New French Bistro Coming to Mosaic District — “Brothers Ian and Eric Hilton are betting third time’s a charm for the Mosaic District space where both RJ Cooper’s Gypsy Soul and Mike Isabella’s Requin Brasserie imploded. The restaurateurs behind Chez Billy Sud, Marvin, and around a dozen other bars and restaurants will open a French bistro in the Fairfax development by early summer.” [Washingtonian]

How to Prevent Clogged Pipes — “Avoid clogged pipes this holiday season — don’t pour fats, oils and grease down the drain. Wipes pots and pans clean before rinsing them in the sink. Cooking oil can be recycled at the I-66 transfer station and I-95 landfill complex.” [Twitter]

Holiday Hours for Tysons Malls — “Many malls will be offering extended hours in the days before Christmas, including Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria.” [Patch]

It’s been a troubled year for the Tysons Galleria’s third floor, but today’s grand opening of the new Taste of Urbanspace has seemingly brought the saga to a close.

One year ago, the space opened as Isabella Eatery, a series of restaurants spread out across a wide swath of the third floor. Owned by celebrity chef Mike Isabella, the ambitious project earned its namesake a New York Times profile, but a sexual assault lawsuit against Isabella and a year of declining sales left the space empty by August this year.

Less than month ago, New York-based UrbanSpace announced it would be taking over the space and filling it with a selection of restaurant favorites from throughout the region.

Today, five of the eight restaurants planned for the food hall are open for businesses. The new restaurants fill the same spaces as the former occupants, some in similar roles.

• Stomping Ground — A coffee shop and bistro in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood.Sen Hao
• Sen Khao — A new location from the owners of the Laotian restaurant Thip Khao in Columbia Heights.
• Donburi — A Japanese rice bowl restaurant with locations in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle.
• Ice Cream Jubilee — An ice cream location with locations on the Capitol Riverfront and 14th Street NW, with another location soon to open in Ballston Quarter’s food hall.
• Andy’s Pizza — A pizza-by-the-slice shop from the D.C. frozen pizza company Eat Pizza.

Ice Cream Jubilee is hosting a grand opening celebration this Sunday, Dec. 9, from 12-4 p.m. Those who RSVP can get free ice cream.

The decor remains much the same. In some places, new stickers are peeling from where they were taped over the old wallpaper.

The sign above the store still says Falafel Street, but there’s chicken coming to 235 Maple Ave E. in Vienna.

Banners placed on either side of the storefront’s door say that a restaurant called Keiko Charcoal Chicken is “coming soon.”

Falafel Street, a Mediterranean restaurant whose sign is overhead, closed earlier this year, according to its Yelp page. Despite the banners in the window, Keiko Charcoal Chicken does not seem to have any identifiable online presence yet.

Keiko isn’t the only establishment coming to this stretch of Maple Avenue. Across the street, Shin Se Kai Ramen is also “coming soon” to 234 Maple Ave E.

Hat tip to “Vienna J”

The Vienna Shopping Center, already a popular local lunch destination with fast-casual spots like Cava and Mod Pizza, is about to add Don Pollo to the local casual food offerings.

The charbroiled chicken eatery is scheduled to open at 146 Maple Ave. W sometime in December, according to its website. The Vienna location will be the sixth for the chain and the first outside of Maryland.

Don Pollo features Peruvian cuisine, from its namesake chicken dishes to steak and seafood. Sides include South American staples like yuca and chaufa (Peruvian fried rice).

A new Ben & Jerry’s also opened in the Vienna Shopping Center on Sept. 21.

Hat tip to “Vienna J.”

Details are emerging about A Taste of UrbanSpace, a new food hall planned to replace the Isabella Eatery on the third floor of Tysons Galleria.

According to the Washington Post, the new eatery will bring together eight restaurants from across the Washington area. So far, five of the eight new restaurants have been announced. They are:

• Stomping Ground — A coffee shop and bistro in Alexandria’s Del Ray neighborhood.
• Thip Khao — A popular Laotian restaurant in Columbia Heights.
• Donburi — A Japanese rice bowl restaurant with locations in Adams Morgan and Dupont Circle.
• Ice Cream Jubilee — An ice cream location with locations on the Capitol Riverfront and 14th Street NW, with another location soon to open in Ballston Quarter’s food hall.
• Andy’s Pizza — A pizza-by-the-slice shop from the D.C. frozen pizza company Eat Pizza.

The new food hall is scheduled to have a quick turnaround, opening this coming Wednesday (Nov. 28), completely replacing Isabella Eatery and its in-house restaurant brands while maintaining the same kitchen and dining spaces.

UrbanSpace, the company running the new eatery, specializes in food halls and markets that support smaller restaurateurs and entrepreneurs. The company runs Broadway Bites and Mad. Sq. Eats, among other markets in New York City.

‘Fish Taco’ Coming to Boro in Tysons — “Fish Taco, a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with three locations in Maryland, plans to open its first Virginia store at the Boro development in Tysons… by June next year. A rep for Fish Taco tells Eater the new location in the mixed-use development will have space for 60 customers to consume taco platters, salads, rice bowls, burritos, and quesadillas — all utilizing local and seasonal ingredients.” [Eater]

Mall Hours for Black Friday — “Tysons Corner Center… will be open for 28 hours straight. This year, the mall opens at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 and will remain open Friday, Nov. 23 from midnight-10 p.m. Across Chain Bridge Road, Tysons Galleria will be closed on Thanksgiving. On Black Friday, hours will be 8 a.m.-9 p.m.” [Patch]

Dulles Toll Road Rates Going Up — “The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority board of directors voted Nov. 14 to increase rates on the toll road again, starting this coming January. Drivers of two-axle vehicles, who now pay $2.50 at the main toll plaza, will see that rate jump to $3.25, and those entering or exiting tolled ramps will pay $1.50, up  from the current $1.” [InsideNova]

Herndon Site Still in the Running for Apple — Though Apple is “seriously” looking at a site in Tysons for a large new East Coast office, the company is also eyeing some other locations, like the 26-acre, state-owned Center for Innovative Technology in Herndon and sites in Raleigh, N.C. and Atlanta, Georgia. [Washington Business Journal]

McLean Blood Drive Was a Success — “With the holiday season quickly approaching, hospitals are continuously using blood products faster than donations are replacing them. With an urgent blood drive, sponsored by McLean Dermatology and Skin Care Center, volunteers and staff aimed to reach a goal of getting 40 donors during this Sunday’s drive — in which the goal was met.” [WJLA]

Parks Dept. Riffs on Facebook Outage — A tweet this morning from Fairfax County Parks: “Facebook and Instagram are down. Seems like a great excuse to take a walk and enjoy some face-to-face conversation in a park.” [Twitter]

(Updated at 12:50 p.m.) If you’re looking to chase your Mosaic District shopping with a stiff drink, the MacMillan Whisky Room — opening early next year at 2920 District Ave — could be your style.

The bar and restaurant is part of a series of new venues scheduled to move into the Mosaic District, according to the Washington Business Journal. New stores include Robert Redford-helmed Sundance and a new Barnes & Noble.

According to Derek Anderson, co-owner of the bar along with his wife Emma Hand, MacMillan Whisky Room will be a high-end neighborhood bar offering a variety of international whiskies and local beers.

“We like the whisky bar scene in Washington, D.C.” said Anderson. “My wife and I live nearby. Mosaic is a great location. There’s a built-in customer base here in the Mosaic District and they really need a high-end neighborhood bar.”

This is Anderson’s first restaurant, but helping out with the opening is his brother, Keith Anderson, who Derek says has worked as a chef at several restaurants and will be the head chef at MacMillan Whisky Room. The MacMillan Whisky Room will serve burgers along with classic British bar fare like scotch eggs, fish and chips and other dishes.

Derek Anderson said is all of the permitting goes well, the restaurant will likely be opening by the end of January 2019.

Whisky photo via Facebook. Exterior photo via Google Maps.

Caboose Commons, the Caboose Brewing Company’s second location, is holding its grand opening celebration in Merrifield (2918 Eskridge Road) this Sunday, Nov. 18.

The grand opening celebrations will run all day, from 6 a.m.-11 p.m., with live music from local band Some People Call Me Maurice from 1-4 p.m.

Breakfast will run from 7 a.m.-11 a.m., then lunch and dinner from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Caboose Commons’ dining focuses on locally sourced and mostly healthy options. The restaurant offers a variety of dairy free, gluten free, and nut free options, as well as vegetarian options.

Beer, wine, cider, coffee and tea will also be served throughout the day. The Caboose Commons drink menu includes a variety of ales and IPAs.

The cafe and brewery has been open since September 29 for a “house warming” period. The first location, Caboose Brewing, is located in Vienna.

Stomping Ground Coming to Tysons Galleria — “Stomping Ground, a coffee shop and biscuit-themed restaurant that after more than three years in business has become the epicenter of Del Ray’s Mount Vernon Avenue, will open a second location inside of the former Isabella Eatery space in Tysons Galleria.” [Northern Virginia Magazine]

Fairfax Schools on Two Hour Delay — All Fairfax County public schools are opening two hours late due to concerns following yesterday’s snowy weather. School offices and central offices opened on time. [Twitter]

Track Testing for Silver Line Phase II — “Workers constructing Phase II of the Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project recently rolled out a strange-looking piece of equipment called an Amberg IMS 5000… The tool, which somewhat resembles a yellow scooter, has been employed by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority… to survey and assess project data on Phase 2 of the Silver Line.” [VivaTysons]

New Vienna Mural Almost Done — “Despite crummy weather and vehicles and pedestrians passing close by, two artists nearly have completed a panoramic mural of Vienna landmarks on the Vienna Shopping Center’s rear wall.” [InsideNova]

(Updated at 3:35 p.m.) The Mosaic District is getting a new restaurant.

Little Dipper Hot Pot is opening at 2985 District Avenue on Monday, Nov. 19. The first 100 guests to the grand opening at 11 a.m. will be treated to a free hot pot.

Hot pots are a traditional Chinese family staple meant to be enjoyed with a group, though Little Dipper says it serves only individual size hot pots. Hot pot varieties range from a tomato dipper with mushrooms and a variety of other garden vegetables to a platter filled with five different types of meat.

In addition to hot pots, Little Dipper Hot Pot also offers more individual-focused food choices like ramen or vermicelli. Cocktails, beer and wine are also available.

Little Dipper Hot Pot currently has two other locations, one nearby in Falls Church at 3000 Annandale Road and one in Rockville at 101 Gibbs Street.