The Tadich Grill DC is now open for dinner and will open for lunch, also, in another couple of weeks. A longer version of this story, about the opening party for the San Francisco transplant, previously appeared on New York Social Diary.
TADICH GRILL OPENS Please be my guest as we squeeze our way into the opening party for the Tadich Grill, which has been declared by the media to be the new DC power spot — without having yet opened for business. Clearly, Washington is eager for a new power spot, or was the mosh pit turnout the Trump effect? |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
Tadich, a landmark in San Francisco, planted its flag on Pennsylvania Avenue, in an empty office building space that last was an Asian restaurant. It is across the street from the looming, and under construction, Trump Hotel. By looming I mean as only the Trump name can loom. Whatever, the party was a ratings winner. It was a sensation, too, even if at times it felt like a running take-off. What do you do if your VIP guests, such as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a San Franciscan, arrive at 6 PM and you just got your liquor license at 5 PM, which is what happened. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
Knowing that 800 were invited, we perched on a barstool near the front door, to not get lost in the crush, and it was an epic crush. A friend, who was game to venture to the back room, and into the main dining room, said, “If I’m not back soon send a search party.” When he returned, wide-eyed and thirsty, he could only gasp, “you need skills to get through that.” I’m not sure the barstool on which I was perched is the “David Rubenstein barstool,” but it provided the best view. Rubenstein is one of the founding partners of the elite private equity firm The Carlyle Group. Tadich is in Carlyle’s building, and it’s expected that when it officially opens on October 8 Tadich will also be Carlyle’s unofficial lunchroom. Thus, the owners said they plan to name a barstool after Rubenstein. He doesn’t strike me as the barstool type, but then David is a man of many fascinating parts. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
If Rubenstein is concerned he’s being singled out. He’s not. A Tadich investor said Ivanka Trump, who is overseeing the hotel development, is getting a barstool, too. (Is this the next elite status symbol, comparable to a picture on the wall at The Palm?) Will someone please let me know the day David and Ivanka are there at the same time, possibly on side-by-side barstools, so I can see this with my own eyes? With its location in the hub of the lobby and legal swarm and in view of Capitol Hill, and close, too, to the White House, there will be many provocative pairings, no doubt. Politically, expect it to lean left. Why? Many of the investors are big D Democrats — Hunter Biden among them, and he was at the party — and the Pelosi factor. Besides, Republicans pull rank up the street at the Capital Grille, also on Pennsylvania, four blocks closer to the Capitol. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
It has been a long time coming for Tadich in Washington. It was first announced in the spring of 2013, and then months of delays followed. There were rumors of architect, builder and permit approvals complications, which are not unusual for DC. Also, this is the first expansion of Tadich in its 165 years. Owners Gerard Centioli and Mike Buich, familiar with longevity, could take their time to get it right. As the party reached its peak, I was thankful for a solid seat near the front door. Otherwise, the current of human bodies might have carried me away. Who was there? Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and his wife, who were greeted by Centioli and Buich; that reluctant party goer, ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, with his son Michael Kornheiser, a high school English teacher, and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Hardwick, and best friend Alan Bubes; Christopher Ullman, managing director of communications for Carlyle, investors Gerry Harrington and James Beaty; Erik Huey, musician and SVP of the Entertainment Software Association; Dave Grimaldi, head of public affairs for Pandora, and Washington veteran Bob Crowe; also, taking in the scene, Lyndon Boozer and The Washington Post’s Manuel Roig-Franzia, author of The Rise of Marco Rubio. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
We asked one of the investors if Vice President Joe Biden might make an appearance. He has been known to drop in at DC parties, and this one seemed a natural since it involved his son. “Probably not, not with the campaign,” he said, with a wink. “The campaign?” I shot back. “Yes, the campaign.” The party was hot, steamy and a mosh pit but no one seemed to mind. We’ll be craving warmth soon enough as winter creeps in. It was a “hail fellow” reunion, the first big party of the city’s influence set since getting back to business after the summer holidays. A crowd not big on bold face names, but then this is a city where in certain jobs it’s better to be lower case in public and bold face behind the scenes. |
They swarmed the food buffets, resplendent with oysters, clams and shrimp, or lobster, shrimp or crab rolls, or hand carved beef, and helpings of the restaurant’s signature cioppino, a classic San Francisco fish stew. In their crisp white jackets, the newly recruited waiters and bartenders, some from here, some from San Francisco, some from New York, were as busy greeting friends as they were passing food and pouring drinks. Still, in a crowd of VIPs, the dude who pulled rank as MVP was the young air-conditioning repair man, hard at work, trying to ice down the room at the same rate as the servers tried to ice down the Champagne and replenish the booze. Work gloves on, tools at the ready, he was a busy man. |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
|
|
![]() |
![]() |
For the record, Tadich has a great look, clean and bright, with just enough old-school touches (private booths in the back) to appeal to many tastes, and while the look conjures a steakhouse, don’t make that mistake. Boozer, a friend of the house, was still miffed that Politico would call Tadich a “steakhouse,” and admonished me to steer clear of the meat route. “It is a seafood restaurant. Make that clear, please — a seafood restaurant.” Okay. Got it. I have not tried the food, yet, but a check of the online menu confirms it is heavy with fish and shellfish. It does have a small section offering red meat, however. Boozer had another observation, too. He pointed to the Trump hotel across the street, which recently suffered the loss of its signature restaurant, when Chef Jose Andrés pulled out of the deal in protest of Trump’s rantings on immigration. Lyndon said, “Tadich will be Trump’s restaurant, too, since they don’t have one.” |
![]() |
Comments