Neighborhood Eats: Shophouse Opens, New Beer Arrives, Cheesesteaks On Their Way

• September 15th 2011

by Rebecca Cooper

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Neighborhood Eats went on a break last week, allowing yours truly to instead ask the question, what should D.C.’s next food obsession be? While we had a predilection for bagels and nachos, readers submitted a few suggestions of their own: brownies, soft pretzels, and more than one call for pie. (Looks like we’ve got some dessert lovers out there.)

But it’s back to food and drink news this week, and fall is in full swing with restaurant openings and announcements.

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Opening Today: ShopHouse, the touted southeast Asian casual concept from the Chipotle folks, opens at 1516 Connecticut Ave NW (map) today in Dupont Circle, according to DCist. The fast food joint will follow the Chipotle model, where you order at a counter and eat it there or take your food to go. Menu options include several varieties of banh mi, as well as rice or noodle bowls with choice of protein, veggies, sauce, and other garnishes. Prices for a bowl or banh mi top out at $7.50.

Opening Soon: Although Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Black Jack already hosted a preview party last weekend, the official opening of the restaurant and upstairs bar/lounge on 14th Street in Logan Circle (map) will be next Tuesday. The first downtown DC endeavor for owners Jeff and Barbara Black brings their seafood to a more casual, Louisiana-inspired restaurant on the ground floor and a bar featuring quality cocktails and bocce ball upstairs. Look out for the blue plate specials at Black Jack including beef tacos, tequila, and a can of Tecate.

Work is ongoing to turn the former Porter’s bar at 1207 19th Street NW (map) into a new bar and restaurant called Irish Whiskey Public House, which is aiming to open in mid-October. From the operators of Mighty Pint, Irish Whiskey will be a re-imagined, unconventional, and more cosmopolitan version of an Irish bar, the owners told Prince of Petworth this week. The bar will feature countless different bottles of Irish whiskey, as well as American and other varieties. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner, and brunch on the weekends, and feature whiskey pairings with most dishes.

Opening Eventually: Puff Restaurant and Lounge, an upscale cigar bar and restaurant that includes a membership-based club concept, is trying to open at 1831 M Street NW (map). Membership to the club gets you access to a private rooftop lounge, a cigar bar, and a large stock of vintage wine and champagne. For the rest of the patrons, a restaurant will feature Cajun cuisine. The owners are hoping to open the space sometime this winter.

Did we mention cheesesteaks as one of the next big things in last week's column? Well, another cheesesteak outpost from the folks behind Taylor Gourmet is coming to DC, reports The Washington Post's Tim Carman. Carman writes that Taylor Charles Steak & Ice is planning to open in December at 1320 H Street NE (map).

Bar Closed: The bar at the Chinatown Matchbox is closed temporarily while it is being renovated, but the rest of the restaurant remains open. They’re installing a new floor, new bar, and are hoping to reopen the 713 H Street NW (map) space by the end of the week. In the meantime, don’t be deterred by the dust -- maybe the confusion over whether they’re closed will make it a little easier to get a table.

New Arrival: Sixpoint Brewing Company’s complement of beers arrived in DC from Brooklyn this week, and many of the city’s in-the-know beer bars are now carrying the brews. Offerings include some of the brewery’s standards, including Righteous Ale and The Crisp, but also their specialty beers both on draft and in cans. For more info, check out Young & Hungry’s exhaustive list of which places have what brews.

Events: Probably the most fun (and also pricey) event happening this week is the 2011 Brainfood Grill-off. Run by a nonprofit that teaches students how to cook to help them stay out of trouble and find a potential career path in the industry, the jam-packed charity event features cuisine prepared by several of the city’s top chefs and their teams of Brainfood student assistants. Tickets are $75 and include open bar and unlimited taste tests.

Rebecca Cooper is a freelance journalist and avid eater that has contributed to TBD, DCist, and Washingtonian. If you have any tips about restaurant or bars openings or closings, email Rebecca at coopscoop@gmail.com.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/neighborhood_eats_shophouse_opens_new_beer_arrives/4158.