District
Daikaya (705 Sixth St., NW). Daisuke Utagawa, who pioneered the local sushi scene with Sushiko, shows he’s still on the cutting edge with this Japanese ramen shop and izakaya, a partnership with Eighteenth Street Lounge cofounder Yama Jewayni. Projected opening: February.
District Commons/Burger, Tap & Shake (2200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW). Jeff Tunks—chef/co-owner of Ceiba, Acadiana, and others—is behind this two-in-one concept. There will be a Modern American dining room and raw bar plus a counter-service burger joint with double-fried spuds and house-made buns. Projected opening: September.
Rasika West End (1177 22nd St., NW). Your chances of sitting down to palak chaat and anise-scented black cod will double when restaurateur Ashok Bajaj opens this outpost of his popular Penn Quarter Indian spot in a luxe condo building. Projected opening: February.
Maryland
Bobby’s Burger Palace (8147 Baltimore Ave., College Park; 2121 K St., NW). Bobby Flay’s sixth and seventh burger shops will feature his signature “crunchburger,” layered with potato chips. Projected opening: late summer/September.
Founding Farmers (12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac). This branch of the DC restaurant known for its slick-farmhouse decor and good brunch will have 300 indoor and outdoor seats plus some new dishes, including house-made sausages. Projected opening: late October.
Sugo Macaroni & Pizza Bar (12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac). The trio behind Cava—with Greek restaurants in Rockville, DC, and Bethesda plus a line of dips—is going Italian. Think grazing-friendly plates of charcuterie, cheeses, and pizzas cooked in a wood-burning oven. Projected opening: October.
Virginia
Mosaic (Gallows Rd. and Lee Hwy., Fairfax). Tenants at this 31-acre retail/residential development include restaurateur Jeff Black (BlackSalt, Addie’s, and more), Matchbox, Mom’s Organic Market, Taylor Gourmet, and Red Apron Butchery, which will sell charcuterie, wine, and cheese. Projected opening: fall 2012.
This article appears in the July 2011 issue of The Washingtonian.
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