Monthly Archives: April 2024

Pacci’s Likely to Get Approval to Expand to Second Floor

by Larry Janezich

Posted April 4, 2024

At tonight ANC6B’s Planning and Zoning Committee virtual meeting, Chair Frank D’Andrea announced that the Office of Planning (OP) has submitted a report recommending approval of a variance requested by Pacci’s restaurant on Lincoln Park to expand its business to the second floor.  The report appears to smooth the way to granting an exception to a zoning regulation that owner Spiro Goldasis said could require him to close.  Goldasis says if he can’t increase the seating it’s unlikely his restaurant can survive.  The report was a reversal of OP’s position; previously they had opposed the variance.  D’Andrea said, “With the Office of Planning’s opposition gone, the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA) is likely to support the variance.” 

The decision came after a second letter from CM Charles Allen to the Board of Zoning Adjustment on March 12, reiterating a letter of support for the variance which he sent last December.  The March letter was cosigned by 1225 residents who live near the property and support granting a variance. 

Allen’s letter said, “As I mentioned in my first letter, while I wish the applicant the best in their business endeavors and want to them thrive in this space, I am advocating here on behalf of my constituents who are tired of this space sitting vacant because it is clear the existing zoning is not workable.  Pacci’s will be the third restaurant to open and close on this site in a decade if a deviation is not granted. Given the public nature of this case, I also worry about the deterring effect this will have on future small, local businesses interested in opening in our neighborhoods.” 

Last November, Goldasis appeared before ANC6B to tell them that the restaurant needed to expand to the second floor in order to survive – the problem is that zoning regulations require the second floor to be residential – and getting an exception requires a problematic variance to the regulations.  ANC6B – along with ANC6A – subsequently voted unanimously to support the zoning adjustment.

The BZA is scheduled to vote on whether to grant the variance on Wednesday, April 10.

Coming soon to Barracks Row: Jabwemet Indian Kitchen

New Indian Cuisine Coming to Barracks Row

by Larry Janezich

Posted April 1, 2024

Parminder Singh Manan, owner of two restaurants featuring Indian cuisine in NW DC hopes to open Jabwemet Indian Kitchen at 515 8^th Street on Barracks Row later this month.  The space was recently occupied by El Bodegon which closed in January. 

This will be the owner’s third restaurant in the city:  the other two are Naanwise Indian Cuisine in Woodley Park at 2625 Connecticutt Avenue, NW, and Oh! Nan Indian Kitchen in Columbia Heights at 1720 14^th Street, NW.

According to General Manager Sandeep Kapoor, the owner decided to open on Barracks Row owing to the dearth of fine dining Indian restaurants in the area, not only on the nearby commercial corridors on Capitol Hill, but in Navy Yard.  Kapoor says the menu at Jabwemet Kitchen will be similar to that at Oh!  Nan.  See here: https://ohnaan.com/menu.php  

Kapoor said, “We believe in providing a fine dining experience with excellent food and great service – none of the other restaurants in the area offer this.”