Before it was a Starbucks, before it was the Seaport Inn, the restaurant at the corner of King and S. Union Street was a bawdy little tavern with a petrified pig.
As early as 1893, records refer to the location as Brill’s Restaurant, and local newspaper reports from a year later detail a curious incident with a slab of ham. These details, and others about local Alexandria restaurants, are featured in a new book by local journalist Hope Nelson called Classic Restaurants of Alexandria.
Fox 5: No Additional Delays on Seminary — Alexandria’s Seminary Road controversy has taken another turn in the local TV news spotlight. This time, Fox 5 looked at the lane reduction issue and concluded that the brief periods of gridlock on the road during peak times are not, in fact, worse than it was when the Seminary was two lanes in both directions. [Fox 5, Twitter]
Population, Housing Continue to Grow — “Alexandria’s housing inventory is barely keeping up with its population growth. That’s a key takeaway from Alexandria’s recently released fiscal 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report… The city added an estimated 2,300 residents in the last year, climbing to 156,800, and roughly 2,900 total residential units, ending fiscal 2019 with 82,310.” [Washington Business Journal]
(Updated 5:35 p.m.) Watch out, Red Lobster, there’s another crustacean crawling into town across Van Dorn Street.
According to a city permit application, the national seafood chain Crafty Crab is planning on moving into the shell of Portner Brewhouse (5770 Dow Avenue) in the Modera Tempo mixed-use development. A representative of the applicant confirmed the new location was part of the national chain.
(Updated at 2:15 p.m.) A new bubble tea joint near the Braddock Road Metro station called Spill the Tea could start serving next month.
The restaurant will be located at 515 Braddock Road, in the space once occupied by the now-shuttered Aveda. The exact opening date for Spill the Tea is still TBD, however.
Alexandria’s latest cupcake bakery will celebrate its successful opening with a party this weekend.
On Saturday, November 16 from 12-2:30 p.m., guests are invited to Smallcakes Cupcakery and Creamery (1506 Mount Vernon Avenue) for free mini cupcakes, face painting, and more.
This weekend, the Alexandria Choral Society and Fairfax Choral Society are coming together for a pair of performances this weekend with the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra.
The groups will perform Lili Boulanger’s Old Buddhist Prayer and soloist Wolfgang Schmidt will perform a cello concerto, concluding with a performance of Dvorak Symphony #8.
Key Leader Chosen for New VT Campus — “Virginia Tech has found its founding director for the computer science program at its forthcoming Innovation Campus in Alexandria. Sara Hooshangi, a faculty member at George Washington University’s College of Professional Studies since 2010, will join Virginia Tech in January to build the curriculum at the new campus.” [Washington Business Journal]
Va. Tech Flags at Market Square — “Thanks to @AlexandriaVAGov #VirginiaTech flags are flying on Market Square commemorating the one-year anniversary of the #VTInnovationCampus announcement. Snap your photo – they’ll be up all week.” [Twitter]
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and local restaurant operator Alexandria Restaurant Partners (ARP) is taking care of kitchen duty with a “Turkey To Go” program.
All orders can be placed online before Thursday, November 21, with pickup scheduled on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 28) at Mia’s Italian Kitchen (100 King Street).
Korean chicken restaurant Choong Man Chicken is coming to the northwest corner of Alexandria.
Paperwork filed for the new restaurant says it will be moving into Suite 4668 at Shoppes at Summit Centre (4700 King Street), though suite is currently home to nail salon that said they have no plans to close, while the nearby Suite 4686 is currently vacant.
After a year in operation, Pendleton Carryout Co. continues to grow with the introduction of breakfast options, app-based delivery services, and more.
On Friday, the food incubator at 807 Pendleton Street in the Braddock neighborhood debuted its brunch menu, serving scratch-made biscuits from Freed’s Biscuit Company. Only available on weekends until noon, customers can order biscuit breakfast sandwiches stuffed with everything from bacon, egg, and cheese to plant-based Beyond Meat patties.
The new Taqueria Senora Lola is now open at 3901 Mount Vernon Avenue in Arlandria.
Owner Oswaldo Salinas said the restaurant — adjacent to Salinas’ other eatery, Lilian’s Restaurant, opened two weeks ago and had a grand opening event this past Saturday.
