Tiki Thai, a bar and restaurant, will officially open its doors at 11 a.m. today (Monday) in Reston.

The business, which combines elements of Polynesian and Thai culture, is located at 12100 Sunset Hills Road. The team behind Sense of Thai St. — a popular Thai food restaurant in One Loudoun — is also behind the latest venture in Reston.

Here’s more from the owners on what inspired the business:

While it’s fun to celebrate Polynesian culture, at TIKI THAI we also honor it.Without compromising of integrity and staying true to the history, we aim to deliver the same experience that historians like Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt (aka Donn Beach) feel in love with in the early 1930s while traveling the islands of Oceania . Around the same time the kingdom of Siam transitioned to what we know as Thailand today. Thailand’s deep culinary history pays homage to neighboring country’s like Malaysia, Indonesia and India that have heavy influence within every dish.

These two cultures carry a strong heritage worthy of respect and it is our pleasure to share our passion hospitality while honoring both cultures here at TIKI THAI.

This week’s soft opening hours are from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with a lunch special from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays and a brunch special on weekends from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Customers can place orders for curbside pickup and delivery.

Photo via Tiki Thai/Facebook

As winter settles in and it gets a little colder outside, there’s a chance to reclaim a bit of the summer spirit with a new restaurant opening at Reston Town Center.

Playa Bowls will open its 101^st location in the United States and Puerto Rico at 1820 Discovery Street on Saturday, Nov. 28, in partnership with Jeffrey Giuliani and Dave Eynon.

The acai bowl shop is based at the Jersey Shore and specializes in superfoods and healthy options including chia seeds, coconut, kale, bananas and pitaya. Playa Bowls offers a variety of acai bowls, smoothies, juices and poke bowls.

“Dave and I are excited to bring the beach vibes and delicious, healthy acai bowls, smoothies and fresh juices to the Town Center and can’t wait to contribute to this awesome community,” Giuliani said.

In recognition of the restaurant’s opening day, free bowls and T-shirts will be given to the first 50 customers in a socially distanced line beginning at noon on Saturday.

The 1,400-square-foot store will be open for restricted indoor dining while adhering to social distancing and requiring masks. The store will also offer takeout, no contact delivery and curbside pickup through DoorDash, Postmates and Grubhub.

Photo via Playa Bowls/Facebook

Reston Company Buys Matchbox –Thompson Hospitality, a Reston-based company, has brought Matchbox out of bankruptcy with new ownership. The company expects to open a new location at Wiehe-Reston East. [WTOP]

Herndon-based Company Acquires Maryland Cyber Defense Firm — “ManTech International Corp. (NASDAQ: MANT) has made its first acquisition move of the year, buying cybersecurity firm Minerva Engineering in a deal announced Thursday. The terms of the acquisition weren’t disclosed, but it marks the Herndon information technology company’s first mergers & acquisition activity since 2019’s $115 million purchase of Kforce Government Solutions Inc.” [Washington Business Journal]

Fairfax County Park Authority Names New Director of Golf — “The Fairfax County Park Authority has selected Jesse Coffman to head operations at its eight public golf courses. Coffman will begin his duties as Director of Golf Operations on Dec. 7, 2020. He succeeds Todd Johnson, who will retire in December as Golf Enterprises Branch Manager after more than 32 years with the Park Authority.” [Fairfax County Government]

Photo via vantagehill/Flickr

Foodies waiting for the opening of True Food Kitchen in Reston Town Center will have to wait longer for opening day.

The restaurant, which aims to offer healthy dishes, has delayed its opening to the spring of 2021, according to the company’s website. The company originally planned to open at 11901 Democracy Drive — space formerly occupied by M&S Grill — in early August.

Company representatives did not return requests for comment from Reston Now.

The chain currently has locations in Arlington and Fairfax, along with others around the country.

Andrew Weil, a doctor. Who supports healthy eating, founded the business in an effort to fight chronic inflammation. Many dishes are gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan.

Image via Google Maps

Pupatella is targeting a late fall opening in Reston, according to a company in Reston.

The estimated opening date is “pending any unforeseen issues with buildout and inspections,” the company representative told Reston Now.

Construction began in early 2020 after The Pizza Hut, which first opened in 1977, closed its doors.

Pupatella, a Neapolitan pizza restaurant, announced had originally planned to open earlier this year.

The 2,700-square-foot restaurant will be located at 1921 Wiehle Avenue. A patio for outdoor planing is also planned.

Enzo and Anastasiya Algarme started Pupatella as a food truck in 2007. The business has been named a top pizzeria, with recognition from The Today Show, The Washington Post, USA Today and the Washingtonian.

Photos via Chris Gieckel

Reston will soon have its own destination for South Korean double-fried chicken. 

Bonchon Chicken, a global South Korean restaurant chain, is holding its grand opening in on Sept. 28 at 11652 Plaza America Drive.

As a part of the grand opening festivities, the restaurant will be offering specials including complimentary fries with any order of chicken strips. 

According to the website, Bonchon has more than 340 restaurant locations worldwide, with more than 100 across the United States. 

The restaurant’s hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. Bonchon is offering dine-in, take-out, and delivery. 

Photo via bonchonchicken/Instagram

Clyde’s of Reston Town Center has installed plexiglass shields around their booths to better protect customers’ safety while dining during COVID-19. 

The plexiglass shields were installed in the first week of June, according to Molly Quigley, Clyde’s Director of Communications. 

“They are an additional layer of protection,” said Quigley. She added that the restaurant is still adhering to all other required safety protocols and social distancing requirements. 

Clyde’s Restaurant Group partnered with Lion’s Wood Banquet Furniture and purchased 15,000 square feet of plexiglass in May, according to a report from the Washington Business Journal. 

The restaurant is open for outdoor dining, indoor dining, pickup and delivery on Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. until 11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. until 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Molly Quigley

As restaurants look to serve diners indoors safely during the pandemic, Silver Diner has started using a new system to keep the interiors of its restaurants sanitized.

The regional chain says that it is the first U.S. restaurant to install an air purification system that uses three technologies — ultraviolet light, bipolar ionization technology and HEPA filtration, according to a press release.

The systems were installed at all of Silver Diner’s locations by last Wednesday (Aug. 12), according to co-founder and head chef Ype Von Hengst.

“I think that in this world you’ve got to adapt and change to fit what’s needed,” Hengst said. “It’s our responsibility as restaurateurs to create a new norm.”

Already, Hengst said that both the Reston and Tysons locations have seen a substantial jump in customers who feel safe about eating inside.

Silver Diner spent roughly $500,000 on the system for the restaurants, according to Hengst, who added that the cost was worth it to protect staff and customers. The air purification system was designed by Veteran LED, a veteran-owned lighting and energy management firm.

The technology has been used before in hospitals, schools and medical care facilities but never a restaurant, according to a press release.

Depending on size, each location has a large air purifier filer that covers roughly 1,000 cubic feet of air and then smaller purifiers that support roughly 250 feet of additional cubic footage, according to Hengst.

“Germicidal UV-C lights installed throughout the HVAC system work to disinfect air and surfaces inside the system. Heavy-duty handheld UV-C light sterilizers are being used on high touch areas as part of the closing duties of the staff,” the press release said. “At night, when the restaurant is closed, the interior is bathed in germicidal UV-C light to help kill pathogens in the air and sterilize surfaces.”

Hengst said that the UV-C ceiling fixture runs for one hour each night. The restaurant claims that the system gets rid of 99.9% of the encountered pathogens.

While UV-C lights have been used as a disinfectant for decades and researchers found it can deactivate coronaviruses, the dosage, time duration and distance from the source can all impact how effective the lights are, Discover Magazine reported.

It’s unclear how effective UV treatment is against COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency cannot confirm whether it may be effective.

Additionally, Silver Diner locations are going to continue using personal protective equipment, printing menus on anti-microbial paper, requiring temperature checks, social distancing and following guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to Hengst.

Before the pandemic hit the NoVA area, Hengst said that he was beginning to notice a roughly 10% profit increase at both the Reston and Tysons locations, which he attributed to population growth in the areas.

Since Silver Diner installed the new technology last week, Hengst said that more and more people are requesting to sit inside, though it is too early to see if sales are increasing again.

In the months to come, Hengst said he hopes more restaurants can use the technology to “help open up the world again.”

Photos courtesy Silver Diner

A new smoothie and açaí bowl spot is coming to Reston Town Center soon.

Playa Bowls, a restaurant that sells smoothies and healthy bowls, plans to open at 1820 Discovery Street in the winter of 2021, according to a press release by Boston Properties.

The New-Jersey based business, which opened in 2014, has more than 80 locations across the country. Playa Bowls specializes in açaí, pity, coconut, green, chia, and banana bowls. It also offers smoothies, juices and poke bowls.

Other businesses are also opening their doors soon in the town center. Makers Union Pub for the People is aiming for a late summer opening at 1811 Library Street.

F45, a gym that focuses on High-Intensity Interval Training, functional training and circuit training, is slated to open in the fall at 11850 Freedom Drive. JINYA Ramen Bar opened its doors late last week.

Photo via Playa Bowls/Facebook

JINYA Ramen Bar will open in in Reston Town Center this Friday (August 14).

The restaurant is takeout and delivery online due the COVID-19 pandemic at the new location (11964 Market Street). Orders can be placed online or via common delivery platforms like Uber Eats, DoorDash and Grubhub. Indoor dining is expected to resume in the fall. Items on the menu include mini tacos, rice bowls, ramen, curry, and salads.

For the first 10 days of business, the RTC location will offer a pork-based ramen bowl called Tonkotsu Black Ramen for $10. Other special crisis include $8 for three cocktails and $8 for chicken tenders with beers.

Here’s more from the company on the special items being offered:

The Tonkotsu Black Ramen boasts a satisfying pork broth simmered for 20 hours, balanced with fresh thin noodles and garlic oil, and topped with pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, nori dried seaweed, seasoned egg, garlic chips, fried onion and spicy sauce. JINYA provides a wide range of ramen bowls in addition to salads, rice and curry bowls, mini tacos, and small plates. 

JINYA’s selected cocktail specials include the Garden of Todai-Ji with matcha-infused tequila, rose water, basil, simple syrup, lime and prosecco. The other two options are the JINYA Manhattan with Filibuster Boondoggler Whiskey and the Purple Dragon Mule. 

The Reston location will be open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday through Sunday.

The chain has several locations across the country, including Fairfax, North Bethesda, and the District.

Photo via JINYA

The regional Summer Restaurant Week — an event organized by Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington — returns August 17 through 30  with some modifications.

The week was extended to allow patrons more time to participate. Events DC and JBG Smith are also covering the costs for local eateries to take part in the regional event. Restaurants are also offering takeout deals in addition to dine-in specials.

Here’s a list of local restaurants joining:

• Founding Farmers (1904 Reston Metro Plaza Drive)
• McCormick & Schmick’s (11920 Democracy Drive)
• The Melting Pot (11730 Plaza America Drive)
• Morton’s The Steakhouse (11956 Market Street)
• PassionFish (11960 Democracy Drive)

Currently, only Founding Farmers at Reston Station and Morton’s The Steakhouse are offering to-go meals for the restaurant week. Both restaurants and The Melting Pot are also including a paired wine or cocktail.

Fixed-price offerings include $22 for brunch or lunch and either $35 for $55 for dinner. Family-style to-go dinner meals are also being offered.

More restaurants may be added over the next several days.

File photo

Jinya Ramen Bar will open in Reston Town Center by the end of the summer — for takeout and delivery only.

The Japanese ramen restaurant chain will open at 11964 Market Street, which was vacated by Busara Thai Restaurant last spring.

In order to protect customers and staff, the restaurant will only accept takeout and delivery orders over the phone and online. Although its ramen bowls are typically priced at $16, the Reston location will serve bowls for $10 for a limited time in honor of the restaurant’s 10th anniversary.

As the business stabilizes, staff will determine how to develop a seating layout in the fall that abides by social distancing requirements and health guidance.

Here’s more from Jinya on their brand and offerings:

JINYA brings to Reston a hospitality philosophy that is rooted in authentic Japanese cuisine and the concept of kaizen, meaning “continuous improvement.” The restaurant was founded in 2010 by Tomonori Takahashi, and the company’s growth is proof that he knew what it would take to build a great restaurant. Since day one Chef Kazuya Takebe has dedicated his work to introducing diners to generations’ old ramen traditions, experimenting with fresh ingredients to build delicious new compositions that excite and often surprise. Chef Takebe has implemented a water filtration system that purifies the water used for all of JINYA’s broths. And at JINYA diners experience ramen as it is meant to be – with thick, rich broth perfectly balanced with handmade noodles. When it opens, diners in Reston will discover a wide array of authentic toppings, from tender pork chashu to a perfectly cooked and seasoned poached egg. 

JINYA Ramen Bar offers “A Bowl Above All Others” – satisfying ramen options that offer guests true ramen culture. JINYA was founded with a mission to supply communities with delicious food at a reasonable price that is accessible to everyone. Thick and thin ramen noodles are made fresh daily served traditionally with appropriate broth. Each bowl of ramen is built around a thick and rich broth simmered slowly for 20 hours, then balanced with toppings ranging from spicy bean sprouts to pork chashu, seasoned with fresh garlic and much more. While tastes vary, all options are unique, and range from best-sellers including a Spicy Chicken Ramen, Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen, and JINYA Tonkotsu Black.

Photo via JINYA Ramen Bar