Category Archives: Restaurants

October 17, 2012 · 10:00 am

OK, The Georgetown Restaurant Scene is Not That Grim, Or Is It?

Photo by wlcutler.

Yesterday, when writing about Mie n Yu closing, GM was perhaps a bit harsh about the Georgetown restaurant scene. He wrote: “Only two noteworthy restaurants opened in Georgetown in ten years and now they’re both gone.”

Some commenters pointed out that a few more well regarded restaurants have opened over that time. Here are a few of them:

  • Bourbon Steak
  • Farmers Fishers & Bakers (nee Agraria)
  • Unum
  • Bandalero
  • Kafe Leopold
  • Cafe Bonaparte

That’s a pretty good collection. Hopefully we’ll add a few more soon, including Malmaison. So, considering we live under the double weights of high rents and the liquor license moratorium–plus the increased competition from U St., 14th St. and downtown–we’re doing alright.

Or are we? Continue reading →

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October 16, 2012 · 10:00 am

Mie N Yu Closes

 

As reported by the Citypaper yesterday, Georgetown’s Mie n Yu has closed. The Silk Road themed restaurant has been open since 2003 (GM’s always wondered whether it got its theme from the fantastic 2002 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival.) And just this year, it was nominated as having one of the best bathrooms in the country.

Last year when Hook closed, GM noted that the seafood restaurant had been the last restaurant to open with any “buzz” in Georgetown. And he noted that before that restaurant opened in 2008, the next previous “buzzy” restaurant was Mie n Yu. Only two noteworthy restaurants opened in Georgetown in ten years and now they’re both gone. Continue reading →

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September 20, 2012 · 10:00 am

Some New M St. Stores on the Way

On top of the new stores coming to the mall, there are several new stores and restaurants on the way to M St. soon. GM has previously reported on each of these, but he thought it might be good to pull them together in one article.

Starting east and heading west:

  • Eno Wine Bar – The Four Seasons is going to turn the old Lorenzo space next to Bridge Street Books into a wine bar.
  • ShopHouse – This spinoff of Chipotle brings the chain’s “fast casual” style to Asian cuisine. This is the second location for this new chain (the first one is on Connecticut north of Dupont Circle). It will be opening in the old Furin’s space next year.
  • Scotch and Soda – This Dutch clothing store is heading into the old Betsy Johnson space.
  • Gant –  This New Haven-bred preppy clothing store is moving into the old Saloun space.
  • Good Stuff Eatery – This burger joint from Spike Mendelson is moving into the old Crepe Amour space.

Is GM missing anything?

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September 7, 2012 · 10:00 am

Pizzeria Uno Closes

After over thirty years near the intersection of M and Wisconsin, Pizzeria Uno (or Uno Chicago Grill as it’s called these days) has closed.

The restaurant has long since become the near exclusive domain of tourists. So much so that for the most part, GM forgot it was even there. It’s surprising, therefore, to read through the Washington Post archives back in the 1980s when Uno’s first came to Georgetown. Would Tom Sietsema even bother to review Uno’s these days? But back in 1985 he wrote “Georgetown’s Pizzeria Uno is a yup-to-the minute maze made cozy with brick walls and wood trim, brass railings and ferns, staffed by a likable, if amateur, crew of mostly student-waiters…Pizzeria Uno has a lot to offer: a location in the heart of Georgetown, filling food at modest prices and a lively spirit-just what you’d want from a pizzeria.” Continue reading →

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August 22, 2012 · 10:00 am

Wingo’s Renovating, Not Closing

GM walked by Wingo’s yesterday and saw a dismaying scene: The interior of the restaurant is completely empty. There had been a sign up recently announcing a vacation, but there was no sign any more, and the place was barren. It looked like a restaurant that was no more.

GM was particularly alarmed by the apparent closing. You see, a few years ago GM started a series on the Georgetown Metropolitan called “Our Town”. It was supposed to be a series where GM would profile a different independent shop. Unfortunately GM didn’t get very far in the series; he only did two: Proper Topper and Wingo’s. Well, Proper Topper closed it’s Georgetown shop about a year later (the Dupont location is still open and doing well). And so if Wingo’s closed, then it would give GM’s Our Town a small business kill-ratio of 100%. Continue reading →

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August 6, 2012 · 10:00 am

Guards Closed

As GM relayed last week, Tim Carman of the Post reported that the future of the Guards, a mainstay of the Georgetown scene, was in doubt. On Friday, Carman reported that the decision was official: the Guards is closed (at least under current management). Carman writes:

Yes, it’s true, says longtime owner Hossein Shirvani, that he and the landlord are deep in lease talks over the future of The Guards. They’re both, he says, looking for someone to take over the space.

In other words, The Guards, the historic Georgetown restaurant that once was the playground of celebrities and politicians alike, is officially closed.

Carman goes on to explain that the decision to close by Shirvani was not economic but rather personal: he’s tired of the business and wants to move on.

GM swung by the Guards over the weekend and confirmed that it wasn’t open and now has “for lease” signs in the window.

GM’s not ready to call the Guards dead for good. Hopefully it will open again under the same name and same style, if not with a bit of a touch-up here-and-there. We’ll see…

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August 1, 2012 · 10:00 am

Guards To Close?

Tim Carman reported in the Post yesterday that the longtime standby, the Guards, was closing temporarily, with the chance it might close for good. Carman wrote:

Owner Hossein Shirvani is apparently locked in lease negotiations with the landlord. The issue is supposed to be resolved soon. If The Guards wins the battle of wills with the landlord, it will likely close for renovations before reopening, Salcedo says.

GM hopes that this squabble will pass without taking down a landmark. He has fond memories of the place, and he’s surely not alone. Continue reading →

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July 10, 2012 · 10:00 am

Cupcake ATM? Not Anytime Soon

Photo by Byron Peebles.

Yesterday, DCist reported on plans by the cupcake shop Sprinkles to bring an ATM-like device to its Georgetown store. The rather ridiculous machine allows people to purchase cupcakes 24 hours a day.

DCist explains:

The machine, which resembles a bank ATM (if bank ATMs were designed by Katy Perry), will be stocked with 600 cupcakes including Sprinkles’ many varieties. When in use, a series of robotic arms and levers withdraws a customer’s selected cupcake and moves it toward the dispensary window, but not before first placing it in a sleek cardboard box.

Sprinkles told the Post that they expect to introduce the cupcake ATM in August.

GM thinks this is a bit of a gimmick, and considering how many free giveaways the store throws and how empty it often is, GM wonders if this outpost is struggling in the shadow of Georgetown Cupcake. And he suspects that tourists who mistakenly end up at Sprinkles instead of Georgetown Cupcake must feel a bit like the kid that got Go-Bots for Christmas instead of Transformers. Continue reading →

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June 18, 2012 · 10:00 am

Stachowski Market Carrying On Griffin Market Tradition

There were many things about the old Griffin Market that many Georgetowners miss. On top of that list was the hugely charming presence of Riccardo Bonino behind the cash register*. But second on that list is probably the nightly prepared dinners that Griffin Market sold.

The way it’d work is that you’d get an email during the day with the nightly menu. You’d call in and say when you wanted to pick it up. That night, a complete tasty meal would be waiting for you.

Luckily for Georgetowners, that tradition has been continued with Jamie Stachowski’s new market, which moved into the old Griffin Market space in the spring. Like Griffin Market, you get an email with the nightly menu, and you call in to place an order.

The photo above was from last Friday night: Herb-roasted pork tenderloin served with seasoned rice and Stachowski stuffed tomato ($13.95). It was delicious (especially the stuffed tomato, which had little bits of Jamie’s trademark sausage in it).

Sign up in the shop or send an email here:  smarketdc@gmail.com. Continue reading →

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June 13, 2012 · 10:00 am

Forget About Fuhggetaboutit

Photo by Domesticat.

Last spring, GM reported that a pizza place was planning on moving into the old Philadelphia Cheeseteak Factory (and old old Cellar Door) building. It was going to be called Fuhggetaboutit and it was going to feature New York style pizza recreating New York City quality water.

Well it’s a year later and it never opened. This week, the restaurant announced that it had abandoned plans to open at that location. It will open at 300 Mass Ave instead. Continue reading →

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