Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Social Opens August 17

No time to write up my own take on this, but here's the latest on Social from their own press release. Opening on August 17. I also saw that Thaitanic II has a real sign up.

SOCIAL OPENING IN COLUMBIA HEIGHTS IN AUGUST.  Columbia Heights, the hottest residential neighborhood in the District, will welcome the anticipated restaurant Social on August 17th. Situated on the southwest corner of 14th Street and Meridian Place NW, Social is just four blocks north of the Columbia Heights Metro making it an easily accessible dining and drink locale.

The partners behind Social are eager to unveil their gem, which is reminiscent of a comfortable District residence with dark-espresso leather couches and high-back dining room chairs. The main dining room, familiarly called the Family Room, is accented with textured plaster walls, rich wood floors and wine inspired carpet. Photography from Jonathan Zuck, a family photo wall, and classic artwork ornament the venue. After dinner, guests can enjoy a cocktail seated at the bar or lounging on an ottoman in the Cellar. The furnishings, from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, create a relaxed and open space in the two combined former row-homes, while vast windows overlook the bustling 14th Street Corridor.
 
Complimenting the innovative design concept, Social will provide a fresh dining experience. The plates are as interesting and diverse as the beverage selection. The Shareable menu items such as the Poke Stack, an Ahi tuna sashimi dish, or the Baby Lamb Lollipops topped with cilantro pecan pesto are available in Intimate, Social, or Gala micro-dining sizes, allowing any size party to mix and match menu items to their taste. If sharing is not your forte, European-style Pan Roasted Crispy Chicken and other items on the Self Indulgence menu provide a tasty individual experience. To create an unrushed and comfortable environment, Social does not take reservations and does not require you commit to your whole meal in one order. 

"We take the beverage approach to dining," according to owner AJ Guy, "When you go out for drinks you never order them all at once. In the same way, our menu is designed to be leisurely perused by our guests."

Partners AJ Guy, Scott Hammons and Tim Korzep have a history with headline hospitality projects.  Their combined experience in operations and development includes Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants, Houston's Restaurants, and the Ian Schrager Company, providing the team with a wealth of hospitality knowledge. Urban hikes, exploring unsung neighborhoods of the District, inspired the owners and in the end Columbia Heights proved the perfect canvas for a neighborhood destination. Unique dining and entertainment should not be exclusive to Georgetown or Downtown.  Social will create an unrivaled experience that is a most welcome addition to the burgeoning foodie scene in Washington, D.C.

Social will be open seven nights a week and soon on Saturdays and Sundays for brunch.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had the unfortunate experience of serving these gentlemen during a "business lunch" at a columbia heights restaurant that will go unnamed. They were rude, demanding, never said please, thank you or at the very least an acknowledgment of their waiter's presence and to top it all off they tipped poorly, and sat there for 3.5 hours. I'm just saying... regardless of how interesting your restaurant concept or how good your food is, if you can't bring the people skills or show a little tact to your neighbors, your restaurant is doomed to failure. (see recent developments at Rumbero's)

Anonymous said...

I work as a bartender somewhere in Columbia Heights. The cats from Social came in and sat at the bar at lunchtime. They were friendly & they tipped well. Perhaps it was not the same dudes.

Anonymous said...

I saw the Social guys twice at the bar at Ruby Tuesday's and they seemed nice enough. They joke around with the bartender a lot, can't be all bad?

Maybe Anon 3:51 was right, they don't seem like the types to do "business lunch" anyway.