Paving — Paving on Wilson Boulevard between Courthouse and Clarendon tied up traffic for the better part of yesterday afternoon. At one point, the lone open lane was blocked thanks to a construction foreman arguing a parking ticket with a parking enforcement officer.
TangySweet’s Clarendon Salad Shop Gets Name — “Rabbit” is the new name of the salad component of the future TangySweet store in Clarendon. As we first reported in May, store owner Aaron Gordon wants Rabbit to “improve on the salad offerings of competitors like SweetGreen, Mixt Greens and Chop’t.” Rabbit’s opening date depends on the construction of the Clarendon Center project, in which it will be housed. Look for a March or an April opening, says the Washington City Paper.
It was July when we first learned that the upscale Greek eatery would be opening up in a 4,000 square foot space on Clarendon Boulevard. Despite questions about whether the restaurant might have scrapped its plans, we’re hearing that owner Ted Xenohristos is still very much moving forward with the Clarendon Cava.
According to a tipster, Xenohristos is telling people that the restaurant is 4-5 months away from opening. A banner will soon be posted outside the boarded-up storefront, and Facebook and Twitter announcements will soon follow, we’re told.
Bayou Bakery Sneak Peak — Eat More Drink More scores the first photos inside Courthouse’s new Bayou Bakery. The elaborately-decorated cafe/restaurant has a distinct New Orleans theme, which extends from the decor to the food. It could be open as soon as Monday, Nov. 15.
County Government Closed for Veterans Day — Most Arlington County offices will be closed on Thursday in honor of Veterans Day. More from the Sun Gazette and Arlington County.
The company is expecting people to start lining up for the Nov. 18 opening at 6:00 a.m. on Nov. 17.
The reason people would brave the cold for a fast food restaurant opening? The store is offering a one-year supply of free Chick-fil-A meals to the first 100 adults in line (a $260 value).
A new bar/restaurant is taking over the old El Pollito space on 23rd Street in Crystal City.
The place will be called “Mudbug,” according to a state alcoholic beverage application advertised today in the Washington Post.
Cuccinelli Celebrates GOP Victories in Arlington — Partying with Tea Party leaders at the Leadership Institute in Clarendon, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli hailed the Republican takeover of the House of Representatives. He said he hopes the new congress comes to Washington to “change it, not join it.” He also spoke about the lawsuits he’s filed to protect Virginia against “the overreach of federal power.” More from the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Bayou Bakery Could Open in Two Weeks — Chef David Guas’ new Bayou Bakery will be opening in the old Camille’s space in Courthouse soon, perhaps as early as Nov. 13. First, however, the 60-seat restaurant must pass a round of county inspections. Bayou will feature a New Orleans-inspired food menu as well as pastries, beer and coffee. More from WCP’s Tim Carman.
Alexandria’s Heebeen Restaurant is opening an outpost in the Eclipse at Potomac Yard condominium complex, just south of Crystal City.
The restaurant is described as an “Asian bistro buffet,” featuring primarily Korean and Japanese cuisine. Specialties include Korean BBQ, sushi and sashimi, in addition to traditional Korean dishes.
With about 200 indoor seats and 100 outdoor seats (which will stay in storage until next year), Rustico is trying to become the premiere lunch, dinner, happy hour and sophisticated night spot in Ballston.
It will certainly have the largest beer selection in Ballston, if not in all of Northern Virginia: 400 bottles, 40 drafts and 3 cask ales (the casks will be installed next week). By comparison, the original Rustico, in Alexandria, has 300 bottles, 30 drafts and 2 cask ales.
Interior work on the new District Taco restaurant on Lee Highway is well underway.
What was once Restaurant Vero is now morphing into a brick-and-mortar version of the popular taco cart. Some walls have been painted yellow, and a long metal counter has been installed. The black and white checkered floor and the pressed metal ceiling has remained the same.
