restaurants closing

already 2 sandwich shops in that plaza... but sure, WHY NOT. it'd make as much sense as some of the OTHER plaza arrangements around here...

 

Silk Road was GREAT... Do you know any other Middle Eastern eateries that would compare?

 

not a single, one. i've never had anything like their food-
though i'm sure places exist in DC, Arlington, Alexandria... i've just never been anywhere else for Afghan cuisine.

 

I used to frequent Panjshir II in Vienna on 123 several years back when I used to work in Tysons. I haven't been in over 7 years but it was quite good then.

 

Add to the now closed list: Rita's Italian Ice in the Ashburn Village shopping center.

 

Rita's was only open from around March to around October. I always wondered how they could stay in business only being open about half the time. Maybe the business was a tax write-off...

 

Unfortunately, we have learned that Cafe Rumi is also going to close. I hate to see this - they served fantastic sandwiches, omelettes, etc. - not to mention wonderful cakes and gelato.

 

I am sad about Rita's. It was one of the few places that have ice cream that is safe for people with food allergies. There were no peanuts and they had dairy and egg free options too. I am going to have some sad kids here.

 

where did you hear this?? i was just there yesterday talking with the owner. he's definitely struggling- like everyone but 5 guys in that plaza.

the answer is: GET OUT AND PATRONIZE THE PLACES YOU LOVE AND TELL OTHERS ABOUT IT!

 

The issue with that particular plaza is that it is not in a good location. If people want to eat dinner out, I highly doubt that they want to fight rush hour to get home to get the family and then turn around and fight rush hour again to to that plaza.

The lunch crowd alone will not keep most of those places (5 Guys the exception) afloat.

 

...add to that the fact that NOTHING but specifically going to whichever restaurant you likely already planned to go to draws you into that plaza. there's no live music- let a little band play in the empty pizza place til someone rents it! no amusements, no shopping- nada. no nice little walking area.

most of our Ashburn plazas are poorly designed and do nothing to motivate sales and generate traffic. feh.

 

I'm sad about Rita's for the same reason. It was a great option for people with multiple food allergies (as was the place that carried Dole Whip).

 

The owner told me last week. My wife and I go there all the time, and I asked him how it was going. He told us that he wasn't going to make it - was going to go back to catering, but just couldn't go on any longer with the lack of business. We are very sad
d to see them go.

 

i'm so bummed to hear about rumi. his cakes, sandwiches, and coffee are all delicious. anyone know when their last day will be?

 

Does anyone know, can anything but a restaurant go in the restaurant row by five guys? I agree with the comment that there is nothing else to draw people there.

 

I don't know what the landlord would take now, but I believe it was originally marketed to prospective tenants as a "restaurant park".

 

Very sorry to hear about Cafe Rumi and Silk Road ... What delicious high quality food they served.

It amazes me that whenever my mom wants to go to lunch to celebrate something like her birthday, she always wants to go to OLIVE GARDEN! When my boss retired after 45 years at the same company, she also wanted to go to Olive Garden. Every time, any location, that restaurant is busy. I wonder why, since the food is mass-produced and made with low-quality artificial ingredients. Is it really just the cheaper prices and the familiarity people have with the menu???

 

My mom (72) also loves Olive Garden. I think it has something to do with never actually having "real" italian food, which I (and DH) have had and the food isn't half bad, but it's not real italian. When I say "real", I mean NY Italian which is so different than what Olive Garden serves. I've also had really real italian food in Italy and that's nothing like what is served in the US. I think my parents weren't exposed to much most of their lives and have no idea about true ethnic foods, just the mass produced places which are readily available to them.

 

It is a shame about Cafe Rumi, but I do believe it was in the wrong location! Imagine what it would have done if it was were the new Dunkin Donuts is. I happen to think their food is so much better than DD (I know, GASP) but it was easily forgotten tucked in Restaurant Park.

 

I told my wife the exact same thing the other day. They would definitely do better with the cakes/catering, and I have to believe the lunch traffic would be better as well.