This week's top dish from Eater DC, Curbed's restaurant, bar, and nightlife blog...
CLEVELAND PARK—"Spanish tapas-inspired" restaurant Pulpo has soft-opened in Cleveland Park from the same owner behind Dupont Circle's Floriana, who tells Eater he has plans to open a new restaurant every 18 to 24 months over the next several years.
ROCKVILLE—Is Rockville ready for the urban nightlife experience? Just a week after its grand opening, Quench cocktail bar lost its beverage director over disagreements about the restaurant's supposed accommodations for suburbanites. Owner Michael Holstein writes in to Eater to explain that he's still committed to bringing the urban experience to the suburbs.
GEORGETOWN—Mike Isabella opened Bandolero just a week ago, but what's the verdict from the diners who've already gotten in the doors? Here's the early word on Bandolero.
FOOD TRUCKS—Now that the brick-and-mortar location has closed in Arlington, Sauca owner Farhad Assari confirms to Eater that he's shutting down the whole operation — including the food trucks.
TENLEYTOWN—The original location of Armand's Pizzeria is set to close its doors at the end of June, after 37 years of dishing out pie.
ADAMS MORGAN—It's also time to look at the early word for Sakuramen, the new ramen restaurant that hit 18th Street just last week. Most diners, it seems, just want to compare it to other restaurants that serve ramen.
OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA—The Virginia Supreme Court remanded the battle between the City of Alexandria and the Old Dominion Boat Club over Wales Alley back to the Circuit Court. This is the alley that Virtue Feed & Grain wants to use for occasional block parties and outdoor seating. But the restaurant did get approved for a July 7 party, so get ready.
MT VERNON SQUARE—The New York Avenue Beach Bar opened last week just in time for Memorial Day weekend and who should have stopped by on opening day but Mayor Vince Gray. Eater has a look inside at all the beach balls, umbrellas and more at DC's newest beach.
MT VERNON SQUARE—Ray's the Steaks empire-builder Michael Landrum has dropped his plans to open a concept named Ryse at City Vista. Rumor has it that Sweetgreen might take over the lease.
DUPONT CIRCLE—Six months after a deadly incident just outside the premises, Heritage India announced that it's packing up its Dupont Circle location and moving to another, undisclosed, spot.