A lot of people have told Christiana Campos-Candon the design for her upcoming restaurant, SER, doesn't scream "Spanish." That's kind of the point.
"Those are the stereotypes we're trying to break," Campos-Candon said. Sure, there's still a ham hanging from the bar area. But there are also hues of coral, aquamarine and yellow, which remind Campos-Candon of, for example, the sunflowers of her husband's home region of Andalucia, or her summers spent on the Mediterranean.
SER, which opens in March in Ballston at 1110 North Glebe Road, was designed with a tight budget in mind. Campos-Candon didn't have the budget for a designer, so took a lot of inspiration from places like Pinterest and from products made by local artists. There are big wooden tables, blue chandeliers, photos of family members (as well as Kickstarter investors) and flower-patterned curtains.
"The whole concept is to feel like you're eating at someone's house," she said. There is seating for 140 and a 100-seat, dog-friendly patio still to come.
SER, also from co-owner Javier Candon and Chef Josu Zubikarai, will serve traditional Spanish food, with a solid happy hour of $5 tapas and affordable cocktails, a menu of the day and an impressive raw bar selection (including a seafood tower).
