New Restaurant to Open Wednesday in Old Town Alexandria

PHOTO: Meet the team leading Ashlar Restaurant and Bar: General Manager Steve Greksouk, Lead Bartender Maria Concepcion and Chef Bobby Surdam; photo courtesy of Kimpton Hotels

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ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Ashlar Restaurant and Bar opens Wednesday, April 20, at Kimpton Morrison House in Old Town Alexandria, Kimpton Hotels announced Tuesday.

The eatery is part of a multimillion-dollar renovation of the Kimpton Hotels property.

Ashlar Restaurant and Bar will bring a rustic-meets-fine dining approach to Mid-Atlantic cuisine, led by Chef Bobby Surdam, formerly of Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia. Chef Surdam brings over 10 years of fine dining experience to the property, including stints at Marcel’s alongside Chef Robert Wiedmaier and Blue Duck Tavern alongside Chef Brian McBride.

Chef Surdam’s menu will celebrate classic American cooking inspired by ingredients indigenous to the region and will include bar snacks, sharable small plates, entrees, and unique tavern cuts. Inspired menu items include cauliflower steak with pesto and pine nuts; blue crab fritters with Old Bay aioli; bass and shellfish in a smoked tomato broth; braised pork cheeks made with Alexandria’s Port City beer; and tavern cuts of Martin’s Dry Aged Beef served with accompanying sauces.

“Ashlar Restaurant and Bar is an expression of the way people have been eating in this area for hundreds of years,” says Chef Surdam. “We are thrilled to bring a true neighborhood tavern to the Old Town community.”

Drawing inspiration from the Founding Fathers’ drinking habits, lead bartender Maria Concepcion, formerly of Baltimore’s B&O Brasserie, has created a beverage program emphasizing colonial-era spirits. A wide selection of rum, madeira and sherry will be available for sipping or in the form of a modern cocktail. Virginia whiskey, beer and wine will complement a list of colonial cocktails including the Ale Flip with rum, cappelletti, dry vermouth, dry curacao, whole egg and stout; the Syllabub combining tokaji, lemon, cream, rustic sugar, spiced meringue and nutmeg; and the Rattle-Skull made with rum, brandy, lime, rustic sugar and porter.

The general manager of the restaurant will be Steve Greksouk, a longtime member of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group and former general manager of the Evening Star Café in Del Ray.

Designed by Los Angeles-based design studio DH Design, Ashlar Restaurant and Bar will feature a softer ambience with hues of sage and sand. Oversized tufted sandy-colored leatherette banquettes draw attention to the height and grandeur of the space, which includes a 32-seat dining room and 18-seat bar. As a nod to the rich history of craft in Alexandria, tables are built from oak and accented with brass banding. Ashlar Restaurant and Bar’s outdoor patio will cater to Old Town’s happy hour crowd with mixed lounge and dining seating for up to 30.

Ashlar Restaurant and Bar will open for breakfast and dinner Wednesday, April 20. Breakfast will be served Monday through Friday from 7 to 10 a.m. and dinner will be served Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. and Friday through Saturday from 5 to 11 p.m. Bar service will be available nightly beginning at 4:30 p.m. and brunch will be served on Saturdays and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. beginning April 30.

Ashlar Restaurant and Bar is located at 116 South Alfred St. in Alexandria. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.ashlarrestaurant.com or call (703) 838-8000. Keep up with what’s new at Ashlar on Facebook and Instagram.