November 9, 2007
The Weekly Feed: Burgers, Belgians, and BoJo Edition
Pour Out a Forty for the Childe Harold
The pilgrimage is at its end. After 40 years nestled on 20th street NW in Dupont Circle, the Childe Harold has closed its doors for good. A victim of increasing rents and lessors unwilling to negotiate, the Harold is one more example of how the face of Dupont Circle is ever-changing.
The venerable institution held a lot of history, partly because of its ties to the music world—Bruce Springstreen, Bonnie Raitt, the Ramones, and Emmylou Harris went there according to this WaPo article—and partly due to its reputation as a haunt for hard-drinking political and journalist types.
Childe Harold made its name in recent years with well-cooked steaks, as well as burgers that were juicy and flavorful — all cheaper than $9 — a direction that many Washington eateries should look at when analyzing their $16 burger options. The Harold was a good spot to stop after a hard-partying night in Dupont Circle, or a place to go for a drink or eight if you wanted to get shit-faced and have it kept quiet. I mean, I've heard. Dive-seekers will have to look a little harder in the neighborhood for a place to meet their needs now. I imagine many of them, much like owner Hossein Shirvani, are heartbroken.
Risen From the Burnt, Cakey Parts Left on the Griddle
In happier news, penny pinching Washingtonians will be happy to hear that the Waffle Shop on 10th St. NW may have moved to a new location and changed its name—but the old one isn't dead. The Post reports that D.C. wonder developer, Douglas Jemal, will dismantle the historic diner piece by piece, move it, and re-open it exactly as it was, most likely in a space on 7th Street across from the convention center. Not only it this welcome news for one of Washington's most historic eateries, but it bodes well for those folks who never had a chance to dine at the Waffle Shop's sinusoidal counter.
Waffle Shop photo from buschap.
Will the new Waffle Shop be exactly the same? Of course not, but patrons also won't be forced to wade through diesel fumes and hordes of screaming tweeners with fake Abe Lincoln beards just to have some affordable eggs and toast. To ease the transition, Jemal has agreed to reduced rent for 15 years—a generous offer, but the level of reduction from one of the city's highest rent districts may still be a sizeable payment. All parties intend to make a go of it, however, and we wish them luck.
Un-aged and Ready to Go; The Olsen Twins of the Wine World
In what has arguably become more popular than Bastille Day—at least here in the U.S.—the evening of Beaujolais Nouveau is rapidly approaching. The third Thursday in November (the 15th this year) is the traditional night for bistrots and bars to hang their signs proclaiming "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!" So, start counting. Backwards. And in French.
Alliance Francaise in Kalorama is holding their celebration on Friday, the 16th, featuring both the wine and a mix of Edith Piaf and electronica. You can expect parties at standbys like Les Halles and Bistrot du Coin as well. Try places like Montsouris (2002 P St. NW) for an affair with more Frenchmen and less college students, or the Official Embassy party if you have a new suit you'd like to show off.
Small Bites
What's Shanghainese for "What?"
Gridskipper takes this week's award for most creative sentence: "Somewhere between Shanghainese and Cantonese is a place called Taiwan." Also, someplace between Tunisian and Italian is a place called Malta.
$10 to Someone Who Actually Sees Him in One of His Kitchens
Todd Kliman, in his chog, hands us the news that Michel Richard (Citronelle, Central) is advising Amtrak's Acela on its menu. What's wrong with a hot dog?
Gelato At Dupont Market
You didn't need a reason to go to the Dupont Farmers' Market (Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 20th and Mass. Ave NW), but here's one anyway. Dolcezza gelateria is now selling its made-with-market-ingredients gelato at the market. Their gelato is second to none already, but the flavors made with fresh market ingredients are really transcendent. You can also catch them at the Penn Quarter market at its last day, Thursday the 15th.
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The Waffle Shop has done much for the Insurgency in the last few years. It was frankly a security risk for us to eat there given its proximity to the FBI building, but we couldn't resist the breakfast/chinese food combo or the proletarian ambience. Hopefully the new location on 7th will preserve some of its finer features.
www.tshirtinsurgency.com
I've been to childe harold maybe half a dozen times. The food is ok. I appreciate the prices, but it's not a super-value. Most importantly was the horrendous service. Had a waiter tell me beers were half during happy hour, only to argue with me over the check when they came out to $4 each. He claimed $1 off was the same as half price. I'm not gonna miss the place, but I hope something better takes its spot.
My late uncle, Mr. James West along with a partner, opened the Waffle Shops in the 1940's and 50's. I believe there were 9 restaurants by the early 60's. Then fast food arrived and well, you know the rest.
As a child in the late 50's I would often visit. My big thrill was getting free waffles whenever I wanted. Great fun.
Nice to see it will be re-born.
Mark Grinder
Buffalo, NY
"Lessors unwilling to negotiate"....
In other words, a building owner unwilling to subsidize your favorite restaurant by not charging them market rate rent.
Funny how DCist writers have such an odd and childish view of how capitalism works.
I only went to Childe Harolde once. Service was atrocious. That one trip was enough for me.
As for being the victim of rising rents, that does suck. But here's a thought.... this restaurant was apparently in place for 40 years? How about if at some time in that 40 years the owners actually took a risk and bought themselves a property for their restaurant? That way there is no risk of them being displaced by rising rents. Rising taxes, maybe.
I will miss the Childe Harold. It was an eclectic neighborhood spot and I met a lot of interesting people there. It is a shame that it closed so abruptly.
I never had any problems with the service, nor was I ever overcharged.
I will be interested to see if the landlord will find a stable tenant for the increased rate.
Hillman: Why all the negativity? Your reaction seems disproportionate for a single bad experience.
My comments were mostly a reaction to yet another DCist writer posting nonsense about landlords - the idiotic "refusal to negotiate" comment.
As for The Childe Harold, I really don't care one way or another. Apparently people liked it because famous people went there. That's fine with me. But hosting famous people isnt exactly a solid business plan- buying a property sometime during your 40 year run is what most prudent business owners would do.
But, at least their failure to plan for the future gave DCist yet another excuse to run their 'bloodsucking landlord - martyr tenant' slant yet again.
Fair enough. The “landlord/tenant” hot button is enough to get anyone in D.C. fired up
I cannot say I met anyone famous at the Childe Harold but I did meet many people I doubt I would have met anyplace else. I’ll miss it.
Between CH and the January 27th closing of Dr Dremo's this is turning out to be a rough time for bars I enjoy.
Fuck the landlords. Greedy bitches. That includes you, Hillninny.
Ah, nothing like a nuanced argument, HCE. Congrats on your substantive argument.
Interesting posting.
People b*tch and moan about greedy developers and landlords closing down one joint, yet another "greedy" developer offers to completely dismantle, restore, and relocate piece-by-piece a "historic" greasy spoon in order to appease historic preservationists.
Can't win with this crowd.
Maybe the Childe Harolde can set up in the relocated greasy-spoon, and get a below-market subsidized lease from Doug Jemal?
Spookiness:
You are right. You can't win with the 'developers and landlords are greedy' crowd. Funny how it's 'greedy' when you are landlord, but it's a 'well deserved raise' when you are, say, working for a self-righteous non-profit, or even as a cog in a huge corporation.
This is why I rant (admittedly) about this whole 'landlords and developers are always evil' mentality that runs rampant in DC and on DCist in particular. It's like DCist can't write a single story dealing with any development issue or housing issue in DC without adding their idiotic little digs against developers and landlords (I mean, really, DCist, if you're going to do advocate 'journalism', at least have the balls to admit it).
It's just so stupidly simplistic, yet so pervasive.
Anyway, rant done. For now.
Jesus Fucking Christ.
The transplant of the Tastee Diner in Silver Spring seems to have worked fine. I hope there's enough business for the Waffle Shop in its new locale. I know I'll be the first in line for the grits and scrapple and to break in their toilet, monkeyrotica-style! And this time, I promise not to hit the rim.