A fire broke out at standout Mexican restaurant Chicatana on 14th Street last night a little before 2 AM. While the restaurant was empty at the time and no one was injured, the damage is extensive and the place will remain closed for the foreseeable future.
According to DC’s Fire and EMS Department, the fire was “accidental, mechanical in nature.” Chef and co-owner Marcelino Zamudio says it seems to have stemmed from an electrical issue with the ice machine.
Zamudio says he got a call in the middle of the night, hours after the restaurant had closed, telling him smoke was coming from the restaurant. He arrived to find the fire department already on the scene. The fire rendered all the kitchen equipment unusable and destroyed part of the bar.
Chicatana—which ranks among Washingtonian‘s 100 Very Best Restaurants—had relocated from a smaller storefront up the block to its current corner building at 14th and Randolph streets, Northwest just last August. The restaurant has become known for its fine-dining level food at affordable prices, including vibrant seafood dishes, destination-worthy tacos, and popcorn-like chicatana ants throughout the menu.
Chicatana’s sister restaurant, La Plaza, which serves Spanish food up the block, was unaffected and remains open. Zamudio says he will add some tacos to the menu there for people who want to show their support.
Zamudio says he still needs to talk to his insurance company and the landlord about next steps for Chicatana, but “I hope to have it open again.”
Jessica Sidman covers the people and trends behind D.C.’s food and drink scene. Before joining Washingtonian in July 2016, she was Food Editor and Young & Hungry columnist at Washington City Paper. She is a Colorado native and University of Pennsylvania grad.
