Hello everyone! How are your allergies holding up? Thanks to climate change, allergies are getting worse (Popular Science) so hang in there and stock up on allergy meds! What’s been going on?
Well, lemme tell you: LOTS of restaurant activity!
Friend of the blog Edward Ryder tagged us in this photo, asking more information about the replacement for Playa Ocho on Barracks Row. The name for this new business venture is “The Flying Mexican” and while I couldn’t find much other information about it, there is a website (which my browser deems “not safe” so caveat) and hey, if you need a job, they are hiring.
(Aside: Did find some mildly unsavory activity from the former tenant of the space here.)
Dropped by Lobby Bar, which is taking over the former Boxcar Tavern spot, next door to Tunnicliff’s Tavern. They’ll be open late, which I think is a great addition to the heart of the Hill. Check out the Instagram post right here.
A reader recently asked me to look into progress at the former Radici space. There has been no building activity, but it appears as though they are trying to get their permitting process underway, according to city records, so that’s exciting. However, considering how long some permitting takes, we wouldn’t count on a late spring or summer opening.
Another reader asked about what is going on with Acqua al 2 v.2.0. Ari Gejdenson — Mindful Restaurants filed a permit application in late March of this year, so construction will soon be underway! It’s interesting to note that Gejdenson dissolved the original Mindful Restaurant Group back in 2020 and let each restaurant become owner-operator model to survive the pandemic better (WCP).
Friend of the blog Phil, owner of Cynthia Bar and Bistro, shared a photo of the soon-to-come Taku Sushi & Bar, which will take over the former DC Harvest spot at 517 H Street NE.
By the way! Looks like the former Joselito space, 660 Pennsylvania Avenue SE, will become a Laotian/Thai restaurant. Yay! (THIH on Instagram)
Sadly, we also bid farewell to Sticky Rice over on socials. The owners announced that due to a perfect storm of circumstances, they would be closing after 17 years on H Street. Unfortunately, their last day was Saturday, April 19. A little more info via our Ex-Twitter.
The Hill Rag dropped by the new food hall under construction in the 1300 block of H Street NE.
And a PoPville reader spotted that Maman Joon’s is open in the former Sweet Lobby spot. You can check out their mouthwatering-looking Persian fare on their website.
Arlington Magazine highlighted one of our favorite Eastern Market outdoor vendors, Jeff Jacobs, and his beautiful hand-carved birds.
Oh and in case you missed it, according to NBC-Washington’s Mark Seagraves, the Commanders are one step closer to coming back to DC, with the team owners footing the larger part of the bill (about $2.5B). Of course, DC would still have to come up with a not-insignificant “up to” $850M, which is a tall order considering we are currently trying to deal with budget cuts this year thanks to Congress leaving us in limbo before taking off on vacation (WTOP). We don’t anticipate that in the three years, nine months and change left in this administration things are going to get much better, so…
There is local opposition to the stadium, citing ecological concerns among other problems. Local resident Kris Furnish, along with a group of concerned neighbors, filed paperwork for a ballot initiative so residents can all weigh in on whether they want a stadium in DC or not. WUSA-9
The article did not include a link to the group’s efforts, but if you’re interested, Homes Not Stadiums is having a meeting on Tuesday, April 29 at the Hill Center. Read more about their ballot initiative here.
Guess it’s not just the Secretary of Defense unwittingly sharing sensitive information with people: Looks like a Brookfield Properties included one of their tenants in an email thread with their third-party utility billing servicer, where they admitted that tenants were overcharged for utilites to offset the vacant units. The truth will set us free, one SNAFU at a time. (WCP)
By the way, the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 trophy dropped by Audi field last week as part of its tour. The Club World Cup will kick off in June of this year and Audi field is one of twelve host stadiums across the nation. Learn more about the tournament here.
Psst! Did you know you can adopt a block and keep it looking beautiful? Learn more here!