Carmine’s

I still remember the sage words from Suzannah to work with PR firms.  Not everyone visits restaurants based on word of mouth or Yelp reviews.  Many customers still found the news media credible and no PR firms had a strong grip on the local restaurant market like Heather Freeman and Jill Collins.  Manuel Iguina from …

Sandoval

Richard Sandoval doesn’t need any introductions or promotions. That’s why I was delighted when the General Manager of Zengo, Frank Ortiz, agreed to have me write a feature story to spotlight their new menu items. I invited Anca Grindeanu, a bartender at the Carving Room, to be a guest blogger for RUNINdc Before the MCI …

Absolute Thai

I met Wirut just outside the Irish Channel a year ago when he was opening up a noodle and sushi bar next door.  “sah-wah-dee.” “Have you been to Thailand, the ‘Land of Smiles’?” “Yes, Phuket, twice, both times by boat — when I was 5, living on a sailboat and at 17 on a frigate …

Iron Chef

One sunny weekend during the fall of 2013. The restaurant scene in G-Town was abuzz with tourist activity. I passed Georgetown Piano Bar and then Jinx Tattoo parlor, soothing sounds of reggae music emanated from the brown brick establishment. Bandolero was next and this is where I hoped I would cut my first big deal. …

Five Qualities of the Diaspora

There were two milestones I needed to achieve in order to complete my MBA — a new venture capstone project and a study abroad trip to compare and contrast cultures, business practices, and management styles. In the spring semester of 2012, I enrolled in a six-week course entitled Engaging Diaspora Communities for International Business and …

Carlos’ Coppi’s

Down the road from Ben‘s Chili Bowl on 12th and U, tall cranes dot the skyline along the 14th St corridor. The young, vibrant masses are moving in, and shopping and dining out have become more fashionable. After months of construction, the massive Louis at 14th was finally taking shape. As 270 apartments were getting …