National Harbor signs up eateries

Thursday, April 5, 2007

National Harbor signs up eateries

Upscale restaurants expected to open next spring

by Liza Gutierrez | Staff Writer

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Bryan Haynes⁄The Star

Several upscale restaurants have signed on to open next year at National Harbor, a model of which shows its Fleet Street.

National Harbor is bringing an upscale dining lineup to Prince George’s County with an ambience that its developer says evokes trendy dining hot spots in Hollywood and Manhattan.

Also, a Florida company this week announced it plans to build 250 vacation timeshare units at the development.

The Peterson Cos. of Fairfax, Va., which is developing the $2 billion, 300-acre mixed-use project in Oxon Hill, announced that Ketchup, Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante and Rosa Mexicano will join Grace’s Fortune and McCormick and Schmick’s along the waterside.

Letters of intent also have been signed with the Ark Restaurants Corp. for its second Sequoia restaurant and Gallagher’s, a high-end New York-style steakhouse. The company’s other Sequoia location is along the Potomac River in the Georgetown Harbor area of Washington, D.C.

With this surge of upscale restaurants at National Harbor, some in the industry are seeing the transition of Prince George’s County and ‘‘its coming of age,” said Fred Rosenthal, co-owner of Jasper’s restaurants. The new restaurants will only add to the dining experience in the county, he said.

Prince George’s will get the recognition it deserves as a great place for travelers to visit and eat, while also providing more interesting dining concepts for the growing county population, he said.

Ketchup — a signature restaurant of The Dolce Group in Los Angeles, whose celebrity ownership includes Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderrama and Tara Reid — will offer a mix of American comfort foods. True to its namesake condiment, the restaurant features a variety of homemade ketchups and sauces, according to a company statement.

Dolce Enoteca e Ristorante, another Dolce Group concept, will offer ‘‘classic Italian food presented in an exciting and elaborate way,” according to a statement.

The restaurant and its ‘‘sleek lounge” will also be able to host private events and large dinner parties.

Rosa Mexicano will bring ‘‘its signature style of authentic Mexican cuisine in a stylishly, festive atmosphere,” while Gallagher’s will offer steak and seafood options amid dark wood décor.

The restaurants are expected to open next spring, when the 2,000-room Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center also is expected to open.

Vacation units planned

Wyndham Vacation Ownership of Orlando, Fla., said it finalized a deal with The Peterson Cos. to purchase the right to build an upscale 250-unit vacation ownership resort on nearly 2 acres. Terms were not disclosed.

Construction on the 11-story tower, with one-, two- and three-bedroom suites, is expected to begin this fall, with opening slated in late 2009.

The company has operated a similar resort in Old Town Alexandria, Va., since 1999.