Westfield Montgomery Mall has solidified its position as a rival to Tysons Corner by adding a new dining concept from celebrity chef José Andrés. Andrés will open a new location of his Beefsteak concept in the mall's new Dining Terrace this summer.
Beefsteak, which already has two locations in the District and more planned for Tenleytown and Philadelphia, is a vegetable-centric fast casual concept devised by Andrés and executive chef Pat Peterson. While the vegetables used are farm-fresh and of the highest quality, the dining experience at Beefsteak is meant to be affordable, as well.
The concept was also inspired by trying to improve health, and the restaurant and Westfield Montgomery emphasized the potential for students at nearby Walter Johnson High School to find a healthier lunch alternative with
Beefsteak in their announcement of the leasing.
Most of the menu items are in bowls or salad form, such as Frida Kale, which offers rice, kale, black bean sauce, and spicy tomato sauce, topped with cherry tomato, scallions, corn nuts, pumpkin seeds, cranberries, and lemon-honey dressing. There's also a BEETsteak sandwich for those wanting some bread on either side of those vegetables. And if you want meat, you won't be shut out. Make your own bowl from all of the vegetable options, and top it with chicken or salt-cured salmon, for example.
There will also be fresh fruit, José Andrés Potato Chips, and - of course - one of his classic gazpachos.
If you ordinarily wouldn't consider a health food lunch, leave it to master chef José Andrés to change your mind. This addition not only adds to the nearly endless dining options at the mall, but also emphasizes Westfield's more-than $90 million investment in repositioning the mall as an entertainment, dining, retail and lifestyle center. That investment already has paid off, with 2015 being the mall's most successful year on record.
