A New Outpost for Nama Sushi Brings Duck-Filled Rolls and Ramen to 14th Street

Nama, restaurateur Michael Schlow’s two-year-old sushi staple in Mt. Vernon Triangle, just expanded into a new neighborhood. Chef Young Oh developed an entirely new menu for a restaurant within a restaurant, located inside Latin sister spot Tico (1926 14th Street NW) just off the U Street corridor. That fills a void created when Sakerum went dark during the pandemic. Along with traditional rolls, nigiri, and sashimi, specialty rolls fold in Maryland crab and tender duck slathered with Peruvian sauces. A “Candy Cane” roll comes with shrimp tempura, avocado, tuna, yellowtail, apple, jalapeño, tobiko. Nama 14th also offers a ramen section from chef Brandon Brown, formerly of Maketto and Brothers and Sisters. Available for dine-in, delivery or takeout Wednesday to Sunday, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

In other news...

• After a nine-month hiatus, Logan Circle’s Chicken & Whiskey just brought back indoor service at its speakeasy-style back bar hidden past a refrigerator door. Book a table for Thursday to Saturdays to order its reliable list of 99-plus whiskies, cocktails and meal deals (1 hour, 45 minute limit; $45 minimum).
• Aslin Beer Company continues its expansion throughout Northern Virginia with this week’s opening of a new taproom in Herndon (11 a.m. to 8 p.m.)

• H Street NE will get a new Peruvian place called Tigo’s serving ceviche, empanadas, and pollo or lomo rib eye) saltado strips prepared over a wok, according to signage flagged by Popville. The ever-rotating space was formerly occupied by Meggrolls and Red Ginger and Shawafel before that (1322 H Street NE).
• H Street’s chicken chain Farmbird will open a new location across the Potomac next spring at the Ballston Exchange development, sliding into the space formerly occupied by short-lived wellness chain Dirt. Farmbird centers its menu around antibiotic-free poultry raised humanely on regional farms off an all-veggie diet.

Farmbird/official photo

• Starting on January 5, DC Brau brings back its get-out-and-vote brews in time for inauguration festivities, re-batching its Belgian-style The Citizen and its VOTE Kristallweizen.

DC Brau/official photo