Awesome news for Shaw residents craving more casual eateries and coffee shops: You’ll be getting one of each in the near future, courtesy of Prague native Jarek Mika.
Prince of Petworth and others have written about the pending opening of Bistro Bohem, Mika’s Eastern European eatery set to debut (fingers crossed) by the end of the month. Robin Jurek, also from Prague, will helm the kitchen and turn out Slavic dishes—often in tapas-size portions—like chicken schnitzel, duck confit, goulash, and pierogis. A full bar will focus on absinthe and cocktails made with European liquors, including a martini made with plum brandy.
With only 40 seats, Bistro Bohem may get tight, so Mika has taken over the adjoining space next door, and will turn it into Cafe Bohem as early as April. At night, this 45-seat space will offer the same menu as the bistro, but by day (and early morning), it will serve open-faced sandwiches, pastries, cakes, and Julius Meinl coffee (Austria’s answer to Illy). Laptop hobos, rejoice: Wi-fi is in the plans, as is an outdoor patio.
With Shaw’s Tavern reopening across the street, it looks like the neighborhood has a lot to look forward to.
