food | ALXnow - Part 22

How this Del Ray Farmer’s Market vendor adapted to the pandemic, exceeded 2019 sales

Published January 14, 2022 at 2:50PM | Updated January 14, 2022 at 3:39PM

On New Year’s morning, Luke Shlagel of Shlagel Farms was among a handful of vendors at the weekly Del Ray Farmer’s Market. Some customers asked why he wasn’t hanging out with his family and taking the day off, and he had a simple answer.

“If I hadn’t come on New Year’s Day, that would have been 20 days since the last market,” Shlagel said. “Christmas was on a Saturday, New Year’s Day was on a Saturday, and if I waited for the following Saturday, the eighth, that’s too long for the community to be without us.”

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Chewish Deli to open second location in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published January 5, 2022 at 10:45AM | Updated January 5, 2022 at 2:37PM

There will soon be a second Chewish Deli bagel shop in Old Town, as the company officially announced it is working to open at the former Dunkin’ Donuts space at 1640 King Street.

Chewish Deli opened its first brick and mortar at 807 Pendleton Street in the Braddock area in October 2020. It began seven months before that as a food truck selling bagels, hot pastrami and Reuben sandwiches.

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Messy turnover at Al’s Steak House sees resignation from former owner’s son and longtime grill cook

By James Cullum

Published October 28, 2021 at 3:30PM | Updated October 28, 2021 at 8:47PM

For the first time in more than 50 years, a member of the Severson family is not making Philly cheesesteak sub sandwiches at Al’s Steak House in Del Ray.

Nelson Rodriguez says it’s regrettable that Bo Severson, the son of former owner John Severson, and cook Mark Williams didn’t work out. It was only a month ago that Rodriguez took over at the Del Ray institution, and at the time he said he was going to keep the old hands to ensure that the cheese steak tradition continues.

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Nicecream closes on King Street in Old Town

By James Cullum

Published October 27, 2021 at 9:30AM

Nicecream, the shop that makes ice cream with liquid nitrogen, has permanently closed on King Street.

The Arlington-based company opened shop in Old Town at 726 King Street four years ago, and joins other recent Nicecream closures in D.C.’s Adam’s Morgan and Shaw neighborhoods. The Arlington location at 2831 Clarendon Boulevard remains open.

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Nashville-style chicken restaurant coming to Duke Street

By Vernon Miles

Published October 26, 2021 at 1:15PM

Chicken sandwich at Hangry Joe's Chicken (photo via Hangry Joe's Chicken/Facebook)

A small chain devoted to spicy Nashville-style chicken called Hangry Joe’s Chicken is making a big expansion, opening in the Alexandria Commons shopping center and other locations throughout the region in the next few months.

The restaurant management said in a message that the Alexandria location aims to open in the former Subway in Alexandria Commons early next year.

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Bonchon Chicken coming to Bradlee Shopping Center in December

By James Cullum

Published October 19, 2021 at 9:30AM

Bonchon Chicken is coming to 3690 King Street in the Bradlee Shopping Center. (staff photo by James Cullum)

A Bonchon Chicken franchise plans to open its doors in December in the Bradlee Shopping Center, ALXnow has learned.

It’s the first Korean fried chicken franchise for Maryland-based owner Stanely Grabowski, who says he wants to open more locations in the area.

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Old Town’s Don Taco says fast tacos and to-go drinks are its recipe for success

By James Cullum

Published October 14, 2021 at 2:30PM | Updated October 14, 2021 at 3:55PM

It takes less than five minutes to make most orders at Don Taco. The restaurant and tequila bar at 808 King Street also claims to make the best margaritas in Old Town, and that combination of making quick to-go orders with alcoholic drinks to wash it all down has been their secret to success during the pandemic.

“There’s not much of a profit margin on food costs,” Don Taco’s General Manager Tracey Deiderich told ALXnow. “As far as alcohol is concerned, that’s where restaurants make most of their money. Allowing restaurants to do this just weeks after we had to shut down was a huge success.”

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published October 7, 2021 at 5:00AM

A runner along the Potomac Trail in Potomac Yard (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

River Farm gets taken off the market — “Local residents cheered over email and text messages Wednesday after learning that the American Horticultural Society’s board — or what remained of it — decided not to sell its 27-acre property overlooking the Potomac River.” [Alexandria Living]

Northern Virginia AFL-CIO presents award to Rep. Don Beyer — “When the bus drivers in Alexandria – the DASH workers (who had been trying to unionize over decades, actually), Alexandria City hired a union buster and Congressman Beyer stepped in and was very forceful with his language in making the city aware that the DASH workers had a right to organize.” [Zebra]

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Morning Notes

By James Cullum

Published September 29, 2021 at 5:00AM

Alexandria appoints flood mitigation manager — “Effective Oct. 11, Daniel Medina will serve as the Flood Action Alexandria program manager. The new position will include coordination across city departments on the flood mitigation program and manage the city’s stormwater capital project lineup.” [Patch]

McAuliffe, Youngkin unload in feisty final Virginia debate — “Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin bickered their way through the second and final debate of Virginia’s competitive governor’s race on Tuesday, trading attacks and accusations from the start of the hourlong meeting.” [Politico]

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