Neighborhood Eats: Ghibellina, Yuzu Sushi & Robata and Tico Taco

• May 2nd 2013

by Jamie Liu

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Tacos are hot in this week’s Neighborhood Eats with three new taquerias in the pipeline. And it’s a big week for new restaurants from Kushi principals, past and present.

Open: The third District Taco opened for service yesterday at 656 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (map). It replaces the Yes! Organic Market near Eastern Market, and serves the same tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and nachos available as DT’s other brick and mortar locations.

Yuzu Sushi & Robata opened softly this past Monday at 7345-B Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda (map), according to Black Whiskey, opens Saturday at 1410 14th Street NW (map). The new restaurant will be a left turn from Kushi’s Japanese cuisine with “farm-to-table rustic American meals such as roasted chicken and lamb”, as well as a focus on small batch whiskey.

On May 7, the team from Acqua Al 2 will be opening up the first floor of Ghibellina at 1610 14th Street NW (map), while work continues on the basement and second level, according to Borderstan. The first level will serve pizza and rustic Italian dishes, while the basement will likely feature live music. But the plans for the second level remain a secret. Perhaps another speakeasy like Harold Black?

Next up for taco lovers is Mi Cocina, which opens at 5471 Wisconsin Avenue (map) in Chevy Chase on May 10. This will be the first restaurant for the Texas-based Tex-Mex chain outside of the South. With an outdoor patio, it looks to be a nice spot to enjoy an afternoon with their margaritas, mojitos, or sangria.

Following on the heels of the fifth anniversary of their opening in Columbia Heights, Pete’s Apizza announced that their fourth location will open at 962 Wayne Avenue (map) in Silver Spring in late May or early June.

Opening Eventually: There’s never enough taco news, right? Boston-based restaurateur Michael Schlow will be opening Tico Taco at 1920 14th Street NW (map), according to Washington City Paper. A look at the menu of the Boston Tico Taco shows a mix of Mexican and Spanish small plates, tacos, and grilled meats and seafood. No opening date has been announced.

Closing: Celebrity chef Alain Ducasse will be closing Adour at the St. Regis Hotel on May 31, according to The Washington Post. After a redesign, the space will reopen on June 21 as Decanter with Adour’s current chef Sebastian Rondier, and will focus on the flavors of the Mediterranean and Turkey.

Closing…Sort Of: Sugar Magnolia, the bakery in the front of Ripple, has closed as Ripple repurposes the space for a 12-seat group dining room, according to The Washington Post. But if you loved the ice cream sandwiches and baked treats, you can still order them at the bar.

Events: If you’re looking to enjoy a mint julep during this Kentucky Derby weekend, you can head to Jack Rose from 4-7 p.m. where they’ll be serving complimentary southern snacks, as well as $9 juleps, $7 bourbon-spiked sweet tea, and $5 Bardstown shandies (bourbon, pilsner, ginger rosemary syrup, and lemon). If you’re in the mood to lay down a base, they’ll be serving lunch on the roof from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

In preparation for the reopening of the Iron Gate restaurant in Dupont, Chef Tony Chittum is hosting a preview dinner at the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture in Alexandria. Tickets for the four-course dinner, featuring the best picks of the season, are $120 per person. All proceeds will go to the Arcadia Center, which promotes a sustainable local food system and provides educational food programs.

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_ghibellina_yuzu_sushi_tico_taco/7014.