Neighborhood Eats: A Jetson-Themed Bar and A Red Apron

• March 14th 2013

by Jamie Liu

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This week’s restaurant update brings news of a heavy hitter in the meat department, as well as a Jetsons-themed bar headed to H Street. Oh, and auditions for a new cooking show are coming to DC.

Open: Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s meat palace Red Apron Butcher is expanding rapidly. This past Sunday, not long after opening its first location in Union Market, it opened a second outpost at Mosaic District in Fairfax at 8298 Glass Alley (map). Red Apron is serving up sandwiches chock full of its own charcuterie, hot dogs, sausages, and freshly carved meats. Knock it all back with a selection of 100 craft beers and 60 wines. The expansion isn’t stopping in Fairfax either: a third location is under construction at 709 D Street NW.

Opening soon: European chain La Lagliatella is opening its third U.S. location on April 1 at 2950 Clarendon Boulevard (map). Along with Neapolitan-style pizzas, the restaurant will serve traditional Italian entrees and more than 400 pasta and sauce combinations. With happy hour in mind, the bar will feature Italian ingredient-inspired cocktails like the “caprese martini” with Square One basil vodka, tomato, lemon, basil, and mozzarella, as well as several beers on draft and by the bottle, and 50 wines by the bottle and glass.

Opening…eventually: It wasn’t long ago that we told you that Derek Brown would soon be opening Mockingbird Hill at 1843 7th Street NW. It’s expected that the sherry and ham bar will be joined by an oyster bar, Eat the Rich, at 1839 7th Street NW (map) in August, according to The Washington Post. Brown is partnering with Rappahannock Oyster Company’s Travis Croxton for oysters by the dozen, and cocktails by the pitcher. Brown also hinted to The Post about a third Southern-style venture in the works.

A “futuristic” bar called The Elroy (after The Jetsons character) will be opening at 1423 H Street NE (map). Owner Karl Graham has transferred the liquor license from his former bar, New York Avenue Beach Bar, to the new location. He tells Washington City Paper that the bar will serve cocktails in “really crazy cocktail glasses” and a small bar menu with a few food items.

A second location of the Dupont Circle-based Scion will be opening in Silver Spring at 1200 East West Highway serving American comfort food. The space will also host an Asian noodle and dumpling bar from owners Joanne and Julie Liu, the co-owners of Dupont Circle’s Crios. According to the group’s bar manager, Tim Liu, the restaurant will do its best to maintain the restaurant group’s strong craft beer program, despite Montgomery County liquor laws.

Closed: After a brief four month stretch, Chef Johnny Spero’s Suna closed on Saturday, according to The Washington Post. However, Harold Black, the adjoining speakeasy from the same owners, will remain open with Chef Spero continuing to supply bar snacks.

Events: Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Virtue Feed & Grain at 106 S. Union Street (map) in Alexandria. The restaurant will be taking over Wales Alley and serving up traditional Irish pub fare like shepherd’s pie, fish and chips, and corned beef sandwiches. And of course, there will be plenty of Guinness on hand.

Want to be on TV, and think your home cooking is as good as a professional chef’s? Auditions are being held for an NBC game show tentatively titled Food Fighters, which pits you against a professional chef for cash prizes. Tryouts will be held at the DC Convention Center on March 16 from 11am-4pm. And if you’re lucky, maybe you’ll run into Judge Adam Richman, host of Man vs. Food.

The Craft Brewers Conference is coming to DC, March 26-29. While the finer points of craft brewing might not be of interest to the average drinker, there will be tasting events all over town. At the various scheduled tap takeovers and beer dinners, you can sample beers from breweries with limited distribution in our fair city, such as Short’s, Jester King, Perennial, and Urban Chestnut.

Jamie R. Liu is a freelance writer, food nerd, and former DCist food and drink editor. She has contributed to Eater, Washington City Paper, the Express, and AskMen.com.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/neighborhood_eats_a_jetson_themed_bar_a_red_apron/6792.