Glover Park has seen a lot of drama of late: fifth-graders protesting at ice cream
shops,
chefs departing in a huff,
this.
With all the action, you may just want to take refuge in a quiet, cool place and order
a beer and pizza. Where to do that: Arcuri, a neighborhood Italian joint that officially
opened this past Saturday. The team is conscious of keeping the much-loved, laid-back
vibe of former occupant Kavanaugh’s while bringing its own wood-fired pies and house-made
limoncello to the table. Here are five things to look for as the 80-seat spot gets
up and running.
Pizza delivered to your car
A focus of the menu, especially in the opening phases, is wood-fired pizzas. Chef
Dick Jones, who’s trained at popular Locanda Verdi in New York, among other spots, uses a three-day
process to make the dough—that includes fermenting it for up to 15 hours for deeper
flavor. You can customize your toppings with the likes of pepperoni, anchovies, or
a runny egg. The restaurant has plans for a curbside pickup program in the coming
weeks—customers can order over the phone or online, and the pies are delivered to
their cars.
Prosciutto-wrapped cod and
bucatini all’ amatriciana
Jones is expanding the menu to include more seasonal pastas and entrées along with
a selection of antipasti. You might start out with fried mozzarella or roasted beets
with ricotta before moving onto corn agnolotti or chicken
fra diavolo.
Limoncello, aged and frozen
Just in time for hot weather, you can sip house-made versions of Italy’s famous lemon
liqueur. Partner
Bryce Gerlach goes through cases of lemons, steeping the peels in alcohol and sugar for a not-too-sweet—and
very potent—house beverage. Order the chilled stuff straight, or opt for a frozen
limoncello slushy in classic lemon or with seasonal fresh fruit such as strawberries
or raspberries. Aged ’cellos are also in the works.
Games at the bar and early happy hour
Games—always soccer during the World Cup—are broadcast on flat-screen televisions
at the 30-seat bar. Happy hour starts on the early side, running from 3 to 7 on weekdays,
with discount drafts and bar snacks among the specials.
Brunch, a patio, and late-night service
Like most new restaurants, Arcuri is focusing on lunch and dinner first, with plans
to roll out more menus and specials once it’s running smoothly. A 16-seat patio and
weekend brunch are in the works, as is a late-nigh menu aimed at Glover Park bar hoppers.
Arcuri. 2400 Wisconsin Ave., NW; 202-827-8745.
You might also like:
An Early Look at Ghibellina |
Etto Opens on 14th Street |
The Italian Invasion |
Anna Spiegel covers the dining and drinking scene in her native DC. Prior to joining Washingtonian in 2010, she attended the French Culinary Institute and Columbia University’s MFA program in New York, and held various cooking and writing positions in NYC and in St. John, US Virgin Islands.
