CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA OPENS ON BETHESDA AVENUE (PHOTOS)

The "Open" sign is lit at City Lights of China

City Lights of China has officially reopened, after moving one block west to 4953 Bethesda Avenue. The Chinese restaurant's original location has been taken over by ShopHouse. City Lights' new home was previously occupied by Taipei 101 Tokyo Cafe, until last May. Much like another local favorite, Foong Lin, City Lights has moved to a spot with less pedestrian activity than its old one. So if you're a City Lights fan, make sure to spread the word that the restaurant is open again.

On Sunday, the City Lights awning sign was installed; witness it vicariously through these photos:

It's a quiet Sunday on Bethesda Avenue

The first order of business is to unfasten
the awning from atop the van

Ladder 1 is in place...

...and now Ladder 2

Mission accomplished

SHOPHOUSE OPENING AT BETHESDA ROW - ASIAN CHIPOTLE SPINOFF TO TAKE OVER CITY LIGHTS OF CHINA SPACE

Exclusive!

Bye-bye,  City Lights of China.

Hello... Shophouse!

That's right, Dupont Circle's favorite Asian Chipotle spinoff, Shophouse, is coming to Bethesda Row.  Shophouse will move into the City Lights of China space at 4820 Bethesda Avenue, which City Lights is vacating ...now.

As the auction announcement I found (below) shows, the contents of City Lights are being auctioned off today.

That's the bad news.

The good news is that Shophouse is taking its place. Have you heard before that a particular restaurant is the "[fill in type of ethnic food] Chipotle" before? Or "trying to be Chipotle?"

Well, Shophouse literally is Chipotle, an Asian spinoff from the same company. So prices and ordering procedures will be fairly familiar to regular patrons of Chipotle. I expect Shophouse will be hugely popular at lunch.

Of course, having a corporate chain take over a small Chinese restaurant will likely cause some minor grumbling in the community. As might the closure of a second independent Asian restaurant on Bethesda Avenue in a month (Taipei 101 being the first). It will be interesting to hear public reaction, given the popularity of Shophouse in DC.

Appropriately, the name Shophouse comes from Chinese buildings that had residences above commercial shops. What's old is new again, as Shophouse comes to Bethesda Row, which urban planning experts refer to often as the best example of a mixed-use development in America.

YUZU SUSHI AND ROBATA OPENING MONDAY IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

Bethesda's newest Japanese restaurant, Yuzu, has announced its soft opening will be this coming Monday, April 29.

Chef Yoshihisa Ota has prepared a menu of sushi and robata for his new venture in the former Divino Lounge space at 7345-B Wisconsin Avenue.

BETHESDA ROW

RESTAURANT WEEK

MENU SPOTLIGHT:

RAKU

Raku is an old dependable at Bethesda Row that manages to stay fresh. The sushi restaurant with a hint of "Asian fusion" aspirations, Raku is a nice spot for lunch or a first date. It also has fabulous outdoor dining space on Woodmont Avenue - if you can snag seats!

I can't help but start with Raku this week, because - to the best of my recollection - this is the first Restaurant Week menu Raku has made available outside of the restaurant. Kudos to Raku, as it is very helpful for Restaurant Week diners who have many choices, to be able to preview the menu. So here we go!

RAKU DINNER MENU $30

Course 1:

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Wasabi Yuzu Vin Blanc (a dressing combining Wasabi root flavor with mustard and the juice and rind of the Japanese Yuzu fruit - spicy, tart and delicious!), watercress, frisee (endive leaves) and radish

OR

Cream of Napa Soup with Snow Crab and White Truffle Oil (Napa is a type of cabbage)

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Course 2:

Nigiri Sushi (Tuna, Salmon, Hawaiian Amberjack, Shrimp, Eel) - Hawaiians call amberjack "kahala," Mexicans call it "Pez Fuerte" (strong fish)

OR

Salmon Fettucine with Lemon Butter sauce, Salmon Roe, Brown Beech Mushroom (a nutty, buttery mushroom) and Korean cabbage

-----

Course 3:

Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Duxelles, ginger bordelaise, zucchini, yellow squash and Korean sweet potato (Shiitake Duxelles is more Paris than Tokyo; it's a sauce of mushrooms, onions, shallots, butter and herbs)

OR

Walnut-crusted Alaskan Halibut with warm, sundried tomato vinaigrette, fried baby potato, baby bok choy and miso tapenade (a soybean and barley/rice paste)

=======================

As you may notice, there are plenty of options for those in your party who are not sushi fans.

So stop by Raku tonight, or one of the many other restaurants at Bethesda Row, as we enjoy Restaurant Week 2012 through April 22.

PASSION FIN

SWIMMING SLOWLY

TOWARDS

GRAND OPENING

Renovation Continues at Future

Bethesda Asian Bistro and Sushi Bar

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Passion Fin, an Asian Bistro and sushi bar expected to open early this year at the Shops at Sumner Place in West Bethesda, seems to be swimming upstream at the moment.

There is tremendous interest in the new Japanese entry. But the announced opening target of "early 2012" does not sound realistic at this point. A generous definition of early would possibly extend through the end of March.

Even the firm that announced the deal to bring Passion Fin to Sumner Place does not know what the restaurant's opening day target is now, according to a representative.

So we have to examine the clues for now. The same dumpster is positioned exactly the way it was several months ago in front of the restaurant. Window coverings are still in place. On a recent evening, one covering appeared to have peeled off. Through the window, I could see what looked like exposed ventilation systems, including a large round pipe. There did not appear to be finished walls or ceilings in place yet. But it was dark, so I can't say for sure.

Finally, no telltale Montgomery County permits or inspection documents hang in the windows, which you would see if an establishment was just about to open.

As they say, good things come to those who wait. The space obviously needs extensive renovation and reconfiguration, as it was formerly a woman's clothing boutique.

Stay tuned for further updates on this intriguing new dining option in West Bethesda.