New Mexican restaurant planned for Annandale at site of former gas station
A restaurant called Bueno Mexican Grill is planned for 7023 Columbia Pike in Annandale next to Evergreen Lane. A vacant gray building that used to house a Shell gas station has been on that site for years.
The owner of the property, Charles Lee, expects the restaurant to open in mid-March. It will be independent, not part of a chain. Lee owns Annandale Catering on Tom Davis Drive.
Bueno Mexican Grill will serve burritos and other, light Mexican fare, similar to what’s available at Chipotle, said Simon Yi, who will manage the 2,300-square-foot restaurant. It will have indoor and outdoor seating for 100 people.
Permits have been approved for the demolition of the existing structure and for the exterior design of a new stucco building. Yi expects a permit for the interior plan to be approved soon.
There is not enough land on that space (including the unused land behind the former station) to have seating for 100 people and sufficient parking. I hope their solution is not "just park at the mall across the street or in the Evergreen professional complex."
It is about time something occupied that space. It is such an eyesore. Happy it will be all about food.
Good news. Hope it works. I was kind of hoping for more Korean choices though.
Wow, just what the area needs — yet another Mexican restaurant. Glad the space will be redeveloped. Wish it were somebody else's "cuisine."
Redevelopment of the blighted site is welcomed, regardless of the fare. Now if we could just run off the porn shop next to it and have someone develop the old 7-11 site we'd be really making progress!
The former 7-11 building is going to be part of the expanded animal hospital, although the renovation is taking forever.
There is this sad idea in Annandale (to mimic a McDonalds chain) then there is this great idea in Falls Church, Prediction anyone? Chef/owner Patrick Bazin and his wife Julie plan to open a new authentic Mexican restaurant called Alegria, next door to their restaurant Bazin’s on Church, in Falls Church. It is slated to open in late December of 2011. The menu will showcase authentic Mexican food with a very strong connection to local growers and specialty regional suppliers. Outdoor dining on the patio will be offered as weather allows. The name Alegria (which means happiness) was chosen as a result of a Facebook page contest to name the new restaurant. The winner won dinner for eight on opening night for their winning submission.
Being a foodie, I love all types of food and I am really happy that we have more options. We only have about three American restaurants, five Hispanic restaurants, and at least 40 Korean restaurants (oh, and fast food). What do you mean by another Mexican restaurant? There isn't one that I know specializes in Mexican, and if you are talking about Chicken Pollo – that's Peruvian. I hope our next restaurants to open are Indian, Thai, American, etc. I want variety and not having to drive 20 minutes to get any of that.
How long has that building been there? I think at least 40 years.
Good question about the parking.
Yay and Welcome, although I do wish manager Simon Yi had touted Bueno a little more effusively than, "…well, it'll be like Chipotle…" instead debuting this potential hit with Bazin savvy. A Facebook naming contest and local produce support are clever and community-inclusive PR that say a lot about a business's long-term intentions. Annandale's hungry. Feed it clever, sustainable, community-inclusive things.
Has anyone from this blog contacted the entrepreneur and attempted to get more details before everyone here jumps to conclusions? Let's hail some progress. If he redevelops the site and his restaurant can't make it because it is bad at least the plot will be ready for another to move in, but let's give the guy a shot!
Hee hee. That was funny.