The experts behind the Going Out Guide post daily on news and trends in D.C.'s arts and entertainment scene, upcoming events and restaurant and bar openings.
Coming Up: Sugar Highs in Arlington
The two owners of The Liberty Tavern in Clarendon have partnered with local pastry chef David Guas to open a southern-themed bakery this June. Their location for Bayou Bakery: 3211 Wilson Blvd. in Arlington, better known by java junkies as Murky Coffee.
This summer, pastry chef David Guas will be serving up sweet stuff in Arlington. (Will Crocker)
Guas, who was poised to sign a deal of his own in Falls Church, says he will be serving the kinds of sweets he grew up on in his native New Orleans: fried pies, custards, pralines, layer cakes, beignets, even snowballs made with shaved ice and custom-blended flavors. A smaller selection of salads, soups and sandwiches will round out the menu.
Murky Coffee will close the end of this month. Its 70-seat, two-story replacement will be dressed up with furniture made from reclaimed wood and black-and-white photographs depicting the South. Hoping to retain the Murky Coffee clientele, Guas plans to hire a barista manager to focus on a coffee program at Bayou Bakery.
The new partnership comes at a good time for Guas, 33, who recently completed a few consulting projects as well a cookbook, the forthcoming "DamGoodSweet" from Taunton Press. Asked about what his role will be at Bayou Bakery, Guas said "I'm the guy who will be there seven days a week!"
-- Tom Sietsema
By
Tom Sietsema
| April 3, 2009; 4:50 PM ET
Categories:
Restaurants
| Tags:
Tom Sietsema
Save & Share:
Previous: Bar Hopping on 14th: Policy and Cafe Salsa
Next: Free and Easy Events
Posted by: KS8284 | April 6, 2009 10:03 AM | Report abuse
The diversity and authenticity of Clarendon was thrown out the window a long time ago. Murky wasn't some great institution, just another place for hipsters to look down on yuppies and starbucks.
Posted by: adbro2 | April 7, 2009 10:29 AM | Report abuse
Beignets and pralines?! Be still my Southern heart! I can't wait for "coffee and donuts" just down the street!
Posted by: AMS2 | April 8, 2009 10:25 AM | Report abuse
murky was "too cool for school," but it had good coffee. That part of Arlington has needed a good bakery so I'm looking forward to it. But there's always Great Harvest and Heidelberg. I don't know if the snowballs can compete with the ice cream in the area, especially the good stuff from Scoop Beauregards on Washington Blvd!
Posted by: tbantug | April 8, 2009 12:36 PM | Report abuse
I went to Murky once, was treated so badly I vowed never to go back. I live very close by, but was not going to support this business in my neighborhood. Good riddance. New bakery biz, treat your neighbors right...
Posted by: Arlme | April 9, 2009 9:29 PM | Report abuse
The comments to this entry are closed.
So sad about Murky, sketchy business practices and insufferable resident hipsters notwithstanding. Liberty Tavern is overrated - IMHO, this is a big loss of diversity and authenticity for the neighborhood.