July Just Got Hotter … in Clarendon
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Tuesday, June 9th, 2009
Chef David Guas is bringing his Cajun background into Clarendon.
Get ready, Clarendon, because July just got a little hotter. Set to open their doors in early July is the newest creation by David Guas, Bayou Bakery.
Guas, the mastermind behind the desserts at Ceiba, TenPenh, Acadiana and DC Coast is hearkening back to his New Orleans roots to recreate many of the recipes that he enjoyed as a child in his grandmother’s kitchen.
Tentatively scheduled to open July 8 or July 9, Bayou Bakery will serve premium coffee by Counter Culture and will feature decadent brownies and blondies, pound cakes and croissants. There will also be a menu featuring four or five unique sandwiches and numerous salads with house-made dressings.
The real treat will be the snowballs-shaved ice with a house-made syrup. Already on the menu are a seasonal berry, citrus and a bittersweet chocolate. But keep an eye out in late August for strawberry. What’s sure to impress the locals is the stuffed snowball, two layers of snowballs with a layer of soft-serve ice cream in between.
In late August or early September, look for Guas to expand on his menu adding Creole favorites such as beignets, hand pies and the immortal do Berge cake (half lemon, half chocolate cake).
Another interesting twist will be the beverage menu. The throwback theme continues with an old-school soda bar. Choose from popular favorites like a root beer float or nectar cream soda (fresh fruit syrup, cut with CO2, mixed with soft serve to make a rose’-colored dream).
As for the décor, Guas’ cousin, who is an artist in New Orleans, is in town painting murals and doing other acrylic-style art. Many of the photographs on the walls will have consignment tags on them and can be purchased right off the wall. With over 1,300 square feet, Guas hopes to provide a comfortable space for lounging in either the main room, back room, loft or patio.
Don’t expect a high-profile grand opening right away either. Guas’s plan is to “unlock the doors and see what happens.”
“We want to introduce ourselves to our neighbors first and foremost. We’ll do some of the other stuff later on.”
Tags: Bayou Bakery, damgodsweet, david guas, Gut Check, Northern Virginia Magazine