Daikaya Izakaya, the much-anticipated Japanese tavern and grill, opened in Chinatown in late March. Located on the second floor above Daikaya’s more informal, walk-in-only ramen shop, the 90-seat izakaya is available for party packages and partial buyouts. Designed by Edit Lab at Streetsense, the restaurant’s eclectic, layered look includes glazed mosaic tiles, vintage pendant lights, Japanese fabrics, tour bills for Japanese bands, movie posters, and custom manga wallpaper.
Former BLT Steak executive chef Victor Albisu opened his first full-service restaurant in April, the upscale South American grill Del Campo. Located in Chinatown, the 5,000-square-foot venue seats 129 in the dining room, 36 at the bar, and 40 on the patio. Del Campo accommodates as many as 300 standing guests for full buyout. Private dinners for 18 guests and semiprivate dinners for 28 to 46 guests can also be arranged. At the Asado Bar, guests can sit at a nine-seat counter overlooking the restaurant’s open kitchen while trying dishes from the restaurant’s tasting menus. Del Campo’s look is designed by CORE and inspired by both the modern South American city and the Argentina countryside. Decor includes textured concrete walls, laser-cut wood paneling, leather dining chairs, velvet-upholstered booths, South American collectibles, and crystal chandeliers.
Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr landed in D.C. in April, bringing a bit of Paris to 14th Street with the new bistro Le Diplomate, which specializes in classic French dishes. The 200-seat restaurant includes a light-filled Garden room and an outdoor dining area with seats for 60. The bistro’s Francophile decor includes wicker, red awnings, subway tile, antiques, and Tour de France memorabilia.
In May, Dallas Tex-Mex institution Mi Cocina opened its newest outpost at the Collection in Chevy Chase. The restaurant seats 155 in an open dining room, and a glass-enclosed private dining room seats 25 guests. Decor includes custom chandeliers and a colorful mural from Mexican-born artist Luis Sottil. Guests can also dine at Mi Cocina’s shaded courtyard patio.
Named after the Arabic phrase for “our home,” Darna Restaurant and Lounge brings Lebanese comfort-food favorites to Arlington residents. Opened in April, the venue seats 71 in a rustic-meets-glam setting with distressed wood, chandeliers, stone-cut walls, and custom, cork-filled glass tables.
An open kitchen with a stone hearth lends smoky flavors to Italian-influenced American fare at the Red Hen in Bloomingdale. The hearth is also a focal point for the design of the 2,400-square-foot space, which seats 60 guests in an open floor plan. The restaurant, which was designed by Edit Lab at Streetsense, boasts exposed brick, 13-foot ceilings, and bay windows accented by tables, barstools, and chairs made from reclaimed Nicaraguan wood. The restaurant opened in April.
This spring, Doll House Pole Fitness opened a Manassas studio. The venue is outfitted with nine poles and can be rented for private parties during which an instructor teaches students a choreographed routine. Doll House Pole Fitness instructors can also offer “mobile” pole-dancing parties, bringing pole-dancing lessons to any venue.
In April, Heritage India owner Sanjeev Tuli opened Crossroads, his newest venture located just a blocks from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The 7,000-square-foot restaurant has an appropriately global menu and includes South American, African, Asian, and European dishes—and a dual concept, with a second dining area solely devoted to Heritage India’s menu. Groups can book the restaurant’s private dining room, which accommodates 45 people and offers items from both Crossroads and Heritage India. Decor includes tribal masks from around the world, along with a Buddha statue that measures more than five feet and weighs 500 pounds.
Local pizza and mini burger favorite Matchbox opened its first Virginia location in April in the new Mosaic District development. Located next door to Mosaic’s Angelika Theaters, the new Matchbox Merrifield seats 250 and includes a 40-seat patio and a 10-seat pizza bar overlooking the restaurant’s wood-fired ovens. The outpost also boasts a private dining area called the Barrel Room, which seats 60 and offers a private catering menu.
With locations across the country, sandwich shop Which Wich opened its first Washington-area outpost in May, opening near Ballston Commons Mall. The yellow-and-black-branded venue accommodates 40 inside; there is also a patio. Sandwiches can be customized with more than 60 toppings, and the restaurant also serves cookies, shakes, chips, and soft drinks from a Coca-Cola Freestyle machine. Catering is available with options like sandwich trays and boxed lunches.
