News came over the weekend that Taan Noodles in Adams Morgan has closed its doors. The new tenants: Cashion’s Eat Place co-owners Justin Abad and chef John Manolatos. The duo plan to open Pop’s SeaBar, a casual, beach-inspired seafood spot, by early September.
“Just think of all the great places that are lowbrow, canned beer, coozie-loving, peel-and-eat shrimp spots,” says Abad, who grew up on the Gulf Coast of Florida; Manolatos’s inspiration comes from summers on the Jersey shore. “It’s referential to these places we went to where everything just felt relaxed.”
The team plans to turn the sidewalk-level mezzanine into a large raw bar with local oysters and plenty of high-top seating; look for about 60 spots inside and picnic-style tables on the patio. While Cashion’s is known as a high-end, date-night place, food at Pop’s will be served out of plastic baskets. Abad says the lineup will feature dishes such as Taylor pork rolls, burgers, and “boardwalk chicken,” essentially a poultry version of popcorn shrimp served with spicy mayo dipping sauce. Most beers will come canned at a $6 to $7 price point alongside lemon and orange crushes. The eatery will be open for lunch as well as dinner, a rarity for the neighborhood.
Those looking to try SeaBar’s menu before the September opening should check out the late-night weekend happy hour at Cashion’s, where Manolatos will begin testing dishes as early as this weekend. Night owls won’t be the only ones who’ll be able to sample something new. Abad says the team is debuting completely overhauled brunch and dinner menus at Cashion’s starting Friday, July 11. Look for a larger emphasis on proteins for two, like whole herb-stuffed fish or a roast pork shoulder with flatbreads and tzatziki.
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.
