Opening Soon: ELISIR RESTAURANT

Chef Enzo Fargione's restaurant company Cucina Moderna LLC has signed a Letter of Intent for a restaurant space located at 427 11th Street in the building at 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in the East End of Washington, D.C.

Retail tenants for the same building include Michel Richard’s Central and Ten Penh Restaurants.
The agreement was reached and signed on Thursday August 19th 2010 for the 4000 sqft space presently occupied by La Prima Food Group Via Cucina Café`.

The restaurant’s name is ELISIR by Enzo Fargione

ELISIR forecasts its opening at the end of March 2011 and will features Fargione's distinctive hands-on approach and personalized vision and interpretation of modern Italian cooking..

ELISIR means ELIXIR in english: a mix of flavored liquids containing alcohol and it was used in Medieval times in Italy as welcoming beverage for important guests when visiting court.
Elisirs were commonly made from grappa or other in house distilled spirits. Nowadays it could be compared to an elaborated cocktail or a sofisticated martini made with only the best quality ingredients
Chef Fargione has retained the renowed architectual firm Grupo 7 to design and create a contemporary first class fine dining restaurant with stylish décor and typical European flares
ELISIR will accommodate approximately 90 patrons in the dining area, 20-25 patrons at a bar, and 20 patrons in a private room.

The Restaurant will incorporate a glass fronted wine cellar, fine wood millwork, porcelain tile and carpet floors, pendant lighting and custom metal details.
The kitchen will be partially open and enclosed with high circular glass panels, featuring a plating station, which will highlight the work of the chef in the observation deck and monitored by recording HD cameras for every dinner service and for cooking classes with DVDs purchasing option for guests and students
The entire space will be renovated with a new layout, wall and floor finishes, bar, lighting, millwork, and decorative accessories.

The kitchen will be fully redesigned to accommodate the new culinary concept and appropriate level of service.  The Restaurant, initially, will be open 5 days a week for ELISIR Bistro Lunch and 6 days a week for formal Dinner service.
For lunch, the bar will accommodate the faster pace customers with a more affordable quality menu with approximately 15 options for $15 set price including a glass of wine or a non alcoholic beverage offering a quicker alternative for those on a time frame.
The dining room lunch menu will offer a great value with selections of fish and meat preparations as well as in house made sausages, cold cuts and fresh pastas
Like Fargione's previous succesful project The Chef’s Table, ELISIR on a typical night will offer a choice of two prix fix tasting menus and an optional smaller one a la carte which it will change seasonally.
The wine list will feature extensive selections from Italy, California, Virginia and a few French pearls and multiple wine pairing programs will be offered as well as wine flights service.
The Lease signing is scheduled for not later then September 30th.  YAY!   I can't wait!