Park at Fourteenth
Photo: Eric Powell for BizBash
Set to open to the public later this month, Park at Fourteenth is nightlife guru Dirk van Stockum’s new restaurant-lounge-event space hybrid in Franklin Square. The first two floors of the four-story complex are devoted to dinner service, where guests can watch executive chef Lois Spencer and chef James Balster create their take on what van Stockum calls “classic, yet contemporary, American cuisine” in an exhibition kitchen.
Looking to move away from the minimalist aesthetic that is ever alive in Washington, van Stockum opted for a warm environment, the highlight of which are two giant amber-hued Chihuly-esque chandeliers. Other design elements include translucent dinner plates on the walls, a honey onyx-topped bar, chestnut wood accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a bird's-eye view of the park.Though van Stockum is best known for managing nightclubs (DC’s Club Zei and the Fifth Column, to name a few), the food co-stars here; the menu features vine-ripened tomato soup with a crouton of grilled artisanal cheese and tomato concasse, and short ribs two ways (slow-roasted and barbecued, and braised). A bar chef creates seasonal drinks from scratch, poaching pears, macerating cherries, and adding herbs and spices usually reserved for entrées.
The top two floors—replete with cushy, custom-made banquettes and DJs playing everything from jazz classics to world beats—serve as lounge areas and private event space Thursday through Saturday night. Each of the four floors is roughly 2,500 square feet, seating between 60 and 80 guests, with independent audio and visual capabilities. Full buyouts are available for as many as 600, and the venue is currently open for private events.
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly reported the chefs' titles and included incorrect menu items. The story also said the chandeliers are Chihuly designs; they are actually just inspired by the artist's work.
Looking to move away from the minimalist aesthetic that is ever alive in Washington, van Stockum opted for a warm environment, the highlight of which are two giant amber-hued Chihuly-esque chandeliers. Other design elements include translucent dinner plates on the walls, a honey onyx-topped bar, chestnut wood accents, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a bird's-eye view of the park.Though van Stockum is best known for managing nightclubs (DC’s Club Zei and the Fifth Column, to name a few), the food co-stars here; the menu features vine-ripened tomato soup with a crouton of grilled artisanal cheese and tomato concasse, and short ribs two ways (slow-roasted and barbecued, and braised). A bar chef creates seasonal drinks from scratch, poaching pears, macerating cherries, and adding herbs and spices usually reserved for entrées.
The top two floors—replete with cushy, custom-made banquettes and DJs playing everything from jazz classics to world beats—serve as lounge areas and private event space Thursday through Saturday night. Each of the four floors is roughly 2,500 square feet, seating between 60 and 80 guests, with independent audio and visual capabilities. Full buyouts are available for as many as 600, and the venue is currently open for private events.
Correction: The original version of this story incorrectly reported the chefs' titles and included incorrect menu items. The story also said the chandeliers are Chihuly designs; they are actually just inspired by the artist's work.
