We’ve confirmed that the owners of Hikari Sushi (644 H Street, NE) are planning to open a second restaurant on H Street that will be a hibachi restaurant. They are still in the process of looking for a building for the second restaurant, but we’ve heard that they are looking towards the western end of the corridor. We’ll update as we get additional details.
Archive | January, 2013
Six Months After Opening: A Few Interesting Notes on H &pizza
26 JanAfter opening in July of last year, H &pizza quickly developed into one of the busiest and most popular spots on H Street and around the Northeast region of D.C.. There is almost never a time when you walk into H &pizza and it does not have a line of some sort. H &pizza’s success has enabled it to announce its first expansion recently, a new location on U Street that will open sometime this year. Six months after the opening of its original H Street location, we were lucky enough to catch up with co-owner Steve Salis to ask him a few questions.
Overall he emphasized how pleased they were with the business and the H Street community, saying that their business has exceeded their expectations. He said that the top selling pizzas are the Maverick (District Cuisine’s favorite), Farmer’s Daughter, and Moonstruck. Interestingly, Salis says that when they first opened most people were choosing one of the pizzas listed on the menu board (like the Maverick, etc) but that now the majority of customers are choosing to build their own pizzas. He also said that we can expect to see a few new pizzas on the menu soon. H &pizza’s lunch business has exceeded their expectations (although dinner is their busiest time), and they believe that lunch will continue to grow as the neighborhood continues to develop. Sadly, H &pizza does not plan on doing delivery service in the future.
Thaaja Indian Food Bar Set to Open Wednesday (January 23rd)
23 JanThaaja Indian Food Bar, specializing in quick and customizable Indian food made from scratch, plans to open Wednesday in NoMa (1335 2nd Street, NE). You can see our detailed preview piece here and the menu here.
Thaaja Indian Food Bar
Thaaja will offer diners the opportunity to build their own Indian meal from a variety of different proteins, vegetables, and homemade sauces in a setting similar to Chipotle or Roti where customers choose ingredients from the display right in front of them. At Thaaja, diners initially choose between a wrap, a rice bowl, or a salad bowl and then choose from chicken, lamb, steak, Paneer (an Indian cheese), or tofu before completing the meal with different vegetables and sauces. The price ranges depending on the protein, but all are reasonably priced around the $7-8 range (with unlimited toppings).
Counter at Thaaja
Thaaja will also feature several different sides/appetizers, including Thaaja rolls (available as a samosa or with a tikka filling) and naan and chips; all of the sides will be priced at $2.75. Thaaja will also have freshly made Lassi shakes (an Indian drink with a yogurt base) in a variety of flavors for $2.75. Continue reading
Opening Night at Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar
4 JanAfter much anticipation, Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar finally opened Thursday night on H Street (644 H Street, NE). Here is a copy of their opening night menu. Overall we were very impressed with both the food and the restaurant itself.
Upstairs Sushi Bar at Hikari Sushi and Sake
Hikari is a two level row house that has been completely redesigned. The first floor is a full service bar with several tall tables available for dinner service or drinks. Upstairs features a sushi bar where you can watch your sushi being made right in front of you while chatting with the chefs. It also has several booths (including two with window views) for a more intimate setting. Continue reading
Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar Menu
4 JanApologies for the low quality pictures (the lighting was somewhat dim in the restaurant), but here is the menu from opening night for Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar (644 H Street, NE):
Drinks at Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar
Appetizers at Hikari Sushi and Sake Bar
District Cuisine 