Zagat Survey Discussions

New Restaurants

New Nightspots

Coming Soon

Bebo Trattoria

By the end of October, Roberto Donna will move his Galileo team into the Crystal City space that housed Oyamel (2250-B Crystal Dr.), where they'll be serving his wood-fired pizzas, panini, artisanal antipasti and wines by the glass now that his flagship restaurant is closed for major renovations.

Buzz

Offering the diverse services of a bakery and a wine bar, this cafe (901 Slaters Ln.) will offer denizens of the newly minted Alexandria neighborhood near Potomac Yards a place to sip, snack and catch up on e-mail – it will have WiFi; opening at the end of October.

Dock at Lansdowne

Sailing into the landlocked Lansdowne Town Center (Belmont Ridge Rd. and Rte. 7, Northern VA) in mid-November will be this seafood-focused, nautically themed American. Sporting lots of polished wood, an exposed galley and two outdoor decks, it lacks only the sea breezes to complete the dining-on-the-water illusion.

Il Fornaio

Rustic breads and Italian trattoria fare will emerge from the wood-fired rotisserie, pizza oven and grills of this Reston Town Center newcomer (11990 Market St.), slated to open in spring 2007. The spacious layout will include an open kitchen, large, wraparound windows and an outdoor patio.

Mandu

Formerly a manager at Oceanaire, Danny Lee is sourcing his family's recipes for the namesake dumpling (and other traditional Korean fare) at his soon-to-open two-story restaurant in DuPont Circle (1805 18th St. NW).

Mio

This Contemporary American restaurant with a swanky feel is slated for the Downtown Perseus Realty building (1110 Vermont Ave. NW), which will also house a branch of Il Mulino, NYC's legendary Italian. It's scheduled to open in early spring 2007.

Yaku

Resto-lounge impresario Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld's upcoming Clarendon venture (address TBA) will feature Peruvian food, perhaps a sign that it's about to become the next hot cuisine.

Good Deals and Other News

Bread Line

Has a new lineup of mini breakfast pastries baked just minutes before their 7:30 AM appearance in the display case; at lunch, there's now an express counter for impatient soup-and-sandwich seekers.

Morton's

Meet Redskins players over complimentary steak sandwiches (7–8 PM), then stay with fellow fans to watch the Monday night game at the bar and try out the new "Bar Bites" menu, which offers $4 specials during cocktail and late-night hours; held on October 16th (Georgetown), November 6th (Tysons Corner), November 20th (Connecticut Ave.), December 4th (Arlington) and December 18th (Bethesda).

My Bakery & Café

Will open a new branch with a bar, lounge and restaurant serving Latin and South American specialties (Mexican fajitas, Argentinean mixed grill), as well as its signature cafe/bakery fare, in the Del Rey section of Alexandria (3839 Mt. Vernon Ave.). It will also feature live bands and dancing.

Oyamel

Has shuttered, but will be migrating into the Penn Quarter space recently vacated by Andale (401 Seventh Ave. NW), where its iconic butterfly mobiles will float above the room in early 2007.

Renato

New owners, notably the River Falls Seafood Co.'s purveying and catering talents, are revitalizing this Potomac, Maryland, neighborhood gathering spot by adding daily Mediterranean fish specials to its popular Italian menu, with plans to close briefly in January for a face-lift.

Tallula

In mid-October, this Clarendon New American will give its front bar its own moniker – EAT Bar. It will feature new bistro decor (think chalkboards above its zinc-topped bar) and a refashioned menu of house-cured meats, artisan cheeses and other dishes meant to be paired with its cocktails and extensive wines by the glass.

Willard Room

Recently arrived chef Nicolas Legret (ex Bistro 123) is adding tableside-served dishes with exotic flavor accents (lobster poached with ginger ravioli in a lemongrass crustacean broth) to the fall menu. In addition, the dining room now sports an elegant white-, cream- and gray-toned look.

• Oyamel
• Galileo
• Mantis
• Shula's Steak House
• Taste of Carolina