Thursday, April 09, 2015

Rooftop restaurant Urban Heights to open April 21 or 22 with South Asian menu

The straightforward name Urban Heights, and the previous ventures by Chef Robert Wiedmaier, did not point to the latest RW Restaurant Group brand being anchored by Southeast Asian-Pacific flavors.

But that's the latest intriguing twist at the Bethesda rooftop restaurant currently shooting for an April 21 or 22 opening date.

Your first impression off of the elevator will be the gleaming Tuna Bar, displaying the latest catch for a selection of fresh tuna appetizers. You will have the option of dining indoors on that level, outdoors on the adjacent 2nd story patio, or going for a commanding view of the bustling Woodmont Triangle neighborhood from the roof.

Executive chef Cliff Wharton, who rose to prominence at DC's popular TenPenh, will draw on his Filipino heritage and a fusion of Southeast Asian flavors. You might find him working one of several woks in the kitchen. Or, during the summer, hosting a rooftop pig roast under the stars.

Wharton will bring his signature Red Curry Shrimp with Pineapple and Jasmine Rice to Bethesda. But you'll also be able to choose from dishes like Chicken Adobo sliders, Honey-glazed Shrimp with wasabi grits, and pork belly bites with Korean chili paste. Cool off with a selection from an always-meticulously-selected Wiedmaier beer list. Or enjoy a handcrafted island cocktail designed by Urban Heights' General Manager, Garth Hamilton.

Today's menu announcement has only increased the anticipation for a rebirth of this rooftop space, in the Steven J. Karr, AIA, Inc.-designed Norfolk-Cordell II building at the corner of Norfolk and Cordell Avenues.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

"South Asian" refers to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Anonymous said...

Wonder of they will still get a bar crowd with that menu...

Anonymous said...

Worst rooftop space of all time. I hope they did something with the layout but I doubt they did. Getting a drink or sitting at the bar was near impossible. Thanks a lot Karr

Robert Dyer said...

10:03: Remember, they are also including Filipino cuisine. So you can't just say it is "Southeast Asian", which sounds like it's a Vietnamese restaurant. That's why headlines have articles below, to provide the details.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous must have his naan with paneer. He loves that bread and cheese

Anonymous said...

10:03 is right. South Asia is inaccurate (given the details of the article). The Phillipines is in Southeast Asia, not South Asia. See the UN Population Division for definitions (but most people should know these anyways)

Robert Dyer said...

5:22: Sounds like you've got a severe case of "jet leg". No one else is complaining but you, Mr. Troll. Southeast Asia does not cover the concept either. Stop trying to grasp at straws just because the restaurant has a diverse concept There's only so much you can fit in one headline - most people should know that anyways. Baba Booey.

G. Money said...

Dyer will tell you what part of the world you are from, Asians!

Manifest Destiny, amiright?

Steve D. said...

The Philippines is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Did they pull a fast one?

Robert Dyer said...

Two days late and counting, G. Money.

Anonymous said...

The Philippines (along with the other the maritime countries of Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei) is most definitely "Southeast Asia".

In fact, it's further away from "South Asia" than it is from the countries of mainland Southeast Asia.

G. Money said...

Better late than wrong, Dyer. Too bad you can't just admit a mistake and post a correction without embarrassing yourself.

Robert Dyer said...

G. Money, your comment is hysterical considering you didn't post on the other website's real error about the pizzeria (non)opening date. Gosh, G. Money, how do you explain that hypocrisy? There's no error here, other than your desperate criticism of my accurate report on the menu reveal at Urban Heights. Every detail in this article is correct.

G. Money said...

How do I explain the hypocrisy of not commenting on an article that I didn't read on a website that I don't visit (and for the record, I'm not even sure which website you are talking about, or which pizzeria, but I can assure you that unless you are talking about the Post I don't read it)? Well, that's pretty easy. I don't comment on articles on websites that I don't read.

Your error is that you've continued to defend your mistaken use of the term "South Asian" as referring to the Philippines, when South Asia specifically refers to a region including India, Parkistan, Afghanistan, and several others. Nothing in your article appears to reference the cuisines of these countries. Furthermore, you commented at 3:53PM that "you can't just say it is 'Southeast Asian', which sounds like it's a Vietnamese restaurant." Indeed, it may, or a Thai, Malay, or Filipino restaurant, as those are all countries in the region defined as Southeast Asia.

Multiple commenters prior to me pointed out your error without condescension, to which you responded in a pompous and snarky tone. But there are simple geographic facts at play here, and apparently you are too self-important to look at a map or consider that some people might prefer to have their country referred to by its proper geopolitical region.

Imagine if someone described Maryland cuisine as Midwestern. Would you consider them credible? What if they defended their position by referencing irrelevant articles from other sources, rather than acknowledging that Maryland is not in the Midwest?

Robert Dyer said...

5:22: Imagine if someone broke the story about the menu for the highly anticipated opening of Urban Heights, and every detail in the article was completely accurate. Then imagine someone bitter about that blogger getting that story first going postal over a headline for that article via anonymous comments. And claiming Afghanistan is more South Asian than the Phillipines, and that "Southeast Asian" will translate as including the Phillipines for the average reader. And that in the age of Twitter, a geographically diverse restaurant would have to be fully spelled out in full detail in the headline. And then claim these irrelevant quibbles are more significant than an article on another site that was completely incorrect. "Would you consider them credible?"

G. Money said...

So stating that "South Asian" means a specific set of countries is your definition of going postal?

Also, please take note of the fact that several of your readers have tried to correct your factual error. No one has tried to support your claim that the Phillipines should not be classified as Southeast Asian. So I'm not sure how you're defining "average reader." Probably the same way you are defining "South Asian," which is to say, incorrectly.

Anonymous said...

Aspies can't admit that they are wrong. Ever.

https://www.google.com/search?q=aspies+can%27t+admit+they%27re+wrong&oq=aspies+can%27t+admit+they%27re+wrong&aqs=chrome..69i57.8465j0j7&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=93&ie=UTF-8

Anonymous said...

You've all lost your mind and sight of what's important here - the opening of Urban Heights. Well, it's open and I can tell you - the cuisine - whatever/wherever it is from is FABULOUS. You hear me...FABULOUS...FABULOUS.

Why don't you stop by and try it if you haven't done so already!