Carlyle Club Hitches Its Wagon to Harper’s Star
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
(Image: DCist)
It’s only been six months since cheflebrity Rahman “Rock” Harper helped anoint Ben’s Chili Bowl annex, Next Door, as “the” U Street hangout. Yet it appears his ambitions have already outgrown the night owl magnet.
“Next Door is a nice, spiced up bar … I’ll be there a lot,” he stresses. “[But] it’s not the proper venue for the food I want to make.”
Although still in the midst of revamping the carte at his new home, Alexandria’s struggling Carlyle Club, Harper looks forward to having some fun with continental cuisine.
“I’ll take you back to the old supper clubs,” he pledges, touting oysters Rockefeller, roast chicken and gourmet mac and cheese (casually tossing out king crab and black truffles as possible embellishments) as potential starting points for his culinary mirth.
Harper’s also jazzed about marrying menus to the nightly entertainment–intimating that guests should expect Cajun flavors when Dixieland performers take the stage and more of a Latin immersion if salsa dancing should ensue.
Carlyle Club owner Brennan Reilly is equally enthused about the toque takeaway. “The level of creativity is what we’re counting on the most,” he volunteers.
Downtowners who want one more taste of Harper’s Next Door magic have until Saturday (his last night at Ben’s) to scratch that itch. Meanwhile, NoVA diners who’ve not yet been gastronomically “Rock”-ed can head over to Carlyle Club beginning next Wednesday (May 20).
–Warren
Tags: Ben's Chili Bowl, Ben's Next Door, Gut Check, Hell's Kitchen, Northern Virginia Magazine, Rahman "Rock" Harper, restaurants, The Carlyle Club, Warren Rojas