Top 5 Bites: A Noodly Addition and A French Bakery

• October 4th 2013

by Jamie Liu

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In this week’s Top 5 Bites, learn about the newest fast casual chain, and find out which French bakery is expanding into DC.

Use Your Noodle

Fast casual joint Newton’s Noodles opened Thursday at 1129 20th Street NW (map) from Chef Dennis Friedman, owner of Newton’s Table. It’ll be serving up its signature noodle bowls, called fuzu, where patrons can pick from rice or soba noodles, soy or coconut curry sauce, proteins, vegetables, and toppings. Appetizers like spring rolls, soba salad with ceviche, wontons, seared tuna bites, and kapow chicken are also available.

Hola Barcelona

Tapas bar Barcelona Wine Bar opened on Tuesday at 1622 14th Street NW (map), according to Eater. With a menu overseen by Chef Pedro Garzon, you can start off with charcuterie and Spanish cheeses, and continue on to classic tapas like patatas bravas, potato tortilla, garlic shrimp, boquerones, and croquettes. There is a wide selection of aperitivos, cocktails, sherry, and Old World wines largely from Spain, and also three sangria options including a rosé version with St. Germain.

Cause for Excitement

“Philanthropub” Cause reopened on Monday after repairs were made to its air conditioning system, according to Washington City Paper. With the reopening comes a new menu, new wine and beer list, and a new general manager, Eric King from Hank’s Oyster Bar. And as they clear the bar of a random collection of spirits, there will be an “experimental cocktail kitchen” where the bartenders will concoct less than traditional cocktails and where you’ll be able to come up with your own ideas.

Our Daily Bread

French boulangerie and patisserie Maison Kayser is expanding to DC, according to Eater. Owner Eric Kayser is considered one of the best bread bakers in France with a keen eye on consistency. And unlike most bakers, he adheres to traditional French baking methods. That includes using natural yeast and allowing the dough to rise for a longer period, which yields more balanced, less sugary flavors.

Some to Sbrag About

Word has it that Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga is looking for space to open a DC incarnation of his restaurant Sbraga, according to Eater. The concept is Modern American, serving “inventive, seasonal fare with a focus on local and sustainable ingredients”, says the restaurant’s website. And Sbraga is no stranger to DC; Season 7 of Top Chef was filmed in our fair city.

This article originally published at http://dc.urbanturf.production.logicbrush.com/articles/blog/top_5_bites_a_noodly_addition_and_a_french_bakery/7644.