Unum to Open in Georgetown Sometime This Month

Finally, there's a new restaurant slated to take over the Georgetown spot that Mendocino Grille was forced to vacate last year after tax troubles. Phillip Blane, a former sous chef at Equinox and opening chef at The Charlotte Hotel and Restaurant on the Eastern Shore, will open his very first restaurant later this month named Unum.

Per a release, the new restaurant will offer 50 seats and "new American" food apparently influenced from his travel abroad. So there will be things like a four onion soup, rosemary gnocchi with oyster mushrooms and an Indian spiced lamb shank. There will also be a 12-seat bar with its own menu of trendy things like truffle mac 'n cheese, charcuterie and tater tots made with cod and chorizo. Eventually they'll also begin serving brunch.

The opening date is not yet set, but a press release declares that it will open this month. Here's the release in full.

UNUM SET TO OPEN THIS JANUARY IN GEORGETOWN

Washington, DC (January 17, 2012) – This January, owners and husband and wife team Phillip Blane and Laura Schiller plan to open their first restaurant, Unum, in Georgetown at 2917 M St. NW in the former Mendocino Grille location. The intimate and contemporary 50-seat neighborhood restaurant will offer new American cuisine in a warm and dynamic space that also includes a 12-seat bar.

Blane will also serve as Executive Chef of Unum, creating a menu that marries his East Coast cooking experiences with his international travels. After growing up in New York City and London, Blane spent a decade in healthcare administration before following his passion to become a full-time chef. Having worked as the opening Chef at The Charlotte Hotel and Restaurant on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, as well as most recently as Sous Chef at Equinox restaurant under Chef Todd Gray, Chef Blane is looking forward to offering guests at Unum a range of approachable dishes with a contemporary spin.

To that end, guests will enjoy smaller plates such as Grilled quail with sautéed greens, pistachio nuts and a date sauce and a Four onion soup with slow roasted Spanish onions, crispy shallots, caramelized Cipollinis and fresh chives. Larger plates will include Smoked duck breast served with rainbow Swiss chard and pomegranate sauce; Rosemary gnocchi with oyster mushrooms, butternut squash, cranberries and truffle butter; and Indian spiced lamb shank with cauliflower, raisins, cashews and cilantro-mint chutney. Desserts will include Ricotta beignets with cardamom blueberry sauce and Winter citrus custard with candied kumquats and grapefruit sorbet. Appetizers are priced $8-12 and entrees $14-$24.

Blane will also serve a special bar menu with soups, salads and snacks, such as Cod and chorizo tater tots, creamy truffle mac and cheese, an Unum burger, and a selection of cheese and charcuterie.

Unum will soon offer brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. with items like Belgian Waffles with seasonal fruit compote topped with frozen vanilla yogurt, and an Eggs Benedict on potato-caper cakes with smoked salmon & salmon-roe hollandaise.

Unum will offer more than a dozen wines by the glass, as well as a 60+ bottle list, and a rotating selection of craft beer and cocktails. The wine list has a strong focus on California wines as well as labels from old and new world wine regions, with an emphasis on value selections in the $30 to $60 price range.

Unum is located at 2917 M St. NW, Washington DC. For reservations or more information, please call 202-621-6959 or visit the website at www.unumdc.com

· Unum [Official Site]