[Dining] Sushi by Siblings
Brother and sister Ken and Aki Ballogdajan have chosen Potomac for their third DC-area sushi spot. The owners of Kenaki Sushi Counter in Gaithersburg and Ako by Kenaki at the Roost food hall on Capitol Hill expect to bring Kema by Kenaki to Cabin John Village (11325 Seven Locks Rd.) by next March or April. According to Aki, the menu will be “heavy on the sushi and donburi side” (similar to their Roost spot), with some familiar favorites from Kenaki—which also dishes up small plates such as agedashi tofu and karaage chicken—sprinkled in.
[Streetscape] New Names
Over the summer, three streets in Potomac became the first to be rechristened as a part of Montgomery County’s Renaming Review Project, which identifies streets and parks that are named after Confederate soldiers. J.E.B. Stuart Road and J.E.B. Stuart Court became Geneva Mason Road and Geneva Mason Court. Jubal Early Court became William Dove Court.
The new names honor Black leaders from the Scotland community near Seven Locks Road, which was made up of formerly enslaved people. Geneva Mason was instrumental in the fight against urban-renewal efforts in the 1960s that threatened the community. William Dove, who was born into slavery, was a founding member of Scotland.
[Dining] Fresh-Baked
Over the past decade, the Pretzel Bakery on Capitol Hill has earned a cult following for its housemade sweet and savory pretzels, pretzel dogs, and Nutella-filled pretzel bombs. In early 2022, it’ll bring those same carby delicacies to the burbs, with a location in Cabin John Village (7961 Tuckerman Ln.). Fans of the original bakery can expect the same menu and vibe at the new outpost.
Also coming next year to Cabin John Village: a second location for Boulangerie Cristophe (11321 Seven Locks Rd.), whose Georgetown locale turns out fresh croissants, baguettes, crepes, and other French treats.
[Dining] Fish Tale
Leesburg-based King Street Oyster opened its first Maryland outpost in March at Park Potomac (12435 Park Potomac Ave.). The restaurant’s fourth location took over a 4,000-square-foot space formerly occupied by Addie’s, according to WTOP. It also has ample outdoor patio seating. King Street promises at least ten kinds of oysters available every day, no more than 24 hours out of the water for East Coast varieties, and a maximum of 48 hours out for West Coast. Raw bars not your thing? The menu includes lots of other crowd-pleasing seafood dishes, such as crabcakes, gumbo, and a salmon BLT.
[Culture] Autumn of Art
There are several new reasons to visit the indoor/outdoor modern-art museum Glenstone (12100 Glen Rd.) this fall.
The first solo presentation in Washington of works by Arthur Jafa debuted in September. Jafa is best known for films expressing the pain, beauty, and creativity of Black American life. His Glenstone exhibition includes film, sculpture, and photography.
An exhibit of Canadian photographer Jeff Wall’s work—the artist’s largest show in the US since a 2007 exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art—opened October 21, with nearly 30 pieces spanning five decades. In November, Glenstone will al-so present a selection of paintings, sculptures, and other pieces by Vija Celmins, her first solo show in the area since 1979. In December, the third in a series of rotating exhibits by Charles Ray will debut, with works ranging in material from concrete and steel to hand-made paper.
[Real Estate] Luxe Listing
If Potomac is known for one thing, it’s megamansions, and a particularly high-profile one sold recently. After sitting on the market in the Avenel neighborhood for more than two years, the 14,000-square-foot home of auto executive Tammy Darvish closed for $4,675,000 in August, as reported by the Washington Business Journal. Originally listed for nearly $6 million, it features six bedrooms, seven and a half bathrooms, a wine cellar, and more than two acres of land. Darvish, former vice president of Darcars Automotive Group, which was started by her father, was most recently head of US operations for the auto-dealership chain AutoCanada.
[Dining] On the Move
Italian American spot Gregorio’s Trattoria, which already has a Potomac location in Cabin John Village, will add a second location at Park Potomac (12505 Park Potomac Ave.) late next year.
Happening in early 2022: Yirasai Sushi will leave its Bethesda locale to take over the former Elevation Burger space at Park Potomac (12525 Park Potomac Ave.). In addition to a big selection of nigiri and maki, the restaurant serves such Japanese comfort fare as katsu, tempura, and udon.
[Retail] Spring Arrivals
In April, the local mini-chain Colada Shop opened its first Maryland location—and its fourth overall—in Cabin John Village (7993 Tuckerman Ln.). The brightly hued cafes are known for excellent Cuban sandwiches and, of course, piña coladas. In May, Cabin John Village filled another storefront, with an outpost of the DC-based cosmetics chain Bluemercury (7905 Tuckerman Ln.), purveyor of high-end skin-care lines, hair products, and makeup.
[Real Estate] Rising Fortunes
Before Covid made extra bedrooms, finished basements, and ample yard space top priorities for local buyers, the Potomac housing market was one of Washington’s snooziest. In 2019, the median home price there actually fell from 2018, and listings stayed on the market about two weeks longer, on average, than in the DC area as a whole. Today, the situation is drastically different. According to the multiple-listing service Bright MLS, in the second quarter of 2021, the median sale price in Potomac was $1,102,500, up by nearly 22 percent compared with last year. Listings, meanwhile, lasted an average of just 18 days, about three weeks less than the previous year. And the number of homes sold was up by more than 46 percent.
[Retail] Pet-Friendly
Park Potomac will soon get a veterinarian and an upscale pet boutique. Veterinary Park Potomac (12525 Park Potomac Ave.) and Elysiem pet shop (12500 Park Potomac Ave.) are expected to arrive by the end of November. Elysiem, which also has a Bethesda location, sells toys, all-natural foods and treats, dog clothing, and other supplies.