Scene-y Latin Spot Seven Reasons Will Host a Chicken Burger Pop-Up for Lunch

Seven Reasons, the Latin American restaurant on 14th Street NW that has drawn national attention for visually audacious plates and modern cooking techniques, will start hosting a lunchtime pop-up this week to add to its to-go revenue while dining rooms are closed to halt the spread of the novel coronavirus.

On Friday, March 27, Soleado will take over the space with Peruvian-leaning chicken burgers featuring colorful toppings. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Seven Reasons line cook Wille Harner will lead the kitchen. Soleado, Spanish for “sunny,” is inspired by brighter days in Lima, the coastal capital of Peru that Harner says “is hard to leave” every time he visits.

An Asian-accented chicken burger features cabbage slaw dressed with tamari and sesame, cucumbers pickled in rice wine vinegar and chile flakes, and spicy yogurt sauce. There’s also a plainer option and a patty blackened in Cajun spices. Each burger is $8.

Snacks include yuca fries and patacones — pounded fried green plantain discs popular in the Caribbean — dipped in aji aioli. Customers can wash down orders with a la carte beers like Polar pale ale, ubiquitous in Venezuela. There’s also $4 bottles of Quilmes from Argentina.

The Soleado pop-up continues through Sunday, March 29, but the plan is to keep the lunch option around while the dine-in ban remains in effect (through most of April, at least). Delivery could come soon. Orders are prepaid for pickup through Tock.

Harner, an alum of Petworth’s now-closed Ruta Del Vino, drew a following for his Soleado lineup at a Community FoodWorks farmers markets years ago.

Starting at 4:30 p.m. daily, Seven Reasons snaps back into session with takeout and delivery. Named Esquire’s best new restaurant in America, Seven Reasons slims down its menu with arepas, a fried chicken sandwich, and its best-selling sea bass ceviche framed with purple sweet potato.

Popular cocktails like its Noche Morado spiked with mezcal and cilantro-infused pisco are also available as add-ons. To set the mood at home, Seven Reasons encourages customers to play its Spotify list.

Since delivery went live at Seven Reasons last week, its staff count has expanded from five to 18 employees.

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