Crepes On The Corner, 257 15th St. SE, (202) 525-4795

The menu has been set for many months while the operators wrangled with the usual regulatory rigmarole of doing business in the District. "It's been a long process," he sighs.

Bradberry says the concept will be "very different from any other crêperie" in the District. 

"I've got eight savory and eight sweet [crêpes] as opposed to Crêpes- a-Go-Go and all the other ones that have, like, 60 or 70 crêpes," he says. "We're very streamlined and very authentic. They're French crêpes, or my twist on them. And then we're going to have what we're calling 'Crêpes Around The World.' Pretty much every culture in the world has their own version of crêpes. So every month we're going to represent a different region or country and create crêpes and other food with that."

Back in November, TBD posted photos of the space and some of its crêpes, including a tasty-looking  "Banana Split."

Of course, the actual crêpes aren't the only thing that the forthcoming crêperie has going for it. "I mean, crêpes are just a very small part of it," Bradberry says. "We're going to have homemade soups, sandwiches, and salads. We're making our own pâtés, our own duck confit. There's a lot going on."

Photo by Chris Shott

No mention of any new "orgy" specials, sadly.

Read the full press release, if you care to, below:

TORTILLA COAST GOES AUTHENTIC MEXICAN AT SECOND LOCATION

Fresh Regional Mexican Dishes Highlight Logan Circle Menu

Washington, DC (December 5, 2011)—Tortilla Coast will open a second location at 1460 P Street NW, near Logan Circle, in mid-December.  While the new restaurant will offer the same fun atmosphere and focus on freshly made food that guests have come to expect at the original Capitol Hill location, the Logan Circle restaurant will feature authentic regional Mexican cuisine.

Katie Tyson, Managing Director of Clover Restaurant Group, said, “We are thrilled to be a part of the Logan Circle community.  We’ve spent a lot of time talking with our new neighbors—residents, business owners and civic leaders—about what they want in a Mexican restaurant.  We are confident that Tortilla Coast will give them the authentic experience they crave.”

The menu at the Logan Circle location embraces the unique ingredients and culinary styles of the Yucatan, Puebla, Veracruz, and Baja regions.  Offering lunch, dinner and weekend brunch dishes, the menu is highlighted by fresh, house-made tortillas, salsas, guacamole and sauces.  Signature dishes include Lomito con Mole Negro Oaxaqueño, an adobo marinated grilled pork tenderloin, Tilapia a la Veracruzana, pan seared tilapia in a rustic lemon caper sauce, and Mama’s Enchiladas, stuffed with pulled chicken Mexicana in a ranchera and tomatillo salsa.  Traditional favorites like ceviches, tacos, and fajitas will also be offered.

Building on Tortilla Coast’s tradition of great drinks, the Logan Circle location will serve up an eclectic selection of handcrafted cocktails, and a superb mix of Mexican beers and Spanish and South American wines.  Margaritas made to order with fresh juices and organic nectars pair with any one of Tortilla Coast’s 99 tequilas and mezcals.  Standouts include prickly pear, available on the rocks or frozen, blood orange or white peach.  “Micheladas,” refreshing traditional Mexican beer cocktails, are served two ways: “Chelita,” with Modelo Especial, fresh lime and a salted rim, or “La Sangrita,” with Negro Modelo, house-made sangrita and a salted rim.

The restaurant boasts 152 seats (including 45 in the bar area) and, come spring, will feature a 48 seat patio on 15^th Street NW.  The décor is vibrant and fun, anchored by a 30 foot mural of Mexican street art collected by local designer Walter Gagliano.

Tortilla Coast Logan Circle will be open for dining Monday-Thursday 11:30am–11 pm, Friday 11:30am–midnight, Saturday 10am- midnight and Sunday 10am-10pm.  Brunch on Saturday and Sunday will be served from 10am – 3pm.

Photo by Chris Shott

The popular 64-year-old watering hole is expected to reopen on Friday, provided it gets the green light from city inspectors.

Part of its charm derives from all the quirky memorabilia that decorates the walls, including numerous mounted animal trophies and old-fashioned beer signs. To save these noteworthy items, Nardelli used a chemical solution to repair the damage caused by all the smoke. She was able to reuse almost all of the original pieces, except for "a few deer asses," she notes, particularly those that hung above the ladies room. The lone remaining deer derrière hangs above the gentlemen's lavatory.

While the changes are as minimal as possible, there are some inevitable alterations. The ceiling, for instance, was damaged beyond repair. So Nardelli and company have decided to expose the original rafters and masonry that had previously been covered up by plaster.

One upside to the Tune's four-and-half-month hiatus: the bar now has more beers on tap—a total of eight, including a couple of craft brews from Maryland's Flying Dog Brewery previously not sold on premises. But fear not, fans of cheap suds. PBR remains in ample supply, Nardelli proudly reports. "We're still a beer and shot place," she says.

The staff by and large hasn't changed, with the exception of six new employees from the neighboring Hawk 'n' Dove, now shuttered and awaiting its own renovation.  Eddie Peterson, the Hawk's former chef, will now be running weekly specials at the Tune.

Looking around the repaired barroom on Tuesday, Nardelli seems satisfied that the renovations have not compromised the dingy dive's, um, unique character.

"We're a redneck place," she says. "It's a comfort zone. It's who we are."

Photos by Stephanie Meyer

Full details in press release form below:

Tune Inn Restaurant and Bar to Reopen

Four Months After Fire Destroys Kitchen the Capitol Hill Staple Returns

What: Four months after a kitchen fire closed the Tune Inn Restaurant and Bar, the Capitol Hill landmark is reopening its doors and kitchen.  On Friday, November 4 the Tune Inn will reopen at its regular time of 8 AM after significant rehabilitation.  On June 22, 2011 a large fire in the kitchen caused the immediate closure of the Tune Inn. While the restaurant and bar area was mostly spared from the flames, there was significant smoke and water damage that needed to be repaired in addition to the complete rebuilding of the kitchen. In July, nearly $40,000 was raised by The Friends of the Tune Inn at an event to support the staff of the Tune Inn who were without work while the restaurant was closed for repairs.

A special Thank you event will be held on Sunday, November 6 from 10 am to Noon for the brave fire fighters from the DC Fire Department who responded to the blaze and saved the Tune Inn from being completely destroyed. 

When:       Friday, November 4, 2011

8:00 AM

Where:      331 ½ Pennsylvania Avenue, SE

More about the Tune Inn Restaurant and Bar:

Featured regularly in Esquire Magazine’s “100 Best Bars in America”, the Tune Inn, est. 1947, holds the second oldest liquor license in Washington, D.C. after the repeal of prohibition. First opened by Joe Nardelli over 60 years ago, the Tune Inn has always been a family business. Lisa Nardelli, Joe’s granddaughter, is the third generation of Nardellis to own and operate the Tune Inn. Over those years, customers and employees alike have lent their color, character and flair to its history; People who return to the Tune Inn over the years say the same thing: “This place has not changed!” Featured last year by Guy Fieri in an episode of his Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives” the Tune Inn continues to be a neighborhood landmark and gathering place.

Photo by Gage Skidmore/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license

On page 115 of the latest issue of National Geographic Traveler in the section titled "Cravings," which is not available online, Smith tells the following story under the headline "Szechuan Surprise":

"After visiting and meditating at the famed Lama Temple in Beijing, we walked down the incense-heavy road and came upon a little place where we had this amazing Szechuan shredded beef. We enjoyed it so much we had it again at another restaurant where it was called Spicy Ass Meat. This was alarming, so I asked he server, 'Ass meat?' And he said, 'Like donkey!' Well, we still loved this dish and I'd go back for it."

His remarks have prompted the owner of Double Dot Ranch and Donkey Resort in Texas* to issue a fiery retort on YouTube. [EDITOR'S NOTE: The link is messed up but you can search for it under the title, "A man who eats donkeys."]

Would you eat a donkey?

*EDITOR'S NOTE: A prior version of this blog post erroneously identified the location of the Double Dot Ranch and Donkey Resort as Alaska. It is located in Texas. The author, confused by the word Alaska appearing in the email address of the resort's owner, regrets the error.

Photo by Stefan/Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license

History may note the venue as the setting of several episodes of NBC's "West Wing" and the first-date spot for opposite-attracting political pundit couple James Carville and Mary Matalin.

Y&H will remember the Hawk for a number of reasons: (1) It's the first place I recall seeing scrapple listed on a menu, circa 2001. (2) It was the site of my first pub burger in D.C. I didn't dare try the scrapple at that time. The Swiss-smothered patty didn't suck, as I recall, though this was at least five years before the gourmet burger boom. (3) It introduced me to hilarious bartender Bill Pietrucha, aka "Cowboy Bill," aka "Mann Coulter," whose comical drag-show impersonations of conservative blowhard Ann Coulter we discussed in these pages back in 2004. Anyone know what happened to that guy?

What are your memories of the Hawk?

Photo by Chris Shott