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Columbia Heights upbeat eatery, "Social".
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Funky fun
We recently stumbled into Ruff & Ready, an amazing, antique, junky treasure trove near Logan Circle at 1908 14th St. NW.. You’ve got to see this place to believe it, and you have to come on a weekend, when this hodge-podge of second (or third?) hand merchandise is open for business. Shoppers range from serious interior designers and architects looking for something unique for their clients, to budget-conscious neighbors hunting for bargains to furnish their apartments. Occasionally, a tourist wanders in.
“This is my first time here,” admitted New York-based architect John O’Dowd, who used to live near Dupont Circle and had just come from the Sunday “drag” brunch at Policy next door. Fellow shopper Jim Hair, visiting from Denver, agreed that Ruff & Ready was “amazing.” He had just purchased an Italian-made dish bearing a risque message involving beans. Another customer declared that shopping here was like spending an afternoon in his grandmother’s attic.
“My mother had water glasses like these,” I thought as I gingerly handled a tall, gold rimmed goblet. I decided to skip the vintage glassware, but did purchase a striking blue and grey earthenware bowl for $5. It looked like it might have come from the pricy Appalachian Springs shop. We also wandered into R&R’s “courtyard” out back, picking our way through a jumble of old furniture, old boxes and just plain junk.
Ruff & Ready started out in 1979 in Adams Morgan before moving to Logan Circle 18 years ago. The current owner is Bill Troy, who paused from his busy Sunday traffic to chat with us. “Where do you GET all this stuff?” I asked. “Mainly auctions,” Troy responded, carefully wrapping my bowl. We’ll be back.
Ruff & Ready is open Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., 202-667-7833.
Eleven-Eleven-Eleven
Room 11 Wine and Dessert Bar opened on August 11 (when else?) at 3234 11th St. NW. Besides its diminutive dimensions and debut date, the moniker refers to its 11th and Lamont Street address. The newcomer serves foods that don’t take up much room: Spanish bocadillo (mini sandwiches), soups, charcuteries and artisan cheeses. Pastries are supplied by Paisley Fig, a company owned by Lizzy Evelyn, wife of Room 11 co-owner Nick Pimentel. If indoors becomes too crowded–and it might--guests may spread out into Room 11's patio.
Room 11's rustic tasting room pours an eclectic mix of wines chosen for value ($6 to $12 per glass), which may be sipped at the zinc-topped bar, at the curved banquette by the bay window or on the patio.
“We have no TVs,” said co-owner Ben Gilligan rather proudly. “We want people to talk to each other.” Amen to that. Later this fall, co-owner Dan Searing will reprise the Punch Club soirees that filled his Warehouse Theater. For now, Room 11 is only open evenings. 202-332-3234 (www.room11dc.com).
Social skills
Coming soon to Columbia Heights is another upbeat eatery. Social, 1400 Meridian Place, NW, is the brainchild of partners A.J. Guy, Scott Hammons and Tim Korzep. Chef Michael Clements will focus on such “small plates” as sashimi Ahi tuna with toasted sesame seeds; Sonoran Mahi Mahi tacos; char-grilled baby lamb “lollipops” with cilantro pecan pesto. Locally, Clements has wielded his whisk at such hot spots as Helix, Rouge and Topaz. He’s also tended tar at nearby Wonderland. The atmosphere in Social’s two-level space will be “residential,” i.e. homey, with comfortable couches and small cocktail-like tables. Within walking distance to the Columbia Heights Metro (Green/Yellow line), Social is also close to the Petworth and Shaw neighborhoods.
New
Logan Circle has a new coffee house: Mid City Caffé, which opened August 15. Unveiled by Fernando Acha and designer Mick Mier, Mid City is tucked upstairs in a former garage at 1626 14th St. NW. The java comes from Counter Culture Coffee, based in Durham, North Carolina. Complementing the freshly brewed beans are homemade pastries including lime chiffon cake, sweet potato spice cake, cookies, graham crackers and New York-style bagels.
Mier has designed several local bars around town including the nifty 1905, a New Orleans-style bistro in nearby Shaw. For Mid City, Mier has transformed the 900-square foot second floor interior into a funky Art-deco style café, with retro hues of brown, grey and yellow, stylized tables and bar stools. There’s also an old velvet-covered couch. (Where do they find all these old sofas anyway? Practically all the new restaurants we’ve visited seem to have them.) |
