Greek Group Balos Announces New Italian Restaurant Downtown
Downtown is getting a chic Italian spot from rapidly expanding Balos Restaurant Group. The upscale newcomer will be called Sorella, per a rep, and span nearly 10,000 square feet (1800 M Street NW).
A ‘lasagna-cutting’ ceremony for Carmine’s anniversary
Penn Quarter’s 750-seat Southern Italian staple Carmine’s just turned 15, and to celebrate, chef Glenn Rolnick put a lighter, summery spin on its traditional lasagna. The all-veggie, “pinwheel” platter feeds up to six and features spinach lasagna sheets from Rafetto’s NYC. Carmine’s will donate 20 percent of each $37.95 order sold to DC Central Kitchen. A who’s-who of D.C. cut a 15-foot-long version this week to commemorate the big birthday. With 20,000 square feet and nine private dining rooms, Carmine’s is considered the city’s biggest restaurant (425 7th Street NW).
Lasagna pinwheels feature sundried peppers, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses, roasted eggplant, basil, and plum tomato sauce.
Fire ravages one of D.C.’s best Mexican restaurants
Chicatana, a breakout star in Columbia Heights’ crowded taco scene, suffered extensive damage in the late hours of Wednesday night. Per DC Fire, a mechanical fire occurred in the kitchen (with no injuries reported), and the restaurant will remain closed until renovations are completed. The 3-year-old spot, which recently relocated to the nearby 14th Street NW space that formerly housed DC Corazon, caters to daring diners with generous use of ants and grasshoppers — a delicacy of its chef’s native Guerrero. Due to its proximity, Italian standby Little’s Coco’s was also forced to close until Monday, June 30 “to deep clean for smoke.”
