VAPIANO

GRAND OPENING

AT

BETHESDA ROW

Another www.RobertDyer.net Exclusive!!!

It's not every day that my name is on a VIP guest list with Lady Gaga, Katherine Kennedy and Kate Michael. Or that I am making a red carpet arrival at 7 p.m. at Bethesda Row.

The Grand Opening party at Vapiano was a decidedly different affair from other openings in the area. In a nice gesture, VIP invites to the exclusive party were sent out to local celebrities and notables, bloggers and social media gurus. This was also a smart marketing decision. Recognize influential people in the community, provide a positive first experience, and - as a result - generate favorable publicity. And it will be sincere, as opposed to artificial hype. Some other places just-sort-of-open as an afterthought, and the result of that is, they miss out on a lot of potential buzz online and off.

When I arrived, they asked for my name. The List was on an iPad rather than paper. Then it was a short walk on the red carpet, to the revolving door. A photographer was taking pictures as guests arrived. Once inside, guests were welcomed at the host desk, and given a brief explanation about how the restaurant works: There are several "stations" at the long counter in front of the kitchen. Each one is labeled for a different type of food, ranging from pizza to pasta to salads and panini. As the restaurant's spokesman pointed out during a brief speech given from atop the bar, it is not a self-serve cafeteria. Rather, the setup allows the diner to control what ingredients are included in each order, and every order is made fresh. All ingredients are made from scratch at the restaurant, including bread and pizza dough.

Speaking of pizza dough, you can stand right at the counter where the pizzas are made, and the giant pizza oven is right there, too.

About 2/3 of the restaurant space is devoted to the food counters and seating, which ranges from small tables to larger, communal ones. A comfortable lounge and bar area occupies the remaining third. Last night, there was a DJ playing techno music. Which was appropriate, given the European origins and atmosphere of the restaurant. Vapiano began in Germany, although the cuisine is Italian. And, by the way, they have Peroni.

The staff was exceedingly polite and welcoming, and offered tray after tray of the aforementioned free food and generously-filled glasses of wine. This included tomatoes and cheese, a sort of rolled up sandwich, bruschetta, pizza slices and small squares of a chocolate dessert. Of course, one could also get pasta and other items from the counters.

Decorwise, there is a lot of wood, Italian-themed art that wraps around the interior walls, and creative use of lighting. The underside of the bar counter is lit, for example. Wood floors and tables - and even two trees in the section by the Woodmont Avenue windows - add to the natural-wood theme. Outdoors, wood tables offer curbside dining.

The addition of Vapiano and the Equinox building really transforms this square block of Bethesda. There is now virtually a continuous zone of activity all the way around the block, and it better links the Shoppes at Bethesda to Bethesda Row. A minor logistical roadblock would be to figure out a way to relocate the large dumpsters between the two properties on Hampden Lane. But a Ferrari parked outside the Hampden Lane windows of Vapiano indicated the transformation of a formerly dark corner.

Inside the restaurant, "K Street" Kate was there. So was Angie Goff from WUSA 9. Lady Gaga was in town, but didn't appear as far as I could tell. That didn't stop the restaurant from hoping she might, though. Well, the red carpet was ready.

A different kind of grand opening, and a different kind of restaurant. The unique concept is a great addition to Bethesda Row, much like Taylor Gourmet, the Mussel Bar and Georgetown Cupcake. The bar and lounge seem like a great place for after-work happy hours, and the upscale-yet-casual theme would make Vapiano perfect for dates and small groups.

It was a great event, and I look forward to my next visit.

Here are some photos from last night's event:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertdyer/